I'm probably just totally overlooking an existing area like this, but could we have a section for discussing books?
AP satisfies my need to discuss pretty much everything except Stephen King.
I'm probably just totally overlooking an existing area like this, but could we have a section for discussing books?
AP satisfies my need to discuss pretty much everything except Stephen King.
I'm probably just totally overlooking an existing area like this, but could we have a section for discussing books?
AP satisfies my need to discuss pretty much everything except Stephen King.
I could never get into stephen king for some reason. I read "The Shining" but the book was a huge dissapointment after Kubricks masterpiece film, and i read another book called "The Tommyknockers" or something and it is probably the worst piece of horror literature i have ever read (but i have heard that even hardcore King fans dislike that one)
Could you recommend a SK novel thats really good Robbie? im a huge E. A. Poell fan so King should be up my alley.
Brett Easton Ellis is probably my favourite author of the last 4 decades. Both American Psycho and Rules of Attraction are in my top 10 all time classics list.
I think this has just always fallen under the "what are you reading?" thread of the media section. If it's a series, particularly a popular one, then it might get its own thread, but I cannot imagine a section dedicated to just books would do well. Hell even movies don't always stand on their own and they have months of previews and leaked information before the film releases and then it gets to the initial reactions and content discussion. That said, as with all requests like this it boils down to whether or not people would want it or use it, so beyond my personal thoughts above if you get enough signatures, so to speak, then we can go from there.
I could never get into stephen king for some reason. I read "The Shining" but the book was a huge dissapointment after Kubricks masterpiece film, and i read another book called "The Tommyknockers" or something and it is probably the worst piece of horror literature i have ever read (but i have heard that even hardcore King fans dislike that one)
Could you recommend a SK novel thats really good Robbie? im a huge E. A. Poell fan so King should be up my alley.
Brett Easton Ellis is probably my favourite author of the last 4 decades. Both American Psycho and Rules of Attraction are in my top 10 all time classics.
The Shining is pretty polarising because of the film, yeah.
The Tommyknockers just isn't everyone's cup of tea.
If you're a big Poe fan, I'd recommend something like "It", "Salem's Lot" or "Duma Key".
Probably "It".
Ahh. American Psycho, now there's a book.
Problem is book discussions tend to be rather slow if they happen at all.
I think this has just always fallen under the "what are you reading?" thread of the media section. If it's a series, particularly a popular one, then it might get its own thread, but I cannot imagine a section dedicated to just books would do well. Hell even movies don't always stand on their own and they have months of previews and leaked information before the film releases and then it gets to the initial reactions and content discussion. That said, as with all requests like this it boils down to whether or not people would want it or use it, so beyond my personal thoughts above if you get enough signatures, so to speak, then we can go from there.
I literally saw the "What are you reading?" section about 5 minutes after I posted this lol.
I think it could work in terms of threads about authors, or like you said, popular series, rather than just about individual books.
Maybe with the "What are you reading?" thread moved in as a sticky to handle cases of single titles.
It was just an idea. I'll have an ask around and see what people think.
I literally saw the "What are you reading?" section about 5 minutes after I posted this lol.
I think it could work in terms of threads about authors, or like you said, popular series, rather than just about individual books.
Maybe with the "What are you reading?" thread moved in as a sticky to handle cases of single titles.
It was just an idea. I'll have an ask around and see what people think.
My issue with "What are you reading/watching/eating/wearing right now"-type of thread is that there is usually not very much room for a good discussion, because everyone wants to talk about what they are currently reading. It has a tendancy to become messy for those who want to dig deeper into a specific genre or Author.
I suggest different threads for different literary categories (Sci-Fi/Thriller/Fantasy/Classic Novels etc), kinda like we have separate threads for DC and Marvel comics.
My issue with "What are you reading/watching/eating/wearing right now"-type of thread is that there is usually not very much room for a good discussion, because everyone wants to talk about what they are currently reading. It has a tendancy to become messy for those who want to dig deeper into a specific genre or Author.
I suggest different threads for different literary categories (Sci-Fi/Thriller/Fantasy/Classic Novels etc), kinda like we have separate threads for DC and Marvel comics.
Exactly.
I really do think there could be room for a lot of discussion.
We could split out threads by all of these ideas tbh.
Genre threads, author threads etc. I definitely think it could work.
Could does not equal would. The fact that such discussion isn't already happening elsewhere is a pointer. If people seriously wanted to discuss those kinds of things, they would already do so in some place where room for conversation like that existed. The "people don't do it because there is nowhere to" argument doesn't really hold water.
Try creating a thread on Literature Discussion and see if that gets going. It's definitely something that could be talked more, I agree, but creating a whole section for something like that won't work unless there's already an established group of people actively participating in the discussion. Just look how the music section is doing. It's not as spright and vivid as it could be under different circumstances.
Mostly only works when there's a HUGE release thats been hotly anticipated in a long running series that has years of buildup, like the last Harry Potter Book, Wheel of Time, or Game of thrones… and even those discussions tend to only go a few days. (Though Harry Potter is so everywhere it seeps into conversation regularly.)
I really can't see there being any activity on older books for the most part... just because unless they're just being released, everyone is going to be at completely different places. "I read that twenty years ago" "I read that a year ago" "I'm reading it right no, no spoilers!" which is a major thing in the Game of Thrones books.
Fact is, much of this forum only reads comic books, not actual novels.
But yes, if there's an expressed interest... maybe!
I'd say we could try a book of the month club or something.... but we've tried "synchronized forum viewing" things with various tv shows, ghibli movies, and some mangas... it usually doesn't work out unless its brand new. (Like with shows that are airing or video games just released).
Also, the only books I'd want to read are like 800 pages long.
The biggest issue I foresee is for every thread or author there's probably only going to be on average a dozen or so people who are familiar enough with the work to actually be interested in discussion about it, and then of that dozen maybe half of that will actually participate in said discussion. Of course there are exceptions like Robby's mentions, which of course already have their own thread(s) and are still only active during their respective visual media counterparts. The rest of the time it'd be still waters. An entire section devoted to a few dozen (maybe?) threads that are all fairly inactive.
Dryish's suggestion is probably the best starting point. If the thread picks up and maintains activity, then we can maybe sticky the thread. From there, if you make individual threads for authors, series, etc then you can have the first post of the Literature thread link to each individual author / series thread as a sort of table of contents. If after all of this things are still active then that might be a good time to consider a section for it.
/Spitballin'
Edit: While on the topic, has anyone here read anything by Bernard Cornwell?
You probably need to go to a forum where people with those kindsa interests go specifically, seeing as the demographic of this forum is based around something primarily designed for young children, so that's why you have alot of young people around.
And then there's the fact my specific book interests (weird fiction, usually in the public domain so I can read it without paying an arm and a leg for it due to shipping costs) are probably not gonna be shared by alot of people, even if they like "Horror", because the type I like is sophisticated and leaving enough for the imagination, whereas it seems the only type of horror to get any kinda wide public exposure is the kind where lots of gore happens, which is like my least favourite thing ever.
Heck I thought Clive Barker's Weaveworld had excessive bits in it and that one's mainly a fantasy book.
@No:
You probably need to go to a forum where people with those kindsa interests go specifically, seeing as the demographic of this forum is based around something primarily designed for young children, so that's why you have alot of young people around.
SomethingAwful HintHint NudgeNudge
SomethingAwful HintHint NudgeNudge
I meant legitimate interest in literature, and it's various niche forms.
Why do you bring up SA ?
Cause they have a relatively active section for discussing books?
Along with everything else in the universe, of course. It is the promised land of netizens, after all.
Hahaha thanks for all the feedback guys, I'll try out your suggestions with the different threads and stuff.
This all occurred to me with instances like when Ubiq and I were discussing The Silmarillion, fairly in depth, in the hobbit movies thread.
Even with things like A Song of Ice and Fire being discussed in the Game of Thrones TV thread, it still kind of made sense since it could all technically fall into speculation about just where the TV series is going and where it will differ etc.
The Silmarillion though, is so far removed from The Hobbit movies that it's really just a big clog in that kind of thread. That's the kind of situation that made me think that the forum could benefit from a more solid literature section.
Also in regards to Robby's point about people coming in at different points, if a show like Doctor Who's thread can run so smoothly, with people jumping in and out of different seasons, with entirely different actors and directors, I don't see a reason why a thread based around a long running book series like A Song of Ice and Fire couldn't run quite smoothly as well. Although I suppose long running book series are a hell of a lot more sequential than Doctor Who ever is.
Anyway, I'll pursue the issue in the way you guys have laid out. Having feedback from the top brass of the forum really helps, even for such an issue. Cheers again!
I'm a fucking nerd and I love books and I'd be all about seeing people's rare book collections, art books, etc
idk if it would make a very active forum though
@No:
You probably need to go to a forum where people with those kindsa interests go specifically, seeing as the demographic of this forum is based around something primarily designed for young children, so that's why you have alot of young people around.
Go to another forum?? Apostasy!
I see what everyone's saying against this; it makes sense, but the "what are you reading now?" thread really isn't a great place for discussion … I can see that a whole section would be kind of quiet, but it's the kind of thing whenever someone starts exploring some series for the first time, I would love discussing it with them even if I read it ages ago. It might be quiet, but it would be interesting ... and a good on-off discussion with only half a dozen or so people involved is as good as a bigger, more continuous one.
I think that a stickied thread which links to individual author/series discussion threads would be appropriate; it would engender discussion without the excess of creating an unnecessary section. But, I think it's the kind of thing which is slow and quiet in nature, and it's kind of unfair to just let it get buried amongst more vibrant threads just because of that (because it can still be interesting!)
That was kind of incoherent but I'm in a rush.
I stickied the What are you Reading thread. If activity on that improves any with it prominent and in the same place, will consider a wider approach.
If not, it gets unstickied.
You're a wise and prudent moderator, RobbyBevard.