HR Boards
March 28, 2024, 08:34:50 AM*

Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
News: Spiderverse 3 premieres in theaters March 29, 2024!
Advanced search  
Pages: [1] 2   Go Down
Print
Author Topic: Yo, Jimmy, 'lil help?  (Read 7330 times)
Perry
Just an old man
Administrator
HR Celestial
*****
Posts: 13806



« on: March 19, 2019, 03:55:48 PM »

So I know you have talked to me/advised me on the Wheel of Time series and I am sure that during that conversation I had asked you about Terry Goodkind, I think I must have, but I will be damned if I remember if you were a fan or not. I have the opportunity to get a couple of his first novels, or in this case audio books, in his Sword of Truth series for cheap but I want to know if it is worth the time or not?

I would probably not listen to them for ... a year at least knowing me  Grin, but as an investment in future entertainment are they worth the time?

I enjoyed the first Wheel of Time book and even though I have yet to start the second book in that series (further proof of how long THIS one will probably take me to get to  Cheesy), I am always looking for a good deal on audio books, regardless.

Sooo is the series worth anything? I see two camps here and both are very far apart. One half of the reviews think his stuff is golden, up there with the best fantasy but the other side seem to think it is juvenile trash that a 5th grader could write. There seems to be little to no middle ground here.

Help?
Logged

Avatar mash-up is from Ross Pearsall... and of course those that own the original characters Smiley
Jimmy T
Global Moderator
HR Celestial
*****
Posts: 5579



« Reply #1 on: March 19, 2019, 06:08:54 PM »

Terry Good kind is an Ayn Rand believer. I LOVED the first 3 books to death.4th was okay, not as good, but no clunker. The 5th hit me wrong. First 119 pages are main character lecturing people in why he doesn't need to help them, how their situation doesn't need to move him, and their coercion of him is unjust.

It sat so... weird. Found an interview at that time, some Atlas Shrugged nonsense in his talk (direct quotes too). Suddenly the entire series clicked into place.

I walked away, never to return.

You'll have to decide if that's a milieu you find interesting. I rather loathe it now.
Logged

Jimmy T since 2001
Perry
Just an old man
Administrator
HR Celestial
*****
Posts: 13806



« Reply #2 on: March 19, 2019, 07:33:58 PM »

Ouch, yeah, I'm not a Rand fan myself (by any stretch)

Funny that I can normally separate creators personal stuff from the work as long as I don't see/hear/watch the creator talk about it  Cheesy (IE Orson Scott Card ... I was fine reading his stuff and I knew how he felt about homosexuals but was, well not okay with it but okay with it until I actually saw a video where he voiced his opinions on said homosexuals. Just couldn't get past it. I tossed everything I had and vowed never to pick up a single thing with his name on it ever again, even if it were to be a much needed fire extinguisher). Always found that aspect of myself funny. Like myabe I am hoping that everything a creator says or does that I don't like is just hearsay until I see it in print or on film
 Cheesy Cheesy Cheesy

I do get and totally understand how that ruined the experience for you.

Damn, not sure I want to try it or not now. It is the first two, before the rant, so maybe ... maybe ....

Much thanks my man!!!
Logged

Avatar mash-up is from Ross Pearsall... and of course those that own the original characters Smiley
Jimmy T
Global Moderator
HR Celestial
*****
Posts: 5579



« Reply #3 on: March 19, 2019, 08:52:38 PM »

Well, my perspective of the first two to three books became colored, because now I could recognize all the themes in those books. once I knew about his existentialism thinking back on the books I really loved, I could see its trademark nonsense all over it. change the coloring of those books in my perspective because I knew the way he felt and thought. It was all over them, I just couldn't recognize them at the time.
Logged

Jimmy T since 2001
Jeff
Administrator
HR Celestial
*****
Posts: 13278



WWW
« Reply #4 on: March 20, 2019, 02:37:31 AM »

I bought almost all of them and they sat on the shelf.  I never finished the first one for some reason.  Probably b/c of my comic backlog.  I got the first one on Audio book hoping to get through it in the car.  Thanks for the reminder!


...some Atlas Shrugged nonsense in his talk...

Now, now, don't go hatin' on my girl Ann.  Atlas Shrugged is an awesome book.  One of my favorites.   Wink
Logged

“If I could go back in time and like tell 11 year old me that like not only do you get to go to Comic Con but you go every year.  So much so that you get greeted by Stan Lee when you show up.  And 11 year old me would be like - How did we get so fat?”- Kevin Smith
Perry
Just an old man
Administrator
HR Celestial
*****
Posts: 13806



« Reply #5 on: March 20, 2019, 10:33:06 AM »

Now, now, don't go hatin' on my girl Ann.  Atlas Shrugged is an awesome book.  One of my favorites.   Wink

 Undecided Cry Cry Cry

See? That always confused me. And I am not jumping on you for your feelings or certainly not your beliefs, but it just puzzles me when Christians enjoy Rand. It seems like it breaks one of the main tenants of Christianity (or religion as a whole) because if you follow her, it seems to me ... and I want to fully express that it may be just me ... but it seems the act of "helping your fellow man" goes out the window does it not? Rand's, each man of his own, by his own and for his own just slaps that in the face and cries nothing but Capitalistic, self centered ideology. Again, not attacking you ... I know you are a amn of feelings  Smiley and you know you're my Texan, dude! Wink Grin ... but I figure more Atheists like me would be Rand followers, but that never seems to be the case.
 Grin
I mean could you imagine, many years back, Christ himself standing in line to get Ayn Rand to sign his copy of Atlas Shrugged?
 Grin
I sure as hell can't picture her asking him the same with the Bible
 Cheesy Cheesy Cheesy Cheesy Cheesy

Although signing the Bible would be weird for anyone to do  Tongue
 Wink
 Grin


EDIT - Yes, okay, that last one was an unnecessary dig. I apologize for that one.

« Last Edit: March 20, 2019, 12:41:53 PM by Perry » Logged

Avatar mash-up is from Ross Pearsall... and of course those that own the original characters Smiley
Jeff
Administrator
HR Celestial
*****
Posts: 13278



WWW
« Reply #6 on: March 20, 2019, 04:11:04 PM »

Helping others is never addressed in her philosophy.  That does not mean she believes you can't help others or that you have to.  If it makes you happy, then help people.  I do.  What her philosophy is against is one man (or more specifically government) forcing another man into doing something against his or her own interests.

I started to write a lot more but I don't like engaging in debates that could end friendships.  Jimmy clearly has a hatred for her and his friendship is more important to me than going down a rabbit hole.  I do find it interesting that Jimmy loved the books but now doesn't because of the author's personal beliefs.  From my own experience, Tom Cruise's personal beliefs are beyond stupid - yet I love his movies.

It's an interesting conversation, but I don't want to cause any schisms.

Logged

“If I could go back in time and like tell 11 year old me that like not only do you get to go to Comic Con but you go every year.  So much so that you get greeted by Stan Lee when you show up.  And 11 year old me would be like - How did we get so fat?”- Kevin Smith
Perry
Just an old man
Administrator
HR Celestial
*****
Posts: 13806



« Reply #7 on: March 20, 2019, 04:20:04 PM »

... Tom Cruise's personal beliefs are beyond stupid - yet I love his movies.

AMEN!!!!!!

It's an interesting conversation, but I don't want to cause any schisms.

Yeah, this is best left on the side I think. I know I was worried about what I said, and the possibility that it may upset you, and that was just an "on the surface" type of post. Best leave the shovels where they are and not go digging on this one. Even though, I think Rand is a little more ... well ... let me follow my own advice here and drop it.
 Cheesy
Logged

Avatar mash-up is from Ross Pearsall... and of course those that own the original characters Smiley
Jimmy T
Global Moderator
HR Celestial
*****
Posts: 5579



« Reply #8 on: March 20, 2019, 05:12:59 PM »

I certainly want to follow forum rules, I don't want to hurt any friends, and I guess I'm sorry if I was far too brash with my initial post. It's just that, skirting the edge, I find current government leaders who follow a skewed Rand philosophy to be more hurtful to the country than helpful. That to me has made it a terrible drawback as an influence.

Logged

Jimmy T since 2001
Jimmy T
Global Moderator
HR Celestial
*****
Posts: 5579



« Reply #9 on: March 20, 2019, 05:15:09 PM »

Also, I forgot, as far as the book goes? The writer directly made it an existential hero of Ayn rand's writings. It wasn't that it was just his personal philosophy;  he made the books about it entirely.
Logged

Jimmy T since 2001
Jeff
Administrator
HR Celestial
*****
Posts: 13278



WWW
« Reply #10 on: March 20, 2019, 09:44:43 PM »

I certainly want to follow forum rules, I don't want to hurt any friends, and I guess I'm sorry if I was far too brash with my initial post. It's just that, skirting the edge, I find current government leaders who follow a skewed Rand philosophy to be more hurtful to the country than helpful. That to me has made it a terrible drawback as an influence.

No hurt feeling here, my friend.  We're all good.  I think we all hate the government for many different reasons.
Logged

“If I could go back in time and like tell 11 year old me that like not only do you get to go to Comic Con but you go every year.  So much so that you get greeted by Stan Lee when you show up.  And 11 year old me would be like - How did we get so fat?”- Kevin Smith
Jimmy T
Global Moderator
HR Celestial
*****
Posts: 5579



« Reply #11 on: March 21, 2019, 01:17:47 AM »

How do I like it upvote that comment on a message board? Grin
Logged

Jimmy T since 2001
Perry
Just an old man
Administrator
HR Celestial
*****
Posts: 13806



« Reply #12 on: March 21, 2019, 11:24:21 AM »

 Grin

And hey, while I'm talking about this stuff ... Jimmy (or anyone else, surely) have you read Brandon Sanderson's Stormlight series and/or any of Steven Erikson's stuff? If so, any opinion on any of those?
 
Logged

Avatar mash-up is from Ross Pearsall... and of course those that own the original characters Smiley
Jimmy T
Global Moderator
HR Celestial
*****
Posts: 5579



« Reply #13 on: March 21, 2019, 06:32:09 PM »

I really dig Sanderson, and the Stormlight stuff. Haven't read book 3. But they are HUGE books. Very detailed and slow. This is not a ride, it's a walking marathon disguised as a lazy Sunday drive
Steven Erikson is one I want to get to. Him and Stephen Donaldson.
Logged

Jimmy T since 2001
Perry
Just an old man
Administrator
HR Celestial
*****
Posts: 13806



« Reply #14 on: March 22, 2019, 07:31:01 PM »

Okay,  Smiley Okay, I got ya.
Thanks man
Logged

Avatar mash-up is from Ross Pearsall... and of course those that own the original characters Smiley
Pages: [1] 2   Go Up
Print
Jump to:  

 B l a c k - R a i n V.2 by C r i p ~ Powered by SMF 1.1.21 | SMF © 2015, Simple Machines MySQL | PHP | XHTML | CSS