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Harry B

Harry B

I've allways liked reading since an early age. There is nothing quite like emerging yourself in a good book. MY favourite genres are:
Fiction, drama, SF, Fantasy, Crime, War, Western. I love talking about books and am allways looking for new writers and books.

As a hobby I also write stories now and again. Mostly in the SF and... more »
  • So, New Zealand
  • member since October 11 2008

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Harry B’s last login was 7 hours ago. show recent activity »

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Public Notes

  • Author Island.com

    Author Island.com says

    I see you have Ben Larken on your shelf and wanted to invite you to a Cyber Launch Party Today for the 2009 EPPIE winner for Horror to celebrate his new release THE HOLLOWS.
    READ THE FIRST 10 CHAPTERS FREE today at www.ll-publications.com

    WIN - Join the party and leave Ben a question or comment today over on www.CyberLaunchParty.blogspot.com and you'll get your name in the hat for one of several prizes that will be given away like an autographed copy of PIT STOP, Ben's 2009 EPPIE winner for Horror and an autographed copy of THE HOLLOWS!

    posted 6 days ago. ( send a note )
  • nina d

    nina d says

    Thanks so much for the reading suggestions.

    As I put in one of my posts, Good Omens....was good;D I'm not giving anything away
    because it happens right away in the book. It starts with a demon and human helpers starting to kick off the end off the world by placing the anti-christ in an appropriate home. Instead, they misplace the anti-christ. I laugh everytime I think of it. So the demon and a angel from heaven try to find him, working together just like the USA and Russia might work together, so that the BIG GUYS don't find out about the screw up. Granted, there are a few slow parts, but there are some very funny ideas in the book.

    Nina

    posted 1 month ago. ( send a note )
  • Ed Lynskey

    Ed Lynskey says

    Many thanks for the friend add, Harry. I hope you find lots of good reads. Have a great week!

    Ed Lynskey
    PELHAM FELL HERE
    THE BLUE CHEER
    THE DIRT-BROWN DERBY
    “It makes me want to read more.”-James Crumley

    posted 11 months ago. ( send a note )
  • Koy D

    Koy D says

    Cool :D
    Just gotta love swimmin :P
    I'm doing great thanks :D
    Yup, you getting ready for new years mate? hehe Can't believe another year's over again and we welcoming another one aye? haha
    Books... Fantasy, Fiction, some Classics, SciFi... ow and Nicholas Sparks' books as well...
    Happy New Year to you too mate :D
    Dean

    posted 11 months ago. ( send a note )
  • Koy D

    Koy D says

    hey there :D
    whats up?
    thx for aceptin

    posted 11 months ago. ( send a note )
  • Koy D

    Koy D says

    hey there :D
    whats up?
    thx for aceptin

    posted 11 months ago. ( send a note )
  • Max Contreras

    Max Contreras says

    Hey, Harry

    Sorry for the belated response. Things have been a bit hectic these last few days here at work before we take a holiday break.

    It's funny that you mention you're from the Netherlands. I lived there back when I was months old. My father went to study hydraulics over there (he's an engineer), and took my mother and I with him. I had my very first birthday over there, with a nice windmill cake. Of course, I remember nothing of that experience. At least it's a good excuse to plan a visit sometime in the not so near future.

    Thanks for the book recommendation. I am aware that there is also a film based on White Oleander. Have you seen it? I have not, and probably will avoid doing so until I get a chance to check the book out.

    I read Brave New World many years ago. I enjoyed it as well. I wouldn't say it's one of my favorite books ever, but it did entertain, I can say that much.

    If you're looking for great SF reads and have yet to read Dan Simmons' Hyperion Cantos I seriously recommend you read that quartet. I think it was amazing.

    Well, I've mentioned a few books I think are worth looking at since we first got in contact.
    Whatever you read next, I hope you enjoy the holidays and that 2009 is agreat year for you and your loved ones.

    'till next time,
    Max

    posted 11 months ago. ( send a note )
  • Simon m

    Simon m says

    Hi Harry,
    If you're looking for unusual SF utopias/dytopias, check out The Unlimited Dream Company by J G Ballard - then go on to read everything by J G Ballard.

    posted 12 months ago. ( send a note )
  • Bella

    Bella says

    Thanks for the offer. I don't do too much of my own cooking, I rent a room and while it includes kitchen priveleges, it is not the same as having your own kitchen. I try to get by with purchased wheat free products, which you can find a lot of in NY. I can eat wheat occasionally but not whole wheat products.

    posted 1 year ago. ( send a note )
  • Max Contreras

    Max Contreras says

    Hello, Harry

    I don't know if you've had Dominican friends before, but I've never (to my knowledge) met a New Zelander!

    Thanks for your recommendations. I will look into the books you mentioned when I get the chance.

    A series of books we have in common is the Sword of Truth series. A friend of mine lent me the first three, and I really liked them. At least I appreciate the fact that Goodkind attempts to avoid clichés in his stories.

    Whenever you complete your SF project, I would love to check it out. I am writing something myself, but it's going to be in spanish.

    Hope you finish enjoying White Oleander and the rest of your readings!

    Bext wishes,
    Max

    posted 1 year ago. ( send a note )
  • Bella

    Bella says

    Unfortunately I am allergic to wheat so I can only have one once in a great while.

    posted 1 year ago. ( send a note )
  • Bella

    Bella says

    Thanks for accepting. Yes I love New York! I wouldn't live anywhere else, and I have so I know what I am talking about. Hot & Krusty has the best bagels! IMO

    posted 1 year ago. ( send a note )
  • Max Contreras

    Max Contreras says

    Hello, man

    I'm glad you accepted me. As far as fantasy is concerned, I think it is more difficult to write good, original fantasy than writing sci-fi. Since the focus isn't on cool technology or predicting how future societies may be organized, characters and their motivations have to be very, very strong to captivate readers. I also feel good fantasy works tend to be written in series. Perhaps most fantasy authors that find a great idea want to exploit them for all they’re worth.

    My favorite fantasy series is (predictably) The Lord of the Rings. Well written, fun (although things slow down a lot at times for some readers) and incredibly deep.

    Other books I have really liked include:
    Vlad Taltos books, by Steven Brust. I think those, though a bit shallow, are quite fun to read. Try Jhereg, the first book, to see if it’s your cup of tea.

    Guy Gavriel Kay’s Fionavar Tapestry series was a very well written series. There are some scenes, like one where there’s a car crash, that I really love. And then there’s Galadan, a character that I found quite fascinating.

    Kay also wrote a book called Tigana, which was a nice read as well.

    Tad William’s Memory, Sorrow and Thorn series was interesting. Quite well written. The story itself is typical fantasy fare, as I said, it’s hard coming up with a completely original idea in this genre.

    I really, really enjoyed The Dragonlance Legends (Time of the Twins, War of the Twins, Test of the Twins) trilogy, by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, the second Dragonlance trilogy. I really hate the kender, don’t find him funny at all, but like everyone else, I love Raistlin and Lord Soth.

    I read The Eye of the World, the first book in Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series. I liked the book a lot, but that series has received so much criticism that I haven’t been encouraged to keep reading. I will someday, that´s for sure. I’m sorry the author could not live to complete it, though.

    The Prydain Chronicles, by Lloyd Alexander I enjoyed in general. Not brilliant or earth-shattering, but an entertaining read nonetheless.

    I’ve also read two series that have been critically acclaimed, but which I did not find particularly engaging. One of them was Gene Wolfe’s Book of the New Sun quartet. Brilliantly written, but the language and the story structure were way too confusing for me. Wolfe can write, I’ll concede him that much, but the fact that he’s not on the bestseller lists indicates he’s not too much fun to read unless you have a huge vocabulary and lots of patience.

    The other series, also well thought of, which I didn’t fall in love with is Stephen Donaldson The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, the Unbeliever. Covenant is interesting as a character, an anti-hero (he even rapes a girl in the book) but the book lacked the spark I require to love a book.

    Finally, other fantasy stuff I have started reading include Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy, Roger Zelazny’s First Chronicles of Amber, Fritz Leiber’s Fafhrd and Gray Mouser books and Michael Moorcock’s Elric books. I have not read enough of them to have an informed opinion about them, but when I do, I’ll be more than happy to share them with you.

    Best regards,
    Max

    posted 1 year ago. ( send a note )
  • paikea

    paikea says

    Hi Harry - sorry about the lateness of my reply - my laptop has been out of commission for months and i've been using my husband's laptop, which is not optimal

    as to Brave New World - i read it so long ago - for a class in college - not my cup of tea, if i remember correctly - i found it a bit of a slog, not at all enjoyable to read, and the lead was a bit too "messianic" for me - but i never tell people not to read a book, unless it is utterly without merit - so, please read it and form your own opinion - it is relatively short, so if you find you hated it, you won't have lost much time:) - p.s. i noticed you read Neil Gaiman's American Gods (one of my favorite books is Good Omens)

    posted 1 year ago. ( send a note )
  • Brandy U

    Brandy U says

    Hey Harry...I have to tell you that in the end, I would consider Brave New World worth reading, and this is in part due to its status as a classic. It's a fairly quick and entertaining read; the main thing that put me off, really, is the thinly veiled advocacy of religion (which is not exactly my thing, if you happen to notice some of the other books on my shelf). Of course, just because I've personally read a far share of books that seem to also do this, it's not to say that those who do it well or first should be discounted (as a general statement). So, yeah, I'd say give it a shot....;-)

    posted 1 year ago. ( send a note )
  • maydayeve.. gearing up for para-sailing

    maydayeve.. gearing up for para-sailing says

    yes, the world of reading takes us to a lot of places and to vicariously experience those that are beyond our personal grasp. Life is too short to experience all the exciting things in life..so better read the rest about it.
    I am reading Blindsighted by Karin Slaughter, a suspense thriller. This is my 3rd of her book. I noticed that you have books with dutch title..Are you from Netherlands? ive been to that country before.

    posted 1 year ago. ( send a note )
  • Deepa A

    Deepa A says

    You've said it! Nothing in the world like a good book.

    posted 1 year ago. ( send a note )
  • Hope O

    Hope O says

    Harry, I just read 2 darling books for kids about animals...a live mouse and a china rabbit. They are delightful for the kids and for older folks like me, too. I hope you'll read them before you get them for your children, just so you can talk to them about the characters. The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane made me laugh and cry time and again. The Tale of Despereaux is about a very unusual mouse...so very funny. Now, here's one just for you. I read a book awhile back called Firmin...about a rat family. It's a bit "off the wall", but I really enjoyed the way the author presented it. It wasn't a big book over here, so it may not be easily available to you, but, if you can find it, you might find it interesting, too.

    Hope O

    posted 1 year ago. ( send a note )
  • Stacy C

    Stacy C says

    Cool! Let me know what you think of it - I wrote a paper on it a year or so ago, and I'm curious to see what your response to the ending is... ;] (Now you GOTTA read it!)

    posted 1 year ago. ( send a note )
  • AMTAF!

    AMTAF! says

    Hello there;
    Thank you for the book recommendations - I've already read 'Eragorn' but I will check out the others this weekend. I absolutely love SciFi and Magical realism when it comes to modern literature, but I am a bigger fan of the Classics... and I completely adore the old Russian authors, their very matter-of-fact narration of life is quite appealing.

    What are your favourite genres?

    posted 1 year ago. ( send a note )


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