The Zone

by **Ribbons** on Thu Dec 22, 2005 11:10 pm

It's probably a little late now, but we could put that up as a poll option next go-'round.

by **Bean** on Thu Dec 22, 2005 11:39 pm

If its Mars you want, why not read the greatest short fiction compiled about it? MARTIAN CHRONICLES by Ray Bradbury. The guy is a sci-fi genius.

by **Adam Balm** on Thu Dec 22, 2005 11:47 pm

Next time round, fellas. You have my word.

by **ONeillSG1** on Thu Dec 22, 2005 11:50 pm

Heart of Darkness.

Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

John Carter of Mars.

A fourth?

Alice in Wonderland?

by **Adam Balm** on Thu Dec 22, 2005 11:52 pm

Heart of Darkness is going to easily win this one.

But the other ones will definitely be on the next ballot. Plus any ones I really like from this poll that I want to try again....

(yuk, yuk, yuk)

by **ONeillSG1** on Fri Dec 23, 2005 1:27 am

What's the deadline for this shindig?

by **Adam Balm** on Fri Dec 23, 2005 2:36 am

I guess, once the poll ends and it's decided (I changed it to a 5 day poll to give everyone extra time to vote) that the reading time will be for the month of January. The thread will have a spoiler warning on it, so that you can discuss key plot details and what not after you've finished.

by **buster00** on Fri Dec 23, 2005 2:40 am

Sounds fair enough.

by **Shane** on Fri Dec 23, 2005 9:16 am

wow, I just saw kong Finally and realized you all suck.

That's why Heart of Darkness was up there.

by **DennisMM** on Fri Dec 23, 2005 11:05 am

Will The Secret Sharer be included or at least optional, Adam? It's in most popular (that is to say, paperback) copies of HoD

by **Carolian** on Mon Dec 26, 2005 8:59 pm

Man, now I wish I'd waited to vote until In Cold Blood was an option. Great, great book. Still, I just may have to pick up Heart of Darkness. I've wanted to read it for a while now.

by **Ribbons** on Sun Jan 01, 2006 7:12 am

So it's January, which I'm pretty sure means it's now officially "Heart of Darkness Month" here in the 'Zone. Maybe not though, I'm not sure what the dilly-o.

by **Bean** on Sun Jan 01, 2006 1:13 pm

So should I go to the library and get this book now?

by **Peven** on Sun Jan 01, 2006 2:00 pm

The Runes of the Earth, by Stephen R Donaldson. its the first book of The Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant. the author who was heralded as the heir to Tolkien's throne, revisiting the character and world that earned him such recognition.

by **Shane** on Sun Jan 01, 2006 2:42 pm

when do we start?

I still have to buy it.

by **Ribbons** on Sun Jan 01, 2006 3:18 pm

Well like I said, I don't know exactly what the deal is, might as well wait for Balmy to give us an update, but I'm pretty sure that we're reading Heart of Darkness this month. There's no set date you "have" to read it by if you plan on participating, you could read it all today, you could read it all three weeks from now, but we'll be trying to have a discussion about it throughout the month. Then, once February rolls around, we vote on a new book, I think, or we vote on one this month and start a new one in February...? I don't know. Stay posted. I just wanted to bump this thread as a reminder though.

by **Adam Balm** on Sun Jan 01, 2006 7:22 pm

I'm starting a new thread for it tonight. It starts today. Heart of Darkness. It will be the book of the month. The thread will run until January 31st, and will have a spoiler warning on it.

by **ONeillSG1** on Sun Jan 01, 2006 10:19 pm

Before we go any further in discussing the book, I think it best to ask a question for reflection while reading the novel:

If you had the ability to see in a mirror all the qualities you hate about yourself, would you still want to look into that mirror?

Heart of Darkness goes into this idea within the framework of the story being told of Marlowe's re-telling of his journey captaining a riverboat in Africa.

Imperialism, slavery, "knowing thyself", the pain of loss, the thrill of control and the difference between fantasy and reality are all themes of Joseph Conrad's novella or short story.

Whenever I give you information, I hope to use citations from my notes from school; so if you chose to, you can read the supplimental material as well.

I think this will be fun as we make our way down this path, which "seemed to lead into the heart of an immense darkness" (95).

(The version I am using is the one I got for school, found here on Amazon if you are interested.

It is a really good version if you are looking to purchase your first copy of the book. It has some very informative and rich supplimental critical essays which deepen the experience.

by **havocSchultz** on Mon Jan 30, 2006 5:48 pm

February Book Club:

i voted for Cell - cause my girlfriend works in a book store and she borrowed it for a few days - she finished it in about a day and a half - and i'm gonna read it anyways...

either that or Everybody Poops - i hear the upcoming movie on that one loses a bunch in the translation and will only be PG-13...

by **Adam Balm** on Mon Jan 30, 2006 5:54 pm

It seems Everybody Poops has taken the lead...

Hmm.

by **havocSchultz** on Mon Jan 30, 2006 5:55 pm

Adam Balm wrote:It seems Everybody Poops has taken the lead...

Hmm.

poopsilash...

by **Adam Balm** on Mon Jan 30, 2006 6:04 pm

Jeez, people. I know I said pick a short book, but this is ridiculous. That's like a 5 minute read....

WTF???

http://zone.aintitcool.com/viewtopic.php?t=31554

by **havocSchultz** on Mon Jan 30, 2006 6:06 pm

Adam Balm wrote:Jeez, people. I know I said pick a short book, but this is ridiculous. That's like a 5 minute read....

WTF???

you might wanna take it off the poll... or at least put a disclaimer that if Everybody Poops wins the poll - it just means that you actually get to pick the book...

which - would then be something that has to do with muthafuckin zombies on a cell phone...

by **brainiac** on Mon Jan 30, 2006 6:15 pm

CELL would be good....but... not many of us have the budget to run out and buy it right now and I'll bet my library wait will verge on 3 months minimum.

But, if the poll shows CELL as the choice, I'll figure something out.

Let me also renominate John Carter of Mars by E.R. Burroughs. Easy to get in used book stores and libraries and cheap to buy.

So if you are putting up a poll...those are my suggestions. 8)

by **DennisMM** on Mon Jan 30, 2006 6:28 pm

Zombies on the muthafuckin' PHONE?

by **Cottonwood** on Mon Jan 30, 2006 6:32 pm

As it happened, recently read JOHN CARTER OF MARS for the first time - now there was a hole in my education the size of Texas. Anyway, it's great fun (I'm gonna continue in this series), and it just got my vote in the poll.

I was the 9th person to vote. Whoa, before you know it, we're as big as Oprah's book club!

by **Keepcoolbutcare** on Mon Jan 30, 2006 6:38 pm

DennisMM wrote:Zombies on the muthafuckin' PHONE?

HAHAHAHA!!! Credit, albiet late...YAY!

John Carter got my vote, haven't read that one yet, but if the big man thinks it's worthy, might as well give it a shot...

by **John-Locke** on Mon Jan 30, 2006 6:45 pm

I'd be up for A Scanner Darkly, I've never read any Dick and people always tell me my Ideas are similar to some of his books with the sorts of ideas I throw out there, unless they are really just trying to call me a Dick??? Hmmmm???

Anyway thats my choice.

by **Adam Balm** on Mon Jan 30, 2006 6:47 pm

I'm definitely hoping for Scanner, myself. I seem to have every great SF master on my shelf, but I'm presently Dickless.

AND PLEASE EVERYONE STOP VOTING FOR EVERYBODY POOPS!!

by **Keepcoolbutcare** on Mon Jan 30, 2006 6:47 pm

HAHA!

Classy...that's Philp K's. best work. You should read it anyway, in case you ever get the inclination to revert to your former "hazy" ways.

edit: HAHA directed at JL, not the sophmoric humor of one A.Balm...

edit x 2: Why did you put it up for nomination then, jackass!

by **Iconoclastica** on Mon Jan 30, 2006 6:47 pm

John-Locke wrote:I'd be up for A Scanner Darkly, I've never read any Dick and people always tell me my Ideas are similar to some of his books with the sorts of ideas I throw out there, unless they are really just trying to call me a Dick??? Hmmmm???

Anyway thats my choice.

I'm not saying you're a dick, man. Cause, well, I just don't know you well enough to make that kind of judgement call . . . but I do agree :wink:

by **DennisMM** on Mon Jan 30, 2006 7:25 pm

He's not a dick, man. But is he a dick man? Let's go visit the Brokeback thread.

by **Iconoclastica** on Mon Jan 30, 2006 7:27 pm

DennisMM wrote:He's not a dick, man. But is he a dick man? Let's go visit the Brokeback thread.

PRICKILASH!

by **Adam Balm** on Mon Jan 30, 2006 7:27 pm

by **DennisMM** on Mon Jan 30, 2006 7:36 pm

Absolutely no offense intended, John. We all know from the Brokeback thread that you are not Dumbledore and have no problem with those who are.

by **John-Locke** on Mon Jan 30, 2006 7:40 pm

Hey buddy I can take a joke.

most of the time

by **DennisMM** on Mon Jan 30, 2006 7:43 pm

It's the "most of the time" that worries me. You swing a mean bat.

by **John-Locke** on Mon Jan 30, 2006 7:52 pm

Why thankyou Dennis

I think?

Yeah I'll try and keep cool more

No excuse for making people feel like shit for the sake of it, I'll try my best to keep it for when it's really deserved instead of jumping the gun

by **Adam Balm** on Tue Jan 31, 2006 4:58 pm

About 48 hours of voting left and it looks to be tied at 5 and 5 between Burroughs and Dick. Not sure what we'd do as a tie-breaker in the event that there's no clear winner. Any ideas?

by **Ribbons** on Tue Jan 31, 2006 5:02 pm

Mud wrasslin'

by **thomasgaffney** on Tue Jan 31, 2006 5:04 pm

Adam Balm wrote:About 48 hours of voting left and it looks to be tied at 5 and 5 between Burroughs and Dick. Not sure what we'd do as a tie-breaker in the event that there's no clear winner. Any ideas?

Go with Everybody Poops?

by **so sorry** on Tue Jan 31, 2006 5:04 pm

drawf toss contest

by **havocSchultz** on Tue Jan 31, 2006 5:05 pm

poop wrasslin'

by **Seppuku** on Tue Jan 31, 2006 5:07 pm

Do Dick because I've already read it!

Or you could do Princess of Mars because it's up online for free: http://www.cs.cmu.edu/People/rgs/pmars-table.html

by **so sorry** on Tue Jan 31, 2006 5:08 pm

havocSchultz wrote:poop wrasslin'

dwarf-poop tossing contest

by **havocSchultz** on Tue Jan 31, 2006 5:09 pm

so sorry wrote:
havocSchultz wrote:poop wrasslin'

dwarf-poop tossing contest

Everybody Tosses Poop...

by **Adam Balm** on Tue Jan 31, 2006 5:10 pm

Yay, the tie is broken. I'm no longer going to be a Dickless SF reader...

by **DennisMM** on Tue Jan 31, 2006 5:20 pm

It was I who broke the tie. Everybody Poops is a classic, but perhaps best kept for a summer month when we want some truly light reading.

by **John-Locke** on Tue Jan 31, 2006 5:29 pm

How in the hell did everybody poops get so many votes?

Hacked?

by **Adam Balm** on Tue Jan 31, 2006 5:33 pm

I think someone's a joker....is it me?

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