Need book help

I talked to my biology professor and he said it'd be fine if I attended some live classes, even though I'm an internet student and also, due to work arrangements, a guaranteed late arrival to class. So I figure I'll try to catch at least every other class session, if not more. This, however, means commuting time. (reading on the way to ITM440, if I opt to attend live sessions, is a no-go as that commute is via highway)

So I downloaded a mega-torrent of eBooks from various sci-fi/fantasy authors. Studying on the train is a lost cause, I've tried it before and there are too many distractions for really absorbing material. Fiction, however, is another story. So I figure I'll throw some on the GP2X (god I love that thing, best handheld EVER) and read on the go.

However, I'm still faced with one problem...where the frell do I start?

Here's a list of the authors whose works were included in the multi-gig behemoth of a torrent I nabbed:

Alan Dean Foster

Angie Sage

Anne McCaffrey

Audio

Ben Bova

Christopher Stasheff

Dave Smeds

David Eddings

David Weber

Derek Paterson

Diane Duane

Dragonlance

Forgotten Realms

Gaiman

George Orwell

Glen Cook

Harlan Ellison

Ian Prater

Isaac Asimov

Jim Butcher

JK Rowling

John Norman

John Ringo

Jonathan Stroud

Kate Elliott

Kate Saundby

Keri Arthur

L.E. Modesitt

Larry Niven

Laurell K. Hamilton

Lawrence Watt-Evans

Margaret Weis

Mercedes Lackey

Orson Scott Card

Philip Jose Farmer

Philip K. Dick

Piers Anthony

RA Salvatore

Robert Asprin

Robert Jordan

Robin Hobb

Simon R. Green

Stephen King

Stephen R. Donaldson

Terry Brooks

Terry Goodkind

Terry Pratchett

Tolkien

Ursula LeGuin

Wilbur Smith


So, which of those are good/particularly good/excellent/read-now-or-you'll-lobotomize-me-with-a-screwdriver?

Or, at the very least, which ones lend themselves to reading in short bursts, such as on the train where there's a line change after half an hour's ride?

I've heard good things about Norman and the Gor series, but I haven't actually read any of it yet. I know Pratchett is hilarious, and I hear Jordan has a tendency to be rather long-winded.

Also, Herbert's "Dune" series...anyone read it? Input, perspectives, opinions? It's not in this list, but I can probably nab it or try to find a dead-tree version that's small enough to be pocket/train/commute friendly.

Holy Fuckman, Batshit! He's ALIVE!

So, you probably all thought I contracted Marburg and was dead in a pool of maggots and drying bodily fluids, huh?

No such luck, bitches.

So, let's see what's been happening in my corner of the world ^^padded^room.

I finally got back to writing, at least for a little while. Classes are getting the better of me, but I try to work on Apotheosis when I can keep animal physiology at bay. Mmm-mmmmmmm, god-slaying goodness. I completely trashed the prologue and rewrote it from scratch. It's a thousand times better in every way, plus a little treat for...well, I won't spoil the surprise. Searska might get it, depending on how she's been following along with my musical interests. Metalheads of a certain variety will appreciate it.

Speaking of which, stopped by Metal Haven in their new digs in Ravenswood last Friday (after killing 6 hours in a jury assembly room reading Neal Stephenson whilst waiting to be called...never was) and got a bunch of goodies, including the limited edition release of the new Epica. Scans shall be provided upon request. Were I not blissfully content in my pairing with Journey I might be very, very interested in the profile pictures of a nude-and-tattooed Simone Simons adorning many of the interior pages of the CD book (not a case, no plastic to be found, actually a hardbound book). As it is, however, I have a prettier girl than you, Mark Jansen. *raspberry*

Yes, girl, boy is being mooshy. Too bad.

Also fleshed out the Therion collection with "Theli," their first symphonic release. Really, really interesting album, that one. They were fresh out of their uber-harsh death metal style and experimenting with classical influences, and you can hear the opposing styles warring and vying for dominance the whole way. I also now have their 4-DVD, 2-CD anthology set, "Celebrators of Becoming." Definitely the best metal act ever.

Oh, and me brother and meself finally got our hands on a Wii. Prime 3 is incredible, Caidn's having tons of fun with Twilight Princess (which he's had in his possession for nearly a year now with no ability to play, frell you Wii shortage), and Red Steel isn't half as bad as its detractors would have one believe. RE4: Wii is good too. Really intense, though the lack of a 180° turn button is vexing.

I finished reading Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy about a month ago. It is absolutely phenomenal. I still haven't read the final Harry Potter, as I'm afraid of the disappointment it (hypothetically) poses after the feast that was HDM. Lady J, you mentioned having read Book 1. Trust me, the rest is well worth your time. It goes quick, but leaves you feeling more fulfilled than HP does without a much larger investment of time. It'll take a little longer, but it's just Pullman fleshing out his world more.

And yeah, it will PISS OFF fundies. It should be required reading for schoolkids nationwide.

Listened to the new Nightwish. Like as pertains to so many other things, my feelings about it are mixed. The new singer is good for sure. Smoother voice than the last one, reminds me a little of Sharon from Within Temptation, but only a little. Certainly her voice blends better with the music, rather than jarring attention away from it. Some of their songs were a bit thrashy, which I don't really like, as it puts my mind to a vocalist who wants to sound "hardcore" but can't do a proper death growl. WORK THAT LARYNX, BOY. I do confess an unhealthy addiction to their single "Amaranth" though. Reminds me a lot of the "Once" album's instrumentals mixed with the lyrical style of "Angels Fall First."

I've taken up a couple of other passive hobbies as well. The first was cooking. Yes, Aidan is learning to become useful in the kitchen, or trying to (if he can ever find frelling coconut cream for this one Thai recipe). I bought a cookbook of spicy food from Borders awhile back. I successfully prepared scallops in black-bean sauce with fresh garlic, ginger, and red peppers. It was quite good. This next one is prawns (might substitute shrimp because they're cheaper and I'm weak) in a pineapple curry sauce. Journey picked it out, said it looked good. If anyone knows where to get ahold of coconut cream, do let me know. I've tried a Trader Joe's, a Whole Foods Market, a couple of regular grocery stores, and...I think one other place. I might try a couple of Asian stores, since coconut is so integral in a lot of Thai dishes.

Also, rendering. I downloaded a copy of Blender and a guide and have been working on a (crude) reconstruction of the Zohar artifact from Xenosaga. The monolith itself was pretty easy, though the rings around it were a bastard and a half. I still have to learn to do textures and stuff, but I'm learning my way around the Blender interface rather quickly. Nice, too, since Blender is free and I don't have to work through the long-ass procedure to crack Maya. The Mac version even has a crack that requires Windows to apply. How fucked-up is that? So yeah, Blender it is; once again, open-source FTW. Once I get into skinning and textures and building proper scenes I'll post my work up on a graphic artists' community site and let you all take a gander. Gander. Funny word. Wow, midnight feels a lot later than it used to.

Well, I suppose I'll let you go for now. I wanted to post some highlights from a funny conversation Journey and I had about marriage rituals over the weekend, but my brain's too fragmented right now. Mind. Mind is too fragmented. ...Case in point. I'll at least titillate you with a quote from it.

"If any can show cause why these two should not be wed, shut the fuck up and get out. If you didn't think it was a good idea, why didn't you say so in the first place rather than letting them get this far? What kind of friend are you? Get up and go, walk away to the sound of your inevitable condemnation you soon-to-be pariah. They probably just invited you to guilt you into buying a wedding present anyway."

That's greatly embellished from its original form, but I don't recall the original form verbatim, so might as well snazz it up, non? I think it was sparked in response to a Twilight Zone episode. That or the giant spectacle channel 5 made of some people's wedding as planned by the network's viewers. Television these days, I tell you.

Anyway, it's late, I have work tomorrow, a midterm to study for, and an audiobook of Richard Dawkins' "The God Delusion" beckoning me to let it lull me to sleep.

<ROD_SERLING>Thank you, and good night.</ROD_SERLING>

Currently listening (gots to do this shit manually):
-Some chapter of "The God Delusion" that's playing too quietly for me to make out right now.

Currently reading:
-Cryptonomicon, by Neal Stephenson, because it's required reading for InfoSec nerds and because it's some sort of lead-in for the (ludicrously long and I can't frelling wait to sink my teeth in) Baroque Cycle.

-Snow Crash, by Neal Stephenson. Because it is, as one Rendaw Deus Kalick puts it, "Assloads of monkey fun."