Bobby’s Comments (group member since Mar 15, 2013)

Bobby’s comments from the Sci-fi and Heroic Fantasy group.

Jonathan wrote: "Yeah me too, and I think we can both agree that comic book art just does not get the respect it deserves.

Good to know I wasn't the only one shaped by frazetta. I'm seeing a very nice woman at th..."

I HAVE THAT COVER(book)! How hilarious is that? The Martian Chronicles is one of the ones I was thinking of when I said that I've bought several different editions just for the covers. I have that one and , , , . I have one other one that's just burgundy but it's an illustrated hard back with gold trimming.

I used to own but I hated that one when I found out it was a TV show and got rid of it.

Jonathan wrote: "Not to be too immature (though that pretty much is my default setting) as a young boy with no internet, the women on some of those covers were, well lets call them intriguing, and probably either warped or shaped my view of what a woman should be, for better or worse."

Jonathan, dude, I don't think any of us escaped that! Let that be the reason.

I thank god for my lady because she doesn't mind that I have blown up covers from Marvel Comics and have them framed around my apartment like fine art. Along with album covers and movie posters. Really, I never stopped being fifteen.

I always really liked old school sci-fi as an aesthetic. Simple and "crude" really spoke to me. That's why these were some of my favorites:

and

Jim wrote: "Yes, that was me. I love Frazetta's work & have several books of his artwork such as . They're full of plates of his works, close-ups of a few..."

Oh yes. I have the first five of those Frazetta books. They're amazing. And I feel the exact same way in regards to Boris Vallejo. Frazetta always had a visceral impact on me in a way that Boris never approached. But it was really about what Frazetta was bringing to the table and not what Boris was missing. Boris is very good. Frazetta was the man.

Another great piece of visual art, I don't know if you ever read or saw (Bernie Wrightson's Frankenstein: Or the Modern Prometheus), it's just pencil work but it is absolutely magnificent.

Jim wrote: "I agree, Jonathan. Van Vogt's & sucked me in originally. Both old favorites."

Jim, were you the guy we were both commiserating on the Frazetta covers for the Conan books that we loved so much? Like or or .

Phil wrote: "For me, Fahrenheit 451 will always be the true cover of this book, even if it's a bit goofy. (Shirtless with slacks? Either go loincloth or put yo..."

Hahahahahahaha...that's great, dude.

I get really hung up on covers, too. I will buy extra copies of a book if it has a cover I like a lot. I won't buy a book if it says "And now a major motion picture" or some such or the cover is a still from the movie.

I can't do it. I started to. I'm working on a bunch of short stories. And then I chickened out because I don't want anyone to steal my (obviously BRILLIANT) ideas. Do any of you have this concern?

And where do they come from? Well, I don't rightly know. A lot of my story ideas come from dreams.

Bryan wrote: "For me it has to be Jules Verne, to this day Mysterious island still has a huge significance to me. I also loved HG Wells. A little later I loved the Hobbit but couldn't get into LoTR.
I also read..."

Timing is everything, though. Earlier on this thread we talked about the Rowlings books. I found the first one derivative of other better books and never went back. It must have been frustrating for several writers.

I read Wells' The Invisible Man in sixth grade -- a teacher of mine had it in his classroom -- and loved it. And actually, my dad had a collection of Wells' short stories that I enjoyed a lot.

Amelia wrote: "*smacks Bobby up the back of the head*

Be glad she's soft! I told the Mr. just today; I wouldn't want to be with me. There's a reason why opposites attract. :) The fact that they read is enough. J..."

Ouch! HEY! Listen, I'm the one who recommended A Discovery of Witches to her (after I had to put it down after like, fifty pages.)

Amelia wrote: "Jim, my husband won't read fiction. Well, that's not true entirely. He once read Moby Dick (I'd rather have my fingernails pulled out) on vacation, and he recently expressed an interest in Hemmingw..."

Man, my lady reads fiction. Good stuff too. Except sometimes she's kind of a sap and reads the entire Twilight series or A Discovery of Witches and lots of YA fantasy. She's all about the angsty romance. I don't get that and she doesn't get why I wind up reading so much post-apocalyptic and people-doing-terrible-things-to-each-other stuff. Come to think of it, I don't get that about myself.

Phil wrote: "Amelia wrote: "I resisted the HP books for years. I liked the films, but refused to read the books. It wasn't about reading the first one and feeling it a bit underdeveloped, or it being a book for..."

The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings were yet another series that made the popularity of Harry Potter confusing to me. I'm more tempted now to read that series just because Jim and Amelia have recommended it and they both have a pretty good track record buuuuttt... should I read the HP series instead of something else that is more immediately compelling?

@Helen, I know. Isn't this a great thread?

Amelia wrote: "You have to read The Phantom Tollbooth...you just have to.

The Witch of Blackbird Pond is on my list.

I don't know. I guess I'm still a big kid? I mean, I love Tolstoy to..."

Okay, I will.

Next time you come down to Portland, you should give me a holler.

Amelia wrote: "I don't think age is much of a factor for me, if it's a good book. I never read the A Wrinkle in Time books until I was in my 30's..."

Age isn't a factor for you? Wow, that would be cool. I read a book not too long ago, Doll Bones that was really lovely in its way but just didn't quite get me. And I totally felt that maybe I'd just missed it, like I had to read it when I was in third or fourth grade to really "get" it. It's too bad because I consider myself a huge fan of children's literature. As this thread has reminded me, like Jim, I have a LOT of affection for a lot of the titles mentioned here. I don't read more kids books simply because I feel like I've probably already missed out. I think about going back and reading some of the others I missed (The Witch of Blackbird Pond, The Slave Dancer, Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, The Velveteen Rabbit, The Phantom Tollbooth, The Giver)but I'm leery because I think, well, I missed the boat on that one, I won't get the magic!

Jim wrote: "I'm a real fan of the Harry Potter series. My daughter has some learning disabilities & hated reading. She was in special ed & repeated first grade. I picked up the first HP book at one of her book..."

I will say, I've actually witnessed that phenomenon on my own. My goddaughter, Anita, who is just as from around the block as her father, started reading because of Harry Potter. She didn't have a disability. She just didn't have the patience. Harry Potter drew her in. I'm sure it's popularity helped but let that be the reason. And without a doubt, there is something to said for that.

Michael wrote: "Islands in the Sky and The Day of the Triffids for me."

Islands in the Sky I don't even know. Though I do love me some Arthur C. Clarke...

Jim wrote: "Try the Prydain books, Amelia. There are 5 of them. Old favorites of mine, too.

I've probably said it before, but thanks to all for posting here. A lot of these books were early books for me, too...."

Funny you should say that. I was just thinking I think this is my favorite conversation I've ever had on Goodreads, period. Like, I feel like I've even talked about the Prydain books before.

Yeah, I've always been slightly baffled about Harry Potter's popularity and significance specifically because of these five books (and a few others). J.K. Rowling's world/stories/ideas felt relatively pedestrian/hackneyed/derivative. But to be fair, I only read the Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone...because I was like, "This is crap." And moved on. But you know, I read The Prydain Chronicles right when I was supposed to, between fourth and sixth grade, and I'm sure that makes a difference.

Michael wrote: "Islands in the Sky and The Day of the Triffids for me."

The flip side of that is that I just recently read The Day of the Triffids based on someone's recommendation and thought it was excellent. I couldn't believe I hadn't come across it before. I've been hearing about it all my life and the title just didn't grab me for some reason but man, it was really powerful, even today.

Jim wrote: "The Book of Three, A Horse and His Boy, A Spell for Chameleon and the biggie...The Dream Quest of Unknown Kadath."
The Book of Three!!! Great one to get started on! Did you read the entire series? Fantastic and especially as a boy to a young man. The High King was my favorite but they were all magnificent. Good call!

Amelia wrote: "I had a roommate who always mashed words up:

Underpit
Gription
bularky

That sort of thing. I used to tease her that I was going to write a book one day and starting keeping a list (which of cours..."

That's how Shakespeare did it. Now he gets credit for having this massive vocabulary.

Jim wrote: "You should hear my wife sometimes.
;)"

Hahahaha. I take it she's not on Goodreads?

Jim wrote: "I understood it. No problem. Made sense."

Jim. Also fluent in Incomprehensible.