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[RedKing]

Has anyone read the Romance Of the Three Kingdoms books? I've heard they're a good read.

They are, but honestly the Asiapac comic book adaptations are a better format for Westerners. The original text is crazy long and is stuffed with a lot of historical references that are just utterly opaque without a background in ancient Chinese history. Not to mention nearly a thousand characters, many of whom are mentioned once, then promptly get killed.

Another classic Chinese novel which gets far less attention (and I don't know why) is Water Margin, which consists of a bunch of loosely interlinked stories about the "108 outlaws", basically a Robin Hood and his Merry Men type mythos...if Friar Tuck were a badass Buddhist monk, and instead of Errol Flynn-style swordfights, they engaged in kung-fu duels. Water Margin was tremendously influential in creating the entire wuxia genre of literature and film about wandering badasses who travel around and fight bad guys. It's much more episodic than either Journey to the West or Romance of the Three Kingdoms, so it's more accessible. And it's an oddly "Western" story, with its emphasis on personal freedom, individuality, and rebellion against the established order.

[ChairmanPoo]

WORLD WAR Z! WORLD WAR Z! For the eighth time may I add.

Found it boring, TBH.

[fqllve]

What is this Water Margin you speak of?

Don't you mean Suikoden?

Water Margin is the Great Chinese Novel that I've considered reading the most. Partially because yeah, I like Suikoden (I know, I know they really have almost nothing to do with each other) and partially because like you said, it seems like the most accessible. The other one I've really considered reading is The Dream of the Red Chamber, because I'm insane. It seems like it's the Chinese equivalent to War and Peace though, a study of the aristocracy, and my preferences usually lean towards the psychological.

[RedKing]

Y'know, I should probably play Suikoden at some point. I liked Bandit Kings of China, although it was harder than a mofo, even for a Koei game.

Dream of the Red Chamber would be the one I've never gotten around to. My tastes in Chinese lit tend to favor religious documents (I'm a practicing Daoist), or the grand military and historical epics.

[freeformschooler]

I never had to read it for school for some reason so I'm currently reading the Odyssey.

[Vattic]

A friend lent me Spycatcher: The Candid Autobiography of a Senior Intelligence Officer by Peter Wright. It's not something I'd of picked myself but enjoyed it thoroughly.

Right now I'm finishing Frank Herbert's Heretics of Dune. I was advised to stop a few books back, by someone on this very forum, but so far I'm not greatly regretting that I ignored the advice.

The next book I'll likely read is TA Today : A New Introduction to Transactional Analysis. It's another suggestion from a friend. It sounds interesting enough and he hasn't yet advised me any media I disliked.

In the near future I have a load of comics to read, both manga and otherwise, and I also have a large collection of books that is growing faster than I can read them. I also want to get back into reading philosophy, mostly western, but am unsure where to start. A sentiment likely shared in this topic: So many books so little time.

I recently finished an unabridged copy of "The Journey West" a 2000+ page Chinese epic that is hundreds of years old.

I've meant to read this for a long time. I remember Monkey well and an anime based on the story.

[fqllve]

Oh man, Bandit Kings of Ancient China. That is a game that will probably always be on my "Go back and beat this someday" list. Fun though.

Actually, you might not want to play Suikoden then, since it's basically just Bandit Kings Lite + JRPG. Unless you weren't expecting anything even approaching the depth of Bandit Kings. I played them backwards, since I think Bandit Kings came out before I could even read.

[warhammer651]

Just finished reading the Art of War. I am now an expert on strategery.

[RedKing]

Right now I'm finishing Frank Herbert's Heretics of Dune. I was advised to stop a few books back, by someone on this very forum, but so far I'm not greatly regretting that I ignored the advice.

LOL...Heretics was the first one I read. I have a bad habit of randomly picking up books that are somewhere in the middle of a huge series. And I was in like 6th grade at the time, and chose it for a class project to come up with a sales pitch to sell my classmates on reading it. I was sorely tempted to go with "Umm....it has kung-fu witches, clones and a some pretty graphic sex scenes." That would have been epic WIN, but probably also epic detention.

[warhammer651]

Must Reads:
Dune
Ender's game
Art of War


As for how to get them, I would check it out from the library first as it's free, otherwise just wander into a bookstore and see what strikes your fancy

[Mindmaker]

I suppose there's always a library nearby, but any online alternatives?

Amazon.
That's where I get most of my books from.

[olemars]

Currently on a Pratchett binge. Second time through all the books. Up to Lords and Ladies so far.

Okay, what books would you [people] consider as must-read for a total novice to.. books?

I have read Harry Potter. And Eragon.

Pratchett works.

They are, but honestly the Asiapac comic book adaptations are a better format for Westerners. The original text is crazy long and is stuffed with a lot of historical references that are just utterly opaque without a background in ancient Chinese history. Not to mention nearly a thousand characters, many of whom are mentioned once, then promptly get killed.

Reminds me of Norwegian/Icelandic sagas, most characters are mentioned only when they get killed. They are interesting reads too. Very bloody and sometimes preposterously exaggerated.

[Levi]

Has anyone read the Romance Of the Three Kingdoms books? I've heard they're a good read.

Yeah.  They are interesting, but the writing style is pretty hard to work through.  There are about 400~ characters mentioned and it gets pretty hard to remember who is who sometimes. 

My favorite bit though is when Cao Cao was traveling and asked to stay the night at a hunters house.  The hunter couldn't get any meat(I guess he was a lousy hunter) so he chopped up his wife and fed it to Cao Cao for dinner.  When Cao Cao found out, he was so honored that someone would murder and then feed him a person that he arranged for the guy to get a big rice shipment.  (or something like that)

[Tellemurius]

jeez, 12 hours and 3 pages? this was a good idea.

[RedKing]

Yeah, given that your pic caption says "God Emperor", I'd strongly recommend Dune. 

I'd also recommend going to a used bookstore and asking the proprietor for some recommendations. The books will be considerably cheaper if you're looking for older works. And the sort of folks who run bookstores are usually bibliophiles themselves, and will probably have dozens of good recommendations, as opposed to the person at Barnes & Noble / Borders / etc. who's just drawing a paycheck.