Anyone reading "Twilight?"

[symondneil]

It's the first book in the teen vampire trilogy. I'm almost done with it and I must admit I'm hooked. I just took a peek at the movie trailer and it looks good!! The book is not scary and I see why teens (and adults) are so fascinated by it. It's kind of like "The Breakfast Club" for dead teens. LOL! Has anyone else been reading this?

[Kyrisch]

I read it when it was first popular at my then-girlfriend's request. I really did not enjoy it. The writing was bad quality and the plot was shallow. I fail to see how it is comparable at all to Harry Potter. The movie, too, was not very good at all. I have to admit, however, the second movie was much better. I think they invested all the money they got for the popularity of the first movie and invested it (mostly in the werewolf cgi). Whatever they did, the second one was definitely more enjoyable but still not exactly a good movie.

[bascule]

Twilight is one of those books I feel like I don't have to read in order to know it sucks

[rogerxd45]

well i read it before i saw the movies at of course at my GF request and i was hooked!

 

you can tell who hasent even attempted to read the books because they just say it sucks. How can you know that without reading it? the books are so much better then the movies, they doent even compare. and its not just a teenage thing either. I knoe several 40+ male adults that have read and liked the books.

 

they are good books. although i really hated the second book...god the way bella acted drove me freaking nuts in that book

[bascule]

you can tell who hasent even attempted to read the books because they just say it sucks. How can you know that without reading it?

 

Because certain people whose opinions about books I respect have read them, and, yeah...

[emcelhannon]

Because certain people whose opinions about books I respect have read them, and, yeah...

 

I'm not sure I understand this post.

 

well i read it before i saw the movies at of course at my GF request and i was hooked!

 

they are good books. although i really hated the second book...god the way bella acted drove me freaking nuts in that book

 

I saw the movie and like it. The story is a good one. It's reputation for being so familiar to teenage girls is due to a brilliant twist of the writer. She creates a situation where a young "man" is insanely attracted to a girl, (He tells her she's his own private heroine.) but he forbids himself from engaging in affection. He says he's afraid he won't be able to control himself.

 

Think about it. You may remember the bane of every teenage boy who has fancied a young lass. They want to be chased, but not caught. This is exactly the story they've been looking for. The author is a genius.

 

For a grown man, the twist I mentioned, doesn't need to deminish it. It's a good story. It may, however, be good sport to insult the masculinity of any man who admits it.

[bascule]

I'm not sure I understand this post

 

I trust the metainformation presented to me by critics I respect, such as my hometown's Bloomberg review. Here's what I've been able to derive from it:

 

• As a male, this book offers nothing for me. This comes from a review by a feminist (who is ostensibly female)
  
• As someone over the age of 16, these books offer nothing to me
  
• Bella as a main character is a manifestation of unrealistic teenage idealism, and more a pathetic example of submissive female stereotypes
  
• The characters of the story are, well, pathetic cliches of an unpopular girl's teenage fantasies?
  
• Plot? What plot?
  
• You would probably derive more literary value from reading Harry Potter, which is a series intended for prepubescent children
  

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

On the other hand, there's my high school chemistry teacher, who is a 30-something-year-old married male who bodybuilds, who loved Twilight.

[emcelhannon]

Twilight is one of those books I feel like I don't have to read in order to know it sucks

 

Then why offer someone else's opinion. Why claim to know something you haven't tested, especially something subjective.

This is a science forum after all. Open mindedness is generally considered a plus in this venue. It's not that you don't like the book, but that you would rate any critic's, (or meta-source of) opinion so highly that you would offer insult to something you haven't experienced. I saw the movie. It was alright, but I admit that it took a concious effort to forget the target audience.

 

Have an original thought, and get back to me.

[bascule]

Then why offer someone else's opinion.

 

Because it's an opinion that has lead me to a number of books I very much enjoyed, so I value it and think it's worth repeating.

 

This is a science forum after all. Open mindedness is generally considered a plus in this venue.

 

On the contrary, skepticism is considered a plus in this venue. Open-mindedness leads to the spread of disinformation.

 

It's not that you don't like the book, but that you would rate any critic's, (or meta-source of) opinion so highly that you would offer insult to something you haven't experienced.

 

Scientific thinkers thrive on metainformation. We can't all be experts on every science, but we can learn the lessons of science, apply them to our daily lives, and teach them to others, even if we don't fully understand what we're saying and have never experienced it firsthand.

 

If everyone required a firsthand account of everything in order to offer an opinion, science wouldn't have gotten very far. Indeed, as Newton said, "If I have seen a little further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants."

 

I've never operated a particle accelerator and analyzed its results firsthand. Yet I accept the validity of the Standard Model. I've never observed Hubble Redshift firsthand, but I still accept Einstein's Theories of Relativity. I don't fully understand Godel's Incompleteness Theorems but I can give you the gist of them and certainly recognize their validity.

 

Asserting that a viewpoint is invalid simply because someone doesn't have first-hand experience isn't scientific. If anything, it's anti-scientific.

 

Have an original thought, and get back to me.

 

Read some actual fine literature (or failing that, Harry Potter) and get back to me.

[Pangloss]

Hang it up, guys. I had the same argument with bascule about Harry Potter. He ain't gonna budge!

[Sisyphus]

I watched the movie with Rifftrax. Hilarious.

[emcelhannon]

Relax Pangloss, were just having a friendly dual of wits here. I think its fun refuting every regurgitated thought of my friend bascule. I don't want to change his mind. I just want to make him look stupid for it. Sit back and enjoy. No offense, bascule. I don't give a rip about the book. I'm just having fun. That said,

 

Because it's an opinion that has lead me to a number of books I very much enjoyed, so I value it and think it's worth repeating.

But would it have ever diverted you away from something you haven't enjoyed? As in, have you ever tested their opinions? Either way, I would never admit to believing I agree with anybody's every opinion. Opinions are not science, and when they're presented in the form of an insult, it's a better habit to offer your own.

 

Open-mindedness leads to the spread of disinformation.

Repetition of hearsay is a greater culprit towards the spread of disinformation than open mindedness. Is "standing on the shoulders of giants" a reference to open mindedness or skepticism?

 

teach them to others, even if we don't fully understand what we're saying

?

 

Yet I accept the validity of the Standard Model. I still accept Einstein's Theories of Relativity.

 

If you accept the validity of both the standard model and Einstein's theories of relativity, I would say that you don't fully understand what you're saying. That might take some lengthy consideration, but it's worth figuring it out.

 

At least you have your original thought.

I would be interested in seeing what you consider quality literature.

Edited March 3, 2010 by emcelhannon
gramatical error

[bascule]

I would be interested in seeing what you consider quality literature.

 

As a data point for you, I just wrapped up the Bridge Trilogy by William Gibson

 

I'm planning on reading Neil Stephenson's Cryptonomicon next

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

I'm planning on reading Neil Stephenson's Cryptonomicon next

 

Excellent. I highly recommend it.

[Kyrisch]

Excellent. I highly recommend it.

 

Seeing only the most recent posts on the home page, and in them only the original text, my respect for your taste in literature took a fatal hit when I saw that you had replied in such a way to the thread "Anyone reading 'Twilight'?" ...Little did I know, you were referring to something completely different.

 

It's okay, no harm no foul. You're lucky I'm the kind of guy who investigates though.

[emcelhannon]

Alright,

Assuming I'm not a pubescent girl looking for an esteem soothing romance, what would you guys recomend? I'll be needing a new read soon, and I might try your suggestions.

Thanks

[Pangloss]

As a data point for you, I just wrapped up the Bridge Trilogy by William Gibson

 

I'm planning on reading Neil Stephenson's Cryptonomicon next

 

Loved Cryptonomicon. It's funky the way all that disparate stuff hangs together, but it's a great example of creative writing. It didn't seem to work as well for me in the books that followed, and I ended up stopping after the first one in that trilogy, but I plan to go back and slog through it eventually.

 

My grandfather's story is very similar to that of Stephenson's grandfather with regard to the Philippines -- he was captured by the Japanese and spent five years in the civilian prison camp. There's actually a small but active community of Americans who were prisoners of war there. The Philippines in general are kind of a forgotten footnote from the grand story of WW2, and it was nice to see some attention paid to it.

[bascule]

Alright,

Assuming I'm not a pubescent girl looking for an esteem soothing romance, what would you guys recomend? I'll be needing a new read soon, and I might try your suggestions.

Thanks

 

Having no knowledge of your tastes, I recommend Neil Stephenson's Snow Crash

[shakes]

Nope, never read Twilight, never will. Vampires are too scary. All that blood-sucking. Ew, gross!

[bascule]

Is this accurate?

 

[emcelhannon]

Is this accurate?

 

Is this from one of your respected critiques who have lead you to the volumes of books you so enjoyed?

 

How about "Dragons of Babylon"? Does anyone, (who has read it) have an opinion to offer?

Edited April 9, 2010 by emcelhannon
incomplete

[A Tripolation]

Is this accurate?

 

I think this is more accurate for the New Moon section, bascule. For all those who weren't forced to watch the travesty that is New Moon, here's a plot synopsis:

 

1bXeQ7baYEE

 

Enjoy.

[bascule]

Specifically to a fan of Twilight (or for that matter, Harry Potter), I would suggest checking out The Dark is Rising Sequence by Susan Cooper. As I have not read either Twilight or Harry Potter I can't provide an apt comparison, but I'm curious how someone who started as fans of either of those series would respond to The Dark Is Rising.

[Genecks]

Chick flicks... chick books.... No. I didn't bother reading Twilight...

But for a more important reason...

 

I am a scientist and a philosopher.

I refuse to read some fictional B.S. unless it holds immediate value to me.

Bascule pointed out some features of "immediate value."

 

In general, I don't like fiction.

I do like blood, though... lots of blood... fresh blood.