I bet it was better than the movie.

I though it was a good couple of hours of brainless fun, plus it's not taking itself seriously (at least it's not trying to convince me that it does).
I haven't read any of the books, but why didn't you like the movie?

I haven't seen the (full) movie yet, but I think it's mostly based on the first book of the series (Under the Moons of Mars). Which is better than this second one, imo.

Honestly I watched the 1st 20 minutes and totally lost interest. That worried me because normally good or bad I LOVE that sort of stuff, but I just couldn't stay into it. It's like I just didn't care about the characters.

Is Carter still on Earth at that time mark (can't remember, sorry)? Truth is, things feel a bit slow and flat at the beginning, it's more fun and lively once he gets transported to Mars.

And apologies for hijacking the thread.

Maybe I lasted longer that 20 minutes. The movie didn't seem to waste much time. He had just gotten to Mars.

Among others:

'The Spanish Civil War' written by Rudolf the Jong. A book written in the sixties, when Franco still held power. It's from a socialist publisher and is very inspiring in it's description of the social-economic revolution that took place in the years of the Republic, and the succesful running of the economy when farmer's and labourer's collectives took over the farms and factories from the big owners that had surpressed them. The economy was all about sharing. How I wish it would be thus today. Still, it can be done, the Spanish republicans show.

Still reading LOTR. Taking my sweet time, a chapter a day. Sometimes going days without reading a page. On the final book Chapter 3 Mount Doom. Starship troopers is waiting in the wings for me to finish LOTR.

"Eon" by Greg Bear. Some of the most interesting and compelling sci fi I've read in ages.

"Cloud Atlas" by David Mitchell. I liked the movie and wondered how someone could write a book without it being totaly confusing and weird. I wanted it more out of pure curiosity and not because I loved the story so much I wanted to spend more time in it. 50 pages in, it is ok. Not mindblowing, not good. Ok, no more, no less.

I am currently reading Homeland, the first book in The Dark Elf Trilogy by R. A. Salvatore.

Currently reading The Sword of Truth #6: Faith of the Fallen by Terry Goodkind.

Good choice! I read them for the first time last year and enjoyed them.
The first 20 minutes are terrible. It does get better once you suffer through (or just skip) them.

Soccer and Philosophy.

Thanks! A friend of mine recommended them to me, and strangely enough, I was able to find the entire trilogy at a book sale. So far, I am enjoying Homeland. The foreboding but magnificent Menzoberranzan, the dark elves' culture, and their twisted form of "justice" make it an interesting read.

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay. It's about two Jewish cousins involved in the Golden Age of comics.