Media in General

Are there any works that use the concept of The Rapture besides that of the Left Behind series and spinoffs?

Are there any such works that aren't written in the usual fundamentalist bias?

While not specifically the Rapture, Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne may have some of the themes you're looking for.

edited 27th Oct '12 4:11:00 PM by Fluid

I haven't read it, but if you're looking for something literary, Tom Perrotta wrote a book called The Leftovers last year about the aftermath of a rapturelike event, albeit one that plays out very differently than fundamentalists expect (i.e. non-Christians are also taken away). There's a review of it here.

There's also a 1991 film called The Rapture about a last-days type scenario that is...odd. Roger Ebert liked it, though.

edited 29th Oct '12 7:42:30 PM by BokhuraBurnes

First they ignore you. Then they laugh at you. Then they fight you. Then you win.

Cross-posting from the Literature thread because I'd be okay with suggestions that are not necessarily literature.

Can anyone recommend me anything similar to The Night Circus?

It's difficult to describe, exactly (which is part of what makes it so good), but it has a fairly small yet complex ensemble cast of distinct and recognisable and memorable characters, intriguing philosophical themes integrated subtly and overtly in a number of ways, and most uniquely and importantly an exquisitely clear and pervasive and dreamlike'' poetic atmosphere. I don't think I've ever encountered anything with that kind of style before. Arrrgh. If you've read it you probably know what I'm trying to describe.

Does this sound familiar to anyone? :/ Clear and pervasive atmosphere is probably the most important part, I guess.

The Revolution Will Not Be Tropeable

It reminds me of The Thief Of Always but yours sounds more complex.

Does anyone know of a book or movie about courtly characters in the middle ages like the prince, knight, princess, noblewoman, sorcerer, and lady-in-waiting? Something with the adventure and romance of Song Of The Lioness of Tortall and A Knights Tale.

Something Wicked This Way Comes sounds similar, but I don't know that I can say characters are it's strong point.

I see you've already been recommended Neil Gaiman's books in the other thread, so I'll just highlight Neverwhere, Coraline and Stardust (the last two have good film adaptations too).

The Little Prince combines surprisingly deep themes, don't overlook it, it's worth a read.

If you're after the exploration of philosophical themes, Kinos Journey may also fit your criteria. Baka tsuki did a translation of the original light novels under their original title "Kino no Tabi", but there's also the anime.

I can also recommend Kaiba which has a solid (if truly absurd or disturbing) setting centred around transferable memories. It uses this to explore philosophical themes, although it is subtle enough to state nothing outright.

"Nullius addictus iurare in verba magistri, quo me cumque rapit tempestas, deferor hospes."

If you don't mind Christian themes, there's The Theyn Chronicles by Angela Hunt. I'm pretty sure I've read more, but I can't remember any others at the moment.

Ultimately Subjective: I love Something Wicked This Way Comes and The Little Prince! :D I don't think either is quite the same... The Little Prince has very simple prose (not a criticism, just the best way I can think to describe the difference!) and the style of writing is... very different. Bradbury is closer (and I think Morgenstern owes him quite a lot), in both Something Wicked and the rest of his stories that revolve around the October Country... I think the difference may just be that while they both have very dark and thick atmospheres, the October Country is a bit more morbid when the Night Circus is more... entrancing? Something like that. :)

Kino's Journey doesn't really strike my fancy, I don't think. :/ Kaiba looks intriguing, though. Thanque!

lexicon: It looks like it may be worth a read, at least, though. :) Thanks! I'm going to have to pass back a recommendation for The Squires Tales. I think they're similar to what you're describing. :D

The Revolution Will Not Be Tropeable

If you like the quest for identity in a strange world like in Kaiba, you might also like Planescape Torment. Very tangential recommendation, but it just came to mind.

Well, setting aside any pretence of philosophical themes:

One of the thickest dark atmospheres I've seen is Bakemonogatari and a world full of monsters who follow the rules of their myths but get mixed up with modern humans. But it's also got fanservice.

Tower Of God is a quite fantastical but not too heavy take on a world shrouded in darkness.

And in terms of games, The Legend Of Zelda Majoras Mask. No prior knowledge of Zelda required.

"Nullius addictus iurare in verba magistri, quo me cumque rapit tempestas, deferor hospes."

The Theyn Chronicles might be good but my library doesn't have them. I've read a couple of The Squires Tales. It really felt like the ideas of medieval literature were forced into it.

A good new franchise, in any medium other than Tabletop Games (no disrespect, but Warhammer is expensive enough as is) that does a good line in either Cyberpunk, Magitek, or City Noir.

edited 23rd Jan '13 1:44:04 PM by Achaemenid

Schild und Schwert der Partei

Dresden Codak? Decent noir, magitek and cybepunk, particularly in the latest chapters.

The Night Watch Discworld books do a good job of combining City Noir and Magitek.

"Nullius addictus iurare in verba magistri, quo me cumque rapit tempestas, deferor hospes."

First of all, I would like to thank Nocturna for the Buffy recommendation back a few months ago. I just had a chance to watch through it, and now I'm a HUGE Buffy fan. Realy, how did I miss this one for over a decade?

Second, can anyone recommend some time travel story with a heavy emphasis on the historical characters' culture shock upon learning about present history and technology (or present day characters' shock about future tech and history)? (examples include Eric Flint's Sixteen Thirty Two series and the Belisarius Series, Stirling's last Draka novel, and The Sarah Connor Chronicles)

If not, then give me any other speculative fiction masquerade, like aliens, or government conspiracy, or whatever, where characters are frequently forced to react like "WTF, this exists for real?" (Like those few episodes of Stargate, or Buffy, that actually showed civilian reactions in detail)

edited 6th Feb '13 1:54:06 PM by Ever9

Let's see... The Way Series, but that mostly falls under the second half of your request.

I've also been told that the manga of Zetsuen no Tempest has great reaction faces. I'm watching the anime and could suggest that increasingly convoluted conspiracy theories abound at the moment.

It is a tough one. There was another book I'll see if I can remember.

"Nullius addictus iurare in verba magistri, quo me cumque rapit tempestas, deferor hospes."

A good gateway series for someone who doesn't know the first thing about sci-fi, but wants to learn the high-concept stuff.

Star Trek?

Am I a good man or a bad man?

Haruhi Suzumiya > Hyperion Cantos

I'd probably recommend just finding an anthology of science fiction short stories. I think there's collections of Nebula Award winners, if you want the best ones. They're short so usually such stories just focus on elaborating a single idea.

"Nullius addictus iurare in verba magistri, quo me cumque rapit tempestas, deferor hospes."

i wondering what media you recommend for a dark comedy

Little Shop of Horrors and Arsenic And Old Lace top the list.

The Revolution Will Not Be Tropeable

thanks for the films

:)

(Advisory - the Little Shop film pointlessly adds a Focus Group Ending, cutting two of the best songs to do so. You can find the original ending online, though.)

edited 2nd Mar '13 11:16:01 AM by Noaqiyeum

The Revolution Will Not Be Tropeable

Catch 22, One Foot in the Grave, Dr Strangeglove, Blackadder Goes Fourth, {{The Good Soldier Švejk}}, Peep Show. Also the work of quite a few stand up comedians.

Am I a good man or a bad man?

Seconding Dr Strangelove, and adding Crimes And Misdemeanors.

First they ignore you. Then they laugh at you. Then they fight you. Then you win.

thank for the recs :D. sorry for the late reply.