I made it 25 pages in and just couldn't press on.Originally Posted by St. Troy
I made it 25 pages in and just couldn't press on.
You don't know my kind.....You don't my mind.....Dark necessities are part of my design.....
Have you read/do you like any of Straub's other work?
25 pages, that's fast. Did you find it boring (I know there isn't a whole lot that actually happens in the first 25 pages)? Just curious.
It takes a lot for me to give up on a book. Boring I can deal with, but I almost bailed 22 pages into Dean Koontz's Odd Thomas because it seemed just so wink-wink cheesy. I stuck with it and enjoyed some of it (it had some nice ideas); although I can't quite say I liked it, I wouldn't say everyone should stay away either.
Style can certainly be a factor. I often read online samples (at Amazon or Barnes & Noble) and there was one that, had I had the book in hand, I definitely would have dropped like a hot potato: Falling Angel by William Hjortsberg (on which the movie Angel Heart (which I liked) was based). Good God - just not for me; I would not have been able to continue with anything written like that.
Eastasia has always taught college students to feel pride or shame according to their race.
Check out the Cemetery Dance select titles by John R. Little, Gene O'Neill or the Timmy Quinn series by Kealan Patrick Burke.
I just blew through The Straw Men by Michael Marshall in one day. It's around 350 pages. Cemetery Dance did the 10th anniversary edition a few years back.
Straw Men eh... wow. I will get that next! THANKS!Check out the Cemetery Dance select titles by John R. Little, Gene O'Neill or the Timmy Quinn series by Kealan Patrick Burke.
I just blew through The Straw Men by Michael Marshall in one day. It's around 350 pages. Cemetery Dance did the 10th anniversary edition a few years back.
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Insomnia #459
ANY S/L #459
It was laboring I guess is the best way to put it. Some effort should probably be put forth to reading, but not so much when I'm doing it for entertainment. The only other thing I've read of his was with King of course.Have you read/do you like any of Straub's other work?
25 pages, that's fast. Did you find it boring (I know there isn't a whole lot that actually happens in the first 25 pages)? Just curious.
It takes a lot for me to give up on a book. Boring I can deal with, but I almost bailed 22 pages into Dean Koontz's Odd Thomas because it seemed just so wink-wink cheesy. I stuck with it and enjoyed some of it (it had some nice ideas); although I can't quite say I liked it, I wouldn't say everyone should stay away either.
Style can certainly be a factor. I often read online samples (at Amazon or Barnes & Noble) and there was one that, had I had the book in hand, I definitely would have dropped like a hot potato: Falling Angel by William Hjortsberg (on which the movie Angel Heart (which I liked) was based). Good God - just not for me; I would not have been able to continue with anything written like that.
You don't know my kind.....You don't my mind.....Dark necessities are part of my design.....
Gotcha. I felt that way with Dune (which I stubbornly stuck with but would've loved to walk away from).
Eastasia has always taught college students to feel pride or shame according to their race.
I did walk away from Dune after a really long struggle; precisely because of the style. Just as, because of the style, I love everything Straub I've read so far (Ghost Story especially), though whatever I read by him, the story always loses me towards the middle and leaves very dissatisfied at the end; he is much more a writer (as in "write", like putting words together) than a storyteller, I think. I personally love it, there are no more good writers among authors than there are good storytellers.
Ask not what bears can do for you, but what you can do for bears. (razz)
When one is in agreement with bears one is always correct. (mae)
bears are back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think you might like John Langan and Laird Barron.
Barron is one of the greatest living authors, IMO. And I really enjoyed Langan’s The Fisherman.
I know not of this Laird fella. Any recommendations as a starting point for a Barron virgin?Barron is one of the greatest living authors, IMO. And I really enjoyed Langan’s The Fisherman.
Ahhh, yes. Fresh and ripe for spoiling! 😏. I’d start with his first two short story collections - The Imago Sequence and Occultation. You can also find a few free stories online here to get a taste (The Procession Of The Black Sloth is one of my favourites) ...I know not of this Laird fella. Any recommendations as a starting point for a Barron virgin?Barron is one of the greatest living authors, IMO. And I really enjoyed Langan’s The Fisherman.
https://www.freesfonline.de/authors/Laird_Barron.html
Perfect, good sir. Thank you kindly for obliging
looking for their books now, thank you!
Ask not what bears can do for you, but what you can do for bears. (razz)
When one is in agreement with bears one is always correct. (mae)
bears are back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Try a Brandon Sanderson if you like Fantasy.
The Deep by Nick Cutter. Creepy af.
oh!! I envy you then. I am very partial to this book: it was the first King I read in my life. Back in maybe 1985. In Russian (because I didn't know any English at that time yet). In the Russian main foreign literature magazine of that time, aptly called "Foreign Literature". It was published in installments. I had never read anything published in installments, because as an extremely fast reader I couldn't allow a month to elapse between every fifty pages. I had never read a magazine version ofj anything, not only because of the installments, but also because it was always a shortened version, and bears prefer, if anything, expanded versions of any texts. I had never heard about King. The odds were all against my ever coming across this particular piece. I loved every word of it. I couldn't wait to get the next issue of the magazine. I reread the whole thing a few times. And when I finally learned English, I made sure that TDZ be the first King book I read in English. It's - well, it is not even among my top 10 King books, he's written some that are a lot better; but it is my very own King book.
Jean, this is so very awesome.
And I can't even imagine the anticipation between each installment.
It totally has that old-school feel to it! I'm glad you're liking it. It's always been one of my favorites. And I think you''ll enjoy the second half just as much.
Hey, remind me if you already read A Boy's Life? I'm thinking you did and really enjoyed it, but that one always comes to mind for me for recent favorites.
Ooh! I bought this recently to read soon. I've heard good things.The Deep by Nick Cutter. Creepy af.
I did and loved it. Great recommendation by whoever did so!Hey, remind me if you already read A Boy's Life? I'm thinking you did and really enjoyed it, but that one always comes to mind for me for recent favorites.
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Insomnia #459
ANY S/L #459
The Religion by Tim Willocks.
amazing how it works, love: now you said that and I rememberd something I haven't thought of for decades. I've often mentioned that I have a friend, my oldest one, since almost fifty years ago; from the first day at school and throughout all the ten years of that-era schooling we shared the same desk; now he lives in Paris and I often go visit him there. But. Exactly after finishing school, we fell out - for at least two years, maybe three. Over something that seemed of paramount importance at that time (no, not a girl. Something metaphysical. Of course.).
Well, when we met again - quite by chance - we, without talking about it, by some wisdom of intuition, started behaving as if nothing had happened, as if it was some external chance that almost put an end to our friendship, and not our own idiocy; thus, we talked - non stop, as if to make up for the two(three)-year-long gap - about things and others. Books too. And I said, "You know, I am reading SUCH A BOOK..." - and he said: "The Dead Zone?! I am reading it!" And we laughed, and then I said that I hated reading things in magazines, and he said "Of course you do, I know, because I hate it too," and it was, like, self-evident, that we both hate the same things and read the same things, and how stupid it was to lose those two/three years over even the most important idea in the world.
Ask not what bears can do for you, but what you can do for bears. (razz)
When one is in agreement with bears one is always correct. (mae)
bears are back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh wow. So, basically, even though you had already "become" friends again, it's like your shared appreciation of reading The Dead Zone at the same time really solidified that bond. So cool.
Well, when we met again - quite by chance - we, without talking about it, by some wisdom of intuition, started behaving as if nothing had happened, as if it was some external chance that almost put an end to our friendship, and not our own idiocy; thus, we talked - non stop, as if to make up for the two(three)-year-long gap - about things and others. Books too. And I said, "You know, I am reading SUCH A BOOK..." - and he said: "The Dead Zone?! I am reading it!" And we laughed, and then I said that I hated reading things in magazines, and he said "Of course you do, I know, because I hate it too," and it was, like, self-evident, that we both hate the same things and read the same things, and how stupid it was to lose those two/three years over even the most important idea in the world.
precisely!
Ask not what bears can do for you, but what you can do for bears. (razz)
When one is in agreement with bears one is always correct. (mae)
bears are back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Just started reading Dark Matter by Michelle Paver the other day. It's so good, I can't put it down. Of course I'm a sucker for scary books that take place in the Arctic.
I also finally finished The Shuddering by Ania Ahlborn. It was ok, but I think I was hoping for more from it. It read very much like a horror film. Group of young adults go to remote cabin, get snowed in, but they're not alone... The ending was excellent though.
Only the gentle are ever really strong.
Ooh, I Just looked this up and it sounds interesting. Let me know if it ends up being a good one.
Also, did you finish The Dead Zone? And did you like it?
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