OK, so Scooter sent me some books in the mail ... for my birthday. They're books by Tad Williams, who I know of because a friend of mine from high school used to play pick-up basketball with him. Whatever.
Anyway, I tried to read the first book in the series, got to about page 60, and had to refresh myself with Vonnegut. On the one hand, I was extremely bored. On the other hand, Scooter sent them to me, so they should be worth a read, right?
On the one hand, I couldn't imagine reading much more about this loser kid. On the other hand, if the books become fun, there's a heck of a lot of pages to keep me entertained.
So, is there a literary light at the end of this tunnel? Or do I just read Lord of the Rings again?
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6 comments:
Are these books on loan from Scooter or are they for real gifts that you can keep? If they are on loan, you have to read them. You have to read them, because if they are a loan, you have to give them back. It would be an insult to return books without reading them. You would be telling the loaner that his taste isn't worth your trouble. If they are no-strings gifts, just set them on the bookshelf unread. That way Scooter can see them when he comes over and you can say, "Thanks for the books. I am really looking forward to getting time to read those". After a couple years, Scooter will forget about them and you can donate them to your local library and take a tax writeoff.
They're a gift, not a loan. Unfortunately, a loan generally implies I think enough about a book that I want to loan it to multiple people, so that tells you something about the books. I didn't give them to Klund because they were great works of literature, I gave them to him because he's my friend who sits more on the fantasy-interest side of fantasy/science fiction and because he'd expressed an interest in Tad Williams at one point. I didn't expect him to read them right away - I figured some day, when the Farenheit 451 police have stolen all his other books, he might choose to pull them out.
Personally, I found a lot disappointing about the books. Williams takes FAR too long to make his points - it should have been one book, not two. And his obsession with his main character growing from a boy to a man seems rather...well, dirty in nature. It actually took me a year to get back to the last book and I'm not so sure I'd have bothered if I hadn't already read the other three and if I hadn't decided to send them to Klund. I also didn't like the ending much - Williams seems to be putting forth the theory that strength of character (as opposed to active choices) can shape the world - that it doesn't matter what you choose to do, your good character will make everything good for everyone in the end. I'm more of the prevaricators end up in the outermost ring of Hell sort of reader - if my characters aren't aware of the enormity of their choices and making them anyway, I'm a little bothered.
So, was I punishing you by sending them to you? No, I just thought someday you might really have nothing better to do. When I want to send you a good book, I'll send you Mieville's "Scar", I'm enjoying it immensely, every page has something new on it and he really immerses you in characters that are constantly acting within a rich environment. I liked Perdido Street Station a lot, and this is much better in my opinion.
I am going to Hawaii in November and need (a) book(s) for the plane. Any suggestions?
Scooter - I just requested the two Mieville books you mentioned from the library. My interest has been piqued.
BiggTree - I would recommend (and Scooter will back me up on this) anything by Christopher Moore. Probably the best book I've read in the past five years is his book "Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal" All of his books would be great travel books.
Indeed, Moore would be good plane material - easy to read and more importantly, fun to read. Lamb is great and so is The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove.
I couldn't wait, as its been a long time since I read a good novel. I decided to make "Lamb" my deer hunting book. I brought it up into the tree and tore in. Finished it already. A fun tale of nearly equal parts heroic quest, heresy, and sex jokes. I gave the author a lot of slack where he covers the 'missing' years of Jesus' (I'll use the Greek) life. I had more trouble when we got to the time frame covered in Scripture. As a testament to it being very well written, I was actually saddened by Biff. He spends 17+ years, in the presence of God and never seams to experience spiritual growth. But, I think the author did that on purpose.
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