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machine_dove at 09:56am on 11/07/2005
machine_dove at 09:56am on 11/07/2005Zod Wallop has left me really, really disturbed. The basic premise is disturbing enough. A children's book author gets commited (sort of - it's a self-check-in sort of place), and writes a children's fantasy-adventure book while in the institution, which becomes insanely popular. While there, he becomes the central figure in a schizophrenic's fantasy world. Things progress from there.
One of the characters in the childen's book is named "Henry Bottle." Amazingly enough, this book was written before Harry Potter was ever published - some of the similarities were interesting. All the major characters were insane (well...I'd grant one some measure of sanity, but not much). It was an interesting book - not one I'd necessarily recommend, but one I'll happily foist off on Stacey without proper warning.
I blame this book for my horrific dreams last night.
Daughter in Exile (finished it last night) was much less satisfying than I had anticipated it would be. It started off fairly strong, but suffered from some weak characterization, several bouts where the plot became complete nonsense, unbelievable romances (Hmmmm...these two people need to get together so X can happen. There, all done!), and situations that were supposed to engender pathos, but ended up simply falling flat. There was lots of the falling flat at the end, where things just sort of happened because that's the sort of thing that happens in books, rather than things happening because that's the way the story goes. I may read more Isabel Glass in the future, but she could use an agressive editor, I think.
Tam Lin, now...after about the first ten pages I was able to remember exactly when I read this last (flight back from London, summer 1998) and exactly where my (mint, hardcover) original copy is (box o' favorite books, taken by dad for "safekeeping," never seen again - I still have his original Lensmen box set, though, which I should probably sell for obscene amounts of cash at some point).
Also, it made me remember why I had a vague feeling of dissatisfaction with my entire freshman year of college. After that, of course, I was far too busy to have time for vague feelings (intense feelings of panic, I think, were my normal emotions).
It remains, however, an excellent book, that really needs to come back into print at some point. I've done my part by tracking down a battered paperback copy and paying obscene amounts for it.
I'll probably read all of Year of Wonders tonight, unless it ends up being the sort of book you can't blast through in one night (which it probably will be, considering the theme).
One of the characters in the childen's book is named "Henry Bottle." Amazingly enough, this book was written before Harry Potter was ever published - some of the similarities were interesting. All the major characters were insane (well...I'd grant one some measure of sanity, but not much). It was an interesting book - not one I'd necessarily recommend, but one I'll happily foist off on Stacey without proper warning.
I blame this book for my horrific dreams last night.
Daughter in Exile (finished it last night) was much less satisfying than I had anticipated it would be. It started off fairly strong, but suffered from some weak characterization, several bouts where the plot became complete nonsense, unbelievable romances (Hmmmm...these two people need to get together so X can happen. There, all done!), and situations that were supposed to engender pathos, but ended up simply falling flat. There was lots of the falling flat at the end, where things just sort of happened because that's the sort of thing that happens in books, rather than things happening because that's the way the story goes. I may read more Isabel Glass in the future, but she could use an agressive editor, I think.
Tam Lin, now...after about the first ten pages I was able to remember exactly when I read this last (flight back from London, summer 1998) and exactly where my (mint, hardcover) original copy is (box o' favorite books, taken by dad for "safekeeping," never seen again - I still have his original Lensmen box set, though, which I should probably sell for obscene amounts of cash at some point).
Also, it made me remember why I had a vague feeling of dissatisfaction with my entire freshman year of college. After that, of course, I was far too busy to have time for vague feelings (intense feelings of panic, I think, were my normal emotions).
It remains, however, an excellent book, that really needs to come back into print at some point. I've done my part by tracking down a battered paperback copy and paying obscene amounts for it.
I'll probably read all of Year of Wonders tonight, unless it ends up being the sort of book you can't blast through in one night (which it probably will be, considering the theme).