The reading pile

[Ed]

So what books are you reading at the moment? Any recommendations? Any you absolutely hated?

I've just finished The Secret of Crickley Hall by James Herbert, which I thought was 600 pages of mind numbing drivel by the time I got to the end. I guessed the secret within the first 200 pages, so the profound revelations later in the book weren't in the least bit surprising. I found it thoroughly formulaic, heavily plotted and over written. There's a huge and clumsily delivered info dump at the end of the book, almost as if Herbert bored himself into a typing coma and was roused briefly at the 500th page and thought, 'Oh shit, I'd better wrap this crap up pretty sharpish'. Terrible. Simply terrible novel. BTW, in this book there's a boatload of words you've never heard of and have to look up in the dictionary to find the meaning of, which I found quite infuriating at times.

In contrast, before Herbert's Crickley Crappola, I read Stephen King's 'Cell', which I thoroughly enjoyed. It's a bit of a zombie novel at heart. It starts with action and maintains quite a pace throughout - that's something I really like in a book. Plenty of movement and pace.

Right now I'm reading The Taking by Dean Koontz. It's about a strange weather phenomenon that causes the rain to glow in the dark and strange things to happen, like coyotes gathering on the MC's porch and demons to flit half seen in the shadows and in other worldly reflections in mirrors. It's pretty spooky. Good so far. I'll let you know if it's still as good at the end.

[SharonBell]

Did you ever read Koontz's first book? Lightning. Excellent, seat of the pants action, and a plot twist that I won't reveal. If you haven't read it, get it. He shows how brilliant he'll become with this debut novel.

King can drivel on, too. His memoirs one (I'm blanking on the name) turned into a TV series about a haunted hospital. Well, all I can say is his hospital experience left him hating doctors and nurses. Every word is a damnation of what he experienced, albeit from a female protag's POV. 

Glad to hear Cell was better. 

[Ed]

No, I haven't read Lightning, but thanks for the recommendation Sharon

Can't say I've ever been a big Stephen King fan myself, but I saw Cell on offer at the airport for £3.50 and picked it up. It was a pleasant surprise when it turned out to be good. The last King novel I read was called Rose Madder, I think, and that one bored me to tears. It was about an abused woman being chased by a jealous husband - sounds exciting, but when you get down to reading it, the story it's told alternately from the woman's and the man's perspective, so you end up reading the story twice. I found it quite tedious.

I think I've heard a few people say the same thing as you about Kingdom Hospital, if that's the name of the novel. But I suppose it's one of those things where you can't (and probably shouldn't try to) please everybody all the time. As he said himself, "I'm a salami writer. I try to write good salami, but salami is salami." He isn't kidding himself what he writes is high end art, but I guess he's doing something right to be so prolific and famous, isn't he? (I'd love to earn just a fraction of the estimated 400 million a year he rakes in - I'm not greedy, just 1% will do me  )

[Lord_of_the_Dense]

I am a fan of both Koontz and King. Probably moreso Koontz. My first read with Koontz would have been Watchers. I was out on manuevers in the Army in the California desert around 1990. I enjoy his usage of real geography, sometimes places I've already visited. I have many more books of both Koontz and King to read, but between computers, TV and video games, they may as well be shelf art.

I am currently attempting to get through Harry Potter 4. I am too preoccupied to read it immediately after work and too tired before it's time to retire. My youngest sister, who's an HP nut, will most likely guilt me into finishing it before long.

Horror, fantasy, and sci-fi have been a major part of my life for over 20 years. I am thankful for the worlds I have discovered and the limitless palette of my imagination.

[Ed]

I'm the same, LotD - there aren't many times of day I can sit down and read in peace, so I do most of my reading when I'm travelling, or on holiday. I'm lucky that I can usually sit down for half an hour at lunchtimes at work and read a few chapters of a book, too. I very rarely read at home, because I'm usually either being hassled by kids, or busy doing something else. Occasionally I'll get into a book at work and like it so much I'll make time to read it at home, but it's got to be a very good read for that to happen. Cell was one like that - I got to a certain point in the book where lunchtimes weren't long enough

[SharonBell]

Okay, Ed. Tell me why you couldn't put the book down. I'm taking an online class on pacing this month and we are tasked with analyzing books that we love. What made you stay awake, or get pissed when you had to come out of the fictive dream?

(Oh, dear, I'm teaching a fully online course this semester and I think I just went into POP QUIZ MODE!! )

[Ed]

Good question, Sharon.  (or should I call you 'teach'? )

With Cell the novel began with action and kept up a good pace thereafter, which keeps me happy - I can't stand a sustained slow start without at least the hint of action to follow. And I think the point where the book becomes 'unputdownable' probably begins where you've accepted the MC's character, point of view, etc., and the situation he's in is fully understood, together with clear goals for him and there's movement towards attaining them.

I'll have more of a think about this today, and if there's anything else I can add I'll come back to it tonight

[Geoff_N]

Apart from Tibor Fischer's Collector Collector and The Thought Gang, I have to find a book I really couldn't put down.

Recently I enjoyed reading Arthur & George by Julian Barnes. The plot is quite intriguing especially since the Arthur is Conan Doyle, but it drags and sags in the middle. However, by then I wanted to know how George fared so I read on. Also Barnes is one of those literary writers who drops real gems into every other page. I know some of you don't like that kind of interruption in the Fiction Dream and all that, but I DO! Frinstance the top of one page has the famous detective author and George crossing a farmyard - he simply writes:

"they squelched across the consequences of a herd of cows." 

Marvellous – not the toilet humour but the choice of words. If I'd written that as a newbie author I'd have editors yelling at me to cut such pretentious writing and that by drawing the reader's attention to the writing, the author is not invisible. Bah – I love reading not just for the story but the way it's reading.

[SharonBell]

Geoff, The Collectors Collector had me at HELLO for the same reason. The playful choice of words, the zany characters, the alliterative paragraphs. I'll never be able to write like that, but I'm glad to be able to appreciate it.

And you, my friend, pulled a number of the same in Escaping Reality--"I've become a white van man!" sticks out in my mind!

Off to the day job! I've got to kick some stupid butts around.  Anyone want to help? Ed? Geoff?

[Ed]

“they squelched across the consequences of a herd of cows.” 

Marvellous – not the toilet humour but the choice of words. If I’d written that as a newbie author I’d have editors yelling at me to cut such pretentious writing and that by drawing the reader’s attention to the writing, the author is not invisible. Bah – I love reading not just for the story but the way it’s reading.

I love that kind of thing, too. You can almost hear your brain give out an appreciative "Mmm" when you read it, can't you?

Like you say, some editors would take issue with that type of thing, but they'd be wrong. You shouldn't always kill your darlings. As with most editing 'rules', I think if you adhere too strictly to them you can end up with bland and soulless prose. In essance you lose the voice of the narrator. And sometimes, like in the case of Joe Lansdale's writing, the voice and turn of phrase is a large part of what people like about the story, isn't it?

If you like that kind of thing you'll probably like Steven Fry's writing style, Geoff. I remember 'The Liar' being a bit like that in places - it was as if I could hear Steven Fry reading the words.

Sharon - I'd help if I could, but I'm afraid you'll just have to make do with moral support and my suggestion that you wear your steel toecap boots in to work today

[SharonBell]

Thanks for the moral support, Ed.  Some days I feel like I'm working in a soap opera populated by morons. 

The latest irritation is a faculty member who runs one of our internships--BADLY. We called for a comprehensive review, needed a meeting of all involved in placements. She gave my administrative assistant and 4 other faculty members the major run around about why she couldn't meet at any of the times we gave her. Wasted an entire day. Then finally we think we have a lock--and she says, NO, I can't do that. After having said she would.

Yesterday I sent her an email saying she wasn't allowed to place any more interns until we had this meeting. And I said it to her as her BOSS, not colleague. Suddenly she was available on that date. But ONLY if she had to be there. It still wasn't convenient. She'd have to disappoint the people in our state capitol and the Chancellor of our system and the Governor...perhaps even the President of the United States...on and on and on. A number of other faculty members are questioning her cognitive functions, as in "Do you think she's demented?" I don't think she's demented. I think she's a manipulative, self-centered, all-about-me bitch.

When you come to Towson, bring your steel-toed boots and give me a hand, willya?

[SharonBell]

BTW, I listened to Joe Lansdale read his book, SUNSET AND SAWDUST.  Terrific story, terrific reader. His Texas drawl put you into the story immediately and Sunset, the MC is one of the best characters I've ever met. I wish I'd written her. If you haven't read or heard the story, get it.   

[Geoff_N]

I'll look up both Fry's Liar and joe Lansdale. Thanks for the tips.

Sorry to hear about the silly behaviour at work, Sharon. I used to see the same thing in schools - both in the classroom and even more immaturely in the staffroom.

Geoff