the_grip on 11/1/2010 at 11:25
Quote Posted by Tocky
Then again CoG was the best thing he's written and I defy you to tell me the point of that either. The guy likes being in crazy peoples heads.
Yeah no doubt on the latter point.
In my opinion, there are a probably a number of themes explored here along the lines of the isolating effects of society. I think that it also falls under the "Southern Gothic" genre in which gothic literature elements appear in a backwoods southern setting. There are other themes (i.e. racism and the KKK as per the "White Caps") and the general perversion and barbaric nature that mankind can display when one is completely at the mercy of another.
I am sure there are quite a few other themes, but I'm not a literature genius. I can see inklings of these kinds of things in the book, but tying them together better will require additional reads (which I am sure I will do in the future... right now I'm tearing through new material).
It is a fascinating book to me as well as horrifying. The horror, however, is so casually put and almost taken as normal that it really takes the bite off and leaves one thinking, "Did he just write that?" Many of the horrific scenes in the book happen alongside normal circumstances.
I did receive
Outer Dark and
Suttree in the mail among other books, but I have not started any of them yet.
Thirith on 11/1/2010 at 12:19
Quote Posted by all
Harold Pinter's plays.
How are you liking them? I definitely like Pinter's
Betrayal and I have a weak spot for
The Dumb Waiter, since I directed a production of it in 1998, but I also think his plays get a bit samey after a while in terms of their language and themes. (I taught
The Homecoming and vastly preferred teaching it to reading it.)
I've just started reading
Wolf Hall, a historical novel about Thomas Cromwell. I'd never heard of it and received it as a Christmas present, but apparently it had rave reviews.
june gloom on 21/1/2010 at 06:39
No Country for Old Men. I thought that the style in The Road was unique to it, but apparently not. I can't say I'm complaining though.
Master Villain on 21/1/2010 at 08:02
I finished Snow Crash a few days ago. I would have enjoyed it more if not for having heard people all over the place talk it up like it's the second coming of cyberpunk. Nice ideas, but the execution was... off.
june gloom on 21/1/2010 at 08:57
You actually read the entire thing? Join the survivor's group.
Fucking shitty terrible book and Stephenson has barely improved since.
DaBeast on 21/1/2010 at 13:31
Finished Neuromancer, which was a load of balls.
Finished Warrior of Rome 2:King of Kings, which was disappointing.
Finished Malus Darkblade vol 2, which was awesome.
Currently going through the Conan collection, its basically the same short story told over and over again.
Waiting on the next instalments of the Horus Heresy. Might re-read Enders Game or Forever War in the mean time.
Matthew on 21/1/2010 at 14:39
Have you read Eisenhorn or the Ciaphas Cain series, DaBeast? Given that you must like HH, I'd recommend those as well.
PeeperStorm on 21/1/2010 at 17:02
Quote Posted by dethtoll
You actually read the entire thing? Join the survivor's group.
Fucking shitty terrible book and Stephenson has barely improved since.
You mean there's a group for us? Now I don't feel special anymore.
DaBeast, do you mean Conan as in "the barbarian"? That shit was hot when I was 11 years old. I recently tried to start rereading my old stack of 'em, but I stopped in the middle of the first book. Too painfully awful to read.
DaBeast on 21/1/2010 at 17:59
Quote Posted by Matthew
Have you read Eisenhorn or the Ciaphas Cain series, DaBeast? Given that you must like HH, I'd recommend those as well.
I've ordered both omnibus, at the very least it should keep me going, though to be honest I've gone off Dan Abnett a little bit with his Gaunt series, the last volume of which was very weak. Which is a shame as the first volume and pretty much everything else of his that I've read is great.
Quote Posted by PeeperStorm
DaBeast, do you mean Conan as in "the barbarian"? That shit was hot when I was 11 years old. I recently tried to start rereading my old stack of 'em, but I stopped in the middle of the first book. Too painfully awful to read.
Yea, being brutally honest, I only read it when I'm on the throne :p
"DIE MORTAL ETC, he
ejaculated" - interesting use of words I've discovered.
june gloom on 21/1/2010 at 21:34
Quote Posted by DaBeast
Finished Neuromancer, which was a load of balls.
What was wrong with Neuromancer? :(
