Holy shit you’re still doing these?
Well, TBD. There are far more books listed here than I’ve reviewed, but a lot of them I’d already read. A lot of them I’m not going to read. Generally if it got endorsed by more than one person, I was willing to give it a swing. If it sounded interesting I’d give it a swing. And if it was an audiobook, I’d give it a swing.
476 days, fucker.
Right. So rezzeJ, as part of #hubskiliterarything, sent me a copy of this book.
This is how long it takes me to read paper.
It’s available, by the way. Will totally fit into a USPS flat rate box.
No, no. You read Alibek’s Biohazard way quicker than that. It was on paper…
One, I didn’t finish it yet. Two, it was on Kindle. Three, I was stuck in an unheated shithole next to a mountain for five weeks.
But the fact remains, you’d rather read a book about biological warfare at the sunset of the Soviet Union than a New York Times bestseller.
Fuckin’ Twilight was a NYT bestseller.
Let the slagging begin. Don’t you have a quippy meme to show us?
Dude.
Look -
thenewgreen loves this book. mk loves this book. briandmyers loves this book. I did not hate this book. But if you take this book:
and this book:
and slam them together you’ll pretty much have Owen Meany. Except…
Do go on alienating your friends.
thaaaaat’s it.
Look - it’s not a bad book. It’s not a great book. It’s also not a short book and it’s also not a linear book. This allows Irving to hide a Rube Goldbergian miracle at the heart of some fundamentally saccharine observations about the ‘60s and ‘80s.
There are two narratives, one of a past that has been fled and one of a present that is scarcely inhabited. As the book drags on, these two narratives converge at a fundamentally disappointing inflection point.
- ”I fucking hate the message, but I love the book.” - mk
It’s possible that had I read it earlier, I might have liked it better. As it is, though, it borrows its narrative structure from Stephen King’s It (published 3 years earlier) and its sappy down-home grittiness from Best Christmas Pageant Ever (published 18 years earlier) and then makes its central character speak in all-caps italics. The fact that the access character is a pusillanimous loser helps absolutely nothing; the fundamental conceit is that Owen Meany is miraculous but this requires you to ignore the fact that every other character is a static cipher with zero development, listless motives and an utter and total lack of personal advancement.
Shawshank Redemption was a short story. I haven’t read it, but the shape and size of it is visible from the movie: there are just enough events to hang a lot of cinematography and acting on, and not too much pointless tedium to get in the way. A Prayer for Owen Meany would probably have been an interesting and engaging short story. Instead it’s 636 pages long.
”So extraordinary, so original, and so enriching…” - Stephen King, Washington Post
Right. But Stephen King loved the fuck out of The Passage too:
- "Every so often a novel-reader's novel comes along: an enthralling, entertaining story wedded to simple, supple prose, both informed by tremendous imagination. Summer is the perfect time for such books, and this year readers can enjoy the gift of Justin Cronin’s The Passage. Read fifteen pages and you will find yourself captivated; read thirty and you will find yourself taken prisoner and reading late into the night. It has the vividness that only epic works of fantasy and imagination can achieve. What else can I say? This: read this book and the ordinary world disappears.”
Probably in no small part because it’s a paint-by-numbers homage to The Stand.
I’m not going to second-guess Stephen King’s motivations. I will second-guess his judgement.
Probably a good thing you’ve run out of your friends’ recommendations to slag.
Don’t get me wrong - I’ve enjoyed every step of the way, even down to my failure to penetrate more than a quarter inch into Godel Escher Bach. I’ve known for a decade or more that my tastes are outside the mainstream - I would not have started a tag like #kleinbl00batshittery if I thought I were normal (really ought to finish that “Avengers of Tonopah” thing). The stuff I’ve had literary success with is the stuff I write for an audience other than myself… this does not mean I do not value the input of others, nor that I do not respect their choices.
But you’re still going to slag on everyone’s favorite books.
See, I didn’t say “favorite books.” I said “great books.” I love the shit out of Neuromancer but I would not recommend it to someone who didn’t want to read some gritty-ass cyberpunk. Deep Black is an intensely fascinating tome… IF you have an undying interest in the intelligence capabilities of the NRO in the mid ‘80s (big “if”). So on the one hand, I’m loath to do this schtick with the books I find interesting. But on the other hand…
Do you have any idea how disingenuous it is to ask permission to blog?
Yep. yep I do. So instead I’ll just say I’m currently slogging through this quagmire and despite the fact that I have effectively 9 uninterrupted hours a week (and I listen at 1.5x) I do not think anyone here will give a fuck what I think of this book and I do not think I will give a fuck enough to subject y’all to my opinion. So even if dozens of people are DYING to hear what I think of a book they’d otherwise never read, I’m still not going to tell you for quite some time. You’re welcome.
NEXT UP:
TBD.
As always, an enjoyable review - thanks. I keep seeing references to 'IT' (admittedly, at least a couple from KB). It's been on my list for a while now, and probably the only King blockbuster I haven't read. I think I'll pick that up, when I finish what I'm on now ("The Count of Monte Cristo" - one chapter in, and captivated). Recently finished 'Blindsight' by Watts, which I believe was reviewed on hubski. Interesting ideas were explored, but the writing and the story didn't do it for me. Also recent : "The Stranger" by Camus. Maybe I just didn't 'get it' but I was underwhelmed. At least it was short. "Catcher in the Rye" by Salinger. Rubbish. At least it was short.
It isn't a great book, but it's a good book. Mostly it's long and rambling and entertaining but it's kind of like a Vegas buffet. There's a lot of food, it isn't great, but it's cheap and filling. I felt betrayed by Blindsight. It starts out in a very engaging way and then it delaminates. And it delaminates ugly. I made it halfway through Camus.
Your description of "It" reads a lot like how I'd describe his "Dark Tower" series - an enjoyable read (if you like King), but not very deep, and a little unsatisfying. I'm interested to see what the film looks like, though - I think it could translate well. I've heard they have lined up Idris Elba as the gunslinger.
IT: If you have seen the movie, and enjoyed it, you will find the book a much more satisfying version of the same story. My $.02, as a King fan. If I had to pick a single King book to recommend, it wouldn't be IT. That's not to say I haven't read it (heh) multiple times and enjoy it as/for what it is, it's just - damn it's a long novel. There's weird creepy bits outside of the horror narrative that, especially in our current society, could totally turn some readers off of the book. It lacks some sort of deeper "meaning" or "message" or "theme" that is generally relatable or ultimately raises questions and reflection in a reader; I guess what I'm trying to say is it's very much an entertaining story but that's about all. I gave "Catcher" a solid 2.5 tries, with spacetime in between. Don't get it, won't get it, find the novel exasperating. Feel the same about "On the Road" and "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance," except I gave each novel successively fewer chances. A high school English teacher did commiserate with me about "Catcher" and commented that it is the kind of book that one either "gets" or totally doesn't. I totally doesn't. After reading this review I thought, "What is my favorite book?" and compared that to "What book(s) do I recommend others to read?" It is funny, of the few I can name to answer each question, there is no overlap between the sets. I have not read "Owen Meany" despite having had a copy for years; same with "Cider House Rules." That being said, I have often considered "The World According to Garp" one of my very favorite novels. So that's interesting. I am not saying do not read "World According to Garp," but I am saying I care about it enough that it would be painful to read a negative, especially an intelligent and negative, review of it. And there are very, very few articles of media where that is the case. Usually I am a "destroy this utterly" sort of gal.
By coincidence, I just started reading It last night. Got through the first several chapters, and I'm hooked. As many film adaptations of King's stories as I've seen, I've never read any of his books. I'm excited to read this, and really glad I don't remember much of the It miniseries, except for the fact that it scared the shit out of me at age 8 or whatever.
Really enjoyed. Probably would have loved it at 600 pages more though. I thought that at times he got lost in the weeds with backstory that didn't add much and that felt a bit boring. But the first and last 300 pages were spectacular. Not sure I've ever read anything that has my heart racing as much as the chapter where we meet Bev and she leaves her husband. I think I'm going to read another of his, possibly Dead Zone (after I'm over the election), or The Stand. Recs?
So King definitely has his "things" that show up multiple times in his works. The Stand is the best of his "viral apocalypse" books I've read so far, but if you thought It got wordy, you will find the same of The Stand. I remember feeling it was really long at points. Also, if you've either read his The Fog or watched it, you might feel it's repetitive. As for The Dark Half, I would say - more to the point than The Stand. I'm interested to know why you are considering it, honestly. It's either The Dark Half or The Dead Zone where King describes an incident of violence that I still think about in passing to this day. I wouldn't say it's traumatizing so much as...really makes you wonder what that would feel like. And glad that you don't know, cuz you are pretty sure it would hurt a fuck. I reread Christine early this year. I think it's a great, great horror story but also a classic Americana story, what with our obsession with car culture, and I really liked it for that. I also remember liking Firestarter quite a bit and there's a quote in it I still remember from time to time: "Life is short, and pain is long, and we were all put here on this earth to help one another." I would honestly really recommend Firestarter. If you like fantasy, and especially if you do read The Stand, but even if you don't, consider The Eyes of the Dragon. I also happen to be a fan of Rose Madder but - I would say that with the caveat that I don't know if it is really a strong book so much as I like the ultra feminist women's lib sort of storyline. I am a bit SK fan, but some of his books are bad and it's undeniable. Thankfully, none of the ones we've named here fall into that list, I think.
I can't recommend "Dark Tower", frankly. "The Stand" was great, as I remember it, except for the deus-ex-machina ending, which seemed bolted on - but the story up to the ending made the game worth the candle. However, a much younger 'me' read that, so take it as you will. I have not read the extended version.
Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? The books know where they are. It's the participants that have gone AWOL. GorGorGorillaNeck veen galen flagamuffin iammyownrushmore TheGreatAbider16 OftenBen _refugee_
Excuse me. I sent mine out - thenewgreen. Calling you out, man. Anyway, I never saw another book. Actually I think I've read them all, can we start again with different ones?
Add new ones? But remember to include the Super Secret Special Thing... And also add them to the map. https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1jmGzz6DzojHQsGo0Xq47u_U2UG8
Guilty as charged. 326 pages into Kavelier & Clay, which is more pages than all other physical books I've read put together in the last two years. Not that it's the book's fault though - I have the same problem as kb in that I basically only read audio or ebook. I can keep it longer and maybe finish it when I am bored but it's not very likely, so if anyone wants it I can send it.
I sent East of Eden to arguewithatree over a year ago.
yeah i still have it but i haven't read it. grad school is officially over the first week of july though so i will be all over all the literature i've been neglecting lol
Wasn't pointing fingers, just stating facts :) And if you've got priorities that are higher than the social pressure of an ad-hoc book club, you should do those first. But I don't like Steinbeck that much to begin with.
i guess I should have created a database driven backend and easy to use ISBN scanning app first. But the system is working like mycelial threads. Underground. Unseen.
I think you should repost the pretty page you made, and a reminder so the users can update it themselves.
This thing? https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1jmGzz6DzojHQsGo0Xq47u_U2UG8 Let's see if I can remember which Google account I used to create it...
I never read the Christmas pageant, or anything by King. A prayer for Owen is the only Irving I read twice. And one of the few book I read more than once. Dont you think you disliked it because you found trace of other books in it? It happen to me all the time. As soon as a tiny detail evoke another former book, I hate this one and find a lot of reason to hate it. I hate the Alchemist by Coehlo because it's a tedious rewriting of a very short and beautiful story by Jorge Luis Borges (a Tale of 2 Dreamers). The reality being, I moderately enjoyed The Alchemist before reading the Borges's Short story. On A prayer. I would not recommend to someone not already liking Irving. The message is heavy handed, and the end is so much cheesy it hurt. But the journey to get there is cool. A best entrance into Irving, must be "World according to Garp", funny, complex character, and a nice page (251 in my edition) you can alert people about. Here, The whole book shift gear (pun intended, if you read the book) A Prayer for Owen, is more like a power fantasy. Let say a romance story for men. A super powerful , likable guy , we all want to identify with. Yeah, that's not a book to recommend. More a book you enjoy alone , cry and laugh with, and you feel a bit shameful with all those heavy feeling you experienced..
I didn't like it because it was long. Very long. Very long and full of characters that don't do anything. Very long and full of characters whose destinies are writ in stone. I don't like it because nothing happens, and then when it does, it's completely unearned. One semi-spoilerific example: Lives are saved in this book. Which lives? Why? To what end? Do they matter? Does that matter? NOT THE POINT - the fact of the matter is, our access character's entire life revolves around the ultimate point in this book, and he doesn't give a fuck. Here's this ultimate angel, this reviser of futures, this "miracle" and why is he the way he is? Because he's miraculous. Okay. But what miracle is he performing? He's saving lives. Okay. Why those lives? Why then? Why there? Why that way? WHY? See, that's a mystery that neither the access character nor the author care about. And what part, in this ultimate miracle, requires him to strike a baseball with such force? The other locus of the book - the one at the beginning that sets events in motion - is completely irrelevant to all that follows. We're dragged through 600 pages to end up at our destination but the fundamentally life-changing event that launches us in that direction? Never plays. Is never relevant. Serves no goal whatsoever. In It a fundamental tension is put in place that changes the protagonists forever. In order to complete their hero's journey they must solve that fundamental tension. In Owen Meany it comes about as an "oh by the way" moment. Finding traces of other books isn't a big deal - good artists borrow, great artists steal. It's when the traces that are borrowed are so much better than the material they end up in that I hate it.
The end is bad. It does not make the whole stuff bad. Plus everything is clearly set up from the get go. No surprise. Owen had a dream he knew was a prophecy. He just ensured the prophecy went as he wanted it because he is nice. That the story of a man living to fulfill a cheesy dream where he is the hero. But that not the good part, that's the pretext. A book is only long when it bore you. If I remember, it seems you dont like Proust. I admit he is boring sometime. But he wrote some of the most funny scene ever. And Irving wrote some of the most lukewarm, cheesy scene ever in those 600 page Yeah, it clearly not about revealing something. It's just 600 pages of cheesy emotion about growing up and stuff. Chick Lit for boy. You dont read it for the plot. You read it to cry and be happy. You have to admit SPEAKING IN ALL CAPS IS KIND OF A NEAT GIMMICK. (I know the gospel did it before Irving, but that make the gimmick even more cool)
See, at least the end had a purpose. My beef is that the story did not set up the end. The story in general was likeable, but overlong and full of people who were boring. I mean, the protagonist is capital-B Boring. The girl is a shrill stereotype. Everyone else is a stock character out of central casting. And they muddle along doing nothing for hundreds and hundreds of pages. It bored me. That's probably why it took me a year and a half to read it, during which time I read four books on kindle and twenty two books on audible. SPEAKING IN ALL CAPS WAS EXCRUCIATING.