#1060

I finished it this morning and almost had a little cry that it was over. What a beautiful book.

1 Like
#1061

It’s just so clever and simple all at once. There’s no great passages of description but it’s all so clear and the characters real and authentic.

#1062

Have you seen he wrote another novel relayed to this one? Reservoir Tapes. Next on my list!

#1063

I’ve seen it, not read it. On the list.

Started Unsheltered by Barbara Kingsolver at the weekend.

1 Like
#1064

Now 42% through Oathbringer, which means I’ve read 52 chapters.

Based on the two recent chapters of Moash where he is with the Voidbringers/Parshendi I have come to the conclusion that he appears to be a Comrade. Interesting. Still, there’s another half a book for everything to change but he displays a proper working-class attitude to reform, he is willing to kill the rich and powerful to set the common people free; whereas Kaladin (as Moash realises) is a classic middle-class left-winger who wants a better life for the common people but within the framework of the current system.

Maybe I should get @ghosthalo into The Stormlight Archives so I can hear his thoughts.

#1065

Arthur Machen seems to veer between very, very good and a tad less so. The more World War I propaganda-y ones seem so at odds with how strange he can get. Enjoyed the most recent one I read, basically vignettes from a Welsh town on which much strangeness was imposed

1 Like
#1066

He’s got a great one called ‘The Terror’ which is set during WW1 and is written in a much dryer, reportage style than the stories from his peak years. Bit more rational than his usual stuff as well. Have to say, in the whole i find Machen to be remarkably consistent in terms of quality.

1 Like
#1067

Just onto that one!

1 Like
#1068

Half way through extremely loud and incredibly close which I’m enjoying.

Bashed through subtle knife in a couple of days earlier this week which was lovely

3 Likes
#1069

Finished Melmoth. Very good. Sluggish start but I liked the fact that it is just like an old fashioned horror.

#1070

This is one of my favourite books. Love it to pieces.

1 Like
#1071

‘The Terror’ is so good so far btw

Actually in fairness, I probably agree with the consistency. Just ‘The Bowmen’ was a bit of a duffer, and I think the one that followed it. Any recommendations beyond the White People collection of short stories? The one story I know that’s a big deal that isn’t in there is ‘The Great God Pan’.

1 Like
#1072

reading La Douleur by Marguerite Duras

my word is she a beautiful writer

manages to say so much with so little

1 Like
#1073

The Hill of Dreams is my favourite of the things I’ve read by him (and probably among my favourite things I’ve read overall too), if that’s not already on your list

1 Like
#1074

Are you reading it in French?

#1075

oooh, I bought that on the Kindle Daily Deal recently. Just started Neal Stephenson’s Cryptonomicon, bought digitally at a similarly dirt cheap price. Not read any of his work before, but this is a promising start. Any book opening with Riemann zeta function and Kurt Gödel chat gets my vote, TBH

#1076

Haven’t read for months. Just got through Wakenhyrst this weekend, it was compelling enough but definitely felt on the guilty trash end of the spectrum and didnt really have me gripped or spooked at all.

Have picked the Night Brother again. Feel very meh about it so far.

#1077

So I’m halfway through the first Mazalan book, ‘Gardens of the Moon’, Where’s the place for chat on this? Here? Sci fi (and fantasy?) thread? Does it have /need its own thread?

1 Like
#1078

I eventually found ‘The Great God Pan’ in a collection of victorian horror. It’s an essential read though a slight notch below his very best. ‘The Hill Of Dreams’ which @mrmrongov mentioned is excellent too and, being semi autobiographical, a must read.

On Machen being ‘remarkably consistent’ I was referring only to the stories in the collection (pretty sure you’re reading the same one i read). Ive not read anything post ‘The Terror’ and apparently he did write some really terrible stuff after that. If you did want to delve further there’s a kindle version of an ultimate collection you can get for 99p. It’s 4000 odd pages so i imagine it would collate a lot of that later stuff. Not being a kindle owner myself I’ve not bothered though tbh.

#1079

Definitely been mentioned by @kenako I believe. Not sure where the chat has been if there’s been anything specific at all, though.

1 Like