Book Reviews

[Martin]

That sucks! I absolutely loved John Dies at the End as well as This Book is Full of Spiders and What the Hell Did I Just Read?

Though, if I may . . .

My defense of JDATE: it might seem choppy because it was originally written as a series of webisodes. Just one-off little chapters that David Wong later assembled into a unified whole. So there may be rough edges.

My argument for you to continue the series (seeing as you have the editions supplied by NRB already): The series gets better. TBIFOS is the most coherent and completely formed of the three. There is no choppiness and the plot (not the humor) drives the story. WTHDIJR is somewhere between the first and second as far as the insanity goes. It's more unified than the first--but less focused than the second.

Anyway--I understand all too well the problem with pushing an author on people who just don't connect with that author **cough** BENTLEY LITTLE **cough**. So I'll just leave my opinions contained in this lonely little box that's part of this winding thread on this one section of one speck of a website in the vast expanse of the Internet.

It took me a minute to figure out why you were referencing a Jewish dating site. I was aware that the story was cobbled together from a series of web stories but was hoping for a coherent story. For now I am not planning on picking up the next book, if I catch the movie that may change my mind. Glad to here the next two are not as choppy as the first.

[jeffingoff]

At some point I will probably watch the movie. I can see how the humor may play better as a visual gag for me.

The movie was pretty good. And maybe that will play better for you.

[jeffingoff]

I had the same issue...tried reading it a while back (in tpb form), and just could not get into it. I could see the type of book he was trying to create, but while I'm usually a fan of the horror/humor mash-up (ala Jeff Strand, etc.), this one fell flat for me as well.

I think I will go opposite of your recommendations and you should opposite of mine. MAYBE someday we can agree on some book or author. But I really don't know anymore . . .

[jeffingoff]

I finally got around to reading David Wong's John Dies at the End. Probably the most disappointing book I have read that was published by Cemetery Dance. This is a book that will live or die based on how the humor works for the reader. It fell completely flat for me. The story is choppy and lacks anything other than the attempts at humor to keep your attention. As I pushed through I kept hoping it would get better but it did not. I have the second and third book of the trilogy but will probably dump them all without continuing the story. I just can't imagine returning to that universe.

That sucks! I absolutely loved John Dies at the End as well as This Book is Full of Spiders and What the Hell Did I Just Read?

Though, if I may . . .

My defense of JDATE: it might seem choppy because it was originally written as a series of webisodes. Just one-off little chapters that David Wong later assembled into a unified whole. So there may be rough edges.

My argument for you to continue the series (seeing as you have the editions supplied by NRB already): The series gets better. TBIFOS is the most coherent and completely formed of the three. There is no choppiness and the plot (not the humor) drives the story. WTHDIJR is somewhere between the first and second as far as the insanity goes. It's more unified than the first--but less focused than the second.

Anyway--I understand all too well the problem with pushing an author on people who just don't connect with that author **cough** BENTLEY LITTLE **cough**. So I'll just leave my opinions contained in this lonely little box that's part of this winding thread on this one section of one speck of a website in the vast expanse of the Internet.

[Martin]

I liked John Dies at the End, but I think it helps that I had seen the kinda "B" movie before reading the book, so I knew what I was getting into. I never got around to the other books in the series. Then again I liked Ready Player One and every podcast I've listened to that's mentioned it seems to hate that one, so maybe my taste is just bad.

At some point I will probably watch the movie. I can see how the humor may play better as a visual gag for me.

[Martin]

I had the same issue...tried reading it a while back (in tpb form), and just could not get into it. I could see the type of book he was trying to create, but while I'm usually a fan of the horror/humor mash-up (ala Jeff Strand, etc.), this one fell flat for me as well.

I went in understanding that it was a Humor/Horror novel. It just did not work for me.

[Dan Hocker]

I liked John Dies at the End, but I think it helps that I had seen the kinda "B" movie before reading the book, so I knew what I was getting into. I never got around to the other books in the series. Then again I liked Ready Player One and every podcast I've listened to that's mentioned it seems to hate that one, so maybe my taste is just bad.

[RonClinton]

I finally got around to reading David Wong's John Dies at the End. Probably the most disappointing book I have read that was published by Cemetery Dance. This is a book that will live or die based on how the humor works for the reader. It fell completely flat for me. The story is choppy and lacks anything other than the attempts at humor to keep your attention. As I pushed through I kept hoping it would get better but it did not. I have the second and third book of the trilogy but will probably dump them all without continuing the story. I just can't imagine returning to that universe.

I had the same issue...tried reading it a while back (in tpb form), and just could not get into it. I could see the type of book he was trying to create, but while I'm usually a fan of the horror/humor mash-up (ala Jeff Strand, etc.), this one fell flat for me as well.

[Martin]

I finally got around to reading David Wong's John Dies at the End. Probably the most disappointing book I have read that was published by Cemetery Dance. This is a book that will live or die based on how the humor works for the reader. It fell completely flat for me. The story is choppy and lacks anything other than the attempts at humor to keep your attention. As I pushed through I kept hoping it would get better but it did not. I have the second and third book of the trilogy but will probably dump them all without continuing the story. I just can't imagine returning to that universe.

[c marvel]

I finished reading Entangled Soul by Gene O'Neill & Chris Marrs. I thought this novella was excellent, I loved how Chapter 1 began with Finn and than went to Sophie in Chapter 2-The story alternated between the viewpoints of Finnegan McCullough and Sophie Lindberg, the two main characters. The one thing I found disappointing three quarters of the way through was a handful of typos. I wish the novella had been just a little bit longer as the ending seemed abrupt.


Cap

[bugen]

I tried to enjoy it. I think in my Goodreads review I quoted another member here, who like me, struggled with this one.

Don't get me wrong, brother, I've always respected your opinion in all things books and continue to do so. This one is just a viewpoint difference of the fantasy, and more specifically the fairy tale, genre.

As will forever be the case, it takes all types.

[TacomaDiver]

I tried to enjoy it. I think in my Goodreads review I quoted another member here, who like me, struggled with this one.

[bugen]

Oh The Last Unicorn.

Hated it. One of the most painful reads and a book that made me question my “must finish what I start rule”

Good luck.

Irreconcilable differences

[TacomaDiver]

Oh The Last Unicorn.

Hated it. One of the most painful reads and a book that made me question my “must finish what I start rule”

Good luck.

[bugen]

Thanks, Martin. And you're right, this forum is one of the great places to learn from other's experiences.