What are you currently reading?

[RonClinton]

Bummer to hear that! Without venturing too far into spoilers, what didn't work for you? Only asking because I'm thinking of picking up the LE from SST once they announce it but haven't actually read the story yet. Was just assuming that I will enjoy it like everything else he has written.

That was my plan as well...I held off picking up the trade -- signed or otherwise -- because I was going to snag the SST limited when it was offered to join the rest of my Tremblay limiteds, and wanted to use the $$ toward the copy (and read the story in its deluxe presentation). But then I came across this trade HC for ten bucks at a local used bookstore and my resolve shattered. Now I'm thinking it was probably a blessing, as I don't think I'm going to give this book another chance via a re-read in a S/L edition, so I guess I just saved $40.

I don't even really know where to start with why it didn't work for me. Generally uninteresting characters (save for the first, I don't know, 50 pages or so, that were, in fact, very promising); an initially intriguing presentation construct that didn't work to entertain or enlighten or chill but rather to, for me, kind of annoy and distract; a plot that developed veerryyy slowly so that only by the halfway point of the book was there some sort of sense where the story might be heading; and so on. I'm really disappointed in my experience as this was a book I had been really looking forward to, given my love for Tremblay's work, but it just did not work for me in any way. I'm half-tempted to grab the SST anyhow and see if a re-read a year (?) from now, or whenever it releases, changes my perspective as, frankly, I'm surprised at my reaction to it -- so maybe it's me, not the book? -- but, eh, I probably won't...there are issues here that even objectively I can see are contrary to the way I like to see stories presented. To be fair, though, I have read positive reviews of it among the mixed reaction, so some folks clearly enjoyed it...I wish I was one of them, I truly do. But this one-off bad experience hasn't shaken my confidence in Tremblay's ability to entertain me...he's built up too much goodwill with me with his backlist for that. I'm looking forward to his new short-story collection next year, and whatever else he may have coming down the pike.

[sholloman81]

Before starting this book, I was aware there were mixed reviews on this, far more than his other titles, but I went in optimistic, figuring that as much as I had enjoyed all his other books (to varying degrees) I'd probably be on the side of the fence of those who enjoyed it. But halfway through last night I DNF'd it, the first time I've done that with any of his books, so kinda disappointing. Oh well, no author is going to be bat 500 for every reader.

Bummer to hear that! Without venturing too far into spoilers, what didn't work for you? Only asking because I'm thinking of picking up the LE from SST once they announce it but haven't actually read the story yet. Was just assuming that I will enjoy it like everything else he has written.

[RonClinton]

Starting Paul Tremblay’s THE PALLBEARERS CLUB.

Before starting this book, I was aware there were mixed reviews on this, far more than his other titles, but I went in optimistic, figuring that as much as I had enjoyed all his other books (to varying degrees) I'd probably be on the side of the fence of those who enjoyed it. But halfway through last night I DNF'd it, the first time I've done that with any of his books, so kinda disappointing. Oh well, no author is going to be bat 500 for every reader.

[brlesh]

About half way through Let’s go Play at the Adams’ by Mendal Johnson.

Not the kind of book you say you like, but I’ve found the first 150 pages to be compelling reading.

B

[RonClinton]

Starting Paul Tremblay’s THE PALLBEARERS CLUB.