What are you currently reading?

[dannyboy121070]

Okay, so some thoughts on Joe Hill's KING SORROW, a book that has received a great deal of praise from critics and fans, but one that I find myself struggling to connect with:

I'm 200 pages in, and am taking the next day or two to reevaluate if I continue on. It's an odd place to be, since -- with the notable exception of THE FIREMAN -- I've been a big Joe Hill fan since day one. But at 200 pages, I'm faced with a cast of characters that aren't particularly likeable or interesting, one that feels a bit Young Adult horror in which attitude and scrappiness substitute for personality. There is a semi-auto pistol scene that has three significant errors in it...I'm surprised that scene got through a cast of proofreaders and editors...you'd think someone, anyone who's actually fired a gun, would catch these glaring issues. Then there are pages upon pages of italics...any scene where the characters "see" through the eyes of King Sorrow when he hunts prey are italicized, so three, four, etc. subsequent pages of italicized print in multiple scenes. This has always been a particular pet peeve of mine, I've always really, really disliked this hard-to-read, stylistic design choice, and typically just set a book back on the store shelf when I see its prevalent use when flipping through it. Then he namedrops a bunch of side characters with names of his author friends -- Bracken MacLeod, Catriona Ward, Sarah Pinborough, et al. Between this and the italics and whatnot, it feels like Hill's authorial self-indulgence is a bit too apparent. So with all of these things inherently kicking me out of the story, reminding me that these are simply words on a page and keeping me from really submerging myself into the tale, I'm struggling with staying engaged. Perhaps I'm being overly critical and small annoyances are keeping me from seeing the bigger picture that many others seem to see and enjoy, so I'm going to give it a break for a day or two and see if it calls my name again...but at the moment, it's not looking particularly good.

I had a lot of the same issues. The looooong scene on the airplane, where Hill constantly uses the phrase "Dragonedy O'Clock" made me put the book down for a few days, out of sheer annoyance.

If you don't like the book by now, that's probably not going to change. I ended up giving it a good review, but I didn't feel it was among his best work.

[RonClinton]

Okay, so some thoughts on Joe Hill's KING SORROW, a book that has received a great deal of praise from critics and fans, but one that I find myself struggling to connect with:

I'm 200 pages in, and am taking the next day or two to reevaluate if I continue on. It's an odd place to be, since -- with the notable exception of THE FIREMAN -- I've been a big Joe Hill fan since day one. But at 200 pages, I'm faced with a cast of characters that aren't particularly likeable or interesting, one that feels a bit Young Adult horror in which attitude and scrappiness substitute for personality. There is a semi-auto pistol scene that has three significant errors in it...I'm surprised that scene got through a cast of proofreaders and editors...you'd think someone, anyone who's actually fired a gun, would catch these glaring issues. Then there are pages upon pages of italics...any scene where the characters "see" through the eyes of King Sorrow when he hunts prey are italicized, so three, four, etc. subsequent pages of italicized print in multiple scenes. This has always been a particular pet peeve of mine, I've always really, really disliked this hard-to-read, stylistic design choice, and typically just set a book back on the store shelf when I see its prevalent use when flipping through it. Then he namedrops a bunch of side characters with names of his author friends -- Bracken MacLeod, Catriona Ward, Sarah Pinborough, et al. Between this and the italics and whatnot, it feels like Hill's authorial self-indulgence is a bit too apparent. So with all of these things inherently kicking me out of the story, reminding me that these are simply words on a page and keeping me from really submerging myself into the tale, I'm struggling with staying engaged. Perhaps I'm being overly critical and small annoyances are keeping me from seeing the bigger picture that many others seem to see and enjoy, so I'm going to give it a break for a day or two and see if it calls my name again...but at the moment, it's not looking particularly good.

[brlesh]

Finished up Black-Winged Angels, by Angela Slatter, which I liked a lot. A collection of reworked fairy tales from early in her career.

Up next, starting Itch! by Gemma Amor.

B

[brlesh]

Had my first DNF of the year as I tapped out on Metropolis at about the half way point. The story was starting to come together at this point, but I just no longer cared. Von Harbou’s writing style was just so wordy and redundant that it made the reading experience a complete drag.

After Metropolis I started Black-Winged Angels, a collection of dark, fairy tale influenced stories by Angela Slatter.

At the halfway point and really enjoying this collection of her earliest stories, most written & published while she was still in school.

B

[sholloman81]

Overall, I liked it.

It was an interesting story and she has a very readable style.

My one criticism would be I thought the ending was a little flat. Not bad, was just expecting more.

Have her first novel Haven on my TBR, and looking forward to her mermaid (??) story from Earthling.

B

Very glad to hear this! Still need to check Haven out as well. I'm slowly working my way through her short novel, Vanilla. So far, so good! I also have the Earthling book on pre-order and looking forward to it very much.

[dannyboy121070]

I finished the Kenzie Jennings collection, which I really enjoyed. Finally a new-to-me author that I want to read more from! There were two stories that I just did not get, but overall, a solid collection. So many typos and repeated sentences...I wish publishers would take more care in proofing their books.

In keeping with my short story mania, I just started the Subterranean Charles Beaumont collection THE CARNIVAL.

[brlesh]

Finished up Alakazam by Mia Dalia, which I liked quite a bit.

Next up, started Metropolis by Thea von Harbou, a novelization of her screenplay of the famous sci-fi dystopian movie directed by her (at the time) husband Fritz Lang.

Only about 20 pages in, liking it so far. Can definitely see that this was an influence on George Orwell. Getting strong 1984 vibes from the opening chapters.

B

[brlesh]

I was just looking at Alakazam the other day. Let us know what you think when done as I may pick it up! Am just getting ready to start her recent collection of novellas from Thunderstorm.

Overall, I liked it.

It was an interesting story and she has a very readable style.

My one criticism would be I thought the ending was a little flat. Not bad, was just expecting more.

Have her first novel Haven on my TBR, and looking forward to her mermaid (??) story from Earthling.

B

[sholloman81]

Just finished reading Kristopher Triana's "Pure Evil", a collection of his most extreme short stories. There were some misses, as there are with most collections; however, a lot of these stories were top notch examples of extreme and splatter horror and would make Ed Lee blush. In fact, his story "The Bitch" from this collection might be the most disturbing splatter/extreme story that I have read. It was truly tough to get through. Overall, a good collection of extreme stories, but definitely not for those who need trigger warnings as this book will offend everyone!

Am now reading the Thunderstorm LE of Mona Kabbini's "They're Already Here", a collection of three novellas.

[sholloman81]

Finished up American Cannibal, which I really liked the first half, but most of the stories in the second half fell flat for me. Maybe too ambitious for it’s own good.

Up next, half way through Alakazam by Mia Dalia. This is a novella length story that I am really enjoying so far.

At the half way point, not a whole lot has gone on, basically establishing the main characters and the two different timelines, but Dalia has very readable style.

B

I was just looking at Alakazam the other day. Let us know what you think when done as I may pick it up! Am just getting ready to start her recent collection of novellas from Thunderstorm.

[brlesh]

Finished up American Cannibal, which I really liked the first half, but most of the stories in the second half fell flat for me. Maybe too ambitious for it’s own good.

Up next, half way through Alakazam by Mia Dalia. This is a novella length story that I am really enjoying so far.

At the half way point, not a whole lot has gone on, basically establishing the main characters and the two different timelines, but Dalia has very readable style.

B

[saginawhorror]

Way over my budget. I'll stick to thunderstorm and lividian.

[RonClinton]

Only 11 copies left now.

My paperback copy is sufficient.

...aaannd sold out -- in, what, six or seven hours? A healthy paycheck on this one for Folio Society and Ellis: $640 x 750 run = $480,000...almost a half-million dollars. Nice to see the market for limited books is still alive and well.

[TacomaDiver]

If anyone needs the new $640 signed/limited from Folio Society of AMERICAN PSYCHO, you'd best hurry...at this writing, there're only 188 copies left of the 750 run:

https://www.foliosociety.com/usa/ame...imited-edition

For me, my signed Easton HC will do just fine, particularly at that $640 price point.

Only 11 copies left now.

My paperback copy is sufficient.

[sholloman81]

If anyone needs the new $640 signed/limited from Folio Society of AMERICAN PSYCHO, you'd best hurry...at this writing, there're only 188 copies left of the 750 run:

https://www.foliosociety.com/usa/ame...imited-edition

For me, my signed Easton HC will do just fine, particularly at that $640 price point.

Would love a copy, but not at that price!