I ride the bus and the Metro to and from work everyday. It’s a long commute, and with a mandatory “don’t eat lunch at your desk” rule, I have about 200 minutes everyday to read. I will be the first to admit that I lean heavily on Fantasy and Sci-Fi as it is mindless and easy. I do try to branch out; in the last two weeks I have read Passarola Rising by Azhar Abidi (OK technically fantasy in some way, but more like really beautiful steampunk) and Dirty Havana Trilogy by Pedro Juan Gutiérrez (intensely gritty “autobiography” told entirely out of order by a rum soaked unreliable narrator). Next on my “real book” list is Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. But enough of literature snobbery, lets get to brass tacks.
I have just finished re-reading The Belgariad and The Malloreon by David Eddings. Don’t bother if you haven’t read them, they are quite possibly the most formulaic fantasy books ever written. If you don’t see every plot “twist” coming then you clearly have not been reading fantasy long. But I bring them up I because I just finished all ten books, not really for pleasure, but for comfort. I re-read books. Old favorite books and CDs are like warm blankets in front of the fire. I read Tolkien every two or three years. I read the Dark is Rising series every three or four. I have read almost everything by Heinlein at least ten times, some more than that.
I do like to experience new things. But I like to surrender myself to the memories of a childhood spent more in fantasy than reality. I still prefer Gaiman’s Sandman to whatever reality show is currently top of the ratings, and I’m more likely to quote Transmetropolitan than I am American Idol.
So I guess what I’m trying to say is: what are your favorites? Does anyone else re-read books? Got any suggestions?
5 comments:
f1R$TT!!
I totally reread books for comfort. Sandman, early William Gibson, Umberto Eco, Elizabeth Moon, other books from my formative years. I wish I had more time to read - I'm lucky if I get to spend 1/2 an hour a night reading. But its enough.
I didn't think Transmetropolitan was all that - I preferred Global Frequency, Ministry of Space; even Switchblade Honey. Transmet was, idunno, too zany? That's just me, though. I recognize its a classic, just not my favorite Ellis.
Global Frequency and MOS sure; but no matter how much I enjoy them, or his creation of The Authority from the ashes he created of Stormwatch, my favorite Ellis will always be Planetary.
I'm not much of a fantasy reader but I am certainly willing to chime in on favorite books and also support this new blog - way to take the leap davey.
I rarely re-read books, only a few favorites and not very often. But they do include To Say Nothing of the Dog (Connie Willis), Peace Like a River (Leif Enger), Cry the Beloved Country (forget the author right now but read it first in high school and felt it deeply), The Westing Game, maybe a few others. Most often the re-read comes because I remember loving it but I can't remember the ending, so it's like reading it for the first time all over again. I'm a slow reader and obviously a forgetful one, so I really try to make reading count by trying new things. I also have no problem stopping a book if it doesn't grab my by page 100. I'm not wasting my time if I'm not sucked in.
I hear you on stopping if a book does not grab you. Some books, even some "classics" I have just put down and said: "nope, I've got better things to do with my time".
I think I am mature enough to admit that I was not ready for Cry the Beloved Country when I first read it.
Freshman year in high school (or was it 10th grade) was just to early for me to appreciate the writing style or the story. I think I should read it again.
I re-read books and also had close to that amount of time to read every day. The express only goes so far. I love The Disk World books they are wonderful satire on modern life and most of them are self contained. Also they are easy quick and chaperless so you can start and stop in natural places. The downside is that you can just keep reading to the end without a “hey stupid you have just read for 6 hours straight shouldn't you eat?” Also there are at least 25 books in the series and it really doesn’t matter which you pick up first. It is broken up into groups of books and sets of characters so most people have to find a set of characters they like and read that group mostly and read the others but not as energetically.
Dune and the early sequels (God Emperor gets a little weird)
Wheel of time is good but it changes and if you don't like political books sometimes whiney characters (really annoying) or elaborate description then stay away from them. But I will say that the wheel of time is one of my favorites because the story is the classic epic title with literally of hundreds of named characters doing things and influencing the world in ways you never realize. Lastly all of the description that many people complain about has a purpose most of the time as foreshadowing four or 5 books ahead (the last one due sometime in 2009 will complete the series at 12 with well over 7000 pages or reading) if nothing else it will make you pay attention and find the hundreds of sub plots. And you can talk to me about it which I love to do but know no one who has read them to debate the finer points of the story as well as the most complex murder mystery I have ever had to figure out in a book ever.
The last book series I will tell you about is the Cadfael series which are murder mysteries and don't classify as fantasy but ate set in medieval England and the main character is a monk/herbalist that solves murders. There are around 20 books in that series. (I have read through 5 or 6 at this point)
Hope this helps and you can talk to me about it one Sunday too.
Flaming Wombat
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