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Two very commercial reads, but I just wanted some pulp damnit! Next by Crichton Meh. Too many characters, too many side stories, too many similar characters, none of them fleshed out, I couldnt tell one geneticist from a patent lawyer. Plus, two young boys, both named Jamie! I like complexity, but too much whitebread bland to make the characters stand out. The subject matter is interesting, the issue of patenting genes, commercialization of research, crossgens etc. But I would have rather read something non-fiction about the issue. Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer First hand account about the May 10th 1996 Everest folly. Language and writing was kinda magazine, but hey, he is a magazine writer. But the subject is facitnating to me, and kept me up late, turning page after page. Easy read, nice pulpy book. Recommended. Case Histories by Kate Atkinson The one non pulp. Nice little trio of mysteries, with beautiful prose and no "wink wink, nudge nudge aren't you clever to figure out the antagonist" crap that so many mystery novels do. I am not a fan of the genre normally, but this is a wonderful book. Rich, real characters, not a cartoon in sight. Gorgeous language, very vivid, (including the horrible death scenes!). Incredibly satisfying read. Lots of praise from booklist, nyt etc was heaped on it when it came out. It deserves it. Archonic posted:I just finished Lord Foul's Bane (Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, The Unbeliever Funny, My stepdad gave this to me about two years ago, and I couldn't get into it. Maybe I will try again. Man I hope I get some good books for Yule. flowersinherhair fucked around with this message at 04:18 on Dec 24, 2006 |
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Dec 24, 2006 03:53
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Ozma posted:I finished Krakauer's Into Thin Air, about his 1996 trek to Everest. I feel kind of sheepish because everyone but me had read it and I kept putting it off for some reason but I absolutely loved it and read it in a day because I couldn't put it down. He's capable of stronger writing but perhaps the subject matter is what compelled me the most--- I picked it up because my sister and I were having a long discussion about the David Sharpe incident on Everest that was touched on by the Discovery Channel special about Everest. If anything reading Into Thin Air made me even more angry about what happened with Sharpe but that's a whole 'nother story. I would honestly put this in my top 15 books just because it was fascinating to read. I finished Into Thin Air about two weeks ago, and then saw the Everest IMAX film that chronicles the 1996 disaster. Then on the 29th I went to Disney Animal Kingdom and rode Everest:Legend of the Forbidden Mountain. I felt like such a nerd walking through the Asia area, oohing and aahhing at the nepalese temple at the base of the "mountain", wandering through the expedition outfitters shop, with the crampons, carabieners, expedition patches, mounds of teakettles, and into the 'yeti museum', and all the authentic Nepalese touches. After immursing myself in Everest the last few weeks, it made me realize just how much effort the imagineers put into the theme-ing of the ride, even if the ride itself was a little underwhelming. It made me enjoy the ride, and the books even more.
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Jan 4, 2007 02:52
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