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Post by Finarvyn on Jul 23, 2018 20:50:38 GMT -6
I'm thinking of the book by Neil Gaiman. Anyone read it? I've seem some mixed (but mostly positive) reviews of the book, but am still uncertain. I like Gaiman's stuff in general, but some of it is sort of … strange. (I've read Neverwhere, Sandman, and Stardust. I picked up Mythology but haven't gotten far into it yet.) Also, if anyone happened to read the hardback: what can you tell me about the font size? If I order a copy it would probably be a hardback, but if the font size is so-so then I would probably never read it because of my vision. I guess there is a TV series about American Gods, so feel free to comment on that as well. Might as well keep it all in one thread, right?
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Post by Deleted on Jul 25, 2018 9:07:11 GMT -6
A mixed bag for me, both the series and the book. Read the book last year, wasn't particularly disappointed - but wasn't particularly thrilled.
Both had some pretty stellar moments, but, overall, were a little too weird for my taste.
There is a particular plotline that deals with somebody returning from the grave that I considered cheesy, unnecessary, and, above all, distracting.
On the other hand... There is this guy:
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Post by Finarvyn on Jul 26, 2018 4:38:02 GMT -6
Well, took the plunge and ordered the hardback online without getting to see the font size. I guess if it's too small I can give it to my son; he's one of the people who really thinks I would like it.
Sorry to hear the "mixed bag" thing. Unfortunately, I keep seeing similar reviews.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 26, 2018 14:42:20 GMT -6
I hope you will enjoy this one, though. It's trying too hard to be a postmodern novel, but it's not entirely without entertainment value. What I can certainly say is that I've never a book quite like it, except perhaps for Stephen King's horror epic, "It".
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Post by Deleted on Jul 31, 2018 3:31:00 GMT -6
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Post by Finarvyn on Jul 31, 2018 17:54:56 GMT -6
I'm around 150 pages into the book and overall am enjoying it a lot. There are a couple of scenes that make me a little uncomfortable, but so far the book is pretty solid.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 1, 2018 0:05:13 GMT -6
I'm curious about what your final verdict on the book will be; myself, I enjoyed the scenes with the Eastern-European characters the most. I generally liked the style Gaiman applied; at the same time, the story kind of lost me, later into the novel.
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Post by Finarvyn on Aug 1, 2018 17:19:25 GMT -6
Another thing I have been finding interesting is that I've been to some of the towns that the characters visit in the book. I'm not sure that all of the motels and such are actually there, but the overall terrain is a little bit familiar.
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Post by Finarvyn on Aug 4, 2018 12:18:46 GMT -6
Finished the book and will probably re-read Neverwhere again now. The book was good overall, but there were a few scenes that I either never "got" or just found a little creepy. Gaiman's style, I guess, because such things happen in most of his books. Definitely liked it more than I disliked it.
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Post by sixdemonbag on Aug 4, 2018 18:39:11 GMT -6
If you haven't already, definitely check out Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch. It was co-authored by Terry Pratchett (of Discworld fame). It's very similar in it's mythology, but much more light-hearted and humorous. It still has that typical jump-around, untethered, and stream-of-consciousness style that Gaiman and Pratchett are famous for (much like Zelazny before them and other 60's era sci-fi/fantasy authors.)
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Post by sixdemonbag on Aug 4, 2018 18:46:46 GMT -6
A mixed bag for me, both the series and the book. The show is visually interesting thanks to Bryan Fuller (Hannibal, Pushing Daisies, et al). Sadly, he won't be showrunning next season and Gillian Anderson won't be returning either. Not sure if this will be a good thing. Between Fuller, Noah Hawley (Legion, Fargo), and David Lynch (Twin Peaks), 2017 was a trippy (and beautiful) year for TV.
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Post by sixdemonbag on Aug 4, 2018 19:19:04 GMT -6
Yeah, I particularly enjoyed the bit set in "Rock City" in Chattanooga TN. I was sorry to learn that place closed, it was magical to a 10 year old boy. I recall reading a Tony Hillerman novel on vacation once upon a time while the ol' ball-n-chain was driving the family mini-van. I looked up at one point, we were driving through the very town in the Four Corners area of the USA in which the novel was set. It was cool and just a little bit unsettling. Same here. Reading about the real-world locations was neat. I used to live in Santa Fe, NM and have been to Four Corners. You can actually stand in four states at the same time! We also have a family cabin in Gatlinburg, TN (well, Townsend to be exact) and have driven through Chattanooga from Alabama many times. Gorgeous part of the country the Smokies are.
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