[October] What Are You Reading?

[TwistedBishop]

I forgot about Halloween books in my post. There's only one book to read on Halloween, and that's A Night in the Lonesome October, by Roger Zelazny. It is, quite simply, the best Halloween book ever. And I forgot to start it. There's 31 chapters, and you can read one per day in October, finishing up on Halloween itself. I'll catch up today with chapters 1-4. Or just read the book in one sitting, like I did the first time.

I couldn't agree more. It seems criminally neglected, really. I can't even remember seeing anyone speak about it before this post. I had to go through a rare book shop for my copy, and even then it was a long process. Such a shame. The dialogue is some of the best I've seen in any novel, probably followed by the Fletch books and perhaps Dead Koontz.

For those who may not be familiar with it, the basic plot is a mixing of Lovecraftian mythos horror with classic film and history monsters. Jack the Ripper, Larry Talbot (THE Larry Talbot, still cursed), Dracula, Frankenstein's monster, ect. Even Sherlock Holmes shows up. The characters (most of them anyway) have gathered in a rural area outside of London to play an old game, which culminates on Halloween. The events of that game decide if the portal allowing Lovecraft's Elder Gods should open or remain closed. It's largely a mystery novel, as the machinations of the game take over slowly while October progresses.

One of the best parts about the novel is the point of view you're given. Each magician (for lack of a better term, that's what I consider the players in the game to be) has a familiar, and it's through their eyes that the story unfolds. A dog, cat, owl, snake, bat, squirrel, ect. This may lead some people to think it's a children's novel, but that's far from the case. These aren't cute, passive animals, but rather creatures imbued with a human level of clarity. They act as the magician's agents and information gatherers, as their masters prepare spells and rites and, quite soon, begin murdering each other. You see, no one really knows what side anyone stands on....opener or closer....each needs the help of their own faction, but risks being killed by the enemy if they reveal themselves.

Just a fantastic novel. I hope more people check it out.

 

[Andrew D. Gable]

Cloud of Sparrows right now

How is this? I saw it at bookstores and thought it looked kinda interesting - have my plate full at the moment, but it's always good to pick up something ahead of time.

 

[CCamfield]

I just finished re-reading A Night in The Lonesome October myself. I don't have the patience to contain myself to a chapter a day. In alt.books.roger-zelazny there was a day-by-day discussion of the book one October.

Another book I just finished re-reading is The Tower At Stony Wood by Patricia McKillip. This is a really great read in a fairy-tale kind of mode, which I find very satisfying. Not a book for those demanding lots of action, though.

(Another really good fairy-tale-flavored book is One for the Morning Glory, by John Barnes, which is much more "adventurous".)

 

[MarauderX]

Hmm. Did you read either High Fidelity or About a Boy? I read the former after seeing the movie, and thought it was a scream.

J

I have read About a boy and thought it was good before reading the book. I just don't think the author writes the female perspective very well, and I found the whole story depressing as....

[spoilers]







...the characters seemed directionless. Each kept trying to solve some emotional problems of their own as well as other peoples' only to fail miserably at both. None of them made any progress through the book despite try after try, and it left me disappointed and angry at characters I already abhorred from the first chapter. I guess I was hoping for improvement in [any of] them that never came.

 

[ArcOfCorinth]

Journeys of the Catechist by Alan Dean Foster. I'm currently in book two, Into the Thinking Kingdoms. This is one of the best reads I've ever found. Much better than LOTR (and I loved that).

 

[2d6]

Somehow I got on a Revelations "kick" and from there ended up reading Left Behind by LaHaye and Jenkins. If your into the subject its a fairly decent, fictinalized account of the events fortold in the book of Revelation. The writing is kinda whacky and the character development isn't that great in the beginning, but I'm through book 3 and it gets better. The books are a little more preachy then I care for. They read easy though, and do have thier action-packed moments,as well as a little humor.

I'm about to break open Tales of the Dying Earth by Vance here shortly as well.

 

[Welverin]

I just finished NJO: The Final Prophecy, and have King Solomon's Mines up next, whether I actually get around to reading this time or not remains to be seen.