February's Feast of Fantastical Fiction and Fact...

[Grimward]

By the way, Grimward: What did you think of The Shrinking Man?

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I liked it, JD. Matheson maintained both Scott Carey's increasing trepidation about his environment, recognition of his mortality, AND the consequences of physical contact with objects larger than he at such a fever pitch that even though you could have guessed the outcome, you really couldn't be sure of yourself. Matheson's spare, direct style in this book seems perfectly pitched so as not to either take away from or otherwise obscure the images he paints. Mathematically, I was a little disappointed that he shrunk by an inch each day all the way thru the book (at least, during the "final" week that serves as the launch pad for his flashbacks) only to finally go proportional at the very end, but that's way too petty and picky a complaint to ruin what was otherwise a fine story.

Will also confess that I was amazed at the long list of other books, short stories, etc. Matheson has written; oblivious old me never noticed this previously, even when I am Legend came out (I remember watching the movie adaptation of Duel as a child and having nightmares for days, but hadn't seen it in a long time. Only when I went to the Wiki did I realize the book was his!). Did he ever have a sub-forum here?

 

[j d worthington]

J.D.-Well, yes, definitely, even if......do you think that my perception of the style of the cosmic scenes in the end parts of the novel (after the house disintegrates) was kind of amateurish were caused by it being a translation?

I hadn't realized that the edition you read was a translation, Lobo. I'm assuming that it was, from this question; in which case... that could be it, yes. A poor translation can ruin even the best of books....

Holy smokes somehow I never realised that The House on the Borderland was a translation!

And I suppose my comment above answers this, but... I believe (correct me, Lobo, if I'm wrong) that he means the copy he read was; English editions, of course, are not....

Mathematically, I was a little disappointed that he shrunk by an inch each day all the way thru the book (at least, during the "final" week that serves as the launch pad for his flashbacks) only to finally go proportional at the very end, but that's way too petty and picky a complaint to ruin what was otherwise a fine story.

Hmmm. It's been a while since I last read this particular Matheson (though I've read it many times over the years), so my memory may be playing tricks, but... as I recall, he was shrinking a seventh of an inch every day throughout. If my memory isn't playing up... then is this a new edition, and could it be that an error crept into the text?

And yes, Matheson has quite a lot to his credit; the majority of which is indeed of very high quality. No, he hasn't had a sub-forum here, just as is the case with quite a number of great and well-loved writers in the genre (even ERB has never attained that status; nor has H. G. Wells, for that matter...). Simply a case of not enough people interested in talking about him consistently to keep such a thing going even enough to get it off the ground (so far, at any rate; we can always hope that changes....).

And, in order to get the thread back on track -- having been forced to put it aside while everything was up in the air about my move, and now that I've settled into the new place somewhat, I've gone back to The Poetical Works of Joseph Addison, Gay's Fables, and Somerville's Chase. Can't say that all of Addison's poetry appeals to me, but some of what he wrote is immensely charming; I'm rather looking forward to tackling the Gay and Somerville at this point....

And I've also dug various journals out which have been packed away for some years, so I'm working on an issue of Crypt of Cthulhu (#100, to be precise), which has a blending of original fiction and Lovecraftian criticism....

 

[Lobolover]

J.D.- I don't know if "poor" is the word, but I think there are some languages wherein some concepts from others just dont work. For instance, I cant imagine a translation of "Lurker at the threshold" by Derleth to be anything but silly in directions to the title.

 

[Lioness]

Finished Anna Karenina, which was beautiful and sad, and started on Black Sun Rising by Celia Friedman, which is excellent.

 

[ktabic]

Finished Neal Ashers Prador Moon, wonderfully gorey. Now doing a non-fiction book - The World Without Us.

 

[AE35Unit]

Now doing a non-fiction book - The World Without Us.

Hmmm whats that one about?

 

[DeepThought]

Toll the Hounds by Steven Erikson

 

[thepaladin]

New here, thought I'd drop by. Just finiahed All the Bells on Earth, it was my first Blaylock book. Not bad, I'm planning to start the Paper Grail next.

 

[ktabic]

Hmmm whats that one about?

Not sure. Seems to be rather short on plot and, a quarter of the way through, there is still no sign of the antagonist.
But the descriptions are spectacular.

Well recommended, for just showing how ephemeral the trappings of our civilisation are.

 

[Sargeant_Fox]

I loved The World Without Us. By the end of the book, I couldn't help thinking how better off the world would be without our meddling.

 

[Lady of Winterfell]

I finished Kushiels Avatar by Jacqueline Carey, and what a book! I really enjoyed it, thought it was the best of the trilogy. Just a really good story that kept moving and I didn't want to put it down. It makes me want to reread the first book in the series again.

Now I have moved on to Magician: Master by Feist.

 

[chopper]

several from the library:
Tad Williams - Shadowplay (up to usual standard)
George Mann - Affinity Bridge (steampunk slightly lacking something)
Jay Amory - The Wingless Boy (YA post-apocalypse Castle in the Sky type thingy)
Steven Erikson - Reaper's Gale (nope, never heard of him )

and one from Bookworld:
R Scott Bakker - Darkness That Comes Before (bargain billy strikes again. very dark and philosophical.)

 

[Connavar]

The Wounded and The Slain by David Goodis

Cool cover from Hard Case Crime as usual.

 

[D_Davis]

House on the Borderland just keeps getting better.

It is a fantastic read.

 

[Spade]

Heretics of Dune by Frank Herbert. Trying to finish ASAP because I have Paul of Dune on hold at the library.

 

[soulsinging]

The Wounded and The Slain by David Goodis

Cool cover from Hard Case Crime as usual.

I was pawing over some of them at the bookstore today. I don't think I can cope with Tad Williams anymore right now!

 

[GOLLUM]

House on the Borderland just keeps getting better.

It is a fantastic read.

Yes I know.... The graphic novel adaptation is pretty cool too.

 

[Connavar]

I was pawing over some of them at the bookstore today. I don't think I can cope with Tad Williams anymore right now!

They are so cheap and there are many good/great writers in Hard case crime line. Its a must for crime/noir fan.

Goodis is a new favorite.

I always make time for books like this beteween SFF reading.

Quality authors writing tight book with strong character,story is very rare. Its like reading a Golden Age SF classic book of 200 pages you know the author is capable of telling his story in so few pages.

 

[Fried Egg]

Just finished "Sirens of Titan" by Kurt Vonnegut. A good mix of SF, philosophy and commedy. I was in stiches when reading about the Martian invasion of Earth. It strikes me that this is a good book to read if you often wonder what it's all about. You won't know by the end of it but at least you probably will stop asking the question.

And now, back to M.R. James...

 

[GOLLUM]

OK, time to start making tracks over to the March reading thread, have just set it up so enjoy and Yes I know I live in a different time zone, some would say 'world' to others...