The Scribbling Man
Tenant of the Tower of Flints
Thanks, @Bick . Yes, I read all your reviews on this thread and very much enjoyed them; I will also take a look at your site in case there are any I've missed!
I think I possibly liked more of what you've described to like in Cemetery World than comes across, and most of my dislike is focused on the time travel aspect and much of the narrative that follows on from that (which I think was one of your issues as well, though perhaps to a lesser extent). The central premise/setting I remember quite liking, but many of the plot points felt so random that it almost became enjoyable in an ironic way for me.
With Flesh Is Grass I do wonder if I would have liked it more had I read it before Ring Around The Sun...
I may yet change my mind on a reread, which I plan to do with many of these. I certainly will with Way Station - given its overwhelming praise I feel like I must have completely missed something about it or been in the wrong frame of mind (I did in fact read it during a rather difficult time in my life).
Happy to expand on Why Call Them Back From Heaven, though my memory is a little foggy on the details.
I think the premise and ideas explored are excellent. I found it to be one of his most interesting novels, but also a little uneven. I remember thinking that parts felt a bit like a first draft, whereas other sections of the book contained probably some of his best prose, though in general I think it felt stronger and more settled as it went along. Structurally it was interesting, though I was a little uncertain of the decision to intersperse the main narrative with short excursions, zooming in on other individuals. Nothing wrong with it, just that I don't think I fully grasped what he was doing with that element at times, in particular the scene he chose to end the book on. Thematically it's probably one of his richest and most interesting, alongside Project Pope. It's definitely one I want to reread... I actually listened to a podcast review of it recently by someone who picked it up on a whim and they loved it (I could link it here if it's of any interest).
I think I possibly liked more of what you've described to like in Cemetery World than comes across, and most of my dislike is focused on the time travel aspect and much of the narrative that follows on from that (which I think was one of your issues as well, though perhaps to a lesser extent). The central premise/setting I remember quite liking, but many of the plot points felt so random that it almost became enjoyable in an ironic way for me.
With Flesh Is Grass I do wonder if I would have liked it more had I read it before Ring Around The Sun...
I may yet change my mind on a reread, which I plan to do with many of these. I certainly will with Way Station - given its overwhelming praise I feel like I must have completely missed something about it or been in the wrong frame of mind (I did in fact read it during a rather difficult time in my life).
Happy to expand on Why Call Them Back From Heaven, though my memory is a little foggy on the details.
I think the premise and ideas explored are excellent. I found it to be one of his most interesting novels, but also a little uneven. I remember thinking that parts felt a bit like a first draft, whereas other sections of the book contained probably some of his best prose, though in general I think it felt stronger and more settled as it went along. Structurally it was interesting, though I was a little uncertain of the decision to intersperse the main narrative with short excursions, zooming in on other individuals. Nothing wrong with it, just that I don't think I fully grasped what he was doing with that element at times, in particular the scene he chose to end the book on. Thematically it's probably one of his richest and most interesting, alongside Project Pope. It's definitely one I want to reread... I actually listened to a podcast review of it recently by someone who picked it up on a whim and they loved it (I could link it here if it's of any interest).