I am currently reading The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett. This is the first novel in the iconic Discworld series. It's a great book and is a very interesting read especially if you have context for the greater works of Pratchett. The dry wit and social satire element that would be a major part of his later works is there, however it's much close to just straight up fantasy with a bit of a comedic twist. The unfortunate downside to this is that I think it sometimes indulges in some fantasy tropes while thinking that it's subverting them, when it really isn't. I think the representation of the few female characters could be better, although I know that this element does improve by a lot in future Pratchett novels. I'm on page 123 at the moment and I would definitely recommend this book if you've never read it before.
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I'm going to be perfectly honest and admit I gave up reading The Man In High Castle by Phillip K. Dick. It wasn't because the book was bad per say, but I just was having trouble getting into it. I think the characters just didn't interest me enough because the concept is pretty dang interesting. I have never read Dick before, although I know he's one of the most important figures in science fiction literature. Maybe this was just a bad book to start off on for someone unfamiliar for his writing style. I got to page 117 before deciding to give up. Honestly I probably try reading it again someday, but for now I'm moving on.
The book I chose to take up reading now is American Gods by Neil Gaiman. It follows the character of Shadow Moon who just got out of jail. I'm only on page number 7 of this book so I don't really have too much info on the main plot yet outside of having seen trailers and stuff for the show they adapted of it. I really like the other stuff by Gaiman that I've read, Good Omens and The Graveyard Book, so I'm excited to see where this book goes. I am currently reading The Man In High Castle by Phillip K. Dick. This novel is continuing to follow an alternative timeline where the allies lost the second world war. I am currently on page 79. Since the last time I wrote a blog several new narrators have been added to the book along with Robert Childan. A women named Juliana Frink who has left her husband and is a bit directionless in life. Mr. Tagomi is a rich Japanese businessman who is living in San Francisco, and is doing business with Childan. Juliana's husband is too headstrong and it has recently cost him his job and his marriage. It's through some of these interactions that we're able to really understand this world.
About half the characters are having to do with a spy who is a jew in hiding. Through this character it is implied that the Jewish population, which was suspected to be completely wiped out, still is existing in hiding. Juliana's husband is also implied to be Jewish. We learn that in this world that the Germans have achieved advanced space travel and other scientific accomplishments. I am excited to explore the world of this book more, although I'll admit none of the characters have connected with my on a deep level. I'm interested to see where the book goes, but I think the plot needs to pick up to keep me interested. I am currently reading The Man In High Castle by Phillip K. Dick. I am currently on page 29 of this so far excellent book. This book takes place in an alternate history in which the Nazis won World War 2. It plays with the real life history and then plays with it. The book is set in 1962, and you see race issues presented in this book and other great social commentary. The book is also innovative because it features a book within a book called The Grasshopper Lies Heavy which serves as a way to detail background information that shows how the former United States got to the point that it's at when the novel starts.
The novel follows Robert Childan, an antique shop owner that only sells American artifacts. He lives in Japanese-occupied San Francisco. If you are a history buff like myself there are some great moments when you see how the alternate history has changed America. I'm very interesting in seeing where this novel goes. I have just finished The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. The last page of this book was 216. The story came to a close, although I admit if I didn't know that the sequel picks up right where this one left off then I might have been disappointed. We learn that the Earth is a program that is meant to be discovering the question to the answer of life. The answer of life is 42 by the way. I love the wit and the sarcasm of this book. It goes off on these random vignettes that seem to be irrelevant sometimes, but they usually do end up having a meaning and a killer punchline as well.
I'm debating whether or not to move on immediately to this book sequel or perhaps read another book in between the two. This is a humorous series so like I said in the previous chapter, almost every some what dramatic plot line ends with a killer punchline. Trillian's two pet mice that mysteriously go missing suddenly come back and are absolutely hilarious. I guess all I can say more about this book is that if you haven't read this, you absolutely should. My read through The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams is nearing completion. I am currently on page 162 with only around 50-ish pages left for me to read. The plot really is jumping into act 3 now with our heroes journey on the long-lost planet of Magrathea being interrupted by the impending arrival of the evil and bureaucratic Volgons. Our heroes are trying their best to discover the secret of the universe and why Earth was scheduled to be destroyed. We also have to do with Trillian's two pet white mice going missing.
As sad as I am to be approaching the end of this book, I know that I have a sequel to pick up as soon as I'm finished with this. The characters all feel distinct yet all feel like they are specifically of this novel's world. While I have highlighted the satire side of this book, I love that this book is still a sci-fi novel. The concepts in this about a civilization that could create riches and planets is very intriguing and I can't wait to see where it goes as the novel begins to wrap up. This is such a funny book with a great story mixed in with the jokes. This is why it's such a great piece of literature. I am currently reading The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. I am currently on page 138 of this hilarious book. The book follows the last man from Earth, Arthur Dent, as he has to deal with being zapped up to space and his planet being destroyed in order to make way for a star path. This book is very British and very funny. The story started out as a radio series (also by Adams) before being made into a novel before being made into a TV series. Despite being humorous in tone, Hitchhiker's is never-the-less great science fiction. This book features high concepts such as a spaceship that can jump to every part of the universe simultaneously because it knows the formula of probable improbability.
This book is filled with unique characters. Arthur is an almost stereotypical British man who leans towards being neurotic. Arthur serves as a great contrast to all the aliens in the book like Zaphod Beeblebox, the president of the universe, who has two head and three arms. Ford Prefect is a writer for the titular guide who lacks some basic Earth social skills. Marvin is an android who is basically a more depressed version of Eeyore. Finally Trillian is the last other human from Earth, and although she is dating Zaphod, there are hints of a romance between her and Arthur. I can't wait to keep reading this book, and I already have the 2nd book ready to read when I finish this one. I am finally finished with the book Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. I really had a great time reading through this book. The novel has a satisfying conclusion where the end of the world is adverted thanks the Adam's adopted father getting to him before the Devil does. Then Adam uses his powers to make all the world ending stuff go away, except the world is a little different after he uses his powers. All the characters in the story have happy endings that really work as a feel good moment. The ending of the book has a very melancholy feel with Adam and his dog preparing to go on my childhood adventures. Sorry this wasn't long but I didn't have much of the book left because my book ended on page 340.
I am nearing the end of Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. I have definitely entered the third act of the book as all the characters that have been established are coming together in the story. This includes a rather hilarious chapter, where a "morality community leader" encounters all the novels wacky characters pull into his dull town in Great Britain. This includes the four horsemen of the apocalypse showing up on motorcycles, the demon Crowley riding in to town in an on-fire Bentley, a middle age women on a scooter with an angel in her head, and The Them. The horsemen are causing chaos at an American airbase, they are trying to cause chaos and a nuclear attack to further the apocalypse.
Since the last blog we have definitely had a lot more focus on the relationships of the characters. Crowley has officially turned his back on the forces of Hell, and took out two of his superiors. The prophecy book by the witch Agnes Nutter will surely come in to play as it was the only book saved from a fire by Crowley. Adam Young has officially decided that he doesn't want to end the world, and along with his friends, he takes out the four horsemen. The book continues to be great, and I'm really going to miss these characters and this world when I'm finally finished with this book. At least I'll have the adaption that Amazon's making sometime within the next year. The drama has never been more baring on the plot, but that's to be expected when the fate of the world is on the line. I'm excited to see how our protagonist can save the world as the airbase continues to have problems. I'm on page 328. I'm am still reading the same book as in my first two blog post. A lot has happened in the nearly 10 pages I've read since the last time I did a blog. For one thing, the plot of this novel has gotten a lot more complicated. Before we mostly were just following the demon Crowley, with a handful of side characters getting moments to inject their perspectives when necessary. Now, on the other hand, there has been at least a dozen more characters and plot lines introduced. We've added in characters like the four horsemen of the apocalypse, a witch hunter, the witch in question who he's hunting, and a group of young children called "The Them" who are lead by the anti-Christ.
With this new characters, we have had several interesting turns happen within the book. Because Adam, the son of Satan, has been reading a bunch of conspiracy theory magazines he has been unintentionally altering the reality around him. For example, little green aliens end up showing up for a pretty comical vignette at one point. And even though the plot is getting more dramatic, and some characters are dying, the book maintains it's signature style of humor throughout. There is one passage involving a prophet being burned at a stake, and the subsequent aftermath of said burning, that made me actually laugh out loud, which is more than I can say for a lot of books. I am enjoying continuing to read this book, and I would continue to recommend it. I'm currently on page 190. |
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November 2018
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