When I was a kid, I always wanted a time machine. I wanted to be Michael J. Fox and hop into a 1982 DeLorean and travel back to 1955. Well, I no longeWhen I was a kid, I always wanted a time machine. I wanted to be Michael J. Fox and hop into a 1982 DeLorean and travel back to 1955. Well, I no longer want to be Michael J. Fox and DeLorean’s have been out of production since the 80’s but my love of time travel stories has always remained. That’s the main reason I read Stephen King’s new book, 11/22/63. I couldn’t help but be reminded of the similarities of both the 1985 film and this novel by the master of horror.
The beginning of both stories shares a similar thread. A younger man meets an older wiser man who has a time machine. Older man explains to younger man how the time machine works. The younger man thinks about what he wants to change in the past and begins a quest to accomplish that task. That is when the similarities end. Remember, this is a Stephen King book. Even though this book lacks many of the scares and creepiness that most of his books are known for, this book still has all of the violence, profanity, and tension that will still give this book an R rating. After all, the plot revolves one of the most horrific and tragic moments in America’s history. This book is serious stuff.
Well, you may wonder, did I like 11/22/63? Yes, I did. Stephen King is a master of metaphors. Although his prose is easy and can be read quickly, his descriptions of people and actions are vivid and colorful. The plot itself is fascinating and actually very informative about Lee Harvey Oswald and the events that led up to the Kennedy assassination. The book, even though it is a work of fiction, still provides a somewhat morbidly entertaining analysis of Oswald’s motives and puts many of the conspiracy theories to the test about what really transpired on that day that changed history forever. It also presents many interesting theories about what would happen to America if that assassination was prevented.
Although 11/22/63 was thoroughly enjoyable book it still had its shortcomings. The biggest problem, obvious at first glance at the gigantic size of this tree killer and strengthened upon reading the 1000+ pages, was that, in my opinion, this book was about 200 pages too long. There is an entire section of the middle of the book that slowed the pacing of the story where I began to wonder if the main character forgot his quest. I think this book may have paced better if the main character, Jake, did not go so far back in time. If he had went back to 1961 instead of 1958, then Stephen King would not have needed to fill up so much time waiting for assassination day. Another problem with this book which presents a huge unanswered question is why. Why would someone, given the opportunity to travel back in time to 1958, want to change history? Why put yourself in that danger? Can you really change the past? Is it worth even trying? This question is never really answered but perhaps that it is not really that important. If Jake didn’t have anything to do in 1958, there would be no story to tell.
Despite the shortcomings of this book, I think it is worth reading. Anybody who loves Stephen King, or is interested in the JFK assassination will enjoy this book. Does it live up to King’s classics, such as the Shining? Probably not but I am not that well read up on Stephen King. Perhaps his diehard fans may be better able to answer that question. ...more
Another well written Lovecraft tale in the Cthulhu mythos. In my opinion, it doesn't live up to At the Mountains of Madness but a pretty good read nonAnother well written Lovecraft tale in the Cthulhu mythos. In my opinion, it doesn't live up to At the Mountains of Madness but a pretty good read nonetheless....more
The Terror is the ultimate tale of the human struggle for survival. Dan Simmon’s huge tome is based on Sir John Franklin’s failed 1845 exploration of The Terror is the ultimate tale of the human struggle for survival. Dan Simmon’s huge tome is based on Sir John Franklin’s failed 1845 exploration of the Northwest Passage. In real life the crew of the two ships, the Terror and Erebus, all perished. However, Simmons portrays a fictionalized account of this expedition by expanding this historical narrative into a horror story by dropping in a man eating ice monster to make everybody’s day just a little bit shittier.
My initial reaction was that the book was several hundred pages too long and focused much more on the harsh arctic conditions and the immeasurable suffering that the crew experienced rather than on plot. However, as I read on, the long descriptive passages and the descriptions of pain and suffering are meant to draw the reader into the story and gain a true understanding of the brutality of the arctic and it's devastating effects on both the human body and soul.
As the crew’s hopes of being rescued slowly dissipates, I learned that once the dim flame of hope in man’s heart is forever extinguished, man will stop at nothing to survive. Many of the scenes are very graphic and many moral questions about the extent of man's will to survive come into play. As far as the ice monster is concerned, I believe that this is an unnecessary character in the story. This monster was only used as a plot device to add more color and draw in more readers so that this book does not stay trapped in a strictly historical fiction setting. Overall, Simmons depicts a very grim but otherwise realistic account of this failed expedition and, in doing so, has crafted a work of fiction that explores some of the darkest depths of the human soul. ...more
At the Mountains of Madness is a spine chilling story about an exploration team who travel to Antarctica to explore and collect various geological speAt the Mountains of Madness is a spine chilling story about an exploration team who travel to Antarctica to explore and collect various geological specimens. What they actually found was something far more mysterious and sinister.
In this short novel, one of the most impressive elements is the exceptional quality of Lovecraft’s writing. What he lacks in character development and plot, he more than makes up for in imagery and mood. The obvious omission of dialogue enhances the experiences and shifts the focus to the emotions of the explorers and otherworldly horrors that await them.
Lovecraft has proven that he is master of descriptive writing that creates a sense of mystery, atmosphere, and dismay. The author’s vivid depictions of the landscape of these Polar Regions pull the reader into a nightmare realm and leave the reader with a disturbing sense of loneliness and anticipation of what the explorers will encounter next.
Upon finishing this book, I realized that this is one of the greatest horror/science fiction stories I have ever read. The story is brief, concise, and disturbing in a way that I have never experienced before. I am left with the hunger to explore more of Lovecraft’s Ctulu mythos and move these stories higher on my to-read list. ...more
What if books ceased to exist? What if the society you live in, goodreaders, brainwashed you into thinking books were bad? Every single printed word oWhat if books ceased to exist? What if the society you live in, goodreaders, brainwashed you into thinking books were bad? Every single printed word on bookshelves, in homes, in libraries, in schools was forbidden and to own a book meant that you would be imprisoned or (even worse) killed for such an action. What if you knew that such printed words were important? What if you believed maintaining their existence was a necessity regardless of the serious consequences of preserving their survival?
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Guy Montag, a fireman, whose primary job in a dysotopian reality is to set fire to these books instead of putting the fires out. But he knows there is something fundamentally flawed about this concept. He doesn’t want to burn books. He wants to preserve them so that mankind can continue to acquire knowledge instead of witnessing ideas and works of imagination cast into the flames of censorship. The world around him does not understand this conviction. To do so would be extremely dangerous. Guy Montague is willing to take that risk and go against the very society that made him question his role in the world.
I must confess that this is my first bold step into the world of Haruki Murakami. After roughly four weeks, my journey through the world of 1Q84 hSean
I must confess that this is my first bold step into the world of Haruki Murakami. After roughly four weeks, my journey through the world of 1Q84 has come to end. I was unfamiliar with this author until this massive yet stunningly beautiful book showed up on the new releases table at the bookstore. I then learned that this author (famous in Japan but relatively unknown in America) titled this book as play on George Orwell’s 1984 (one of my favorites). So I decided to brave the 984 pages.
1Q84
This fantasy/romance story takes place in Tokyo in the year 1984 and follows two protagonists, Tengo and Aomame, and their quest to find each other. The only way they can do so is by entering the surreal world of 1Q84. As they both realize that they are not in same world as before, they then begin to ponder the peculiarities of the new world and wonder if they, in fact, are the only ones that are aware that they are in 1Q84.
Sean
As I began reading the first hundred pages or so, I was extremely curious about where this story was going. Two people, lost in this alternate reality, not really sure what the future holds with them. With much repetition in the story and lots of detail about every action, I thought that it took a lot of time to watch anything happen in the story. After some time, I then became skeptical whether this story would really hold my interest for another 700 pages. I even considered giving up at one point. I decided that since I had already finished 200 pages, I just had to continue.
1Q84
The story switched back and forth between these two protagonists and we eventually learn that each character lives very similar lives. They are both caught up in immoral circumstances and question their actions. Other characters enter the story and all play a critical role in the decisions that the protagonists choose to make. By book 2, the underlying mystery of the story is revealed and the reader eventually learns the motives among all of the characters in the story.
Sean
As I was well into book 2, this book became very interesting. I began to understand the many methods of duality Murakami uses in the story: Tengo/Aomame, 1984/1Q84, talk/solitude, birth/death, large moon/little moon, etc. As the mystery of the book is revealed, I also realized that the underlying mystery really isn’t what this book is about. I deduced that this book is really an exploration of many existential themes of human existence and duality.
1Q84
At the very center of this story is the theme of loneliness and longing. Other themes explored are parent/child relationships, sexual promiscuity, adultery, fraud, morality, religion, violence, and childhood nostalgia. All of these themes are concocted with simple yet beautiful prose. As a result, Murakami has created a great story that explored much of the dark side to human nature.
Sean and 1Q84
It is unclear to me how personal this novel really is to Haruki Marukami. Whether or not these themes are explored based on his personal experience, I could not determine. Nevertheless, Murakami has crafted a complex book that will leave me tossing around many of these themes in my head. Overall, I enjoyed 1Q84 and believe that my time reading this huge 984 page opus was never irretrievably lost. ...more
This is a great horror/mystery story that has become a bit of a household name over the years. That being said, most people are familiar with the plotThis is a great horror/mystery story that has become a bit of a household name over the years. That being said, most people are familiar with the plot which unfortunately spoils the fun. This may have been a more exciting read in the 19th century when the mystery of Mr. Hyde was not yet revealed. Also, the story is rather short and doesn't go into too much depth. Still, I felt obligated to read this because of its reputation. ...more
The Time Machine is a classic novel in the Science Fiction genre but is it is an average book overall. It is short read at just over 100 pages that teThe Time Machine is a classic novel in the Science Fiction genre but is it is an average book overall. It is short read at just over 100 pages that tells the story of a scientist who builds a time machine and travels 800,000 years into the future. Much of the story describes the time traveler’s surroundings and his assessment of the environment and society that he visits. The Time machine has been superseded by better time travel stories but this book can be credited as the pioneer of such tales....more
This is the kind of sci fi I like. It is about humans exploring space rather than some soap opera about aliens in some other galaxy that i can barely This is the kind of sci fi I like. It is about humans exploring space rather than some soap opera about aliens in some other galaxy that i can barely follow. This works so much better as a novel than a movie as well. This story is very psychological as the reader can really get a sense of the loneliness and mystery of space. My only complaint is that the ending is a little confusing. Once you read it you will know what I mean. ...more