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Recently Finished

Recently finished Cincinnatus: The Secret Plot to Save America by Rusty McClure.

Great read--a real page turner. The plot involves a lot of different elements from the paranormal to a sinister plot, Middle Eastern terrorism, the classic cross country race against time, plus the angst of lost love. It all starts and centers around the fixing of PGA golf tournaments.
 
dude said:
**Caution - hyperboles abound**

My god, I'm going to pop a bottle of champagne when I finish this book I'm reading. I've never forced myself to read anything more pretentious and tiresomely boring than this Jonathan Lethem book. Something mind-blowingly awesome better happen in these last 80 pages. Otherwise, this is going to be the worst story of all time.
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Dude, I'm eager to hear -- including the title of the book -- whenever. :flowers:

Actually, Motherless Brooklyn left me underwhelmed, and it unfinished. So you are not necessarily alone. :)
 
Peder said:
Dude, I'm eager to hear -- including the title of the book -- whenever. :flowers:

Actually, Motherless Brooklyn left me underwhelmed, and it unfinished. So you are not necessarily alone. :)
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I sort of railed on it in this thread: http://www.bookandreader.com/forums/f7/jonathan-lethem-5096-2.html

But it was Chronic City, which is his newest one I think. I own Motherless Brooklyn and plan on reading it at some point, but this book was completely pointless. Almost seems like the kind of book only an established writer can get published because it's so preposterous. If it were his first attempt at getting published, they would have laughed in his face, assuming they actually finished it.
 
dude said:
I sort of railed on it in this thread: http://www.bookandreader.com/forums/f7/jonathan-lethem-5096-2.html

But it was Chronic City, which is his newest one I think. I own Motherless Brooklyn and plan on reading it at some point, but this book was completely pointless. Almost seems like the kind of book only an established writer can get published because it's so preposterous. If it were his first attempt at getting published, they would have laughed in his face, assuming they actually finished it.
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ROTFL!

I just bought Chronic City in order to give Lethem a fair shake and a new start in my estimation because I was so put off by Motherless Brooklyn. So the joke may now be on me -- twice! :lol:

In fairness to Motherless Brooklyn, though, I may have left off reading just at the point where it gets interesting and turns into a detective novel.

But up to that point, coming from Brooklyn as I do, I was way too familiar with the neighborhood and the characters he was describing for the story to hold much interest for me.

So now I have Chronic City. Ah life! So be it. :whistling:
 
Peder said:
ROTFL!

I just bought Chronic City in order to give Lethem a fair shake and a new start in my estimation because I was so put off by Motherless Brooklyn. So the joke may now be on me -- twice! :lol:

In fairness to Motherless Brooklyn, though, I may have left off reading just at the point where it gets interesting and turns into a detective novel.

But up to that point, coming from Brooklyn as I do, I was way too familiar with the neighborhood and the characters he was describing for the story to hold much interest for me.

So now I have Chronic City. Ah life! So be it. :whistling:
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It's just... I can't even describe it. It's the most nonsensical story with the most developed characters I've ever read. Why he would have spent so much time thinking up characters for such a hollow story is baffling to me.

Also, I'm not sure how his other books are, but the characters in Chronic City all seem to have the weirdest names, for the most part. It's like he intentionally thought to use a bunch of atypical names (and made up a bunch too) to help distract from everything that wasn't happening in the story.
 
dude said:
It's just... I can't even describe it. It's the most nonsensical story with the most developed characters I've ever read. Why he would have spent so much time thinking up characters for such a hollow story is baffling to me.

Also, I'm not sure how his other books are, but the characters in Chronic City all seem to have the weirdest names, for the most part. It's like he intentionally thought to use a bunch of atypical names (and made up a bunch too) to help distract from everything that wasn't happening in the story.
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It does sound rather different from most other books I read. Maybe I should look into it for that reason alone. And award myself a prize if I finish it. :lol:
 
Re: Lethem. I only read The Fortress of Solitude. While I appreciated how ambitious the book was, I felt like he was trying too hard to impress his readers.

The last book I finished: Angel Time by Anne Rice. Having read Rice's memoir I noticed strong similarities between the author and her main character. The book itself is slow-starting but improves once her characters and plot are established.
 
Michael Chabon-Manhood for amateurs :star1:
The very start is fine, then the clichés slowly piles till it becomes unberable.
A not even fine trip into sub culture, might well be my last Chabon.
Like a long fashion magazine article.
 
Truly, Madly (Lucy Valentine #1), by Heather Webber

Really enjoyed this novel and look forward to more installments in the series. I confess that there were certain things which surprised me.
 
Finished Hyddenworld: Spring by William Horwood last night,the long-awaited 1st novel in a quartet fantasy series centred around the seasons. Quite enjoyed it,but somehow expected much better,and whole plots just hit dead ends.
 
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