Does anybody around here read?

[MrMatthews]

Hey, I wear glasses, jerk!

Many people who wear glasses go on to lead rich, fulfilling lives, and can in some cases maintain full-time jobs and even operate motor vehicles.

It's not the handicap it used to be, Tom.

[InternalPrimate]

Hey, I wear glasses, jerk!

Many people who wear glasses go on to lead rich, fulfilling lives, and can in some cases maintain full-time jobs and even operate motor vehicles.

It's not the handicap it used to be, Tom.

Oh, I know. Pretty much everyone in my family has had to get glasses after a certain age. I just find it difficult to imagine such a big change. And I refuse to even consider contacts. I don't think I could ever get close to touching my eye. Just getting an eye-drop in is a huge process.

[MrMatthews]

Yeah, I can't do contacts, either.

[InternalPrimate]

Yeah, I can't do contacts, either.

Let me know what you think of Ready Player One when you get to it.

Also, here's my current read:

[Knuckle Duster]

Hile, Sir Throcken!

Book seems pretty short, but that is where King's strength as a writer lies. I only read the first section and put it down when Roland starts his story.
All I can say about it right now: I don't care how good or bad it will turn out. I missed these characters, and I hope there's more scenes of them in it.

[InternalPrimate]

Hile, Sir Throcken!

Book seems pretty short, but that is where King's strength as a writer lies. I only read the first section and put it down when Roland starts his story.
All I can say about it right now: I don't care how good or bad it will turn out. I missed these characters, and I hope there's more scenes of them in it.

Pretty much my exact thoughts. When I finished book seven - The Dark Tower - I was sad because I thought I'd never get to read new Roland, Odetta, Eddie, Jake and Oy adventures again. And as good as the Marvel comics are, they're not written by King himself. So this is an absolute pleasure. I'm reading this one slowly, enjoying every word, no matter how cheesy it may be (do ya ken it?).

Also, King has written some great short stories, novellas, and short novels, but some of his epics - The Stand, IT, and 11/22/63 - are his best, in my opinion

[old man]

On a sad note, I think I'm going to need glasses pretty soon...

We need a good e-reader for our HD big screens so we don't have to strain our eyes so much. [/irony]

[InternalPrimate]

KD, what are your thoughts on The Wind Through The Keyhole? I'm about 50% through it so far.

EDIT: Another thought - I just realized that Joe Hill is Stephen King's son! I never connected the dots. Although I haven't read one of Hill's novels, I adore his Locke & Key comic series. Looking forward to delving into his other works. I'm sure he's not too much like his father, but if his other stuff is as good as Locke & Key, he'll find a constant reader in me.

[tomaitheous]

Haven't read much lately, but the last two I read was On the Road, slaughter house 5, and some Jane Yellowrock books.

[bgvanbur]

Started reading Slaughter-house-five again (already read it five times in my life, it is the only novel I have read multiple times). Just finished Born To Run, Sushi For Beginners, Another Piece of My Heart, and Promises To Keep.

The first Jane Yellowrock book looks interesting, so I added that to my list of books to possibly read.

[zetastrike]

I bought A Tale of Two Cities the other day and plan on tackling it while I'm home. I loved Great Expectations, so I have high hopes.

[Tanegashima]

I hate to admit it but I enjoyed Great Expectations and I really don't like 99.999% of 19th century literature, period. ESPECIALLY British literature of that era.

[jerry coeurl]

You shouldn't hate to admit that! Charles Dickens is great. Outside of like Shakespeare there hasn't really ever been a better English author. I haven't read Great Expectations yet, but I really loved Hard Times. Great book.

[InternalPrimate]

Finished The Wind Through The Keyhole yesterday morning, and absolutely loved it. Combined with my feelings for 11/22/63, I truly believe Stephen King is in a zone right now, perhaps releasing his best stuff since the early 90s.

The Wind Through the Keyhole is King's return to the Dark Tower universe, but while it's listed as Dark Tower 4.5, it's really a stand alone novel. Roland, Eddie, Susannah, Jake, and Oy are all there, but they really just bookend two separate stories. The first story is another tale of Roland's past, while the second is a fairy tale set in Mid-World. The story of Tim Stoutheart isn't presented as historical (so it could be considered merely a fable), but with the inclusion on The Man in Black and a couple of other nods to Dark Tower lore, there's a feeling that the story is true within the confines of the universe.

Tim Stoutheart's tale, which is labeled The Wind Through the Keyhole fills up the majority of the book, and it's excellent. I've read a couple of reviews complain that it's merely a novella shoehorned into a book to make King some extra money. But the story, much more so than Little Sisters of Eluria before it, fits in so well with what we already know about The Dark Tower, Mid-World, and its inhabitants. The way King wraps an additional two stories around this one (Starkblast and The Skin Man) is excellent.

Just a great book. In fact, despite not moving Roland's quest along, I prefer it to Wolves of the Calla, Song of Susannah, and The Dark Tower. Your enjoyment of it depends on your expectations. If your looking for just a little more time in Mid World, and want to read a fun adventure, The Wind Through the Keyhole works on a number of levels. If you're looking for some alternative to the original Dark Tower ending, or perhaps some new insight that somehow changes the end, you'll be sorely disappointed.

Luckily, I'm one of the few who loved the original ending. Ka is a wheel.

[InternalPrimate]

Mini Review of A Fault in Our Stars

Before I get into the meat of my criticisms, let me start by saying that The Fault in Our Stars by John Green is a beautiful, emotionally touching book. It's identified as a young adult novel, but I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to just about anyone. It's a worthwhile read.

But as good as the book can be, there are a couple of faults worth noting. The first of which is John Green's voice for lead character Hazel Grace. She's written as a sixteen year old girl, yet her vocabulary far exceeds that of a moderately intelligent adult. Reading some of the dialog between her and her boyfriend Augustus felt like watching an episode of Gilmore Girls. That's not a good thing.

The relationship between Hazel and Augustus is a believable one. They rely on each other for strength as they both cope with having cancer. It's refreshing that both characters recognize the hopelessness of their situations, and reflect on life rather than blame the world.

But towards the end of the book, a series of completely unbelievable events occur. From the use of the Make A Wish Foundation, to the wacky actions of an alcoholic author, things just aren't believable. These events take the reader out of the story, and moments which should tug on your heartstrings do less so because of them. It's a shame, because without these moments, The Fault in Our Stars is near perfect in creating a bond between the reader and the characters.