Perfect mini-review of this book. I really enjoyed it as well!
What Are You Reading?
- Thread starter Dana Jean
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Trust me, Survivor is one of Herbert's worst books. I'd start with The Rats if you don't want to get the wrong first impression of James Herbert.
I am reading Cell, first time since it was released. It is like reading a whole new SK book, I remember nothing! I looked up the publication date, and figured out why...Ali was not quite a month old when it came out, so I was extremely sleep deprived the first time I read it. 
I am a little over halfway through and enjoying it.
I am a little over halfway through and enjoying it.
Just came across Margaret Atwood's Ten Rules of Writing:
- Take a pencil to write with on aeroplanes. Pens leak. But if the pencil breaks, you can’t sharpen it on the plane, because you can’t take knives with you. Therefore: take two pencils.
- If both pencils break, you can do a rough sharpening job with a nail file of the metal or glass type.
- Take something to write on. Paper is good. In a pinch, pieces of wood or your arm will do.
- If you’re using a computer, always safeguard new text with a memory stick.
- Do back exercises. Pain is distracting.
- Hold the reader’s attention. (This is likely to work better if you can hold your own.) But you don’t know who the reader is, so it’s like shooting fish with a slingshot in the dark. What fascinates A will bore the pants off B.
- You most likely need a thesaurus, a rudimentary grammar book, and a grip on reality. This latter means: there’s no free lunch. Writing is work. It’s also gambling. You don’t get a pension plan. Other people can help you a bit, but essentially you’re on your own. Nobody is making you do this: you chose it, so don’t whine.
- You can never read your own book with the innocent anticipation that comes with that first delicious page of a new book, because you wrote the thing. You’ve been backstage. You’ve seen how the rabbits were smuggled into the hat. Therefore ask a reading friend or two to look at it before you give it to anyone in the publishing business. This friend should not be someone with whom you have a romantic relationship, unless you want to break up.
- Don’t sit down in the middle of the woods. If you’re lost in the plot or blocked, retrace your steps to where you went wrong. Then take the other road. And/or change the person. Change the tense. Change the opening page.
- Prayer might work. Or reading something else. Or a constant visualization of the holy grail that is the finished, published version of your resplendent book.
More than halfway through the next review book, then I have another to hit (both surprises!). I ran wild in the library yesterday and got the newest ones from Jo Nesbo (Blood on Snow), Toni Morrison (God Bless The Child), and Joanne Harris (The Gospel of Loki). None are too long (thank goodness). I'm really looking forward to Harris' book, but I hope you don't have to have read the second book in her Norse mythology series (Runescape) to understand this one--the second book never had US publication 
. I have read the first (Runemarks) and quite enjoyed it.
. I have read the first (Runemarks) and quite enjoyed it.
The Nameless
M-O-O-N - That spells Nameless
Really? It sounded so interesting. I guess that's the problem with synopsis', they are written in a way to pull you in, leave you wanting to read it. Thanks for the heads up, The Rats seems to be widely regarded as a favourite of his.
It's not a bad book, but it's definitely not one of his best. I definitely wouldn't recommend it as a first James Herbert book though.
The idea is a lot better than the execution.
Gave up on Nick Cutter's "The Troop". It was a snoozer, not sure where he was trying to go with it but about 250 pages in I finally came to the conclusion it wasn't going to take off. Going to give Lovecraft's "Call of Cthulu" a day in court, haven't read any Lovecraft in ages.
K.A. Tucker - Ten Tiny Breaths
K.A. Tucker - One Tiny Lie
K.A. Tucker - Four Seconds to Lose
K.A. Tucker - One Tiny Lie
K.A. Tucker - Four Seconds to Lose
Had a mini fit when I finished the first book I have to review (It might have involved profanity and book throwing, and maybe dreams of going full on Annie Wilkes on a 'cockadoodie cheat'), so I'm taking a break with Harlan Coben before I hit the next review book.
I'm not surprised y'all didn't care for The Troop--I finished it, but didn't think a lot of it. Very derivative. I have his second one (The Deep) in my TBR pile, because I think he had some interesting ideas. I'm willing to give him another chance.
I'm not surprised y'all didn't care for The Troop--I finished it, but didn't think a lot of it. Very derivative. I have his second one (The Deep) in my TBR pile, because I think he had some interesting ideas. I'm willing to give him another chance.
I saw that other book of his, The Deep, on sale on B&N ebook site, I'm hesitant to read it after trying to read The Troop but the summary did sounds interesting...of course the summary on The Troop sounded interesting also....
Exactly. I'll give him a chance, but if goes off the rails like The Troop, I doubt I'll finish it this time.
Let us know what you think about The Deep. I read The Troop and while some of it was good (and some of it was just downright disgustin!), I wasn't enamored enough to pick up a copy of The Deep. If you say it's good then I'll change my mind.
I finished my re-read of Stinger by Robert McCammon last night. Took me awhile as I had too many other things going on and not much time to read. Today I received my copy of The Border by Rick and I think I'll start that one tonight!
A little over 300 pages into Stinger by McCammon. Hoping to get my copy of The Border soon! (Should I get an email or something from Sub Press when they ship out my order?)
Will finish rereading Dark Tower 2 by Sunday, then start the next one. Have also started to read a book with the following quote before the actual start of the book:
'He who leaveth nothing to chance will do
few things ill, but he will do very few things'
George Savile, Marquis of Halifax.
Also read a short story yesterday about an alien who entered a spitting competition in 1911, and won, but was scared off by a nosy doctor.
'He who leaveth nothing to chance will do
few things ill, but he will do very few things'
George Savile, Marquis of Halifax.
Also read a short story yesterday about an alien who entered a spitting competition in 1911, and won, but was scared off by a nosy doctor.
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