What Are You Reading?

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Demeter

Well-Known Member
Apr 23, 2008
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I started reading House of Leaves last night.
The intro was pretty good, then the start of the main report seemed a bit tedious. Very slow at first and the flicking between the different texts and references seemed a little jarring to be honest. I did wonder if I was going to enjoy it, next thing I knew, I was 50 odd pages in and could feel it slowly sinking it's claws in. So far, so good! :)

I did pick it up a couple of times but could not make sense of it. It seems such an odd story - is that even a story?
 

MadBoJangles

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Jan 6, 2015
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I did pick it up a couple of times but could not make sense of it. It seems such an odd story - is that even a story?
I'm not sure how to describe it...but I will try...

It's about a house that defies physics, it's like the Tardis, waaaay bigger on the inside than it should be.
A family moves there and the father is an award winning photographer.
He decides to document on film the family settling into a new home and he discovers things in the house that just shouldn't be possible.
I aren't too sure where this will go or what will happen as I am only 50 or so pages in up to press, so this isn't really a spoiler.
The "horrific" footage from the father's project gains something of cult status as a paranormal oddity and lots of studies are done on it to determine it's authenticity.

That's where the book comes into play as it were.
The bulk of the text is made up of one man's study of the footage and what he believes about it.
There is another set of text (in a different font) that gets mixed into it. This is the thoughts of a tattoo artist who came across the original text by chance.

It is a tad confusing at the start, but as I originally posted, it does slowly start to make sense the further that you go.

I hope that makes some kind of sense;-D
 

RichardX

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Sep 26, 2006
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I'm almost done with "Dark Advent" by Brian Hodge. It's compared most often to "The Stand" and "Swan Song." Not quite as good but very readable. If you like those two, you might enjoy it. I had very low expectations but it is better than I was anticipating. Probably will try a couple of his others books.
 

MadBoJangles

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Jan 6, 2015
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I am still having a love/hate relationship with House of Leaves.
It's bloody hard work to read at times, some of the text is mind numbingly boring and needless in places.
I honestly don't remember the last time I didn't finish a book, but this has had me on the brink a few times in the first 120 pages.
But just when you think "that's it, no more" something glitters, catches and fires in my imagination and I carry on.

I have an awful lot of real life stuff going on at the moment, so my reading time is limited somewhat.
I am not sure if I would notice the boring parts so much if I had the time to sit and just power through them. I think that they stand out more as I only have chance to read small sections at a time, so if one of those happens to be a boring part, it jars more than it probably should.
 

ghost19

"Have I run too far to get home?"
Sep 25, 2011
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"Dead Mountain" by Donnie Eichar. Book about the 1959 disappearance of nine Russian skiers in the Ural Mountains. Very strange circumstances. Completely enthralled so far. I've been reading about this incident since I was in high school and I've always found it to be very interesting.
 

muskrat

Dis-Member
Nov 8, 2010
4,518
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Under your bed
I am still having a love/hate relationship with House of Leaves.
It's bloody hard work to read at times, some of the text is mind numbingly boring and needless in places.
I honestly don't remember the last time I didn't finish a book, but this has had me on the brink a few times in the first 120 pages.
But just when you think "that's it, no more" something glitters, catches and fires in my imagination and I carry on.

I have an awful lot of real life stuff going on at the moment, so my reading time is limited somewhat.
I am not sure if I would notice the boring parts so much if I had the time to sit and just power through them. I think that they stand out more as I only have chance to read small sections at a time, so if one of those happens to be a boring part, it jars more than it probably should.

Tried it once, need to try again. I get what yer sayin...it's like if William Burroughs tried writing a horror novel. Now, I can dig experimental fiction, but when yer dealing with horror, ya really oughtta chuck all yer artsy literary pretensions out the door. Horror is a different animal, and to do it right, ya gotta stick to some simple rules...but, like I say, I'm gonna try it again one of these days...don't feel right criticizing a book I haven't finished...
 

not_nadine

Comfortably Roont
Nov 19, 2011
29,655
139,785
Behind you
...nearly finished with The Fireman....it's now my favorite of Joe's-and all the Easter Eggs are just hilarious.....



I am almost finished too. I really do like it.

These Easter Eggs..

They are dad's Easter eggs. Throwing me off. I am not sure to laugh or not. So many! All I can think is that he and SK had good chuckles over it.
 

danie

I am whatever you say I am.
Feb 26, 2008
9,760
60,662
60
Kentucky
...nearly finished with The Fireman....it's now my favorite of Joe's-and all the Easter Eggs are just hilarious.....
I am almost finished too. I really do like it.

These Easter Eggs..

They are dad's Easter eggs. Throwing me off. I am not sure to laugh or not. So many! All I can think is that he and SK had good chuckles over it.
I'm nearly finished too, but can't decide at all how I feel about it. The Easter eggs
are taking me out of the story somewhat. Hmmmmm. I love all of Joe's other books, but I'm mixed about this one. Will know more when I'm done reading, I guess.
 
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