Come join the discussion tonight approx 8PM.
Discussion Group Read for February 5th- By the Silver Waters of Lake Champlain ---- by Joe Hill
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This is Joe's version of a Ray Bradbury story and it's a goods one. It's not a story with a lot of action but I like how he made this about the kids and their imaginations going wild and how the adults don't believe them. Joe beautifully captured the spirit of being a child. It's a nostalgic story about childhood with a not so nice ending.
I enjoyed this story a lot. Not so much the tragic ending.(one that I suspected just might happen). The innocents of the children, their playfulness of youth, and the reality of mortality in the end. Good character development-- childhood to the tee, the mom busy with her motherly chore of breakfast.
Joe's description, from a child's eye of the creature, priceless--size of a two ton truck!
One question-- Gail brought up Joel's black eye? Do you think there may have been some home abuse?
Joe's description, from a child's eye of the creature, priceless--size of a two ton truck!
One question-- Gail brought up Joel's black eye? Do you think there may have been some home abuse?
I think so.
Apparently (though, I haven't seen it, so I'm not certain), in the Creepshow TV version, there is abuse.
...damn!...that is perfect, as was Joe’s melding of monsters and mortality....fathoms of fun and fantasy...
Haven't see the TV version either. Story just gave that vibe to me. His non answer to Gail.
Neesy
#1 fan (Annie Wilkes cousin) 1st cousin Mom's side
I would have to agree with you about how he did capture what it's like to be a child. In the back of the book he talks about going with his Mom up to see the Loch Ness monster (well - on an expedition
) - I guess the idea was to get away while his Dad collaborated with Peter Straub on a book.Yes - ending wasn't so nice.
By the way - sorry to show up so late to the party. I just woke up about five minutes ago. After having a long soak in the tub around 5 p.m. I laid down for a wee while on the bed. Now it is 7:26 here and I just suddenly awoke with a headache. Took an acetaminophen extra strength but I am unable to continue. Will come back tomorrow to see the comments
Hope everyone enjoyed the story!
There's something else I just realized. Clunky robots were a staple of Ray Bradbury era sci-fi tales and Joe put a pretend robot in the story.
Shall we continue in Joe's book?
Volunteer for February 12 th?
Unread stories left in Full Throttle are:
Volunteer for February 12 th?
Unread stories left in Full Throttle are:
- Faun
- Thumbprint
- Twittering from the Circus of the Dead
- You Are Released
Let's do Thumbprint
This story is also a graphic novel (or graphic short story). I'm not sure if there are differences or not but I have a copy of both and have read neither.
I'll try to read both.And I'm still one behind from being away last week.
sounds like a plan.Let's do Thumbprint
This story is also a graphic novel (or graphic short story). I'm not sure if there are differences or not but I have a copy of both and have read neither.
And I'm still one behind from being away last week.
Discussion Group Read for Wednesday February 12th 2020 approx 8PM
Thumbprint by Joe Hill -- found in Full Throttle
Thumbprint by Joe Hill -- found in Full Throttle
This was a great story. The imagination of childhood. I first read it in Shadow Show, a tribute to Ray Bradbury.
www.wired.com
Was it just rocks? Or was it a creature? Joe sets up the make-believe right out of the gate so we're not sure.
They talk about it being the last one, all alone for millions of years. But, was the sound they kept hearing its mate calling to it and eventually coming to drag it back into the lake? Or was that just the foghorn?
Gail says that sound came from her in the end. The mourning sound of loss was in her.
Good writing as always.
Shadow Show: A Fitting Tribute to Bradbury
Shadow Show is a very fitting tribute to a man who never quit writing: a collection of stories by a diverse bunch of writers, inspired by and in celebration of Ray Bradbury.
Was it just rocks? Or was it a creature? Joe sets up the make-believe right out of the gate so we're not sure.
They talk about it being the last one, all alone for millions of years. But, was the sound they kept hearing its mate calling to it and eventually coming to drag it back into the lake? Or was that just the foghorn?
Gail says that sound came from her in the end. The mourning sound of loss was in her.
Good writing as always.
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Neesy
#1 fan (Annie Wilkes cousin) 1st cousin Mom's side
I took it as perhaps the mother mourning for her dead child - good story and I hope Thumbprint is just as good next weekThis was a great story. The imagination of childhood. I first read it in Shadow Show, a tribute to Ray Bradbury.
Shadow Show: A Fitting Tribute to Bradbury
Shadow Show is a very fitting tribute to a man who never quit writing: a collection of stories by a diverse bunch of writers, inspired by and in celebration of Ray Bradbury.
Was it just rocks? Or was it a creature? Joe sets up the make-believe right out of the gate so we're not sure.
They talk about it being the last one, all alone for millions of years. But, was the sound they kept hearing its mate calling to it and eventually coming to drag it back into the lake? Or was that just the foghorn?
Gail says that sound came from her in the end. The mourning sound of loss was in her.
Good writing as always.
can you clarify what mother?
Neesy
#1 fan (Annie Wilkes cousin) 1st cousin Mom's side
Can you clarify what mate?
Okay - that comment just came "off the cuff"
Maybe it would be more obvious if I quoted something you wrote:
"But, was the sound they kept hearing its mate calling to it and eventually coming to drag it back into the lake? Or was that just the foghorn?"
I obviously (to me anyway) thought the sound was an even bigger monster who was upset that her baby had been killed
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If you are referring to the mother that supposedly lost a little boy, that was Gail's make believe story she was telling when she found the cowboy. The lost little boy's toy because he drowned. We find out that was Ben's toy. There was no drowned little boy. No mother to mourn, only in her make believe.
They kept hearing the mournful tones that they attributed to the lighthouse, but, those last few pages, Joe's writing seems to indicate that it was something more. Because all the children hear it and are frightened. Why would they be frightened of a lighthouse they were used to?
Maybe the dinosaur wasn't alone out there in those waters for millions of years. Maybe it had a mate. And maybe that mate was calling for the dead dinosaur (if there ever was one). Maybe that was the mournful sound.
At the end, she says the mourning sound is also coming from her, for the loss of Joel. For the loss of possibility of future. Because it appears he was swept out. But again, was that all her imagination. Did she hear him call for her to "Gail, come see!" or "God! Help Me!"?
Oh, okay, there's the clarification. A mother dinosaur. Okay. I see that. Yes, perhaps it was a mother dinosaur calling to her baby. I just had it as a mate calling to its mate.Can you clarify what mate?
Okay - that comment just came "off the cuff"
Maybe it would be more obvious if I quoted something you wrote:
"But, was the sound they kept hearing its mate calling to it and eventually coming to drag it back into the lake? Or was that just the foghorn?"
I obviously (to me anyway) thought the sound was an even bigger monster who was upset that her baby had been killed