Saturday, 14 February 2009
Thursday, 12 February 2009
The Guardian Newspaper Thinks I Should Read These Books (Part V)
I'm sensing a certain amount of list fatigue, so this will be the last posting on this subject :). Don't all cheer at once!
Bold means I've read it; strikethrough means I hated it; anything else is a mistake :D
Mark Twain, A Connecticut Yankee at King Arthur's Court (1889)
Kurt Vonnegut, Sirens of Titan (1959)
Horace Walpole, The Castle of Otranto (1764)
Robert Walser, Institute Benjamenta (1909)
Sylvia Townsend Warner, Lolly Willowes (1926)
None of the above, although I have read some Vonnegut. Is "Sirens of Titan" that significant? I always thought his major works were "Slaughterhouse 5" and "Cat's Cradle".
Sarah Waters, Affinity (1999)
Indeed, and enjoyed it very much, although I'm blanking on why it's here under SFF rather than under, say, Historicals. The ways of the Guardian are passing strange.
HG Wells, The Time Machine (1895)
HG Wells, The War of the Worlds (1898)
I like to think I've read a lot of Wells, including his complete short stories, but there's still a lot to read when I get round to it. When I first read "The Time Machine", I was taken aback by the differences between it and the first film version--particularly the narrator's indifference to Weena and her somewhat unfortunate fate. A love story it ain't.
"War of the Worlds" has never been filmed to my satisfaction (which ain't saying much!), although I preferred the latest version, marginally, over its predecessor. I would like to see the much smaller budget WOTW film that was being made at the same time as the Spielberg version, but it seems to have sunk without trace.
TH White, The Sword in the Stone (1938)
More than once. I've also read the rest of the "Once and Future King" trilogy, and the 'lost' Merlin book. TSITS is by far the best of the lot.
Angus Wilson, The Old Men at the Zoo (1961)
Gene Wolfe, The Book of the New Sun (1980-83)
Virginia Woolf, Orlando (1928)
No. I have a lot of reading to do, evidently!
John Wyndham, Day of the Triffids (1951)
John Wyndham, The Midwich Cuckoos (1957)
No love here, I see, for "The Chrysalids", which is a much better book than Cuckoos, imo. Triffids is of course a stalwart of British SF, and should not be missed!
Yevgeny Zamyatin, We (1924)
And again, no. Did the Guardian deliberately trawl for Really Old Stuff, or do they just not much like the new stuff?
And that's it. I won't start again with the Torygraph list, honest!
Bold means I've read it; strikethrough means I hated it; anything else is a mistake :D
Mark Twain, A Connecticut Yankee at King Arthur's Court (1889)
Kurt Vonnegut, Sirens of Titan (1959)
Horace Walpole, The Castle of Otranto (1764)
Robert Walser, Institute Benjamenta (1909)
Sylvia Townsend Warner, Lolly Willowes (1926)
None of the above, although I have read some Vonnegut. Is "Sirens of Titan" that significant? I always thought his major works were "Slaughterhouse 5" and "Cat's Cradle".
Sarah Waters, Affinity (1999)
Indeed, and enjoyed it very much, although I'm blanking on why it's here under SFF rather than under, say, Historicals. The ways of the Guardian are passing strange.
HG Wells, The Time Machine (1895)
HG Wells, The War of the Worlds (1898)
I like to think I've read a lot of Wells, including his complete short stories, but there's still a lot to read when I get round to it. When I first read "The Time Machine", I was taken aback by the differences between it and the first film version--particularly the narrator's indifference to Weena and her somewhat unfortunate fate. A love story it ain't.
"War of the Worlds" has never been filmed to my satisfaction (which ain't saying much!), although I preferred the latest version, marginally, over its predecessor. I would like to see the much smaller budget WOTW film that was being made at the same time as the Spielberg version, but it seems to have sunk without trace.
TH White, The Sword in the Stone (1938)
More than once. I've also read the rest of the "Once and Future King" trilogy, and the 'lost' Merlin book. TSITS is by far the best of the lot.
Angus Wilson, The Old Men at the Zoo (1961)
Gene Wolfe, The Book of the New Sun (1980-83)
Virginia Woolf, Orlando (1928)
No. I have a lot of reading to do, evidently!
John Wyndham, Day of the Triffids (1951)
John Wyndham, The Midwich Cuckoos (1957)
No love here, I see, for "The Chrysalids", which is a much better book than Cuckoos, imo. Triffids is of course a stalwart of British SF, and should not be missed!
Yevgeny Zamyatin, We (1924)
And again, no. Did the Guardian deliberately trawl for Really Old Stuff, or do they just not much like the new stuff?
And that's it. I won't start again with the Torygraph list, honest!
ALQAC
The (brand new and shiny!) opening to my Fantasy novel ALQAC is being dissected over at Evil Editor around about now :). Please note that only the first part is my novel; the second part (in blue) is a Humorous Continuation from a fellow minion. Ahem.
To read the opening, or even comment, go here :).
To read the opening, or even comment, go here :).
Tuesday, 10 February 2009
The Guardian Newspaper Thinks I Should Read These Books (Part IV)
Bold means I've read it; strikethrough means I hated it; anything else is a mistake :D
(and yes, I will reach the bottom of the list eventually!)
François Rabelais, Gargantua and Pantagruel (1532-34)
Rabelais I have of course heard of, but I have never ever seen this book anywhere.
Ann Radcliffe, The Mysteries of Udolpho (1794)
Whenever I re-read "Northanger Abbey", a strange desire comes over me to read some of the Gothic novels Austen is making fun of. Fortunately, it soon goes away. But still. Maybe I will, one day!
Alastair Reynolds, Revelation Space (2000)
Not an author I can ever get into. Too hard and dry.
Kim Stanley Robinson, The Years of Rice and Salt (2002)
I started reading this when it was nominated for the AC Clarke award. It's well-written but it's just nasty.
JK Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (1997)
I'm going to change this to "Sorcerer" as the edition I read was a US one. And indeed I was in the US at the time. Honestly, I couldn't see what all the fuss was about.
Salman Rushdie, The Satanic Verses (1988)
I think I read a few lines of "Midnight's Children" and choked.
Joanna Russ, The Female Man (1975)
I read this relatively recently. It's out there. Definitely one to read. Strong stuff.
Geoff Ryman, Air (2005)
I'm thinking I have read something of his, maybe with a lesbian polar bear?
Antoine de Sainte-Exupéry, The Little Prince (1943)
Overrated fluff.
José Saramago, Blindness (1995)
Not run across this one.
Will Self, How the Dead Live (2000)
Self has never struck me as a writer I'd want to read.
Mary Shelley, Frankenstein (1818)
Have tried to start this a few times. Those Romantics, they sure did overwrite!
Dan Simmons, Hyperion (1989)
*shakes head*
Olaf Stapledon, Star Maker (1937)
and again
Neal Stephenson, Snow Crash (1992)
Please. You can try all you like to make a pizza delivery guy sexy, dashing and cool, but he remains a Pizza Delivery Guy.
Robert Louis Stevenson, The Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1886)
More than once. A book that should not be judged by the adaptations, films, and popular conception thereof. Actually read the damn thing; then you may have an opinion ;).
Bram Stoker, Dracula (1897)
Tried. Failed.
Rupert Thomson, The Insult (1996)
Who/what?
JRR Tolkien, The Hobbit (1937)
Tolkien made this up as he went along. Clearly was still learning his craft at this stage. The dark tone of the ending is a painful contrast with the light-hearted beginning. As if someone turned up in an Enid Blyton book and suddenly strangled a kitten. Make your mind up Tolkien! Is it comedy or tragedy?
JRR Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings (1954-55)
Twice. The second time, I had the Worst Dose of Flu Ever, and I needed something to make my mind of it. Which this behemoth achieved to admiration. But oh dear. The !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!s!
I do like the way everything has different names depending on which culture you're listening to, though. But oh dear. The !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!s!
(and yes, I will reach the bottom of the list eventually!)
François Rabelais, Gargantua and Pantagruel (1532-34)
Rabelais I have of course heard of, but I have never ever seen this book anywhere.
Ann Radcliffe, The Mysteries of Udolpho (1794)
Whenever I re-read "Northanger Abbey", a strange desire comes over me to read some of the Gothic novels Austen is making fun of. Fortunately, it soon goes away. But still. Maybe I will, one day!
Alastair Reynolds, Revelation Space (2000)
Not an author I can ever get into. Too hard and dry.
Kim Stanley Robinson, The Years of Rice and Salt (2002)
I started reading this when it was nominated for the AC Clarke award. It's well-written but it's just nasty.
JK Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (1997)
I'm going to change this to "Sorcerer" as the edition I read was a US one. And indeed I was in the US at the time. Honestly, I couldn't see what all the fuss was about.
Salman Rushdie, The Satanic Verses (1988)
I think I read a few lines of "Midnight's Children" and choked.
Joanna Russ, The Female Man (1975)
I read this relatively recently. It's out there. Definitely one to read. Strong stuff.
Geoff Ryman, Air (2005)
I'm thinking I have read something of his, maybe with a lesbian polar bear?
Antoine de Sainte-Exupéry, The Little Prince (1943)
Overrated fluff.
José Saramago, Blindness (1995)
Not run across this one.
Will Self, How the Dead Live (2000)
Self has never struck me as a writer I'd want to read.
Mary Shelley, Frankenstein (1818)
Have tried to start this a few times. Those Romantics, they sure did overwrite!
Dan Simmons, Hyperion (1989)
*shakes head*
Olaf Stapledon, Star Maker (1937)
and again
Neal Stephenson, Snow Crash (1992)
Please. You can try all you like to make a pizza delivery guy sexy, dashing and cool, but he remains a Pizza Delivery Guy.
Robert Louis Stevenson, The Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1886)
More than once. A book that should not be judged by the adaptations, films, and popular conception thereof. Actually read the damn thing; then you may have an opinion ;).
Bram Stoker, Dracula (1897)
Tried. Failed.
Rupert Thomson, The Insult (1996)
Who/what?
JRR Tolkien, The Hobbit (1937)
Tolkien made this up as he went along. Clearly was still learning his craft at this stage. The dark tone of the ending is a painful contrast with the light-hearted beginning. As if someone turned up in an Enid Blyton book and suddenly strangled a kitten. Make your mind up Tolkien! Is it comedy or tragedy?
JRR Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings (1954-55)
Twice. The second time, I had the Worst Dose of Flu Ever, and I needed something to make my mind of it. Which this behemoth achieved to admiration. But oh dear. The !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!s!
I do like the way everything has different names depending on which culture you're listening to, though. But oh dear. The !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!s!
Saturday, 7 February 2009
Thursday, 5 February 2009
The Guardian Newspaper Thinks I Should Read These Books (Part III)
Bold means I've read it; strikethrough means I hated it; anything else is a mistake :D
Michael Marshall Smith, Only Forward (1994)
Eh. No. Nothing by this guy.
Richard Matheson, I Am Legend (1954)
I was looking for it to read it just the other day, as it's been on BBC Radio 7 repeatedly, but I could not find it. So no. But I have seen the Charlton Heston film, and I have the Will Smith film waiting around somewhere to be watched, and I've heard countless episodes on the radio, and....
Charles Maturin, Melmoth the Wanderer (1820)
Umm? No.
Patrick McCabe, The Butcher Boy (1992)
No.
Cormac McCarthy, The Road (2006)
Yep. One of my top reads from last year. Compelling stuff.
Jed Mercurio, Ascent (2007)
Erm. Who? What?
China Miéville, The Scar (2002)
Nope. I think I did buy it once, but gave it away. Or maybe that was "Perdido Street Station". Either way, no. Nix. Nil. Not.
Andrew Miller, Ingenious Pain (1997)
Not ringing any bells.
Walter M Miller Jr, A Canticle for Leibowitz (1960)
Started it once, but couldn't get into it. All that religious stuff. No thankee.
David Mitchell, Cloud Atlas (2004)
Not familiar with book or author.
Michael Moorcock, Mother London (1988)
I have read some MM, but I don't think I've read this. Although if you asked me what of his I have read, I couldn't tell you. Except it involved a lot of pig masks. In three volumes. I think.
William Morris, News From Nowhere (1890)
*shakes head*
Toni Morrison, Beloved (1987)
Nope.
Haruki Murakami, The Wind-up Bird Chronicle (1995)
Looked into getting it once.
Vladimir Nabokov, Ada or Ardor (1969)
I have no desire to encourage this guy. Whaddya mean he's dead? So he should be! ;)
Audrey Niffenegger, The Time Traveler's Wife (2003)
Hateful book. Why use two first person characters when you haven't the skill to differentiate them by their voices? And what's with the whole 'Henry is a good guy' shthick? Name me ONE THING he does in the book that has "good guy" chops. Just one. And what's with the whole section in the middle where it's all about "we love punk rock and always have", yet it has NEVER been mentioned before and it will NEVER be mentioned again? Not even good enough for compost. Bleargh.
Larry Niven, Ringworld (1970)
For someone who really doesn't like Niven that much, I've read an awful lot of him. Because, politics aside, it's Very Interesting.
Jeff Noon, Vurt (1993)
I had to go to GoodReads to find out which book of Noon's I've read, and it turned out to be "Pollen". Which I didn't like. So no "Vurt" for me. VurtVurt.
Flann O'Brien, The Third Policeman (1967)
Hmm, no. Although I intend to. Some day. Soon?
Ben Okri, The Famished Road (1991)
Not heard of this. Sounds cheery.
George Orwell, Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949)
Yes, more than once. Although I find it rather staid, dull and slow, tbh. Scarily on-the-mark about what the UK is turning into, but dull.
Chuck Palahniuk, Fight Club (1996)
Yes--after I saw the movie. Not at all bad.
Thomas Love Peacock, Nightmare Abbey (1818)
Unaware of this one prior.
Mervyn Peake, Titus Groan (1946)
Hmmm, think maybe I started this and couldn't get on with it. At all.
Frederik Pohl & CM Kornbluth, The Space Merchants (1953)
Title is vaguely familiar. I know I've read some Pohl, but GoodReads it say No on this one.
John Cowper Powys, A Glastonbury Romance (1932)
Nope. Not heard of it, although the guy's name is familiar.
Terry Pratchett, The Discworld series (1983- )
Well, I've read a lot of Pratchett. Not all of it, but stacks and stacks and stacks.
Christopher Priest, The Prestige (1995)
No. I've read one great book by Priest and one really awful one, so I'm kinda wondering which this is before buying it. And wondering. *wonder wonder*
Philip Pullman, His Dark Materials (1995-2000)
Well, I read book one--"Golden Compass" or "Northern Lights" as may be. Did.Not.Like. Decided not to read any more. Although I did find the film disconcerting; what the heck happened to the end of the book? It was nowhere to be seen! So are they going to start film two with the end of the first book? Strange.
(more in Part IV)
Michael Marshall Smith, Only Forward (1994)
Eh. No. Nothing by this guy.
Richard Matheson, I Am Legend (1954)
I was looking for it to read it just the other day, as it's been on BBC Radio 7 repeatedly, but I could not find it. So no. But I have seen the Charlton Heston film, and I have the Will Smith film waiting around somewhere to be watched, and I've heard countless episodes on the radio, and....
Charles Maturin, Melmoth the Wanderer (1820)
Umm? No.
Patrick McCabe, The Butcher Boy (1992)
No.
Cormac McCarthy, The Road (2006)
Yep. One of my top reads from last year. Compelling stuff.
Jed Mercurio, Ascent (2007)
Erm. Who? What?
China Miéville, The Scar (2002)
Nope. I think I did buy it once, but gave it away. Or maybe that was "Perdido Street Station". Either way, no. Nix. Nil. Not.
Andrew Miller, Ingenious Pain (1997)
Not ringing any bells.
Walter M Miller Jr, A Canticle for Leibowitz (1960)
Started it once, but couldn't get into it. All that religious stuff. No thankee.
David Mitchell, Cloud Atlas (2004)
Not familiar with book or author.
Michael Moorcock, Mother London (1988)
I have read some MM, but I don't think I've read this. Although if you asked me what of his I have read, I couldn't tell you. Except it involved a lot of pig masks. In three volumes. I think.
William Morris, News From Nowhere (1890)
*shakes head*
Toni Morrison, Beloved (1987)
Nope.
Haruki Murakami, The Wind-up Bird Chronicle (1995)
Looked into getting it once.
Vladimir Nabokov, Ada or Ardor (1969)
I have no desire to encourage this guy. Whaddya mean he's dead? So he should be! ;)
Hateful book. Why use two first person characters when you haven't the skill to differentiate them by their voices? And what's with the whole 'Henry is a good guy' shthick? Name me ONE THING he does in the book that has "good guy" chops. Just one. And what's with the whole section in the middle where it's all about "we love punk rock and always have", yet it has NEVER been mentioned before and it will NEVER be mentioned again? Not even good enough for compost. Bleargh.
Larry Niven, Ringworld (1970)
For someone who really doesn't like Niven that much, I've read an awful lot of him. Because, politics aside, it's Very Interesting.
Jeff Noon, Vurt (1993)
I had to go to GoodReads to find out which book of Noon's I've read, and it turned out to be "Pollen". Which I didn't like. So no "Vurt" for me. VurtVurt.
Flann O'Brien, The Third Policeman (1967)
Hmm, no. Although I intend to. Some day. Soon?
Ben Okri, The Famished Road (1991)
Not heard of this. Sounds cheery.
George Orwell, Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949)
Yes, more than once. Although I find it rather staid, dull and slow, tbh. Scarily on-the-mark about what the UK is turning into, but dull.
Chuck Palahniuk, Fight Club (1996)
Yes--after I saw the movie. Not at all bad.
Thomas Love Peacock, Nightmare Abbey (1818)
Unaware of this one prior.
Mervyn Peake, Titus Groan (1946)
Hmmm, think maybe I started this and couldn't get on with it. At all.
Frederik Pohl & CM Kornbluth, The Space Merchants (1953)
Title is vaguely familiar. I know I've read some Pohl, but GoodReads it say No on this one.
John Cowper Powys, A Glastonbury Romance (1932)
Nope. Not heard of it, although the guy's name is familiar.
Terry Pratchett, The Discworld series (1983- )
Well, I've read a lot of Pratchett. Not all of it, but stacks and stacks and stacks.
Christopher Priest, The Prestige (1995)
No. I've read one great book by Priest and one really awful one, so I'm kinda wondering which this is before buying it. And wondering. *wonder wonder*
Philip Pullman, His Dark Materials (1995-2000)
Well, I read book one--"Golden Compass" or "Northern Lights" as may be. Did.Not.Like. Decided not to read any more. Although I did find the film disconcerting; what the heck happened to the end of the book? It was nowhere to be seen! So are they going to start film two with the end of the first book? Strange.
(more in Part IV)
Monday, 2 February 2009
The Guardian Newspaper Thinks I Should Read These Books (Part II)
Bold means I've read it; strikethrough means I hated it; anything else is a mistake :D
Umberto Eco, Foucault's Pendulum (1988)
I think I tried reading something of his once, and couldn't get along with it. First impressions are so important.
Michel Faber, Under the Skin (2000)
This hasn't crossed my radar.
John Fowles, The Magus (1966)
Fowles isn't an author I've experimented with yet, perhaps because of all the Lavish Praise. Nothing so off-putting as hype :D.
Neil Gaiman, American Gods (2001)
It's upstairs. Waiting its turn. Has been for...eight years or so? Gah.
Alan Garner, Red Shift (1973)
Ah, yes, read this one during much the same period of childhood in which I read "Weirdstone of Brisingamen", "The Moon of Gomrath", "The Owl Service" and "Elidor". An odd book. Very difficult to follow, but it makes more sense if you familiarise yourself with the source material. Notice, "makes more sense", not, "makes sense" :).
While visiting my father last year, I also caught up with some of Garner's more recent work, including "Strandloper", "The Stone Quartet", and the somewhat-dislikeable "Thursbitch". He remains one of my favourite authors. Still, "Thursbitch" is definitely a candidate for defenestration.
William Gibson, Neuromancer (1984)
Not as good as "Count Zero", which I read first. But still better than most of what else was lying around at the time.
Charlotte Perkins Gilman, Herland (1915)
Actually tried to buy this on Saturday, but the bookshop Did Not Have. Stupid bookshop.
William Golding, Lord of the Flies (1954)
If I said, "It's hard to be British and not have read this book," I shall be deluged by posters commenting that THEY'RE British and THEY'VE never read it--as if it were something to be proud of. So I shan't. But still.
Joe Haldeman, The Forever War (1974)
Bought this years ago in a remainder shop that suddenly sprang up (overnight!) in a town where I used to live. It was trawled regularly and repeatedly. The book didn't strike me as being as wonderful as many people seem to think it is, though.
M John Harrison, Light (2002)
I tried to read this when it was a contender for the AC Clarke Award. I could not get along with it at all, unfortunately. Just too way out there. Brendan will remember this, most likely!
Nathaniel Hawthorne, The House of the Seven Gables (1851)
No, and not sure I would want to, after the desperately miserable "The Scarlet Letter". What a bunch of peeps in that! did they ever actually bother reading what Jesus had to say?
Robert A Heinlein, Stranger in a Strange Land (1961)
Umm, yeah, read this one. I went through a period of Trying to Like Heinlein. I really tried. Then I decided I Really Don't Like Heinlein, except for some of the YA books. And I'm cool with that.
Frank Herbert, Dune (1965)
Oh, God, the book of infinite POV shifts and lots of Telling You What's Going To Happen and HONOUR and WORMS. Makes a good doorstop, though.
Hermann Hesse, The Glass Bead Game (1943)
Nope. Heard of the author. Just not tried him yet.
Russell Hoban, Riddley Walker (1980)
Nope. The title is vaguely familiar, though.
James Hogg, The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner (1824)
Am entirely unfamiliar with this.
Michel Houellebecq, Atomised (1998)
And this.
Aldous Huxley, Brave New World (1932)
Anyone with genre pretensions has to have read this, right? Impudent Strumpet!
Kazuo Ishiguro, The Unconsoled (1995)
I have a book of his lying around waiting to be read, albeit not that one.
Shirley Jackson, The Haunting of Hill House (1959)
One day. Great film (the first one).
Henry James, The Turn of the Screw (1898)
Not this one, although I have read some James. Excellent snooze-food.
PD James, The Children of Men (1992)
As is this one.
Richard Jefferies, After London; Or, Wild England (1885)
Erm?
Gwyneth Jones, Bold as Love (2001)
Oh, my ignorance is showing!
Franz Kafka, The Trial (1925)
Nope, although if they'd chosen "Metamorphosis", I could look smug. But not very smug, cos that's the Kafka everyone who's read any Kafka has read. Kafkaf!
Daniel Keyes, Flowers for Algernon (1966)
A touching story that's been (unsuccessfully) emulated a few times.
Stephen King, The Shining (1977)
Confession time: The only ST I've read is his memoir-cum-howtowrite book.
Marghanita Laski, The Victorian Chaise-longue (1953)
Umm.
Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu, Uncle Silas (1864)
No.
Ursula K Le Guin, The Earthsea series (1968-1990)
Ursula K Le Guin, The Left Hand of Darkness (1969)
We are reading a lot of the UK Le Guins, we are, yes, precious. But not "Tehanu", precious, because everyone keeps saying not to. But the first three Earthsea books, yes, precious, and wasn't that an awful dramatisation we saw on the tv? Yesss, it was, precious. It was.
Stanislaw Lem, Solaris (1961)
It's upstairs. Waiting.
Doris Lessing, Memoirs of a Survivor (1974)
Yes, indeed. And I will read more of hers if/when I get my hands on it. Good stuff. If Very British.
CS Lewis, The Chronicles of Narnia (1950-56)
Recently re-read this, cover-to-cover, as part of the 100-books-challenge 2008. Even "The Last Battle", despite it infuriating me as a child. I even declared that I would never ever read it again! It made me that angry. Eh.
MG Lewis, The Monk (1796)
Am not knowing this.
David Lindsay, A Voyage to Arcturus (1920)
Or this.
Ken MacLeod, The Night Sessions (2008)
Have read some MacLeod. Just not this.
Hilary Mantel, Beyond Black (2005)
And we end pt 2 with yet another author/book I haven't heard of. Beginning to think my genre-cred is in peril!
Umberto Eco, Foucault's Pendulum (1988)
I think I tried reading something of his once, and couldn't get along with it. First impressions are so important.
Michel Faber, Under the Skin (2000)
This hasn't crossed my radar.
John Fowles, The Magus (1966)
Fowles isn't an author I've experimented with yet, perhaps because of all the Lavish Praise. Nothing so off-putting as hype :D.
Neil Gaiman, American Gods (2001)
It's upstairs. Waiting its turn. Has been for...eight years or so? Gah.
Alan Garner, Red Shift (1973)
Ah, yes, read this one during much the same period of childhood in which I read "Weirdstone of Brisingamen", "The Moon of Gomrath", "The Owl Service" and "Elidor". An odd book. Very difficult to follow, but it makes more sense if you familiarise yourself with the source material. Notice, "makes more sense", not, "makes sense" :).
While visiting my father last year, I also caught up with some of Garner's more recent work, including "Strandloper", "The Stone Quartet", and the somewhat-dislikeable "Thursbitch". He remains one of my favourite authors. Still, "Thursbitch" is definitely a candidate for defenestration.
William Gibson, Neuromancer (1984)
Not as good as "Count Zero", which I read first. But still better than most of what else was lying around at the time.
Charlotte Perkins Gilman, Herland (1915)
Actually tried to buy this on Saturday, but the bookshop Did Not Have. Stupid bookshop.
William Golding, Lord of the Flies (1954)
If I said, "It's hard to be British and not have read this book," I shall be deluged by posters commenting that THEY'RE British and THEY'VE never read it--as if it were something to be proud of. So I shan't. But still.
Joe Haldeman, The Forever War (1974)
Bought this years ago in a remainder shop that suddenly sprang up (overnight!) in a town where I used to live. It was trawled regularly and repeatedly. The book didn't strike me as being as wonderful as many people seem to think it is, though.
M John Harrison, Light (2002)
I tried to read this when it was a contender for the AC Clarke Award. I could not get along with it at all, unfortunately. Just too way out there. Brendan will remember this, most likely!
Nathaniel Hawthorne, The House of the Seven Gables (1851)
No, and not sure I would want to, after the desperately miserable "The Scarlet Letter". What a bunch of peeps in that! did they ever actually bother reading what Jesus had to say?
Robert A Heinlein, Stranger in a Strange Land (1961)
Umm, yeah, read this one. I went through a period of Trying to Like Heinlein. I really tried. Then I decided I Really Don't Like Heinlein, except for some of the YA books. And I'm cool with that.
Frank Herbert, Dune (1965)
Oh, God, the book of infinite POV shifts and lots of Telling You What's Going To Happen and HONOUR and WORMS. Makes a good doorstop, though.
Hermann Hesse, The Glass Bead Game (1943)
Nope. Heard of the author. Just not tried him yet.
Russell Hoban, Riddley Walker (1980)
Nope. The title is vaguely familiar, though.
James Hogg, The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner (1824)
Am entirely unfamiliar with this.
Michel Houellebecq, Atomised (1998)
And this.
Aldous Huxley, Brave New World (1932)
Anyone with genre pretensions has to have read this, right? Impudent Strumpet!
Kazuo Ishiguro, The Unconsoled (1995)
I have a book of his lying around waiting to be read, albeit not that one.
Shirley Jackson, The Haunting of Hill House (1959)
One day. Great film (the first one).
Henry James, The Turn of the Screw (1898)
Not this one, although I have read some James. Excellent snooze-food.
PD James, The Children of Men (1992)
As is this one.
Richard Jefferies, After London; Or, Wild England (1885)
Erm?
Gwyneth Jones, Bold as Love (2001)
Oh, my ignorance is showing!
Franz Kafka, The Trial (1925)
Nope, although if they'd chosen "Metamorphosis", I could look smug. But not very smug, cos that's the Kafka everyone who's read any Kafka has read. Kafkaf!
Daniel Keyes, Flowers for Algernon (1966)
A touching story that's been (unsuccessfully) emulated a few times.
Stephen King, The Shining (1977)
Confession time: The only ST I've read is his memoir-cum-howtowrite book.
Marghanita Laski, The Victorian Chaise-longue (1953)
Umm.
Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu, Uncle Silas (1864)
No.
Ursula K Le Guin, The Earthsea series (1968-1990)
Ursula K Le Guin, The Left Hand of Darkness (1969)
We are reading a lot of the UK Le Guins, we are, yes, precious. But not "Tehanu", precious, because everyone keeps saying not to. But the first three Earthsea books, yes, precious, and wasn't that an awful dramatisation we saw on the tv? Yesss, it was, precious. It was.
Stanislaw Lem, Solaris (1961)
It's upstairs. Waiting.
Doris Lessing, Memoirs of a Survivor (1974)
Yes, indeed. And I will read more of hers if/when I get my hands on it. Good stuff. If Very British.
CS Lewis, The Chronicles of Narnia (1950-56)
Recently re-read this, cover-to-cover, as part of the 100-books-challenge 2008. Even "The Last Battle", despite it infuriating me as a child. I even declared that I would never ever read it again! It made me that angry. Eh.
MG Lewis, The Monk (1796)
Am not knowing this.
David Lindsay, A Voyage to Arcturus (1920)
Or this.
Ken MacLeod, The Night Sessions (2008)
Have read some MacLeod. Just not this.
Hilary Mantel, Beyond Black (2005)
And we end pt 2 with yet another author/book I haven't heard of. Beginning to think my genre-cred is in peril!
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