20.7 - I Like Big Books And I Cannot Lie - Dionisia's Task - For Those We Love To Hate

[Jason]

I have 3 books that might fit the bill. will any of these work?

Brains: A Zombie Memoir
Soon I Will Be Invincible
Lord Foul's Bane

[Sandra]

Sorry if this has already been answered, but would A Simple Plan by Scott B. Smith work for this task?

[Dionisia]

Jason wrote: "I have 3 books that might fit the bill. will any of these work?

Brains: A Zombie Memoir
Soon I Will Be Invincible
Lord Foul's Bane"

The first two are fine but the last book (Lord Foul's Bane) does not fit this task.

[Dionisia]

Sandra wrote: "Sorry if this has already been answered, but would A Simple Plan by Scott B. Smith work for this task?"

Yes it works. I wish I could post a comment at the beginning of the thread of the accepted/denied books. That way people would not need to hunt for them!

[Karen Michele]

I'm going to move The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner: An Eclipse Novella to this task and that will clear my "read in public" task for one of my books that don't end up fitting anywhere else. Hooray!

[Lyn (Readinghearts)]

YAY, now I have another chance to read Perfume: The Story of a Murderer! Thanks for this task Dionisia.

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

It's going to be a challenge of the villains for me. I'm reading The Talented Mr. Ripley for this task, Perfume: The Story of a Murderer for the translated task, and The Collector, for 25.4B, second favorite genre.

[Erin (NY)]

How about The Lost Symbol I heard at least some of it is told from the POV of the villain?

[Cindy AL]

Dionisia, if you have a list of accepted books, maybe you could forward it to Cynthia and she could edit that into her original post???

Is there any easy way to tell on Goodreads if a book is in first person?

[Sheila]

Great idea Cindy.

[Dlmrose, Moderator Emeritus]

Would Booth: A Novel work? A GR reviewer wrote:

Using trial transcripts, pictures and diary entries, we're taken through the events--for the most part--by John Surratt, the only Lincoln conspirator not to be put to death. (Later in the book there's a short section where Booth takes over as narrator detailing the events of the assassination and his flight from justice.)

[Sandy, Moderator Emeritus]

Cindy wrote: "Is there any easy way to tell on Goodreads if a book is in first person? "

Does the book have to be told in first person, or just from the perspective of the villain? A book can be oriented from the perspective of a particular character without necessarily being told in the first person.

[Dionisia]

Hahaha. I disappear just when I was given props for my quick responses. I'm happy to see people warming up to the task! Thank you Cindy for the suggestion.

[Dionisia]

Erin wrote: "How about The Lost Symbol I heard at least some of it is told from the POV of the villain?"

Sorry this book does not fit.

[Dionisia]

Dlmrose wrote: "Would Booth: A Novel work? A GR reviewer wrote:
Using trial transcripts, pictures and diary entries, we're taken through the events--for the most part--by John Surratt, the only Linc..."

Yes, this book works. Hope you like it!

[Dionisia]

Sandy wrote: "Cindy wrote: "Is there any easy way to tell on Goodreads if a book is in first person? "

Does the book have to be told in first person, or just from the perspective of the villain? A book can b..."

I would prefer the book be written in the first person. I want the reader to get inside the head of the "bad guy" and see the story play out from their point of view. I also am flexible on this issue. As long as the book captures the essence of the task I will count it.

[Heather]

So would Lolita work then? Thanks!

[Dionisia]

Heather wrote: "So would Lolita work then? Thanks!"

Yes. Enjoy!

[Janice]

I just found another book that will work for this task. It sounds very intriguing, and I own it. Hooray! True History of the Kelly Gang by Peter Carey. It is biographical fiction and narrated by Ned Kelly.

[Dee]

would Genghis: Birth of an Empire work...from what I can see its from his perspective...

[Dionisia]

True History of the Kelly Gang - Yes
Genghis: Birth of an Empire - Yes

[Usako]

The Invisible Man
The True Story of the Three Little Pigs
The Vampire Lestat
Darkly Dreaming Dexter
American Psycho
Kickback
Grunts
Grendel

[Usako]

The Hot Rock, What's So Funny? by Donald E. Westlake - thief

Caught Stealing
Death in the Death "Discworld" Books

http://mysterycrimefiction.suite101.c...

[Juniper]

Dionisia wrote: "True History of the Kelly Gang - Yes

Sa-weet! Good find Janice. I also own this and am very glad it fits a task this summer.

Thanks Dionisia. Great task. :D

[Dionisia]

Tanja wrote: "The Invisible Man
The True Story of the Three Little Pigs
The Vampire Lestat
Darkly Dreaming Dexter
American Psycho
[book:Kick..."

All of these books will work for my task.

[Dionisia]

Tanja wrote: "The Hot Rock, What's So Funny? by Donald E. Westlake - thief

Caught Stealing
Death in the Death "Discworld" Books

http://mysterycrimef..."

The two Donald Westlake books you mentioned work. Sorry, Caught Stealing does not fit this task. Also, I'm not familiar with the "Discworld" books you referred to. Are these the books written by Terry Pratchett? They do not seem to fit this task. Unless you have a specific book in mind you want to make a case for...that's a general "no" on this series.

[Usako]

Reaper Man -- It's the Death focused Discworld book. The perspective is from Death.

[Cassandra]

Tanja wrote: "Reaper Man -- It's the Death focused Discworld book. The perspective is from Death."

Death definitely isn't the villain in that book, it's either the Auditors or New Death. I don't think he's a villainous character at all, but that could be my opinion and my track record for this task is horrible.

[Dionisia]

Tanja wrote: "Reaper Man -- It's the Death focused Discworld book. The perspective is from Death."

Sorry to shoot you down again but this one won't work. Judging from the description and reviews it seems like this book features a cast of characters dealing with the absence of death. Death itself shares some focus but "his" perspective doesn't seem to be the meat of the book.

[Liz M]

Les Liaisons Dangereuses?

"It is the story of the Marquise de Merteuil and the Vicomte de Valmont, two rivals (and ex-lovers) who use sex as a weapon to humiliate and degrade others, all the while enjoying their cruel games.... The book is an epistolary novel, composed entirely of letters written by the various characters to each other. In particular, the letters between Valmont and the Marquise drive the plot, with those of other characters serving as illustrations to give the story its depth."

[Dionisia]

Liz wrote: "Les Liaisons Dangereuses?

"It is the story of the Marquise de Merteuil and the Vicomte de Valmont, two rivals (and ex-lovers) who use sex as a weapon to humiliate and degrade others, ..."

I'll accept it.

[Kate]

I was wondering if Artemis Fowl would work for this task.

[Leigh Ann]

I was originally planning to read Bree Tanner for this one, but I saw Thirteen Reasons Why on one of the ads and after reading the synopsis I'm wondering if it would fit here. I think it would really have to do with personal opinion on who the real villain is! What do you think?

[Dionisia]

Kathryn wrote: "I was wondering if Artemis Fowl would work for this task."

Yes, it fits.

[Dionisia]

Leigh Ann wrote: "I was originally planning to read Bree Tanner for this one, but I saw Thirteen Reasons Why on one of the ads and after reading the synopsis I'm wondering if it would fit here. I thi..."

Sorry, Thirteen Reasons Why does not fit this task.

[Sarah (Mood Reader)]

I have two of Lawrence's Block's books... Small Town and Hit Parade would either of these work??

[Dionisia]

Sarah wrote: "I have two of Lawrence's Block's books... Small Town and Hit Parade would either of these work??"

Hit Parade - Yes
Small Town - No

[ColleenPA]

Would The Third Witch: A Novel work? It's from the perspective of one of the witches in Macbeth.

[Lisa]

Dionisia, I just finished reading this dark, chilling story of a family suffering from the death of a child at the hands of a serial killer. The story is told from the POV of a 12 y/o boy and the POV of the serial killer. It definitely takes you into the mind of the killer and his manipulations. I hope this works for your task, and I highly recommend it to anyone else. My stomach is still churning!

[Dionisia]

Lisa wrote: "

Dionisia, I just finished reading this dark, chilling story of a family suffering from the death of a child at the hands of a serial killer. The story is told fr..."

Sorry, this book doesn't work for my task. The story follows 12 yr old Stephen. Sounds good though! I've added it to my TBR mountain.

ColleenPA wrote: "Would The Third Witch: A Novel work? It's from the perspective of one of the witches in Macbeth."

Yes, this works.

[Liz]

Hi,
Does The Postman Always Rings Twice work?
In a nutshell- It's narrated by a morally deficient good-for-nothing guy who has a torrid love affair with a married woman and then schemes to kill the woman's husband...

[Dionisia]

Liz wrote: "Hi,
Does The Postman Always Rings Twice work?
In a nutshell- It's narrated by a morally deficient good-for-nothing guy who has a torrid love affair with a married woman and then scheme..."

This works.

[Jennifer N.]

Would The Butcher Boy by Patrick McCabe work for this?

[Dionisia]

Jennifer N. wrote: "Would The Butcher Boy by Patrick McCabe work for this?"

Yes.

[Rachel Lee]

Would 'Scuse Me While I Kill This Guy work? It is from the POV of an assasin.

[Melanie]

What about novels with Erik (the Phantom of the Opera)'s POV? He's the villain in the TPOTO..

[Dionisia]

Melanie wrote: "What about novels with Erik (the Phantom of the Opera)'s POV? He's the villain in the TPOTO.."

Rachel Lee wrote: "Would 'Scuse Me While I Kill This Guy work? It is from the POV of an assasin."

Both are fine.

[Jennifer]

Dionisia wrote: "Kathryn wrote: "I was wondering if Artemis Fowl would work for this task."

Yes, it fits."

Would all the Artemis Fowl books work for this task? I've read the first, but would like to read the second, Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident, if it fits.

Thanks.

[Dionisia]

Jennifer L. wrote: "Dionisia wrote: "Kathryn wrote: "I was wondering if Artemis Fowl would work for this task."

Yes, it fits."

Would all the Artemis Fowl books work for this task? I've read the fi..."

Sure

[Foxy Grandma]

How about Zombie by Joyce Carol Oates?

This is the first person narrative in the form of diary entries of a serial rapist/killer. According to Amazon's review "Joyce Carol Oates has so convincingly written through the voice of a killer, you will feel nervous while reading at how familiar, how human, he is."