Book Nerd’s Comments (group member since Dec 20, 2018)

Book Nerd’s comments from the Never too Late to Read Classics group.

I really enjoyed this. It kept me guessing until the very end with all the very different deaths.
(view spoiler)[I was thinking some Lovecraftian terror or avenging angels and near the end I thought there wouldn't be any explanation. I'm not sure if that would have been better.
The explanation was kind of diappointing to me. I know it's over a hundred years old but we've seen the whole "when animals attack" plot so often it feels like a huge cliche, (hide spoiler)]

Mbuye wrote: "The terror it describes could not possibly be a terror to our blasé twenty-first century minds, but the skill and the deliberate, slow and even tortuous descriptions really makes the hair stand on end"
Yeah, that's something old horror does really well.

I'll read this in a few days.

I hate when a goodreads description is just talking about the publisher and nothing about the plot of the book. I think this one is better: The Terror A Mystery: ARTHUR MACHEN

I've been wanting to read this for a while. The three books should be good to read sometime in 2024.

The Cosmic Trilogy relates the interplanetary travels of Ransom, C.S. Lewis's ill-informed and terrified victim who leaves Earth much against his will.

Out of the Silent Planet
Dr Ransom, a Cambridge academic, is abducted and taken on a spaceship to the red planet of Malacandra, which he knows as Mars. His captors are plotting to plunder the planet's treasures and plan to offer Ransom as a sacrifice to the creatures who live there. Ransom discovers he has come from the 'silent planet' – Earth – whose tragic story is known throughout the universe...

Perelandra
Perelandra continues the adventures of the extraordinary Dr. Ransom. Pitted against the most destructive of human weaknesses, temptation, the great man must battle evil on a new planet — Perelandra — when it is invaded by a dark force. Will Perelandra succumb to this malevolent being, who strives to create a new world order and who must destroy an old and beautiful civilization to do so? Or will it throw off the yoke of corruption and achieve a spiritual perfection as yet unknown to man? The outcome of Dr. Ransom's mighty struggle alone will determine the fate of this peace-loving planet.

That Hideous Strength
The story surrounds Mark and Jane Studdock, a newly married couple. Mark is a Sociologist who is enticed to join an organisation called N.I.C.E. which aims to control all human life. His wife, meanwhile, has bizarre prophetic dreams about a decapitated scientist, Alcasan. As Mark is drawn inextricably into the sinister organisation, he discovers the truth of his wife’s dreams when he meets the literal head of Alcasan which is being kept alive by infusions of blood.

Jane seeks help concerning her dreams at a community called St Anne’s, where she meets their leader – Dr Ransom (the main character of the previous two titles in the trilogy). The story ends in a final spectacular scene at the N.I.C.E. headquarters where Merlin appears to confront the powers of Hell.

Mbuye wrote: "That's just it. It is so accurate in some parts that when the God of Death, for example, lights a cigarette, I'm thrown completely off."
Yeah, it should be a hooka or something to be more on theme but it was the late 60s and Zelazny was a smoker so there are cigarettes.

Vince wrote: "Lord of Light is one of my favorite books of all time. Chapter 3, I think, was first published separately as a short story, and even before I discovered that I thought it was one of the best parts of the book."
That's cool.

Mbuye wrote: "Tried very hard to get into this book, which is a sci-fi classic, but got very confused with intrusive images from Hindu and Buddhist mythology. The less you know of either of those, I imagine, the easier to read Zelazny."
So it's not that accurate to the real mythology?

I know him from The Chronicles of Amber. I've been meaning to read Lord of Light for a long time now.

Thanks. That looks great.

Pam wrote: "Did you happen to read The Garden of Forking Paths? I listen to a lot of literary podcasts and was surprised to find a recent episode about this Borges short story."
It was a great story.

Welcome to the new members.

Earth is long since dead. On a colony planet, a band of men has gained control of technology, made themselves immortal, and now rule their world as the gods of the Hindu pantheon. Only one dares oppose them: he who was once Siddhartha and is now Mahasamatman. Binder of Demons, Lord of Light.

I haven't read any other Bester. What other books is he known for?

Yeah, I've heard the new movie is good. I might see it next week. There are actually a few movies worth seeing out now.

His autobiography was actually really interesting too.

Yeah, the women are okay but none of the characters are that likable. That's okay to me.

Lol, yeah the circus is really Suess-ical.

John Dishwasher wrote: "Book Nerd wrote: "I really didn't get The Matrix at all..."

Not the story. Just the way he could move super fast. Like Neo could speed up and watch a bullet go by."
But you can't move faster than a bullet. There is no spoon.

John wrote: "I've probably read too much sci-fi already in the last few weeks, but this one has attracted me because of a review claiming that it is to speculative fiction what the "Velvet Underground and Nico"..."
Great. I've never heard of that album, I'm pretty ignorant about music but I'll give it a listen.

Pam wrote: "I’ve listened to ~10% and really liking it so far! Also, the narrator is really good."
Yeah, I hate audiobooks too. I really can't focus on them very well.

In the beginning Gully is pretty stupid and hateable. He's never actually likable for certain reasons but it becomes a Count of Monte Cristo type story, which is interesting. And then the ending is wild.

Now I see why The Vicar of Nibbleswicke wasn't included in my Roald Dahl Collection. It contains some mild fake profanity which will be very amusing to kids and childish adults like me.

Matilda was great.

Wijdan wrote: "Matilda is awesome I wish Roald Dahl wrote another book about her!"

Yeah, she could easily have had more stories.

Lesle wrote: "Mr Hoppy and his love from afar of his neighbor and what he does to make her dream come true.
Backward spells and forward spells make things happen and takes care of things when they go wrong!

On my goodness this was such an enjoyable fun read."
I can't believe he got away with that.

Welcome Jimena.

Wow, he went full Phillip K. Dick at the end there. It reminded me a lot of The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch.