Book Nerd’s
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(group member since Dec 20, 2018)
Book Nerd’s
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from the Never too Late to Read Classics group.
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I want to read all the Hainnish stories. I should read Planet of Exile soon.



Jen wrote: "I guess this is his second novel so maybe not much development between the two. Book Nerd, you had said later works are written better, no?"
I think he's written muich better stories than Carrie. I'm sure his prose improves as he writes but I'm really not sure when.
I'm about a quarter of the way through. It's been a looong time since I read this so a lot of it is practically new. It's really Stephen King's Dracula.

My copy had an afterword by author Jonathan Lethem which I found very insightful and deepened my appreciation all the more. How sad she died at 48 so we have only so much work from her. I will go through her oeuvre slowly to make it last :)"
I liked it a lot too.
We're reading The Haunting of Hill House in May.
Jen wrote: "Oh- question... perhaps it escapes me because of my reading pause- anyone know or remember how old the narrator is? I've just learned Constance/older sis is ~28. Cousin who has just arrived is a bit older than her, 32, I think. Disregard. I've read she's 18, so.. she's kinda eerie since her behavior seems much younger."
Yeah, she's clearly stunted by what happened.
"cozy-creepy" is a great descriptrion.

I didn't realize how short this one is. Reading slowly I'll be done in a couple of days.


This novel also introduced Le Guin’s brilliant Hainish Cycle, where she describes the universe as having been settled and re-discovered by a race founded on Hain (not Earth, or Terra) as she identified our planet. Le Guin also introduced her instant communicator, the ansible, that has been used in other author’s books and has proven a uniquely necessary concept in the science fiction genre.
This is fun and reveals some of the talent that Le Guin would later display in mastery. Le Guin’s description of different alien races was vaguely reminiscent of Edgar Rice Burroughs.

Only the best and brightest--the strongest and the most courageous--ever manage to become Space Cadets, at the Space Academy. They are in training to be come part of the elite guard of the solar system, accepting missions others fear, taking risks no others dare, and upholding the peace of the solar system for the benefit of all.
But before Matt Dodson can earn his rightful place in the ranks, his mettle is to be tested in the most severe and extraordinary ways--ways that change him forever, from the midwestern American boy into a man of the Solar Patrol.