Dan’s Comments (group member since Mar 02, 2009)

Dan’s comments from the fiction files redux group.

Nope, never heard of it. But it's on my radar now. I see from some reviews that it too has been compared to the road. That's the standard by which all apocalyptic novels are judged. I was previously using the Left Behind series as my standard.

I got it.

Sorry I was slow on getting the event created. If you didn't get notification of the event you can jut click Events in the right hand column of this page and see it there.

So I just read Peter Heller's first novel, The Dog Stars the other day and enjoyed it quite a bit. It's a post-apocalyptic novel and has drawn comparisons to The Road.

Has anyone else read this? How do you think it compares to The Road or other post-apocalyptic novels?

Hey Smarty, once you've got the lease agreement squared away let me know and I will create an event on here (that's a thing you can do right?).

I should still be good with that

Dan (&most likely Katie)!

Sorry Folks that I didn't pop back in in time to do the Polls. Extra thanks to Mo for taking charge. What an assertive Canadian (and that's why we love her)!

Is a price anything like a cheeto?

@Patty: One thing that struck me on my second reading of IJ was just how different I experienced the Eschaton scene. The first time I read it I remember it being very funny. As I felt it's approach the second time around I was geared up for hilarity and then found it much sadder.

I was wondering if this was because I'd changed in the three years between readings or if perhaps the comedy or absurdity of it is only hilarious if you don't know what's coming. And once you know what's coming you are able to see the scene more completely.

Either way the Eschaton scene is one of the most memorable scenes for me.

Please do, I think spending more than a couple minutes with it at a store would be necessary for a legitimate review. I have always found my iPad too heavy to read comfortably with (though I have read a couple of books on it). I also think that the back lit screen is somewhat bothersome to read on after a long day at work staring at a back lit screen.

I might be able to find the time to do so. I know where I can look at Kobo's and Nook's but will have to track down where they are selling Kindle's in physical locations. I hope I don't have to go to a Walmart, on a weekend no less!

Alternatively, we could watch this 20 minute video review of all three of them:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=...#!

I don't know how good it is as I am at work and can't watch the whole thing but hey, it's 20 minutes.

@Jim, I have been wondering the same thing. While owning a Kindle (a gift) I hardly find myself using it. I have only purchased Infinite Jest but have more than 20 public domain books loaded.

I am still annoyed by Amazon's insistence on its proprietary format.
I'd really like to compare the Paperwhite, Nook Glowlight and Koboglo. I am partial to the Nook and the Kobo because they are able to use standard formats like epub. Maybe I should take a look at all three this weekend and report back.

Oh no worries, I think I spend more time reading about DFW than most people so when I saw these posts I knew exactly where to find it.

I'm a big fan of audiobooks for my commutes and road trips. I've not tried to combine it with exercise (largely from a lack of exercising).

Were the commenters on Audible saying that it was not truly unabridged because of the lack of end notes or because other things were omitted?

Here's a link to an interview w/the reader of the IJ audiobook:

http://joyofsox.blogspot.com/2012/07/...

Apparently, Hachette Audio is also going to eventually be putting out the end notes as a separate recording at some point.

don't mind me, I'm just leaving a comment here so I get future notifications. I missed nearly all of these comments.

I use this image as my desktop image at work, in a library:

Patty wrote: "Hal says "I am in here." Is this a reference to the room he is in? It seems redundant to say so, if that's all he is saying. If it's not, where is he "in?"

I took this to mean that he is inside himself, or that Hal (or what it means to be a person, to be Hal) is inside his corporeal self, unable to verbally communicate in any recognizable manner. In a way alluding to what he knows is to come when forced to communicate.

Hal is fully aware that at this juncture his body can, and will, betray him and his intentions. He has to try and hope for the best.

I believe I appear neutral, maybe even pleasant, though I've been coached to err on the side of neutrality and not attempt what would feel to me like a pleasant expression or smile.

I have committed to crossing my legs I hope carefully, ankle on knee, hands together on the lap of my slacks.

I'm here, alive and reading (this thread). I have been doing so from my phone which is a not a fun device to respond with. There's so much to respond to, where to begin? I'm going to identify the posters and the message number in an attempt to keep things clear.

@Patty (message 104) - It could be the mold but it could also be the (view spoiler)[DMZ, the mold that grows on a mold. It seems likely to me that it has something to do with mold. (hide spoiler)]

@Jim (message 114) - The depiction of the "marijuana thinking" is so unbelievably realistic. It mirrors the exact behavior of a guy I once new, in of all places Tucson. I can't tell you how many bongs he got rid of in a particularly intense month. These are the kind of details that I didn't get or appreciate enough until the second read through.

I'll be back with more in a bit, the Superstition Mountains are calling to me this morning.

This link is likely loaded with spoilers but it is a discussion on *cough*Librarything*cough* IJ and Hamlet.

Read it at your own risk:
http://www.librarything.com/topic/92282