Jordan’s Comments (group member since Jan 18, 2015)

Jordan’s comments from the Return of the Rogue Readers group.

Welcome Ryan, please feel free to discuss this or any previously discussed book. Normally, I encourage members to read the book together, for a shared experience sort of thing, but you are allowed to discuss any of our books at any time. Did you enjoy American Gods?

This was my second time reading American Gods. I read the original print version years ago and this time I listened to the "preferred text" audiobook. I couldn't tell you the differences though. Too much time has passed.

Shadow is probably my least favorite of Gaiman's primary characters. He didn't grab my attention like Wednesday, Mad Sweeney, Czernobog (who was one of my favorites too)...and most of the other characters, now that I think about it. I didn't dislike him, he was just kinda bland.

The idea that there were multiple versions of Odin was interesting to me. Our Wednesday mentions that he was brought here with ancient Viking explorers and that he is independent of the Odin back home. I would like to read the rule book to this god game.

Overall, I enjoyed the book a great deal and I am looking forward to the show.

Danielle, I relate to the contrast between vibes in the story. Until the end, when Wednesday's true plan is revealed, I knew I was *supposed* to root for the old gods, but I didn't really know why

Sorry guys, I had my dates mixed up. American Gods is now open for discussion!

Discussion will begin Saturday April 1st

The winner is: American Gods by Neil Gaiman!

Discussion will begin Saturday April 1st

Hands down, the text entry function the worst part of this app, and that's saying a lot, because this app blows.

I'll throw the poll up shortly.

Garret, I think it's your turn. What selection do you have for the club?

Haha, good point Amy. Both characters did suffer hand injuries. Are you a big Star Wars fan?

I think King is weak when it comes to showing that characters are growing close. He frequently says things like "And that was when he realized he loved the dog." I would rather read a few lines here and there where a man pets the dog, gives him a bath, maybe the fall asleep together on a hammock...some kind of narration that shows a bond being made. Instead he usually just tells us that someone loves someone else.

In related criticism, King is a BIG fan of telling us how something will never happen again. I can't tell you how many times I've read sentences like "Little did the gardener know that this would be the last time he pulled weeds from the flower bed."

Group, what did you think of the Roland/Jake relationship?

Amy, I don't think he has a learning disability. My take on Roland's character is that King wrote him to be more of an everyman type that has one particular skill as opposed to the superhuman abilities of other heros at the time. The Gunslinger was written at a time when boys looked up to Luke Skywalker, Indiana Jones, James Bond, etc. Those guys are really good at everything. Jones and Bond are suave adventurers who never lose a fight, always get the girl, and win the admiration of everyone they meet. Luke Skywalker is basically a god.

To me, Roland is much more relatable. He isn't anything special. In fact, in his world he is a touch below average. His moments of excellence are due to a lifetime of practicing a specific set of skills.

I hope some of our other members chose to read this and I too look forward to hearing the thoughts of mid-world virgins.

As this was your third turn on the wheel I am curious what new experiences you had. I forgot many of the details and was able to relive some of the magic along the way, but the core experience was the same.

It's been a busy holiday season and I forgot to post this. Appy polly loggies.

Without further ado, lets discuss The Gunslinger!

This is my second time reading this book and it's been...a decade and a half? I forgot much about it, yet found the tale familiar. I know Some of you have read this before and some are reading it for the first time. This series is part of what made me a fan of books.

One of the things that stood out to me on this re-read is how Roland is portrayed as almost a simpleton. I think at one point during the flashbacks to his boyhood days in Giliad it's said that he was neither smart nor fast and it seems like his character remains well within the range of normal human skills (even below average in some respects) until he draws his guns.

OMG! Sorry Amy! I didn't think anyone was going to read the book, so Danielle suggested we change it.

DOUBLE OMG! I Just noticed there are 19 members in the club currently. Ka is a wheel!

Has anyone been able to find an audiobook? I can't seem to track one down.

I have never heard of it! Goodreads says 336 pages, and since this is a busy time of year, hows about we shoot for the Monday after Christmas. That's more time than you savages should need to read a book!

Danielle, you are up!

Yes, probably. Isn't making a joke about the Irish drinking racist?

Mike, glad you are still here!

While I get where you are coming from with the Disney-style ending of The Jungle, for me it felt kinda like Sinclair was a sophomore in college who had to write a persuasive paper for a creative writing class, but spent the weeks leading up to the due date smoking the reefer and reading edgy Marxist blog posts. He had the essay finished and while proofreading it he realized he spaced and never actually wrote the motivational, persuasive end of the tale. So, at 3am he scrambled to come up with something that was remotely coherent and this is what we got.

With that being said I agree with the rest of your interpretation. I didn't know Wilde's fate until after I finished this novel. Once I did things made a lot more sense and I can definitely agree on the autobiographical vibe.

I have actually heard of the Queensbury rules, but only as a side joke in novels or cartoons. I never actually knew what they meant.

Man. Imagine that. You are one of the very few "publically" gay people in England. That alone is currently a crime and it happens your lover is the son of the guy who wrote the book on boxing. He calls you out at your favorite club and a long, horrible lawsuit follows. It ultimately ruins you socially and financially and you poor and alone in some French hillbilly ghetto.

Has Shia Labeouf performed in that prison?

Amy, Mike isn't being racist. He is Irish and is allowed to say whatever he wants about the Irish. Just like I can say whatever I want about the Greeks or Italians. Them's the rules, fam.

And yes, I have heard of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. It's the movie that made Sean Connery quit acting.

I have only seen the movie adaptation. Garret would be the one to talk to about that. He knows the source material and the source material for the source material.