Monthly Group Reads: Reading the Poll Losers Instead?

[Dawn]

I find it's always a good incentive to read a book when it comes up in a poll.

[Portia]

Yes, and the whole premise of Pure fascinates me, when the past and the future face off.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Jean wrote: "First impressions; this is very much my kind of book. The premise is more ghoulish than I usually go for but I'm fascinated by practicalities so I want to know how the young engineer will sort out ..."

You and I feel the same way about this book, Jean. I'll be watching to see if you like it all the way to the end like I did.
I find it is a subtle book, but very deep...and I don't mind going deep.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Dawn wrote: "
I really liked the pre-revolution setting. I would like to find more HF based at the time. It sounds like a very intere..."

Over the years I have struggled to find something with this setting and from this era. They are rare. You kind of need to go classics or romance if you want to be in this setting.

[Dawn]

Terri wrote: "You kind of need to go classics or romance if you want to be in this setting...."

I think I'm heading more the classics side....

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

lol. yeah. Thought you would. ;)

[Jane]

Terri wrote: "Dawn wrote: "
I really liked the pre-revolution setting. I would like to find more HF based at the time. It sounds like a very intere..."

Over the years I have struggled to find something with thi..."

There's one by Hilary Mantel: A Place of Greater Safety. It's on my tbr list; I don't know how much is pre-Revolution, though...

[Dawn]

I've been looking at that one, I haven't decided to add it to the TBR yet but I've had my eye on it for about 6 months.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

I added it. I have avoided it until now, but I decided to give into it. :)

[Jean]

I have had that book for several years and never got round to reading it :(

I feel the 'homework/back in school' side of a reading group but there's also the back-in-school behaviour of talking about pandas and other things instead of the lesson. I like that :)

[Lia]

I enjoy Pure so far. The writing style feels smart.

I do have an issue with the use of initial only names. This probably will take one star away if it continue to irritates me whenever I encounter it further down.

[Jean]

I agree, Lia! It's something that irritates me in books actually written pre 20thC and as 'Pure' doesn't keep to other 19th C features of style, this irritates me too.

[Jane]

Jean wrote: "I agree, Lia! It's something that irritates me in books actually written in pre 20thC books and as 'Pure' doesn't keep to other 19th C features of style, this irritates me too."

It annoyed me too, and using ______ for the name of a place but I didn't take anything off. I know it's all over 19th cent. literature, but I noticed it most in Chekhov.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Why is it used? What was the background for it? Does anybody know? Why did they ever use initials and ______ in the first place?

[Jean]

I'm guessing it was to imply it was a real place/person and the equivalent of what we do now with pseudos and invented names to avoid being sued but I stand to be corrected.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Ah. Yes, that makes sense. Thanks.

[Bryn]

Yes, I thought it was to be politely noncommittal: you know the place I'm talking about but I won't offend with names. Like our 'any resemblance is coincidental'.

[Alicja]

I went in search of God of War again I my library and the nice librarian looked up all the copies in existence in all the libraries in their databases and found copies in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand but not a single one in the US. WTF? How can there not be a single copy in any of the US libraries?

[[deleted user]]

Alicja wrote: "I went in search of God of War again I my library and the nice librarian looked up all the copies in existence in all the libraries in their databases and found copies in the UK, Australia, and New..."

That is strange. Especially considering that Christian Cameron is an American author.

[Dawn]

That's crazy. I wouldn't believe it but WorldCat does not have any copies of it in the US.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

How can this be??? That is the strangest thing!!


(isn't Cameron Canadian? Or does he just live in Canada..or am I thinking of C.C. Humphreys

[Darcy]

He was in the American Navy, the bio at the back of the book doesn't actually state what his nationality is. But he lives in Toronto (Canada)

[Alicja]

Bio says he was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania so at least American born. It is weird that there isn't a single copy in the US library.

Also, I just noticed on amazon.com that on their US website for the book: http://www.amazon.com/Alexander-God-W...

It says, "This title has not yet been released."

Could it be possible that it had an earlier release date by two years in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand than the US? If so, then we should wait a few months after the US release and then maybe Terri would be nice enough to place it on a poll again. :)

[Jane]

Dawn wrote: "That's crazy. I wouldn't believe it but WorldCat does not have any copies of it in the US."

Sometimes libraries do not report their holdings. That was part of my job as cataloger, to use OCLC, which is connected to worldcat, and update holdings, either add, edit cataloging record, or delete as appropriate.

[Daniel]

Darcy wrote: "He was in the American Navy, the bio at the back of the book doesn't actually state what his nationality is. But he lives in Toronto (Canada)"

US born Canadian...and his book is available here...which makes one wonder

[Dawn]

It doesn't say anything on his official website about it's US release date.
But as far as I can tell from other sources it was released in the UK October 11, 2012; Canada December 4, 2012 and the US June 1, 2014.

[Alicja]

Dawn wrote: "It doesn't say anything on his official website about it's US release date.
But as far as I can tell from other sources it was released in the UK October 11, 2012; Canada December 4, 2012 and the ..."

Does it say why there is a 2 year lag between the release dates?

[Dawn]

Nothing, I could only find dates. No explanations!

[Jane]

Alicja wrote: "I went in search of God of War again I my library and the nice librarian looked up all the copies in existence in all the libraries in their databases and found copies in the UK, Australia, and New..."

I just looked on worldcat.org and found many in NY State that were academic or public libraries. Did your librarian put "Cameron, Christian" [the "s are important in the keyword search box at the top. It says, for instance, Binghamton University, two miles down the road from where I live, [OCLC symbol BNG] has it. Plus there are a whole slew of SUNY's that have it.

[Alicja]

Jane wrote: "Alicja wrote: "I went in search of God of War again I my library and the nice librarian looked up all the copies in existence in all the libraries in their databases and found copies in the UK, Aus..."

I'm not sure what she did but I also don't know if we can get stuff from University libraries since I only have access to a public library (I miss being in school and having such awesome libraries at my disposal).

[Dawn]

Should have known to check different spellings. I spend enough time swearing at my work programs for pathetic search engines!

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

So there are copies in US public libraries, Jane?
I checked World Cat too but couldn't find anything in the US.
I searched Alexander and God of War with Author Christian Cameron.
I got the book in results, with both titles (Alexander: God of War seems to be the US title), but none were in the US.

[Dawn]

I don't find any in the US no matter what I type in so Jane must have secret powers!! :)

[Lia]

It is available on Apple iBook Store for US$8.99 but not yet available on Kindle Store

[Jane]

Dawn wrote: "I don't find any in the US no matter what I type in so Jane must have secret powers!! :)"

The generic worldcat.org is not the greatest. [That's a real understatement!]
I miss the OCLC cataloging software I used to use at BCC library.

[Lia]

These thought stuck into my mind so far while reading Pure;

1. I am so thankful someone invented ballpen. No need to carry ink bottle when I went shopping, nor looking for sand to dry the ink.

2. What a different Christmas celebration people had back then. No Santa? Who will I asked for a new Kindle?

3. Johnny Depp will k*ll to play Jean-Baptiste. "That costume will look fabulous on me" He said.

[Jean]

lol, Lia :) I had a 'Pure' interruption by a) urgent need to read book about Edith Piaf's last love (I've been asked to translate it from French) and b) nasty ankle sprain from falling over a stone. Will be back into it this weekend and looking forward to it!

[Jane]

Lia wrote: "These thought stuck into my mind so far while reading Pure;

1. I am so thankful someone invented ballpen. No need to carry ink bottle when I went shopping, nor looking for sand to ..."

for #2. The Dutch had Sinter Klaas. They brought him to America. Too bad Jean-Baptiste was in the wrong country--but he could have trotted over to Holland.:)

[Lia]

Jean wrote: "... b) nasty ankle sprain from falling over a stone..."

Ouch! I hope you'll get better soon.

[Jane]

Lia wrote: "Jean wrote: "... b) nasty ankle sprain from falling over a stone..."

Ouch! I hope you'll get better soon."

So do I! Sprains are no fun!

[Lia]

Jane wrote: "... for #2. ... Too bad Jean-Baptiste was in the wrong country--but he could have trotted over to Holland.:) ..."

He needed that fresh air from Holland too. Even his sister started to hinted it to him. :)

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Lia wrote: "These thought stuck into my mind so far while reading Pure;

1. I am so thankful someone invented ballpen. No need to carry ink bottle when I went shopping, nor looking for sand to ..."


Haha. Nice one.
Would it be good for Depp's career to play yet another costume clad character? ;) Then again, I think he loves wearing costumes so much he won't care itf it is good for his career.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Heal soon, Jean.

[Jean]

Thanks, people! Looked gruesome at first but is healing well and as this is France, the doctor's prescribed physio, so I'm in good hands. Am away this weekend and intend to put my feet up and read 'Pure'!

[Jane]

Elevating your foot is a good idea!!!

[Jean]

Foot is duly elevated! Hope it doesn't get ideas above its station :)

I'm really into 'Pure', a third of the way through now. I am there with Jean-Baptiste, embarrassed for him in his would-be trendy clothes, his evasions (and downright lies) and I believe every word of the novel. His attempt to motivate the workers reminded me of my first time taking my place as the teacher in a classroom - cringe-making! The people, the place and the time feel so real.

Loved the visit home and the switch from 'Yay, home!' to 'I don't really belong here.'

'Smooring' was a word I didn't know, but guessed from context, and when I looked it up, I found it was a Scottish word (so I should have known it with two Scots parents) But what's a Scots word doing here?

One favourite quote is 'Hospital is a dangerous place. Especially for one who's already weakened by illness.' True!!

I suppose there's a lot of build-up and no real grip on the story, no hooks. There is potential for disaster though and I just enjoy being so convincingly there.

[Dawn]

Sounds like you're enjoying it Jean!

[Dawn]

Is anybody planning on reading the poll losers for January??

They would be The Mask of Ra and The Gods of Gotham

[Portia]

I' am planning to. I have The Gods of Gotham, so that is easy, and I really like Paul Doherty, so that is also easy.

I think I remember someone else mentioned wanting to join in for The Gods of Gotham.

[Dawn]

I thought so too, about Gods of Gotham that is. I was thinking there was 2 or 3 who were going to read it.