The Void by Brett J. Talley

[Sean]

People signed up for this Buddy Read:


Kimberly
Chris
Traci L.
Sean
Jon Recluse
Brett
*** FREE FOR ALL TO JOIN IN ***

For those with Kindles, the author's referral link to Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008...

Start: Now.

[Sean]

When do we start!!??!?!

[Brett]

Should I take part in this thread, or does everyone want to be free to criticize without author interference? ;-)

[Sean]

Brett wrote: "Should I take part in this thread, or does everyone want to be free to criticize without author interference? ;-)"

Got you signed up! Prepare to offer lots of author interference!

[Sean]

Okay, so this is what I was thinking for timelines since it sounds like some are ready to go right away.

Start Date: Whenever you'd like!
End Date: August 15th, 2013.

Note:
Major spoilers may be posted after end date has been reached.

Questions/comments:

Does this sound like a reasonable time frame?

Anyone waiting through the mail for the book, if so should we wait for a bit?

Would you rather we broke the read up into sections to discuss (or around the halfway mark..ish)?

[Brett]

As an aside, there is a very clear break in the book in the middle, if you are thinking of how to discuss.

[Sean]

That sounds great! Can you identify it for us (after what chapter name/no. etc.) and we can set that up as a milestone to take a discussion break on?

[Sean]

ok. Bought it, hopefully I'll get to it a little tonight... gotta finish a novella I am reading right now first.

[Brett]

I'd say a good place to break the book is the end of Chapter 6 and the end of Chapter 10. Either or both of those work as places to stop and discuss, I think.

[[deleted user]]

I'm currently reading two books. I can start when I finish one of them. Hopefully no later than Thursday.

[Kimberly]

Sean wrote: "Okay, so this is what I was thinking for timelines since it sounds like some are ready to go right away.

Start Date: Whenever you'd like!
End Date: August 15th, 2013.

Note:
Major spoilers may be ..."

Good idea to post "up to" certain points. Ex. Anything before/up to chapter 6 can be discussed now....

(I'll be finished this week, so it's good to know when to keep my mouth shut--LOL!)

[Sean]

Aha! Loving the book right now. I finished Chapter SIX! Anyone else there yet?

(view spoiler)[So, an excellent intro to characters and their backgrounds. I can feel the dripping sense of dread throughout the build up to their warp travel. This is like how the movie Stargate was really cool up until they went through the gate. The buildup about going through it was intense! Then, of course the movie fizzled quite a bit for me, but one thing I still love about that flick was the great feeling of anticipation BEFORE they got through the gate.

That's the same feeling I've got right now!!!! Wait, what was that shadow? (hide spoiler)]

[Brett]

That was fast.

[Jon Recluse]

They're like sugar addled toddlers.

If you don't watch them, they're off climbing the drapes....

[Kimberly]

Sean wrote: "Aha! Loving the book right now. I finished Chapter SIX! Anyone else there yet?

So, an excellent intro to characters and their backgrounds. I can feel the dripping sense of dread throughout the ..."

LOL--I fell asleep after the intro.. Promise to catch up tonight!! :)

[Brett]

Ha! That boring, huh? ;-) You aren't supposed to be able to sleep after the intro.

[Kimberly]

Brett wrote: "Ha! That boring, huh? ;-) You aren't supposed to be able to sleep after the intro."

Well--it shows that your writing is much more exciting, Brett! I finished your last one in two sittings :)

[Jon Recluse]

Next time, say "swooned", not "fell asleep".

[Kimberly]

Jon Recluse wrote: "Next time, say "swooned", not "fell asleep"."

Thank you Jon:

Brett, I meant to say that I fell into a swoon.... :)

*BIG HUG*

[Jon Recluse]

*BIG HUG*

[Kimberly]

Ok, so I'm up to chapter 7 now. LOVE the tension build up! And of course (view spoiler)[I keep seeing shadows every where I turn...The anticipation as to what is in store for these people is great! (hide spoiler)]
And no, I managed not to fall into a swoon this time!

[Chris]

Got to chapter 7 last night too. The tension is really building. I love the comparison to sea explorers and the stories of lost ships.

I also find the writing style to be similar to TWSNB which works for me as I see it as a modern seafarers' tale. Gives it a retro feel that I like.

[Brett]

Glad you like it Chris. I honestly think this book was mistargeted on my part. It's not really science fiction as much as it is horror set in space, and I don't think it is the kind of book that science fiction fans would like.

[Jon Recluse]

Space Gothic.

[Sean]

Brett wrote: "I honestly think this book was mistargeted on my part. It's not really science fiction as much as it is horror set in space

I agree. It was horror in space!

I finished the book last night, really enjoyed it.
I'll definitely get to That Which Should Not Be soon, as I am a huge Lovecraft fan.

Chapter 10 spoiler:
(view spoiler)[ This book reminded me ALOT of Brian Lumley's The House of Doors as each dream is essentially each character's personal fear. (hide spoiler)]

[[deleted user]]

I'll be starting as soon as I'm done with the book I'm reading now. Probably tonight. And then I'll try to be done sometime this weekend.

[Kimberly]

Sean wrote: "Brett wrote: "I honestly think this book was mistargeted on my part. It's not really science fiction as much as it is horror set in space

I agree. It was horror in space!

I finished the book las..."
Okay, I'm at chapter 14 now. (view spoiler)[I haven't read Lumley's The House of Doors, but I do agree with Sean that the "dreams" (with the possible exception of Cyrus's) seemed to take on the quality of each person's worst fear/scenario. (hide spoiler)]

I have to say that even though it has a basis in science fiction, I'm really enjoying the horror aspect, that I feel is clearly evident throughout. Also, I still have a sense of a strong "lovecraftian" influence, which is particularly pleasing to me. :)

[[deleted user]]

Chapter 3. First impressions? I like. I like quite a bit. This is the kind of science fiction I enjoy. The setting is pretty eerie. The quiet. The loneliness. I like the part with Felix.

Okay. Now I need to get to those spoiler chapters...

Lovecraft is mostly associated with horror but he was really a bit of everything. Including science fiction. Especially science fiction.

[Sean]

Traci L. wrote: "Lovecraft is mostly associated with horror but he was really a bit of everything. Including science fiction. Especially science fiction."

Agreed. One of my fave stories is 'The Colour out of Space'.

[[deleted user]]

Me too :)

The Color out of Space and At the Mountains of Madness are my two favorites.

[[deleted user]]

Chapter 7 - Wonderful tension building. I can really feel the dread. Although, there was a little bit of confusion when the story line switched over.

One of my favorite things about science fiction is the imagining of future gadgets. I love, love, love the idea of (view spoiler)[ the phone synthetic thing. Its a little creepy. But I like it! (hide spoiler)]

[Sean]

Traci L. wrote: "Me too :)

The Color out of Space and At the Mountains of Madness are my two favorites."

You should try out some Clark Ashton Smith. I just finished The End of the Story a little while ago and found it fantastic. Like a sci-fi Lovecraft. I'm going to have to read the rest of his stuff when I get a chance.

[[deleted user]]

I've never read Clark Ashton Smith. Will do.

[Kimberly]

Traci L. wrote: "I've never read Clark Ashton Smith. Will do."

Sounds familiar, but I'm not sure about reading him... Have to agree with you and Sean about The Colour out of Space..:)

[[deleted user]]

Have you seen the movie http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cu...? It was based on Color out of Space. About what you'd expect from the 80's but pretty gruesome.

[[deleted user]]

I actually like this book more than TWSNB. And I liked the other too. Will try to finish tonight.

[Sean]

Traci L. wrote: "Have you seen the movie http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cu...? It was based on Color out of Space. About what you'd expect from the 80's but pretty gruesome."

A partial Lucio Fulci film starring Wil Wheaton and John Schneider? I am in!

[[deleted user]]

Chapter 20 -

My favorite character is Ridley. I always go for the gruff doctor character. I blame Mccoy from Star Trek. ;)

My least favorite is Rebecca. (view spoiler)[ I wouldn't have forgiven her that easily. Although, perhaps strangely, I have less of a problem with Jack. I have a problem with people who 'know' something is wrong but the do it anyway. At least Jack believes he is doing his job. (hide spoiler)]

I love the dream/nightmare thing. :)

[Brett]

I had a love/hate relationship with Rebecca.

[Sean]

Traci L. wrote: "Chapter 20 -
My least favorite is Rebecca.

(view spoiler)[Yeah I don't get how Rebecca is forgiven so easily, its crazy. I suppose with everything that is going on you have to trust the lesser of two evils. (hide spoiler)]

[[deleted user]]

I can understand her position. Honestly we've all been there. Where we've had to do something that we might not agree with. But (view spoiler)[ I wouldn't have forgiven her that easily. (hide spoiler)]

Brett, your comment cracked me up. Aren't writers supposed to love all of their characters like children? ;)

[Sean]

Traci L. wrote: "I can understand her position. Honestly we've all been there. Where we've had to do something that we might not agree with.

(view spoiler)[Perhaps, but when I am put in a position like that, I don't form a relationship with someone like she did. I keep work & play separate if it's going to be a messy situation. (hide spoiler)]

[Brett]

Traci L. wrote: "I can understand her position. Honestly we've all been there. Where we've had to do something that we might not agree with. But [spoilers removed]

Brett, your comment cracked me up. Aren't writers..."

Characters totally take on a life of their own. She was particularly interesting. In the beginning, she was supposed to be only a minor character. And she just sorta grew and grew. Writing a book is a wild experience. I hardly ever know what's going to happen.

How do I do the spoiler thing so I can talk more about her?

[[deleted user]]

I guess that's why I just don't like her.

[Sean]

Brett wrote: "How do I do the spoiler thing so I can talk more about her?"

Above the reply box, click on (some html is ok) and it will provide you instructions for posting spoilers. I'd type it out here but then it just shows (view spoiler)[this (hide spoiler)] and not what I actually needed to type to do it.

[[deleted user]]

Do it like this without the spaces -

< spoiler > Your spoiler here... < / spoiler >

[Sean]

Traci L. wrote: "Do it like this without the spaces -

Your spoiler here... "

Clever!

[Brett]

So on Rebecca, (view spoiler)[her character really did develop over time. Originally, she was going to be a rather stereotypical bad guy, just along for the ride. But as I started mocking up the book, she became more and more intricate, till she was really someone I couldn't decide whether I liked or disliked. I think she's pretty realistic, but she's certainly duplicitous in her actions, though I think she believed she was doing the right thing at the time. And I think she really likes our mysterious hero. (hide spoiler)]

[Jon Recluse]

I read it.
I liked it.

More, please.

[Kimberly]

Brett wrote: "I had a love/hate relationship with Rebecca."

I'm only on chapter 14, so I am avoiding the spoilers, but I feel safe saying that I do NOT like Rebecca. Maybe my opinion will change as the tale unfolds, but I'm not optimistic there....