Swan Song by Robert McCammon buddy read (Spoiler Warnings.)

[Jeff]

In audio form, Swan Song is 34 hours long.

[[deleted user]]

Mehmet wrote: "D.M it's a long book so you could just wait for the physical version, no need to spend extra money on kindle unless you really really want to start reading. Just do not feel pressured to buy to start."

Tuesday is my deadline, It was meant to be here last Thursday, so I'll just cancel the order and get the ebook if it doesn't arrive by then (I get so anal about these things). ;)

[Latasha]

Jeff wrote: "In audio form, Swan Song is 34 hours long."

yeah, I saw that!

[Mehmet]

I get so stressed also when order a book and its goes past the planned date. Especially when I am at home waiting for the parcel to be delivered.
I should be starting Swan Song tonight hopefully. If all goes to plan.

[Jason]

Is it ok if I am about half way through? I just happened to be reading this book when I joined up here. I really want to discuss a few things and of course will wait for others to get there before saying anything. I will also pull back on the reading to let others catch up.

[Jonathan]

Sounds good to me Jason! Welcome to the group!

[K4tie]

I'll start tomorrow too, I've been looking forward to this one. Thanks again for the invite!

[[deleted user]]

Mehmet wrote: "I get so stressed also when order a book and its goes past the planned date. Especially when I am at home waiting for the parcel to be delivered.
I should be starting Swan Song tonight hopefully...."

So annoying GRRR

[Mehmet]

Started the book before went to sleep last night, read two chapters so far :-) Very 1980s so far.

[Jeff]

@Mehmet Yeah, that's exactly what I thought about the first two chapters. The first is all Cold War global positioning and the second hearkens back to when Time Square was full of drugs and prostitution and adult bookstores. Obviously its good that both of those things have changed in real life, but it's a shame for the world of fiction.

I listened to the book at work all night, so I'm on Chapter 27.

[Mehmet]

So true Jeff, the author was using the politics and issues of the 80s and peoples fears to set the background for his books scenario.

[Latasha]

I only listened up to part 2. I'm not sure what I think about it just yet.

[Jonathan]

What do you think so far Randy? :-)

[Randy]

Jonathan wrote: "What do you think so far Randy? :-)"

Kinda bored, actually...

It's a slow buildup. Hopefully. :)

[Nickronomicon]

I hate to say it but I feel the same way. Maybe I had my hopes too high? I'm a slow reader and I don't get to read as much as I'd like, so I started early. I'm just about a third of the way through, and I'm a little underwhelmed. I'm hoping it builds to something great.

[Randy]

Nick wrote: "I'm a slow reader and I don't get to read as much as I'd like, so I started early."

Ditto. My 2-week library loan will be over far before I finish. I may have to turn off my Kindle so they can't delete the book. :)

But, being a slow reader, and having thousands and thousands of free Kindle books available, I usually drop books that don't catch my interest.

I even have a few series I'd like to re-read. :(

So little time...

[Jonathan]

I just finished a Brian Keene book..(Which should come as no surprise to my friends.)

I am looking to definitely start reading Swan Song tomorrow!

Does anyone here watch or read Walking Dead?

[Terry]

I watch the walking dead, but haven't read it

[Ctgt]

I'm not bored yet but I've only read about 70 pages. Certainly has the "getting the band together" feel. I really like Swan and look forward to what is happening with her storyline. Just finished Chapter 6, the section in the movie theater...loved that!

[Randy]

I'm at the same place Ctgt. I also loved the movie guy, because I was a big movie theater fan in my day. My record was 19 movies in the theaters in one weekend.

One theater owner used to call me "Mr. Front-Row-Center" because that's always where I sat (with my tub of popcorn and "bucket" of soda).

I used to go to the Cooper Theater in Minneapolis. 135 foot screen. I had to turn my head to see the whole screen from the front row. :)

One time, my brother and I were smuggling in White Castle hamburgers. The guy in front of us in line whispered to his girlfriend, "Does it smell like hamburgers in here?".

[Jonathan]

That is really funny Randy. I sneak snacks into the movie theater all of the time too. My girlfriend often frowns at me for crinkling up the plastic wrapping and being really conspicuous.


By the way. Have you found any awesome post apocalyptic movies on YouTube recently? I enjoyed The Day Of The Triffids links you gave me!

[Ctgt]

Randy wrote: " I also loved the movie guy, because I was a big movie theater fan in my day. My record was 19 movies in the theaters in one weekend."

Wow! Was that some sort of bet or dare? I would love to see a list of the movies you saw that weekend.

[Ctgt]

Jonathan wrote: "That is really funny Randy. I sneak snacks into the movie theater all of the time too. My girlfriend often frowns at me for crinkling up the plastic wrapping and being really conspicuous."

My wife still talks about her brother spilling a box of mini-jawbreakers on the tile floor of a theater and listening for the next minute or so as they bounced and rolled down to the first row.

[Randy]

Ctgt wrote: "Wow! Was that some sort of bet or dare? I would love to see a list of the movies you saw that weekend."

Simple love of movies...

Back in the 80's, Minnesota had a large influx of Hmong immigrants (the high school I graduated from in 1975 was about 90% white, now it's 8% white and 53% Asian). As a result, we had several theaters that showed Hong Kong martial arts double features at 10 am on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. They account for six of my movies that weekend. I was probably the only white person in the theater, and the only one reading subtitles. When Tarantino did Kill Bill, I nearly fell on the floor of the theater laughing when the typical Shaw Brothers' Hong Kong logo came up.

Because it was prior to DVD or widespread VHS usage, there were also several theaters -- Mainly the Uptown in Minneapolis and the Varsity at the U of M -- that showed older movies. On Friday night, I saw a Clint Eastwood triple feature (spaghetti westerns) at the Varsity, then headed to the Uptown for the midnight Rocky Horror Picture show. On Saturday, I did the reverse -- a Woody Allen triple feature (Sleeper, Bananas, Everything you ever wanted to know about sex...?) at the Uptown, and the midnight showing of the Rocky Horror Picture Show sequel, Shock Treatment, at the Varsity.

Sunday evening was either a triple feature of Monty Python (Jabberwocky, Holy Grail, Life of Brian?) or Alfred Hitchock (Strangers on a Train, Spellbound, The 39 Steps?) at the Uptown. The theaters changed movies on Friday, Sunday, and Tuesday each week. Usually double features, but that weekend it was all triple features.

The remaining movies were theater hopping for afternoon matinees to see current releases. I smuggled quite a bit of food into the theaters that weekend. I had several bakeries near theaters where I used to get a few cookies and brownies beforehand, especially for the Hong Kong flicks, because they had some foreign concession items I wasn't fond of. And, yes, I have a weight problem.

Because of the number of movies I used to see, I ALWAYS went to matinees for current releases. I used to work from 6:30 am to 3 pm, and would rush home to change clothes so I could get to the mall theaters for the 3:30 or 3:45 matinee showing.

[Randy]

Ctgt wrote: "My wife still talks about her brother spilling a box of mini-jawbreakers on the tile floor of a theater and listening for the next minute or so as they bounced and rolled down to the first row."

I've heard something like that several times.

Because I always sat Front-Row-Center, I had more than one occasion at the Uptown where spilled sodas had drained downward to the front row and the floor was so sticky it would pull my shoe off if I wasn't careful.

That theater had the screen up on a stage, so I could lean back in my seat and put my feet up against the side of the stage. Very comfortable.

[Randy]

Not an apocalypse, but have you seen The Gunfighter? Fantastic satire of narrative style:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYP-2...

An old Britsh series -- The Last Train (great start):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyJG_...

Dawn of the Dead (1978):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ba7is...

Survivors:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ak1Sr...

Quatermass and the Pit (1967) aka Five Million Years to Earth:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L92iZ...

One on my list of things to watch:

The Tripods -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hYJu...

[Jeff]

Jonathan wrote: "That is really funny Randy. I sneak snacks into the movie theater all of the time too. My girlfriend often frowns at me for crinkling up the plastic wrapping and being really conspicuous.


By the..."

Day of the Triffids is great. I used to watch it every time I noticed it playing on TBS or TNT, which was quite often in the 90's. The book is also good, as is the sequel written years later by Simon Clark.

As for the Walking Dead, I'm a bit behind on the comics, but I've been keeping up with the show, and the prequel that just started.

[Randy]

Jeff wrote: "Day of the Triffids is great."

The original film was too short for a theatrical release, so they added the whole lighthouse sequence.

I actually prefer the 1981 mini-series. Of the movie and the two mini-series, it's the closest to the book.

When 28 Days Later... came out, I felt they ripped off the start of the Day of the Triffids movie. And then The Walking Dead came out, doing it again! :)

[Jonathan]

Thank you Randy.

I really want to check out The Last Train. I did see the remake of Survivors but not the original. It is a shame the remake got canceled.

@CTGT

That mini jawbreaker story is hilarious. I wonder how your wife kept herself from bursting into laughter.

[Jonathan]

I just updated the first post with everyone who said they wanted to participate in the topic. I apologize if I missed anyone.

A late welcome to Ken who I must of missed the first time around. Welcome Ken! =)

[Ctgt]

Randy wrote: "On Friday night, I saw a Clint Eastwood triple feature (spaghetti westerns) at the Varsity"

I still remember watching those on Saturday afternoons as a kid.

Nice list of movies.

[Ctgt]

Jonathan wrote: "That mini jawbreaker story is hilarious. I wonder how your wife kept herself from bursting into laughter. "

They both curled up in their seats trying to hide.

[Ken]

I read the Walking Dead comics, watch both shows, and read all the novels.

Just started the book this morning. Finished Urban Gothic last night. With any luck I'll be caught up pretty quick. I read fast and have been reading way too much this year.

[Mehmet]

(view spoiler)[on chapter six and I believe bit before a film is mentioned Faces of Death 4, I know there has being a series called Faces of Death, not watched it, but at the time of writing I do think there was a 4th version on the series. Does anyone know ?<\spoiler> (hide spoiler)]

[Randy]

According to IMDB, Faces of Death III was in 1985, and IV was in 1990.

[Mehmet]

Cheers Randy :-)

[Terry]

Up to Ch 21 now and I agree that the start has been a little slow, but so far, that isn't a bad thing for me yet. Seems like it is all character build-up leading to bigger things. (view spoiler)[ Also, this book reminds me so much of the fear that was pervasive during the 80's of the nuclear war. It feels like that movie The Day After with Jason Robards that we watched in school, and spent days discussing afterwards. (hide spoiler)]

[Latasha]

my ipod says I'm on part 2, chapter 1? it got intense when shit hit the fan! I like it more today. I was born in 82. I don't remember the fear of nuclear war back then but I do vaguely remember the satanic panic. I remember my dad wouldn't let us buy anything proctor & gamble cause they were supposedly satanic?

[[deleted user]]

Latasha wrote: "my ipod says I'm on part 2, chapter 1? it got intense when shit hit the fan! I like it more today. I was born in 82. I don't remember the fear of nuclear war back then but I do vaguely remember the..."
I finished Dark Places by Gillian Flynn recently and it talked about the satanic panic back in the 80s. I also completely forgot about the nuclear threat back then (I was born in the 90s).
I just read a few pages and totally did not realize this book was going to start with a nuclear war... which is kind of sad on my part since it says 'nuclear wasteland' in the book description. *facepalm*

[Jeff]

Randy wrote: "Jeff wrote: "Day of the Triffids is great."

The original film was too short for a theatrical release, so they added the whole lighthouse sequence.

I actually prefer the 1981 mini-series. Of the ..."

I didn't know there was a mini-series, I'll have to check that out!

[Jeff]

Latasha wrote: "my ipod says I'm on part 2, chapter 1? it got intense when shit hit the fan! I like it more today. I was born in 82. I don't remember the fear of nuclear war back then but I do vaguely remember the..."

I don't think Cold War fears about nuclear war were as pronounced in the 80's as they were in the 50's and 60's, but it was the obvious go-to for fictional post-apocalyptic scenarios.

I definitely remember the Satanic Panic craze, and watching episodes of Unsolved Mysteries and various news magazine shows which devoted entire hours to underground cults sacrificing babies and Dungeons and Dragons leading kids into devil worship. It's one of the things I still find fascinating about the decade. There's a great movie about one of the day care centers that got accused of using its kids in Satanic rituals called Indictment: The McMartin Trial, which I just discovered is on Youtube in it's entirety and I'm totally going to have to watch now.

As for P&G, that rumor is, of course, false: http://www.snopes.com/business/allian...

[Latasha]

Oh yeah, it fascinates me to- the satanic panic. Lol, yeah I know that's false now. If I remember I'll watch that this weekend. Did u like house of the devil? I luvvvvvv it.

[[deleted user]]

I got the ebook, now on chapter 3, slow start but getting interesting :)

[Jonathan]

What is everyone's favorite post apocalyptic movie?

[[deleted user]]

I am not an expert in post-apocalyptic movies but Mad Max: Fury Road was a delightful surprise. I went to see it in the theaters with my friend without any expectations other than my dad hated the previous movies and my mom loved them haha.
I know it is not the best of the post-apocalypse genre but I still loved it!

[Terry]

I liked the I am Legend movie, although I think it should have been called something else as it got so far away from Matheson's original. I liked the original Mad Max movies, but haven't seen Fury Road yet.

[[deleted user]]

Terry wrote: "I liked the I am Legend movie, although I think it should have been called something else as it got so far away from Matheson's original. I liked the original Mad Max movies, but haven't seen Fury ..."

Definitely watch it! It is a very 'beautiful' apocalyptic movie.

[Randy]

Jonathan wrote: "What is everyone's favorite post apocalyptic movie?"

Tied:

-- Road Warrior
-- Waterworld
-- Book of Eli
-- Dawn of the Dead
-- Delicatessen

...and the classics:

-- The Time Machine (1960)
-- When Worlds Collide (1951)

[Jonathan]

Delicatessen sounds interesting, I must check this movie out. I didn't know it was post apocalyptic.

I love the Mad Max Fury Road movie! I am so glad it did well enough for them to green light another Mad Max movie.

[Lisa]

28 Days Later (this one scared me)
The Terminator movies.
The Matrix movies.
I Am Legend
Armageddon