Horror Aficionados discussion
Group Reads
>
January 2018 Group Read & Listen - Strange Weather
date
newest »
newest »
message 51:
by
Nicola
(new)
Jan 11, 2018 01:56AM
Finished Snapshot yesterday and was a little bit disappointed. I really liked the beginning and I especially enjoyed the creepiness during the storm segment, however, after this the story was a borefest with much too much information.
reply
|
flag
I started this yesterday and I'm not sure what happened. I just couldn't get into it, I read the same few lines over and over. The characters didn't make sense and the way they spoke was just weird. It took me so long to get through the first chapter.I have mixed feelings for Joe Hill. Pop Art was an amazing short story, Heart-shaped box was limited in story but the "baddie" was terrifying and Horns was great. Since then I've not really enjoyed anything.
Oh, I lie I really enjoyed Locke and Key.
I'm going to start again with Strange Weather at the weekend
Just started reading this this afternoon; halfway through Snapshot so far and really enjoying it. General consensus on here seems to be that Rain is the best novella - sorry, 'short novel' 😉, so will save that for last.The only novel of his I've read is Horns, which was 3-3 1/2* IMO, but 20th Century Ghosts anthology is astounding - Button Boy, aargh!
4 stars. I really enjoyed Aloft and Rain the other 2 were just ok.
Just finished the second story in this collection 'Loaded' the ending really did surprise me.
I'm going to agree with "Brutal" for Loaded. Wow. Just finished it today. Well, five minutes ago and I came straight here, so what does that tell you.
Finished "Loaded" and liked the story, though it's no masterpiece. 3 stars (I'd give it 3.5 stars if possible).
Just finished Afloat, I found it interesting this one is like H.P. Lovecraft's stories where puts a weird twist in his stories.
I've finished the first 2 stories so far, and have enjoyed both. The social commentary was a little heavy-handed in Loaded, but I've definitely seen worse (like in Sleeping Beauties, from his father and brother, for instance). Loved the ending! I typically prefer supernatural stories to real world horror, but I didn't mind this one. The first story was fun.
Honestly I loved Loaded. I thought it was suitably brutal. The ending rocked me. I understand that the social commentary is pretty on the nose but as someone who hates guns it was perfect. The rest of the novellas were decent but not amazing.
I've read 3/4 so far.Snapshot - I really loved this one. Although it was about 10 pages too long. I could've done without the veering off into sci-fi territory. It would've been more effective to have ended it without a direct explanation - "Her lungs just quit. Like her whole body suddenly forgot how to breath." I would've ended it on this quote. Heartbreaking. 4*
Loaded - God, I hated this one! Completely hated it. And it was so long too. None of the characters were likeable; even Aisha was a bit of a pain, and her whiny daughter. Not supernatural, which I wasn't expecting from this collection. And I think the ending was veering more towards Hill advocating and agreeing with the ridiculous gun laws of the US. 1 1/2*, just for the quality of the writing, not the content.
Aloft - What a weird story! Definitely Lovecraftian in tone. Going from one extreme to the other! I quite enjoyed this, apart from all the cloud intercourse! I felt it could've tied up some loose ends better though, especially regarding Harriet. 3 1/2*.
Rain - I'm going to start this tomorrow. Can someone please tell me how upsetting the cat scene is? The picture of it skewered through the neck has already upset me, but I really want to finish the book. 😭
The picture of the cat is somewhat less upsetting if you use a post-it to cover its face. Based on how I read them, I would say that Rain came first (one sitting), Aloft (2 sittings), then Loaded and Snapshot, (a lot of stops and starts. That said, I think Loaded is the one that will stick with me.
I'm still really struggling with Snapshot. But I'll finish it tonight.I think my issue is that I can't see anything being scarier than Alzheimers or Dementia themselves. So adding in the character to this story does it no favours, and kind of distracts attention away from the devastating impact on the sufferer.
I just didn't like this one much.Maybe it's the format, I wish he either comitted to a novel or cut out some stuff and made them into short stories. These were so unvieldly in-between for my taste.
I do not like joe hill's work. Don't know if I should try the fireman
The Fireman is the best of his novels in my opinion, but it's an investment of time and money. A lot of time.
Finished 'Rain' this is the best of the four novellas 5 stars.
I had to do a google search of the art featured in the book. I didn't even realize it had any until the afterword by the author.I like these 4 novella collections. While this isn't nearly Different Seasons or Full Dark No Stars but he did a good job. I was particularly fond of Rain and Aloft.
Nicola wrote: "Finished Snapshot yesterday and was a little bit disappointed. I really liked the beginning and I especially enjoyed the creepiness during the storm segment, however, after this the story was a borefest with much too much information.."It's interesting how this work is perceived in different ways. Many of you said that there was "too much information" in snapshot... I never had the feeling that there was. Never even thought about it since reading it here several times.
I have this with other authors (yes, including Mr. King's works) but there most people love the extra information that doesn't contribute to the main plot.
Loaded wasn't my kind of story. It was well written, but I just didn't like it or the characters. And the ending didn't surprise me at all... on the contrary: I quite expected something like that.
I really had to struggle to get through Loaded.
Will start with Aloft tomorrow.
Laura wrote: "Snapshot - I really loved this one. Although it was about 10 pages too long. I could've done without the veering off into sci-fi territory. It would've been more effective to have ended it without a direct explanation - "Her lungs just quit. Like her whole body suddenly forgot how to breath." I would've ended it on this quote. Heartbreaking. 4*"Completely agree here and also what you said about Loaded!
Feli wrote: "Laura wrote: "Snapshot - I really loved this one. Although it was about 10 pages too long. I could've done without the veering off into sci-fi territory. It would've been more effective to have end..."Thank goodness - everyone else seems to love Loaded! Great minds think alike 😊
Update: Rain.Finished this one, and the book, last night. I think this was my favourite, although I definitely found it the most upsetting due to the huge body count and scenes of animal suffering. I definitely didn't see that ending coming either!
I think the theme of the religious cult could've been expanded on slightly, but that's my only criticism. 4 1/2*.
Overall, an enjoyable collection, but not a patch on 20th Century Ghosts. I really loved how innovative that collection was.
Just finished this last night. Out of all four, RAIN was my favorite for a few reasons: it had a truly (to me) novel premise, continuous suspense and plot advancement, a great and believable main character and a surprise twist at the end. In this story, the few casual encounter characters that breeze in and out of the story add a lot to the overall "end of the world" ambiance.And I'd like to think that (view spoiler) !
Finished. I like "Afloat" - it's a nice story and totally different from what I expected (3/5). My personal highlight of the book, however, is "Rain" which I really enjoyed (4/5).
Conny wrote: "Just finished this last night. Out of all four, RAIN was my favorite for a few reasons: it had a truly (to me) novel premise, continuous suspense and plot advancement, a great and believable main c..."I totally agree. :-)
I finished this at the weekend, and me forgetting to post about it kinda predicts my review. It was alright. 3/5I think I would have preferred the stories without the supernatural twist. Aloft would have been a lot better if (view spoiler).
There's something about Hill's writing that I don't quite gel with. I don't struggle to read it, or follow it, I just find it all a but 'meh'. I struggle with the characters, maybe they're all too young, or the writing is a bit too cool for me. It kind of comes across as he's the Dad trying to be "down with the kids" and it doesn't quite work.
I'll continue to read Hill's books but I think he's relegated from buying brand new hardcover on release, to waiting for the paperback.
I finally got this one started. I'm borrowing the audio from overdrive. Snapshot is narrated by Will Wheaton who does a most excellent job. I thought this story was pretty gloomy and the baddie didn't thrill me (view spoiler). It also sags in the last 1/4 and limps to the end. I found it more morose than creepy. 3 1/2 stars
I hope I like the others better than this one.
Bark wrote: "I finally got this one started. I'm borrowing the audio from overdrive. Snapshot is narrated by Will Wheaton who does a most excellent job. I thought this story was pretty gloomy and the baddie d..."
all the narrators do excellent work
That's good news. A lousy narrator can ruin the best of stories.
Agreed all of the Narrators were top notch. I know a few people who don’t like Wheaton. I personally really enjoy his narrations.
The writing is capable, and the first story, "Snapshot," is decent, but the other three are not its equal. The premise of the last is vaguely similar to "The Fireman."
Laura wrote: "Just started reading this this afternoon; halfway through Snapshot so far and really enjoying it. General consensus on here seems to be that Rain is the best novella - sorry, 'short novel' 😉, so wi..."Button Boy still gives me the yips! Yeesh. 20th C. Ghosts is incredible. I like Hill's shorter fiction best, in general.
De wrote: "The writing is capable, and the first story, "Snapshot," is decent, but the other three are not its equal. The premise of the last is vaguely similar to "The Fireman.""Rain is actually supposed to be a spoof of the Fireman. It was kind of clever actually !
Damn. I was pretty underwhelmed by all of the stories except for "Rain". I go into it more in my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I've gotten late start on this. I have finished Snapshot and found it very imaginative and engaging although I do see what others are saying about how it went on too long. I was creeped out by the thought that Alzheimer's disease could be caused by external factors. It reminds me of the idea that some tribes had that a camera can steal your soul. I also was intrigued by his intimation that there is a link between the story and his inventions that we all carry around in our pockets .
Laura wrote: "Loaded - God, I hated this one! Completely hated it. And it was so long too. None of the characters were likeable; even Aisha was a bit of a pain, and her whiny daughter. Not supernatural, which I wasn't expecting from this collection. And I think the ending was veering more towards Hill advocating and agreeing with the ridiculous gun laws of the US. 1 1/2*, just for the quality of the writing, not the content.."Two comments.
1.What ridiculous gun laws? With a government that panders to the gun manufacturing lobby, we have no effective gun laws.
2. Hill was not advocating and agreeing with the gun rights activists. He is clearly going out of his way to paint a very ugly picture. Unfortunately, this kind of thing happens here in real life almost every day so if anyone chooses to use use his skills as a writer to paint an 'in your face' moment that shocks his readers, more power to him.
Horror Aficionados
Books mentioned in this topic
Sleeping Beauties (other topics)Horns (other topics)
Horns (other topics)
NOS4A2 (other topics)
