False Memory (Group Read - November 2009)

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

False Memory was the group read for November 2009, but the Koontzland - Dean Koontz group wasn't created until December. I'm am posting some of my comments from the original discussion thread here. Feel free to add to the discussion :-)

Okay - I'm here. Starting reading False Memory last night and today I'm listening to it on audio while I do household chores. Everyone says the first 100 pages are slow so I'm letting the audio help me out :-)

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

In the real world
as in dreams,
nothing is quite
what it seems.
-THE BOOK OF COUNTED SORROWS

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

How could any mother-in-law, like Sabrina, despise a son-in-law when his name is Dustin? I'm so happy to have such a smart and friendly character to share my name with! I was named after Dustin Hoffman - I guess his movies "The Graduate" and "Tootsie" left a lasting impression on my parents.

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

"The little blue bag and it's warm contents anchored her to reality." - Chapter One of False Memory

If a bag full of crap is your anchor to reality - you know you're headed for trouble!

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

I get a lot more out of books and enjoy them better when I can actually read them instead vs audio where I sometimes don't like the narrator and I'm sometimes focused on other things. Still I can get through a book so much faster on audio so when I get the chance...

"I'm listening."

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

Jackie wrote: "What terrified me the most is, I truly believe something like this can happen. How scary is that?"

I believe something like this could happen too - Very Scary!

"What am I?"
"I'm Listening."
"Where should I go?"

Stop messing with my head!

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

Other group members have been praising False Memory and I must echo their words. It's really a fun book. It's a real thriller! The writing's good. The plot is entertaining. The characters are colorful. Needless to say, I'm enjoying it!

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

"The truth was out there, but it wasn't supernatural" - end of Chapter 27

Now here's a direct connection to the X-files if I ever saw one. X-files' Opening credits end with the words "The Truth is Out There." (on occasional special episodes there is a different message :-)

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

Another of my X-files references - end of Chapter 31:

"...things were crawling along the surface convolutions of his brain: a new and unwelcome sense of vulnerability, an X Files perception that unknown presences, strange and hostile, had entered his life."

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

False Memory will be featured as a Mini-Group Read April 15-May 15, 2013!!!!! This will be fun to read again :-)

[Jen]

Yay! I'll place my hold for it at my library. :)

[Karen B.]

Thanks again Dustin. You are so organized!

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

Karen B wrote: "Thanks again Dustin. You are so organized!"

Yeah when I have time to be :-)

Things were kinda crazy for me for a while because the chocolate factory owners left for 3 weeks right during our busy Valentine rush and Easter Pre-order. Also at the same time my dad (who I have been sharing an apartment with for the past two years) decided to move back to Utah and I had to find a new place to live. I still have to move this month but other than that things have settled down.

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

I guess I should reserve my audiobook from the library too. I own a paperback but this is a long book and I need the audio to help me through it :-)

[Karen B.]

Dustin, do you read the book and listen to the audio at the same time? My library doesn't carry a lot of audio books so I haven't borrowed from them. The ones I have I buy or get a special deal on from audio.com. I bet I would be able to focus more clearly and read faster if I had the audio going at the same time. It makes sense because the more physical senses we use the more likely we will remember. (That's why in "the old days" grade school children recited the times tables over and over as well as using them, and wrote spelling words 5 times each)

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

I usually just listen to the audiobook and reference the book when I hear something that catches my attention. I also keep track of my reading progress using the book so I like to have a printed copy available whenever possible. I am old school so I use Audiobooks on CD and listen to them on my CD Walkman. I either get them from the library or from www.audiobookstand.com Audiobookstand is the online store for Brilliance Audio and they offer several audiobooks for $10

[Jen]

Karen B wrote: "Dustin, do you read the book and listen to the audio at the same time? My library doesn't carry a lot of audio books so I haven't borrowed from them. The ones I have I buy or get a special deal on..."

Karen, does your library charge for Inter-Library loan? When I lived in Seattle, I had to pay $5 to get items they didn't own via IL loan. Now that I'm in Tucson, however, I've found that the Pima County Library System doesn't charge a fee for IL loans. Perhaps they will someday (and possibly very soon at the rate I'm requesting things!). :)

It might be worth checking into to see if they can get audio books for you for free or for a nominal fee. Or you could submit a purchase request and see if the library will buy it for their collection. :)

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

Colorado Libraries don't charge for Inter-Library Loan. I just Inter-Library Loaned False Memory from the Aurora Public Library - it's very convenient and I take advantage of this opportunity often :-)

[Karen B.]

Our area had a wonderful inter-library loan system called C.L.U.E.S. and you could use your Clues card at any of the libraries in the county. Sad to say I don't visit the libraries often. *hanging head in shame*. It's just that my Kindle library is sooo large. I think I mentioned before that I want to call my Kindle a kind of Tardis because it's so much bigger on the inside. To look at this thin little thing and think I have such collections ... it's amazing.

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

I think I need to watch Dr.Who :-)

[Shastina , Koontzland Social Media Moderator]

I am excited to see if the second read through of this book makes ma as angry as the first.

[Jen]

I'm just excited to read it. I've read very few DK books, so just about each one is new to me. :-)

[Shastina , Koontzland Social Media Moderator]

Oh, I think you'll enjoy it. It's a great book. There are just parts that get me emotional. But hey, that's one of the things I love about Dean!

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

Thanks for joining us Shastina :-)

[Shastina , Koontzland Social Media Moderator]

Indeed! Have you already started it?

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

I haven't started False Memory yet. I have a few other books lined up before then including Winter Moon which was the official group read selection for April. The Official start date for False Memory is April 15th.

[Shastina , Koontzland Social Media Moderator]

Perfect. I'm in the middle of trying to find an apartment, because my husband and I are moving 6 hours from home. So this will give me time to get moved and actually unpack the book!

[Shastina , Koontzland Social Media Moderator]

I knew it was for April, but for some reason it did not comprehend!

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

Shastina-Sassy wrote: "Perfect. I'm in the middle of trying to find an apartment, because my husband and I are moving 6 hours from home. So this will give me time to get moved and actually unpack the book!"

I just went through a little move myself so I understand, though my move was just minutes away not six hours :-)

[Jen]

Shastina-Sassy wrote: "Oh, I think you'll enjoy it. It's a great book. There are just parts that get me emotional. But hey, that's one of the things I love about Dean!"

Emotional, as in weepy? Or emotional, as in so mad you can't see straight?

Another option I guess would be emotional, as in so creeped out you'll only read the book outside in the bright sunshine while at work on lunch breaks (and never at home to keep that man away from you). Not that I've ever done this, you understand. This scenario is purely hypothetical. ;-)

I wish you the best of success for your move! I moved recently (January), too, and am still unpacking. I hate moving!

Dustin Crazy little brown owl wrote: "Winter Moon which was the official group read selection for April. The Official start date for False Memory is April 15th. "

I had forgotten we weren't starting it until 4/15, though I did at least remember that Winter Moon was the official April group read. (My memory isn't so false! Yay!!)

[Shastina , Koontzland Social Media Moderator]

Jen wrote: "Shastina-Sassy wrote: "Oh, I think you'll enjoy it. It's a great book. There are just parts that get me emotional. But hey, that's one of the things I love about Dean!"

Emotional, as in weepy? Or ..."

So mad I threw my book and had to take a few weeks to calm down, hah.

And yes! I'm moving to Seattle, so I can finally have good doctors to help me with all of these dang health problems!

[Jen]

Shastina-Sassy wrote: "So mad I threw my book and had to take a few weeks to calm down, hah.

And yes! I'm moving to Seattle, so I can finally have good doctors to help me with all of these dang health problems! "

That sounds fabulous! I can't remember ever reading a book like that, so it should be a fun experience. :-)

I'm so envious that you're moving to Seattle! I moved from there in January and the great doctors I had there are being missed more and more every day since Tuscon's health care system is nowhere near as good.

[Shastina , Koontzland Social Media Moderator]

I've read a few like that. Other than some Harry Potter deaths, it's all been Koontz. He's great at what he does!

[Gail]

I am shaking off the ice from Icebound and starting Winter Moon so I can join False Memory's mini read the middle of April.

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

False Memory is so good :-) yes, the reader will likely get very emotional and may need to throw the book - this is nothing to be alarmed about, if you experience these symptoms, rest assured this is a typical reaction to False Memory. Looking forward to the trip next month.

[Shastina , Koontzland Social Media Moderator]

I am getting anxious to start!

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

I'm reading Winter Moon first :-)

[Jen]

I need to see if I already have a hold on False Memory at the library. Or maybe I already have it checked out? It's so hard to keep track! :-)

I'll be reading Winter Moon first, though, too. It's on my to-do list for later this week. :-)

[Jen]

This book is huge! I checked my copy out of the library (still planning to start mid-month, though) and I was surprised at how thick it is! I guess I didn't register the "751 pages" note on the book's page!!

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

:-) Yes. I plan to start False Memory right after Winter Moon. It's gonna be fun.

[Shastina , Koontzland Social Media Moderator]

I just got moved into my new apartment. I will be opening one of my Koontz book boxes and starting it soon :)

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

I'm still working on Winter Moon - got a little over 100 pages left & then I'll be here.

btw I just saw a movie in the theater today called Trance - it really messed with my mind and I'm still not certain what is real :-) I love this kind of shit!

[Kevinreadstoomuch]

Can't decide if I want to read this or Shadowfires starting in May. Tough choice, but I'll definitely be reading one of them and therefor officially joining a group read :)

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

You should read them both that's what all the cool people are doing. I just started False Memory today and I could relate to Martie with her anxiety attacks - very scary!

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

I have to return my audiobook to the library :-( I will probably be taking a break from False Memory.

[Jen]

Dustin Crazy little brown owl wrote: "I have to return my audiobook to the library :-( I will probably be taking a break from False Memory."

So sorry, Dustin! :-( For my part, I haven't started it yet. I keep looking at it and away...the paperback is huge! So thick it's intimidating. But I'll probably crack it open in a few days, after I read four books that have tighter deadlines for the library. :-)

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

I decided to just keep the audiobook and pay the fines rather than have to request it again :-) all is good.

I'm Listening.

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

I must say False Memory is real thriller. The plot is entertaining. The characters are colorful. I'm enjoying it :-)

[Jen]

Dustin Crazy little brown owl wrote: "I decided to just keep the audiobook and pay the fines rather than have to request it again :-) all is good.

I'm Listening."

Sounds like a plan. And so long as you're enjoying it, I'd agree that all is good. :-)

Dustin Crazy little brown owl wrote: "I must say False Memory is real thriller. The plot is entertaining. The characters are colorful. I'm enjoying it :-)"

I'll probably be able to start it Thursday or Friday. I'm hoping I'll like it, too. :-)

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

:-)