15 Oct 2020 14:26:46
One of the greatest surprises I had in reading was picking up ready player one by Ernest Clyne on a whim in a budget bookstore. I don't even need to mention how truly terrible the movie is, apart from knowing it was a book that could never make the leap from paper to film. Ready player two is available for beta readers and I'm mad at myself for not taking the time to join his readership. I think it's out in a few weeks regardless but still, I've waited long enough dammit.

{Ed001's Note - what is it about? As you know I haven't seen the film or read the book, but the name doesn't exactly excite.

The biggest surprise I had was as a kid. Me ma was in one of those mail order book club thingys and every Xmas and birthday most of my prezzies would be books. Totally random things, as she would not have a clue what was what and just bought what was recommended. So I think, for me, my biggest surprise was always when one of them turned out to be really good. Such as Legend by David Gemmell, though I know you don't like him aoe.... ;-)

1.) 16 Oct 2020
16 Oct 2020 12:34:38
Ah that’s amazing. My dad had me reading Stephen king from 11 years old. Any books he got from the library I’d steal and run up a bill on. Always Stephen king books. They needed to be big big books. I wasn’t actually a fantasy fan at all but more a writer fan. Legend? Hmmm, must check that one out. As for ready player one. It’s built for us old fogies Ed. It’s essentially a book about a virtual reality universe that has become an escape for the entire population from a crappy earth where a poor kid is trying to follow clues to find a huge treasure within. The universe is essentially a love letter to the 80’s and every nerd reference imaginable. I’ve done the worst job of describing this thing. It’s sci fi, it’s fun, it’s an awesome read. It’s a terrible terrible movie.

{Ed001's Note - you make it sounds like a Stranger Things type book but without the monsters.

I have to be honest, I think Stephen King is awful. Me ma loves his stuff and so there were always books of his to read but I read a few and found them boring. Horror is just not my thing at all. I don't enjoy horror movies either.

She tended to get me a lot of fantasy books, as she knew I liked that and sci-fi. The annoying thing was most of them were tasters that they recommended and she would buy. Like some books by the Eddings (is it David and Leigh?) that just opened up a world and then left you wondering what had happened. They would have offers on book 1 and 2 of a trilogy, so that is what I would get. I never got to finish a series of books off very often. Only ones I did get to finish off were the ones she read too, such as the Thomas Covenant trilogy. Though I believe the author wrote more afterwards, which I have never read.}

2.) 17 Oct 2020
16 Oct 2020 23:42:00
The thing about Stephen king is he writes different to everyone else out there. He becomes the protagonist to an insane degree imo, and therefore, the reader becomes the protagonist. That said, he rambles a lot which some people can’t take but sometimes the direction he goes is unbelievably interesting. I’ll be honest, I haven’t loved some of his stuff. It’s what books you read. The stand, it, Salem’s lot and needful things are must reads. Hearts in Atlantis is not a horror, it’s a strange piece of beautiful art. I’d recommend anyone read that to get a gauge of the skill he’s capable of. The dark tower is dreadful though.

3.) 11 Nov 2020
10 Nov 2020 23:04:05
Been enjoying your posts gents. Stephen king was always my brother's favourite author alongside James Herbert, and when I told him that I'd read 22-11-63, (and enjoyed it) but that the book seemed to finish quickly, he reckoned a lot of his books tend to do so. He must have made a fortune though out of turning his books into films or series's.