Piscivore
Smelling fishy
I've become aware of his "Thursday Next" series and it seems interesting on first glance. Anyone have an opinion of him?
TragicMonkey
Poisoned Waffles
Nope.
Helpful, ain't I?
Helpful, ain't I?
chrisqqgx4
Critical Thinker
- Joined
- Jul 30, 2003
- Messages
- 291
I bought his first one, The Eyre Affair because it was recommended in the UK press by reviewers who'd recommended good stuff before.
I thought it started out great. It's different, definitely. Thursday Next (he soon gets tiresome with his puns-as-names - one maybe bad guy is called Jack Schidtt (sp?)) but it was an interesting concept. TN is a "Time Detective" who is sent back in time to right wrongs in historical fictional books so that the current version is what readers want. In this case I guess it's Jane Eyre, so she (TN) goes back and meets Mr Rochester at the farm gates just before he meets Jayne Eyre and tells her that Jane is the one. Or something.
Thus the "new" ending is better than the one the author wrote, and all copies that people currently own change to reflect this. Or something. It's difficult to describe but a pleasant read if you lose yourself in it.
In the end though, I'd have to say that he's just a one trick pony, and his prose soon gets annoying.
On my scale of:
1. Buy it!
2. Borrow from the library or a friend
3. Not my cup of tea
It's a 2. Interestingly different but I never saw the need to read the further adventures of TN. I reckon any further books will be just a rehash of the same plot in the first book.
No, changed my mind, buy the first one and see how you go, so long as you have read the historical book TN investigates. It's certainly a change. And if you like it, try Aberystwyth, Mon Amour, by Malcolm Pryce. Equally silly, and equally indescribable.
I thought it started out great. It's different, definitely. Thursday Next (he soon gets tiresome with his puns-as-names - one maybe bad guy is called Jack Schidtt (sp?)) but it was an interesting concept. TN is a "Time Detective" who is sent back in time to right wrongs in historical fictional books so that the current version is what readers want. In this case I guess it's Jane Eyre, so she (TN) goes back and meets Mr Rochester at the farm gates just before he meets Jayne Eyre and tells her that Jane is the one. Or something.
Thus the "new" ending is better than the one the author wrote, and all copies that people currently own change to reflect this. Or something. It's difficult to describe but a pleasant read if you lose yourself in it.
In the end though, I'd have to say that he's just a one trick pony, and his prose soon gets annoying.
On my scale of:
1. Buy it!
2. Borrow from the library or a friend
3. Not my cup of tea
It's a 2. Interestingly different but I never saw the need to read the further adventures of TN. I reckon any further books will be just a rehash of the same plot in the first book.
No, changed my mind, buy the first one and see how you go, so long as you have read the historical book TN investigates. It's certainly a change. And if you like it, try Aberystwyth, Mon Amour, by Malcolm Pryce. Equally silly, and equally indescribable.
The Central Scrutinizer
Penultimate Amazing
- Joined
- Dec 17, 2001
- Messages
- 53,097
No
Wudang
BOFH
Ah - I read the second one first, then first one second and now have the third one third. The second is good. The first is patchy as he hasn't hit his stride as a writer - doesn't have the confidence maybe to carry off the zaniness. Read the second one. If I'd started with the first one I'm not sure I'd be bothered reading the rest.
I've read the second one, Lost in a Good Book, and I pretty much agree with chrisqqgx4: borrow the book, don't buy. Although I am interested in finding out what happens next in the story, so I will seek out the third one from a library.
There was nothing in the book that impressed me, but it was refreshingly different, and had a nice feel to it.It's the type of book that gets a devoted cult following. An enjoyable read.
There was nothing in the book that impressed me, but it was refreshingly different, and had a nice feel to it.It's the type of book that gets a devoted cult following. An enjoyable read.
