I loved the book, but I think it might be even more enjoyable if you knew the twist. If you want to know, go to the book’s discussion section at Amazon where one reader explained it to me (I wasn’t sure what happened). I plan to re-read it someday, and I don’t re-read much.
Have you gotten to the mimes and the ninjas yet?
No mimes yet, only Master Wu’s story about trapping a ninja.
I just found my original review of it. I was kinder to it then than my memory has it. Here is what I said:
Re-reading The Bourne Identity … which I read for the first time in high school … and which I could not find a copy of without Matt Damon on the cover … and also which I make clear to everyone who sees me reading it that, while I did like the movies, I’m not reading it because Matt Damon is so dreamy. Goddamnit!
Thanks for the input. AuntiePam, I read the spoiler on Amazon, which might help. I bought this as an ebook in a DRM’d format I can’t share with others, which I’m realizing makes it harder to give up on. I’ll try it again today…
Should I read the other book/books first, or can I read this one solo? I’m only into the first chapter and it took me a bit to figure out the narration.
This part alone has made me put Gone Away World in my queue at the library.
It’s the second of a series.
I’d highly recommend reading them in order - Captain Alatriste is the first one:
It is very much a series that requires the reader to know what happened before, so reading 'em in order is a good idea (unlike say Flashman, which can be read in just about any order).
It is a great series for having authentic period feel to go along with its swash and buckle.
Finished listening to The Little Stranger, by Sarah Waters. I was very engrossed all the way through, but when it was all over I felt let down. There’s really nothing to suggest there was anything supernatural going on, except the characters saying they felt something. Maybe the SSSs, or the scratch on Mrs. Ayres’ neck, but those could be explained. Also, I like to feel I know why the house is haunted…and I just didn’t think Susan (the child who died of diphtheria) seemed a likely spook. After reading AuntiePam and jsgoddess’ comments in a different thread, I think I like their interpretation better. The Doctor was pissing me off all through the last half of the book anyway.
Next I read House of Leaves. Pardon me, House. Too much work, not enough payoff. The Navidson stuff was interesting, but I never cared about Truant.
Thank you! I am waiting for it to come in from the library.
Over the weekend I finished a collection of S. J. Perelman essays, and also read The Time Machine Did It, a short novel by Simpsons writer John Swartzwelder.
The Perelman stuff was dizzying and so unique. In places, his style looked florid and dated (he loved throwing in French words when he could make an excuse to do so), but even when that was the case, it was twisted and wild, and I enjoyed seeing where the style came from.
Swartzwelder did a very convincing job of writing a time-travel story featuring a fat, stupid detective. It’s a very light read, but most of the traits that make his Simpsons writing so good come through. I’ll pick up his other stuff after I whittle down my reading pile some more.