This afternoon I was in the library, minding my own business looking for a new audiobook for the car, when I noticed Nick Hornby's new book Housekeeping vs. The Dirt: Fourteen Months of Massively Witty Adventures in Reading. Well, how could I resist a quick look?
In the Preface, Hornby talks about reading, reviewing and many other related topics. He says readers shouldn't agonize over trudging through certain books just because "educated" people have labeled said books works a cultured person is "supposed to" read, but should instead read...well, whatever they want. Says Hornby:
Read anything, as long as you can't wait to pick it up again.
Which brings me to my beef with Dan Simmons.
Yesterday I was in the same library, again minding my own business, when I see the new Dan Simmons novel The Terror. It's a book that's captured my interest ever since I heard some buzz about it late last year. I figured I'd pick it up somewhere along the way, especially since I'd told myself I was only going to listen to novels while driving and spend my reading time in early 2007 with non-fiction and short stories.
Of course it didn't help that Jeff VanderMeer reposted his comments on The Terror a couple of days ago and that got the Simmons fever into my blood stream.
So there I am in the library, minding my own business, mind you, when I'm face to face with The Terror. Well, it won't hurt to, like, pick the book up, see how heavy it is, read a blurb or two...maybe just the first paragraph...
Captain Crozier comes up on deck to find his ship under attack by celestial ghosts. Above him - above Terror - shimmering folds of light lunge but then quickly withdraw like the colourful arms of aggressive but ultimately uncertain spectres. Ectoplasmic skeletal fingers extend toward the ship, open, prepare to grasp, and pull back.
Confound Dan Simmons...
Needless to say, I checked the book out. And when I've had to put it down, I can't wait to pick it up again. Nick Hornby would be proud.
I'm so weak...
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