Horror Aficionados discussion

So far its Andy and Addy. Anyone feel free to join! We will be starting on the 15 or 16 of August.

Can't wait!

I saw that the kindle version has some sort of dictionary with it, I guess to explain the world of imajica better. Do u think its helpful to have that?

So Imajica has reached your turn Addy :) I was wondering when you were going to read it.

Now I'm thinking of maybe joining you, but I'm way over my head and still late with Milk Blood lol

Addy, I've messaged you with where you can access the appendix online.

Next weekend, I am going with my wife to the location where I bought my copy of Imajica at a used book store two years ago. It is interesting that I've had the book for two years and now will finally be reading it there. Full circle.

You should join us, Natasa!

I found what I think is a first edition in 2012 at a used bookstore. I haven't read mine yet.

Same here, Jenn. Join us.

Cool! Thank you Andy:) Yes, Natasa and jennbunny must join us!

I may join...I have two books I am set to read right now. I will see how it goes.

So how do u guys wanna read this? I believe its a huge tome and I tend to be a little slow as my reading time has been cut down since I started working. Any suggestions?

I've cheated and took a peek at the first chapter. Starts off really great!

I also read the first chapter today at lunch. I plan to just go along at my own pace. Let's use spoilers as we go.

Barker has some amazing prose. The line about Judith having every season of leaves in her eyes on pg 7 was great.

Yes, there was another part I liked, something about killing someone you love is like killing a little part of yourself. Oh geez, I sound so morbid, but it kinda makes sense.

This is one of my favorite books of all time. Easy. The closing paragraphs of Gentle's introduction are so perfect it almost hurts. In the very best way.

I have never read anything like this. I feel like I have to take notes...lol. Nevertheless, its getting interesting.

How far, Addy? I'm taking this one slow (pg 26). It's even better than I remember.

I'm about 7%, not sure what pg that is.

Ok, 12% and I am definitely making notes now:)

This is one of my favorite books of all time, and I have been vowing to go back and reread most of my Barker collection after going to a wonderful appreciation panel at WHC in New Orleans, so I think I'm going to take the plunge and join you guys if that's OK, but it'll be a couple more days before I can get started reading. It has been so long since I read it, I'm sure I'll have forgotten large portions of it.

Sure Robert! That wud be awesome!

Sounds awesome, Robert. I read the first half of this book five years ago and have wanted to finish it since. I am going to try and savor the book, so you should be able to catch me easily.

An incredible book--sort of a culmination of the themes Barker had been exploring up to that point.

I'm really starting to feel the magic in this book. Its great!

I'm up to chapter 7 so far, as I didn't get as much reading time as I had hoped on this business trip, but I should get more next week. The 2 things that strike me so far are how much I actually do remember now that I am getting back into it, and the sheer depth of imagination in this book (and I've barely scratched the surface! :-)

(view spoiler)[ The part where Gentle picks the crumbs out of his pubic hair...eww, kinda nasty! (hide spoiler)]

Im about 20% and can't put this down! I wish I had a physical copy, but my phone is doing the job quite well...for now anyway.

I'm off for a short trip and am packing light. Debating whether to bring this behemoth or just choose a paperback.

Yeah, I understand, I have a used hardback first edition, and you could definitely kill someone with that thing...

Got a bit further last night.

(view spoiler)[I loved the bit where he was with Pie but thought he was with Jude, and then she called, and he kept thinking her voice on the phone was coming from the person in the room - I'd forgotten that part :-) (hide spoiler)]

So what did u pick Andy?

Yes, Robert, I had no idea what was going on, but I had an idea it wasn't who he thought it was. (view spoiler)[Do you think Pie is in love with Gentle? (hide spoiler)]

Addy, the answer to your question I do remember from my previous read, so I'll refrain from comment. :-)

I'm in Chapter 16 at the moment, and loving it! this was the push I needed to finally keep my vow to start back through his books. He's such an amazing writer. (view spoiler)[ Like his description of Jude and Gentle as they embrace after Taylor is taken away - it's simple but really powerful. (hide spoiler)]

I need to catch up!

Well, my progress will likely stall for a few days, but I have a flight to Denver mid-week and back the next day, and will likely have a fair amount of time to kill in the airport and on the plane, so I may be close to halfway finished by the end of the week. I can always set it aside and read something short if I start to get too far ahead of you guys. I almost don't want to go too fast, as amazing as it is. :-)

I am new to the group and sort of want to start this and chat about it. Long time barker fan, have always wanted to read this massive story , one of the only ones of his I have not.. How far behind am I, 12-16 chapters it looks like?

Yes, I'm on ch13. We are just taking our time. Just use spoilers when needed:) Welcome!

Thank you, sorry for not doing a proper introduction yet, I will get to that soon. I need to upload a picture as well :) Been lurking on goodreads for a year of so and finally want to take part in some book clubs as I read constantly and do not really talk to anyone about it! I got the Imajica hard cover signed a few years back as a gift but do not want to use that as a reader copy (despite being signed it also weighs a ton). I noticed the post above about the e-book having a dictionary, anyone find this useful enough to go with that edition? I have been putting this book off for about a decade, wanted to save my last classic barker read for the right time. Thanks!

I'm not using that edition, but when I tried to find it again, it wasn't listed...weird. So far, I haven't needed to look anything up, but I did start to write notes.

Welcome, Dominic! I'm on ch20, so I'm a bit ahead of others at the moment. I'm going on a business trip Wednesday and will have a lot of reading time in the airport and on the plane since it's difficult to take work with me, so I may be quite a bit ahead after that.

I'm considering putting it aside after the trip to read a couple of shorter things, partly so I don't get too far ahead of everyone else, partly to just let it stew in the back of my brain for a while, and partly because I have other things to read and review, and I don't want to fall too far behind on those. :-)

I've been here a while, and still don't have a profile picture either, so don't feel bad...

(view spoiler)[I loved it when Oscar brought Dowd back to life! I'm quite fond of Dowd:) (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[Yeah, me too - I remember being stunned the first time I read it when he dispatched Dowd - had not seen that one coming... (hide spoiler)]

I'm back from a few days away. I'll pick this up again tomorrow. Hopefully I can catch up over the weekend.

Btw, I took with me. I promised myself I'd read it this summer, and summer is short.

Nice! You kind of a history buff?

Chinese teacher. Peter Hessler is great.

Oh yeah. You told me u spoke Chinese:)

I'm at the start of ch27, and it looks like a good place to set it aside before my trip and use reading time while traveling to catch up on other things. I don't want to rush this, and I'm a bit ahead anyway. While I love everything about the story, I'm enjoying the Gentle/Pie pieces of the storyline a bit more than the others. (view spoiler)[I love the way that Gentle slowly rediscovers his powers, and how his body revolted when he asked Pie to be straight with him about what's going on. (hide spoiler)]

Lol, I remember having a crush on Pie and thinking Gentle was an idiot.

(view spoiler)[After all, the entire mess is Gentle's fault... (hide spoiler)]

It has been a few years since I read it but it really sticks in my mind and memory as such a unique epic fantastical tale. It is truly a Barker story-not your usual kind of 'fantasy' novel, not horror like Barker usually used to produce but it has a few horror moments. If you have read his novel Weaveworld that might prepare you for this amazing huge tale.

Yeah, Adrian, Gentle really can be pretty thick at times. :-)