The Sword and Laser discussion

I know this should go without saying but this book is just odd. I'm about a quarter of the way through the audio book and (view spoiler)[
there are crazy goat cults with tiny people that create things out of thin air and can change their size at will. Not to mention what they do to little girls. I guess we should be thankful that we haven't gotten a description yet approaching anything tentacle hentai-ish. I have reached a point where I'm just wondering where Murakami is heading. The book isn't quite as random as John Dies at the End but he definitely has my attention. Just hope its worth the crazy trip.
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Maybe I've seen too many David Lynch films and read too much Robert Anton Wilson, but I'm not finding 1Q84 odd at all. I'm not willing to call it weird until an ice-pick wielding penguin does battle with a squid in the middle of a subway car while a pair of teen-idols threaten to kill passengers who leave trash and a high school girl plots to rape her teacher because her dead sister's diary tells her to. (view spoiler)[Yes, that's a real thing. (hide spoiler)]

Nick wrote: "I guess we should be thankful that we haven't gotten a description yet approaching anything tentacle hentai-ish."

It's funny Nick, because my mind is glossing over the weirdest stuff. I mean, I know it is there, but that isn't the core of the story to me. *shrug*

Agree. Its "different"
I'm also trying the audio version.
I read the first 2 chapters in print as well.
I'm not sure if its the reader or the book
but it does have an odd quality to it.

I agree that this book is a bit different. I'm not plowing through as I would most books, but reading a chapter or two, putting it down, and spending the next hour-or-so thinking about it - about what's going on and where I think it might be going. I'm liking it.

I'm reading the actual dead tree version (thank you local library). I'm not a fan of audio books - they take too long and short circuit my imagination.

I'm like Urg, reading a bit then stopping to think. I am really enjoying it. Wish I had more time for it...maybe over the holidays. I like how the author is dropping hints and lettibg the reader figure out what's going on. I'm st the start of Book 2 and am really sucked into it.

I was almost glad to have to visit my surgeon today; 90 minute drive each way to listen to it, then I switched to reading on Kindle while in the waiting room.

I keep taking breaks too. I blame the need to think and stretch it out, but also Lego Harry Potter.

I got sucked into this book but only after about the first third. I listened to the audio version while walking and it forced me to go another mile then another etc. This book was over 100 miles...

I just finished book one and have been getting drawn in more and more but because of it's length i have been thinking about taking a break and reading something shorter between each of the books.

any thoughts?

Paul wrote: "I just finished book one and have been getting drawn drawn more and more, but because of it's length thinking about taking a break reading something shorter between each of the books.

any thoughts?"

That's what I did!

Urg wrote: "I agree that this book is a bit different. I'm not plowing through as I would most books, but reading a chapter or two, putting it down, and spending the next hour-or-so thinking about it - about w..."

That's funny you say that about taking too long. I have been listening to audiobooks at 2x speed exclusively lately and now when I pick up a book it feels like Im reading so slowly. I can listen to this book at least twice as fast as I can read it.

actually i kept going and have almost finished the 2nd book in the last 3 days. odd book indeed (and hard to explain to friends) but has really gotten under my skin

Paul wrote: "actually i kept going and have almost finished the 2nd book in the last 3 days. odd book indeed (and hard to explain to friends) but has really gotten under my skin"

Well all of his books are odd, and is basiclly about people discovering themselves.

I've been having a love/hate relationship with this book. It started a bit slow for me. Then, I thought I had figured out what was going on and flew through the end of the first book and all of the second. Now I'm on the third book and I'm ready to be done with it. Kindle tells me I'm 90% through (the 3-book compilation), so I guess it's only 100 pages or so. It's now my goal to be done with it before the new year.

I totally loved all of Murakami's books until Kafka on the Shore. I have been listening to 1Q84 and it's been a chore. I suppose it's my fault for listening at work but the descriptions of body parts and what they are doing is grossing me out. He keeps repeating things, too. I decided to switch to Ready Player One and I am very glad.

I'm not far into it yet-- only just finished the first book, but so far it doesn't really seem like science fiction to me-- seems more like surrealism at this point.

I have watched too much anime to find the "odd" stuff in the book odd... Like someone else said, I know it's there but I don't mind it... I read it on 2X speed so the repetitiveness didn't bother me either. I was hooked all the way to the end... but now I'm confused...

I found recently that Audible added a 3x narration speed. I'm on the fourth part of IQ84 listening at 3x. I think I might actually finish this month! Woot!

LOL yeah I wish I had 3X on my nano!! Between listing to like 8 TWiT shows a week and whatever book I'm on I can't manage.