Fantasy Aficionados discussion

The thread is open for the September Urban book of the month.

Traci will be Co-leading this book discussion.

Please use spoilers when discussing. Also, please remember this discussion does not officially start until September. If we (Carol or I) notice any spoilers or if we receive any complaints, this thread will be closed until the end of August.

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Questions to ponder:

What did you think of the “fear factor” in this book compared to typical fantasy books?


*More questions may be added later after Traci takes over this discussion.
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How to mark Spoilers
< spoiler>text goes here< /spoiler>

- Make sure to remove the spaces between the brackets and you get:

(view spoiler)[text goes here (hide spoiler)]

*wave*
For some reason I thought this was for October...
oops. Got the book and ready to read whenever though.
:)

Traci wrote: "*wave*
For some reason I thought this was for October...
oops. Got the book and ready to read whenever though.
:)"

That's cause September disappeared in my mind. O_O

It's all my fault.

Lol. That's okay. Just felt crazy.
It's just September...would anyone miss it???

Traci wrote: "Lol. That's okay. Just felt crazy.
It's just September...would anyone miss it???"

*blush*

My anniversary is in Sept. O_o

He doesn't know but he almost was forgotten. *shhsssssh! don't tell hubby!*

I won't if you don't...

it's my aunt's birthday too, but maybe she wouldn't mind skipping one??

I haven't forgotten, it's been a slow reading period for me lately, busy with other things, but I will start reading this sometime next week.

:-D


Library...

Cool, I didn't realize this one won. I'll try and get in on it, as I just found a copy on my most recent Goodwill trip :D

Kit★ wrote: "Cool, I didn't realize this one won. I'll try and get in on it, as I just found a copy on my most recent Goodwill trip :D"

Don't you love it when stuff like that happens?

This is one of my early sci-fi reads and favorites, will be glad to read it again. It's on hold for me at the library and will pick it up when I go in this week.

oh yay, I have been wanting to read this!

I'm going to start as soon as I'm done with my current book. I read it long ago. For school, I think, and I don't remember too much about it. But I've loved other Bradbury so I've been wanting to give it another shot.

I've ordered it from the library.

Jalilah wrote: "I've ordered it from the library."

Me too!

I've read this one several times, it's one of my favorites. (view spoiler)[ ha, you looked! (hide spoiler)]

Lol. Yup. I did. :)

lol!

I did too.. I'm such a sucker :P

Ha ha so did I!

I love this book! I'm pulling it off my shelves so I can re-read it.

Okay, just started and...I'm loving it. Bradbury has a poetic flow to his words, that give a feeling of 'hearing' the narrative.

And I like the differences and similarities of the two friends, Will and Jim.

Look! he thought. Will runs because running is its own excuse. Jim runs because something's up ahead of him.
Yet, strangely, they do run together.

I really liked this. Sets up the characters nicely I thought.

Alright, my first add on question, probably more for those who've read it before:

Do you think the book 'changes' depending on your age when reading it?

It seems age and aging is a big theme here.

I'm about to find out if there is "change" in attitude, Traci. I read it as a child and, now that decades - and decades - have passed I'm anxious to see if it still one of my favorites. I used this discussion as an excuse to buy a real hardcover copy - so I'm hoping the love still holds.

I've never read this book, so I can't compare the differences between an earlier me and now me.

But, wow, I just finished the first chapter. I'm delighted by the language and foreshadowing. Maybe I need to go back and read more Bradbury.

BTW, it's entirely appropriate that we tried to skip September. After all, "Take September, a bad month: school begins."

Finished! Great read--nice suggestion, Traci. Overall, I was really surprised by it. Regarding MrsJ's question on fear factor, I thought Bradbury did a lovely job of using subtle descriptor phrases and word that built the sense of danger. By the last half, I was quite sucked in and trying to read faster.

I read this book for the first time last year. I spent a large portion of my time while reading it thinking "WTF?," yet I found myself wanting to read faster and faster. I really liked the book by the end, but I'm not sure why. It's very different from the books I would normally select.

Finished too. Not really sure what I thought of it, and I haven't reviewed it yet. I loved the first half and the atmosphere that Bradbury conveyed. I love his prose. This is my third Bradbury book and definitely won't be my last.
In regards to the horror question, the second half is absolutely a thriller, and Mr. Dark is one of the creepiest bogeymen I've seen, I thought the biggest adversary in the story was time. (view spoiler)[ Jim can't wait to get older, although I lean towards he wanted to because of opportunity more than anything. Will is afraid of becoming an adult, I say this even though it was never stated because he is afraid of growing apart from Jim and he seemed to want to keep things as is. And Will's father who feared his time was running out. (hide spoiler)]

There was also plenty of good vs. evil too...and I thought this would just be a fun simple read. I was surprised too. In a good way.

I agree, Traci, about time. Loved the story. I'll post a link to my review later, when it's not so spoilery.

This book is very immersive. The first time I read it (and I was young) I was sucked in completely. I have also been each time I read the book. It's odd in that I know the book but it creates such an atmosphere that you can sort of slide into it.

I'll be starting this tonight :)

I loved this story. Read it a bit ago, but it gives you a great creepy feeling as you read.

I've started re-reading it and I'm really enjoying it. Bradbury captures the feelings and longings of childhood so well. Those themes are also in Dandelion Wine, minus some of the creepy factor. I just love his writing.

My copy just arrived from the library and I can’t wait to start, but I am such a “Chronological Reader” that I have to finish the book I have first!

Picked this up at the library yesterday and am only a chapter or so in to the book.

I last read this for the first time during my school years and may have re-read it again in my 20s.

I have to say that I had forgotten just how talented Bradbury was with words to establish mood ... even the early descriptions are lyrical and you feel like you are living in the small town childhood days with Will and Jim.

I remember really liking this book when I first read it and it was one of the books that served as my introduction to a lifetime of reading in the genre. Although I've not read far as yet, I have the feeling that I may well appreciate this book even more now than when I first read it.

I'm at chapter 11 now. Super talented author at creating a mood.

I love the realistic aspects that Bradbury added to the book such as the beginning of chapter 8. My favourite line so far. :)

Sharon wrote: "Picked this up at the library yesterday and am only a chapter or so in to the book.

I last read this for the first time during my school years and may have re-read it again in my 20s.

I have to say that I had forgotten just how talented Bradbury was with words to establish mood ... ..."

I agree with you here. Bradbury writes so well, I read enough pulp fiction that when I return to a master I truly appreciate his talent in writing.

I appreciate the ease of his writing. It's poetic without coming across as trying too hard. In a way his style reminds me of Mark Twain who I also love.

I don't know if it's when I read this, but I felt it was a lot more melancholy than I expected.

I agree, Traci. Certainly there was a horror element that built towards the end, but there was a strong thread of melancholy throughout.

One of the surprises for me is how central a role Will's dad came to play later in the story. I guess there were hints of it in the beginning, but I thought he was introduced more as a thematic counterpoint to youth/future growth.

Bradbury managed to do the melancholy of autumn so well, and the feel of childhood into young adulthood (circa late 19402 through 1960s) is also a talent he has. I suppose it harkens back to his memories and his own nostalgia.

Just started it last night.
Wow. This man could really write!

I just started this morning. Wow!

Heh, that was my reaction too. Not at all what I expected.

I had read him in school and wasn't impressed, don't know why really. But then more recent I read The Martian Chronicles and Fahrenheit 451 and that was my "wow" moment. These are more SciFi but I still will recommend them here for anyone who wants to continue reading more of Bradbury. He was more ahead of his time than he gets credit for. Especially Fahrenheit, its a scary look at where we're at and where we should hope we're not heading. Awesome book.

I read (and own) Fahrenheit. I remember it more as a well done morality tale. A little over-simplified, at least in my memory. Something Wicked just wowed me.

I agree. That Fahrenheit was more a morality tale than straight up SciFi, but it did have an accuracy, I thought, of our obsession with the internet and reality tv.
Also that Something Wicked shows better writing. Love all three though. Don't know why I didn't like it when I was younger.

Have you read Dandelion Wine?

Not yet. Do you recommend that one next?

I just got back in town and I'll be starting this today, I think.

>.>

Or tomorrow, lol!