h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

"I have to say, isn't *not* reading a book because everyone's raving about it just as bad as reading a book for the same reason? "

I don't think so. It's not a question of elitism or pretentiousness, simply just becoming sick of something because I never hear the end of it. Haven't you ever gone off a song you used to like because it's overplayed on the radio every time you turn it on? It's just a gut reaction with me, I'm afraid.

<> (Deb)

I don't think so. And I doubt most people who wouldn't bother reading something like The Da Vinci Code would be influenced by the media. I wasn't either - I read it because a few friends told me they'd liked it and I saw it on sale for just 10€ at the local bookshop last week. So I thought - what the heck. It was only afterwards that I started noticing all this hype about it - almost every morning when I read the papers.

<>(King Bomba)

Speak for yourself!

Okay, okay, just kidding. In fact, I read all sorts of books all the time. But I don't base my opinions on what I have heard or read about these books. Though it turns out that I tend to like *best sellers* much less than other books I happen across.


az

Get on then Az ...

To be honest I dont really read a huge amount of fiction, the pressures of Uni, work, hootoo and social life dont leave too much time free. I read Da Vinci code cause it was at my folks place when I was staying there.

Okey-dokey, FB - look for a short reading list in your email soon!




az

Well, I read it several months ago, before all the pre-christmas hype. I thought it was rubbish. anyone who's lived, or lives, in London, will read it as a comedy because of the number of errors. In fact, you could read the whole book as a comedy for the same reason. Also, there's more characterisation in a Mr. Man book. I only finished the bloody thing to see how many more mistakes he could make.

It's a shame, really, because the ideas behind the book are really very interesting. He should've given them to a proper writer instead of making such a balls-up himself.

I'm definitely not reading any of his other books. He is a poor writer.

RF

RF

I actually finished reading the book because I'd spent €10 on the f**ker and also I wanted to know how he would end it.

Which was - abysmally!

Honestly - everyone who liked this book - please go out and buy Foucault's Pendulum by Umberto Eco just to see how much this pales in comparison. And to also see how badly Mr Brown tried to copy this book.


az

Shit, you two really *do* feel strongly about this!

I think only because of the hype. I mean, tons of very mediocre novels are written and published all the time. So why did this on get so much hype? Certainly not because it's well-written. The mind reels . . .


az

I blame Opus Dei

nononononono! blame The Vatican

I took this on my jollies last summer and enjoyed it - but to be honest I didn't like his style, thought there were a lot of cliché characters and situations and the end was totally rushed and rubbish.

I must have missed all the hype... I got it from Amazon because it was on the "recommended to Sho" list, I buy thrillers for

As for character... not the Deppster. He's too beautiful. Viggo Mortensen would be excellent, because he can do that drop dead melt your underwear gravelly voice that i think Robert has. Or Sean Bean come to that (not sure what an American accent would be like coming out of him)

(oh, and here's an invitation to you lot who were over Viggo and Depp to get on over to the thread on my PS. We're very welcoming to fresh input!)

Aaargh - it was so annoying that all throughout the book he set up cardboard-cutout Vatican and Opus Dei villains, only to wimp out in the final few pages and let them all off the hook.

I mean honestly - an albino Opus Dei monk?

The crippled 'friend' who turns out to be a villain?

And what about the surly French (Catholic) police captain who is made out to be one of the obvious suspects?

Not to mention the young female cryptologist who ends up being Langdons's sidekick and companion - young curvy female about twenty years younger than Langdon . . . does this not sound somewhat familiar? As in - NO imagination???

This book should have died a short and quick death after a brief flurry of people wanting something light and fluffy to read at the beach.

Instead it is being touted as . . . what? This is what annoys me about this book. Not that it's mediocre, but that so many people seem to be going out of their way to raise mediocrity to mega-hyped literary godliness.



az

>> Shit, you two really *do* feel strongly about this! <<

Well, not that strongly, but it *is* being made out to be the best thing since sliced bread - on a lot of "book of the year" type lists, mainly by lazy journalists and people who I suspect should know better.* But you'll find better writing in a Jeffrey Archer book.

Now, Foucault's Pendulum...not read that for *years*...

RF

* MAybe he's paying them...Ooh! Conspiracy theory!

Nothing wrong with young curvy females Az!

Ever read Lord of the Flies? Now there's a rushed ending.

Really, though, who gets to decide what's a good novel and what's not? I would think that if a lot of people buy and enjoy a novel then it's good. If no-one enjoys it then it's bad.

Deb

On your logic, Deborah, Jeffrey Archer is "good". Yet every seems to agree that he's "bad".

Ask yourself this, having read the Da Vinci Code: What do I *know* about the central (or, indeed, any other) character?

RF

Stopped by the bookshop on my way home this morning as I am almost at the end of one of my Christmas prezzies (Going Postal by Terry Pratchett - wonderful!) and there were *stacks* of not only The Da Vinci Code but also three other books by Dan Brown - stacked on the floor! And this is in a Spanish bookshop that only has a small English section in it.

What a waste of space!


az

<>

If a lot of people buy and enjoy a novel then it's *popular* - not necessarily "good".

But the question of who gets to say a novel (or a piece of music, or a painting) is good, and what the criteria are isn't so easy. Something more involved than "mere" popularity though, I think.

Noggin

I saw a quote somewhere (on a plastic bag, I think) that goes "Some books are undeservedly forgotten. None are undeservedly remembered."

I also heard someone on Radio 4 last week say that they don't read books younger than 30 years old. If a book is still in print by that point there must a reason, and so it could be worth reading. It's a sort of publishing Darwinianism.

I only mention these points of view because they seem relevant. I'm not saying whether I argee with either of them.


Geggs

This is true - I mean, look at how popular McDonald's is.

Not to mention Westlife . . .


az

Shudder....indeed!

But what makes a book good??? Is it characterisation, use of language or ease of story???

For me it can be any or all of the above - Captain Correlli, loved the story and characterisation....but the language (for me) screamed "look at me how clever I am" in parts (yes, I did reach for the dictionary on 2 occassions - and I thought my command of my mother tongue was pretty good!)-but to me this is still a great book.

But I also love David Eddings' books - which are (on the authors' own admission!) formulaic and based on stereotypes......but make a damn good read! I was so hooked on them that by the time of the Mallorean, I was waiting for the issue of the next instalment!

OK, enough of this - must start perparing the alcohol for this evening....