At the risk of being lame by reposting the high points of Wil Wheaton's most recent blog entry...

[osaraba]

You should check these out:

17 Sensational, Free and Downloadable Graphic Novels, including Fell, DMZ, Hellblazer. You NA regulars will already have read most of these, I'm sure, but still.

Damn Cool Pics: Sleevefaces: pictures of people posing with album covers in clever ways!


Belatedly, I finished Neil Gaiman's American Gods quite a while ago but forgot to post about it. It isn't fresh in my mind anymore, but I did enjoy the story. The ending wasn't exactly a let-down, but I wasn't completely satisfied by it either. I think it's because as much as I was interested in the story, and thought it was excellently researched and told, and took an unusual and interesting perspective, I wasn't all that emotionally invested in the character(s). Above all, I read for the characters. I've said before that I can enjoy a story with a "bad" plot but good characters, but it's more difficult (though not completely impossible) for me to get into one with a good plot, but boring or flat/undeveloped characters.

Shadow was certainly an interesting character, but he was definitely emotionally distanced from all that was going on. I also enjoy protagonists who are emotionally distant/cold (of which Carol O'Connell's Detective Kathy Mallory series is an excellently! written example), but then there has to be a secondary character who brings the emotional connection into the story, and American Gods just didn't have that. You know, I think I remember having a similar problem with Gaiman's Coraline.

I'm still making my way through Watchmen, and am also re-reading David Weber's Honor series (currently on book #3, The Short Victorious War). Upcoming books on my To-Be-Read list: Keturah and Lord Death, Drizzt trilogy (Forgotten Realms series), Life of Pi, Off Armageddon Reef.

Comments

[sharona1x2.livejournal.com]

Those sleevefaces are super cool! Thanks for sharing the link. ♥

[osaraba]

You're quite welcome! I thought they were pretty awesome, myself. =D

neil gaiman!!!

[fiinedeiopeia.livejournal.com]

i'm feeling you on the emotional distance of the characters, but i was so involved with shadow, i didn't really care about anyone else. i guess you're right, but the mythology itself was like a character in this story, and I got emotionally attached to the ups and downs of that whole world - the little side stories develop it so much that i cared more about the connections between the gods and their people than about the relationship (or lack thereof) between shadow and his dead wife. but perhaps you and i just wanted different things from it altogether. wasn't it a brilliant idea though? i think it's a book i could keep rereading and find new depths everytime.

Re: neil gaiman!!!

[osaraba]

I wasn't talking so much about the wife as the emotional connection. I didn't like her very much at all. I really appreciated the little side stories and most especially what Shadow endured toward the end. As I said, it really was excellently written and very interesting. But I think there was a direct correllation between the emotional distance I kept from the characters and how satisfied I was at the end.

Still, don't misunderstand -- I did enjoy the book very much. I also really enjoyed the pace and mood of the story, and I think Gaiman's a good storyteller. I'm still interested in reading the short stories Chris says there are about Shadow. Have you heard of/read them?

Re: neil gaiman!!!

[fiinedeiopeia.livejournal.com]

yeah, i see what you mean. i was just using the wife as an example of where the reader feels nothing about a character, cuz dude, seriously - that woman made me roll my eyes. i'm glad you enjoyed it! i was so overwhelmed by that book - i really love mythology and this book ... gah, i can't even find the words for how cool i thought everything with Wednesday and the rest of them was.

i'm pretty sure you told me about the short stories that Chris recommended that are about shadow, so yeah, i've heard of them. i've been meaning to read them too! haven't gotten around to it yet...

and er, on a completely different note... go appreciate my lj post!

Re: neil gaiman!!!

[osaraba]

I saw your HUGE fic rec post! Unfortunately, I will not have time to possibly delve into it until next week. >_<

I'll be sure to let you know what I think about any of the ones I end up reading. =D