Oops. Turns out the book those people were talking about was Ender's Game (you can see how I was confused), so I downloaded a free sample, and I liked it too!
But I read The Hunger Games first.
Ohmagah, I was consumed by it. I couldn't put it down, as they say. It's a page-turner, as they say.
I felt guilty for my single-minded behavior, like the Jane Fonda character in Barefoot in the Park who can't come out of the honeymoon suite. Cannot. There's good stuff in there, and the rest of the world can just bloody well wait.
Now, here's the thing. The Hunger Games is a young adult, science fiction story with a female protagonist. SO not my genre. And guaranteed to keep boys from reading any of it. (It's a trilogy; I devoured all three books.)
Well, as we speak, Cranky, a mature male reader whose favorite works are nonfiction war history stuff, is slurping up volume number two. Now will you believe me that it's addictive?
Some of you probably already know about it. It's become so huge, the book is translated into a million languages, a movie is due out in 2012, and someone wrote a cookbook based on the foods mentioned in the stories.
Let me lapse back into being a food blogger: The foods mentioned in the stories are either simple and acceptable (lamb stew with plums), kinda weird (chicken with orange cream sauce), or downright inedible (fish stew so slippery and horrific, it takes three swallows to get one mouthful down). So I probably wouldn't buy the cookbook, but I think it's clever of someone to have written it.
Also, there's wild game in The Hunger Games, but that's a coincidence. The "games" are something else, indeed.
Oh, right, I haven't told you what the trilogy is about. You can look it up yourself if you want. Just know that I accidentally downloaded it without a clue, and I was absorbed.
I'm finally out of that honeymoon suite, but I think I'm going to start Ender's Game next.
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16 comments:
Ender's Game is awesome, though the rest of the series is slightly less so. I freely admit that this sort of thing constitutes the bulk of my non-fic diet these days. I used to be very much an academic, high brow, classics and litfit reader. For decades. Same for movies: art house, foreign, independent, an edgy documentary now and then. I have no idea why that changed. Maybe I had something to prove before I hit my late 30's. Now I mostly want escapist tripe, both in books and movies. The trick is to find stuff that walks that fine line between too stupid and not stupid enough. I wish the library would oblige me by piling all the dumb movies with explosions and great CGI in one bin so I could just rummage through that.
Ha ha! Kate, that's me, too. Buñuel, Peter Handke, Harold Pinter. I did like it. But my downfall into lowbrow was Jane Austen. She was her era's "Friends," with a wedding at the end of every episode. Funny, too.
My recommendation for you: See all the Will Ferrell movies.
Au contraire, Cooks. Both of my younger grandsons (forgive me) devoured that book and even the college age males I know have read it. It seems to be one of "those" -- generational and significant to them. Haven't gotten into it, yet, but when it rains, perhaps I shall.
Have you seen any of the publicity on the new Jane Eyre (British)? Look it up! Guardian is giving it high marks.
Kudzu: Oh, fantastic to hear guys are reading this too. You might get a charge out of it.
Catherine S. sent the trilogy to Stephanie V. W. L., and apologized to Steph's husband for "disappearing" her for a week. :)
Not really a fan of Jane Eyre, but I'll pay attention.
To stumble upon a book you enjoy, such JOY!
Mouse: It sure was a stumble. If you knew what the books are about, you'd be mortified, but to me it was fascinating to find an author who didn't write a single false page.
Thanks for the reminder about these books. I've been meaning to read them ever since they showed up on my radar a year ago while reading an Entertainment Weekly at the Hunan Restaurant on Sacramento Street downtown.
And I look forward to your literary diversification. You're much more interesting than Food.
SFMike: OMG. How great to hear from you. Let's catch up!
I've read "Ender's Game" about 3 times in the last 20 years. A total SF classic. The sequel was good but not as captivating.
Cookie, I'm reading the first book in the Game of Thrones series, so I'm no one to judge!
Simply: That's a great endorsement, thanks!
Mouse: The important thing is that your book has "Game" in the title.
I wonder if Emily Ansara Baines is related to Michael Ansara. I will download the book and give it a try.
Zoomie, just start with the free sample (two chapters). You might hate it.
Book? What's a book? If it isn't on the internet it doesn't exist. ;)
Greg: If you can download it from the Internet, it does exist. Reading is the new black.
Ender's Game: an all time favorite of mine, also an accidental discovery. Somehow I found myself with a used hardback copy of it one day about 12 years ago. I have no recollection of its provenance. I reread it about once every 18 months. I'm due for one of those rereadings right about now, come to think...
And I'll have to finally try Hunger Games on for size, what with this outpouring of accolades from sources who have yet to steer me wrong!
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