How TV fandom, and fanfic, ruined my perfectly good hobby of reading

[indyhat]

(Yes, I wrote an essay. Weird, I know. Moving on.)

So I have some vacation time. And there are bookstores. And I spend maybe three or four hours of said vacation time just browsing the shelves, picking up books that I've heard of, or whose authors I've heard of, and checking them out: is this the kind of book I'm in the mood for?

Comments

[lotus0kid]

I don't read like I used to either. Don't really sit down somewhere comfortable and just read. I think about doing it, but hardly ever actually seem to.

I've read fanfic written in the first-person that has not sucked (though evidently I didn't bookmark any of it; make of that what you will). But I think this is something that takes real skill to do well
Definitely. I can only remember one case of well-done first-person fic. But anyway, I'd never write it myself, because honestly I feel like it crosses a line. It's one thing to sort of write about someone else's characters, but to actually use one of their voices, as if you really knew what they'd say? Eh, doesn't seem quite kosher to me.

Though thinking about it, isn't there a Heroes novel?
Indeed, Saving Charlie- detailing Hiro's quest to stop Sylar from killing, well, Charlie. It's really very sweet, if ultimately tragic. Oh, and it got pretty thoroughly Jossed by later seasons.

To which end: what should I be reading?
Hmm, tough to say. c_quinn does have a point with comics: 90% dialogue plus sometimes exceedingly pretty pictures. Not a bad way to go.

Personally, I have stand-by authors whose new books I'll always check out if not buy: Terry Pratchett, Christopher Moore, Tom Robbins, Carl Hiaasen, Francesca Lia Block, Neil Gaiman. Those are authors I will make time to sit down and read. There are a few other books I've come across that have been very impressive:
-The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak (gorgeously written, totally heartwrenching)
-Soon I Will Be Invincible, by Austin Grossman (really cool take on the superhero and super villain mythos)
-anything by Mary Roach, really- I've read her nonfiction books Bonk and Stiff, both are hilarious, entertaining, and informative

There are others I'll kick myself for not remembering, but there you go.

[indyhat]

I don't read like I used to either. Don't really sit down somewhere comfortable and just read. I think about doing it, but hardly ever actually seem to.

I think the Internets must suck all of what used to be 'reading time' ;-/

I don't read like I used to either. Don't really sit down somewhere comfortable and just read. I think about doing it, but hardly ever actually seem to.

Just out of interest, how is that distinct in your mind from writing dialog for a character who's otherwise being written about in the third person? Just curious :)

It's really very sweet, if ultimately tragic.

I may check it out, thanks :)

Oh, and it got pretty thoroughly Jossed by later seasons.

LOL! Heroes has pretty much perpetual retcon!fail after s1. I still love it though.

Thanks for the recs; some of those I don't bother with (Pratchett; I love him - he seems like such a sweet guy - but after a few of his books I found them all terribly same-ish, and that style just doesn't seem to work for me anymore. I haven't read any Gaiman since Good Omens and the Sandman comics, but periodically I pick his stuff up in bookshops and then put it down again. I suspect I'll end up with some of his less fantastical stuff eventually. The others I don't know, except for your wonderful fic set in the Francesca Lia Block-'verse. So I'll have a look, thanks! *compiles list*

And hey, if you remember any more, you can always come back here and leave me more recs ;o)

[lotus0kid]

I think the Internets must suck all of what used to be 'reading time'
They really do. The least I could do is write while I've got the dang thing turned on and all, but...

how is that distinct in your mind from writing dialog for a character who's otherwise being written about in the third person?
It's not, in a factual sense. And yet it still rubs me the wrong way.

I'm.. kind of astounded you think Terry Pratchett's books are all the same, but to each their own. If I think of any more recs, I'll let you know.

[indyhat]

It's not, in a factual sense. And yet it still rubs me the wrong way.

*grins* Reading is such a personal thing!

I'm.. kind of astounded you think Terry Pratchett's books are all the same, but to each their own.

Heh. I think maybe what I meant by that was that his writing style (in its quirks and descriptions, etc) is very consistent from one book to the next, and there came a point when I realised I was bored with it. But if you love Pterry, I don't want to make you sad!