on books....
Once I find a book I like, I'm usually hooked on that author for a long time to come. After all, *how* one tells a story is as important as the story itself. I enjoy Stephen King, and hate Peter Straub; I've never read a Piers Anthony or Terry Pratchett I didn't like; I've never read a Larry Niven novel that I *did* like, even when the story intrigued me.
And so it is with much confusion that I began re-reading American Gods this past week.
See, I *loved* AG....and then read Neverwhere and hated it. Specifically, I hated the pedantic writing style that made it seem like Gaiman was beating us over the head with every little detail, because obviously we didn't get what he was getting at the first 10 times he told us.
I decided I neede to re-read AG for several reasons, but one big one was to see if it was just that the story was good enough to overcome the story telling.
And yet, this morning at the doctor's office, only a few dozen pages into the book, I found myself falling in love all over again. I *know* how the story goes; know how it ends....and that makes it even more entertaining to me. I'm already sucked in, reading a few paragraphs in line at the drive through to pick up lunch, and taking it in with me anytime I may find myself waiting...
Part of it this time is that I *do* know how the story goes; I can revel in the subtle hints here and there, and bask in the mythology that I thought I saw the first time, but which I know for sure is there now.
There are, for the record, a few moments that are a bit pedantic. But...it's somehow more subtle. And so, now I'm sucked in again, waiting for a few more free moments where I can read some more.
And so it is with much confusion that I began re-reading American Gods this past week.
See, I *loved* AG....and then read Neverwhere and hated it. Specifically, I hated the pedantic writing style that made it seem like Gaiman was beating us over the head with every little detail, because obviously we didn't get what he was getting at the first 10 times he told us.
I decided I neede to re-read AG for several reasons, but one big one was to see if it was just that the story was good enough to overcome the story telling.
And yet, this morning at the doctor's office, only a few dozen pages into the book, I found myself falling in love all over again. I *know* how the story goes; know how it ends....and that makes it even more entertaining to me. I'm already sucked in, reading a few paragraphs in line at the drive through to pick up lunch, and taking it in with me anytime I may find myself waiting...
Part of it this time is that I *do* know how the story goes; I can revel in the subtle hints here and there, and bask in the mythology that I thought I saw the first time, but which I know for sure is there now.
There are, for the record, a few moments that are a bit pedantic. But...it's somehow more subtle. And so, now I'm sucked in again, waiting for a few more free moments where I can read some more.