Greetings!
(Pronounced in a Bela Lugosi-like accent.)

Welcome to the Tales of Mystery and Horror Halloween Thread.

Below is a list of titles we will be reading together. I'd like to see if there is any agreement amongst us as to the order of reading on these so that we can benefit from reading them close to simultaneously. So, give me a few comments and I'll try to accomodate everyone.

Also, any suggestions for a couple of additions? We may have some extra time at the end since we're starting a little early.

There are no rules here. Read 'em all with us. Read a couple. Read 'em out of order. Just read 'em.

1. Dracula by Bram Stoker
2. Complete Stories and Poems of Edgar Allen Poe
3. The Wood Wife by Terri Windling
4. The House of Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne
5. The Island of Dr. Moreau by H.G. Wells

The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins
Fear by L. Ron Hubbard
Ghost by Alan Lightman
Creepers by David Morrell
The Face by Dean Koontz

Edited to fix my difficulties in paying attention to the touchstones and, apparently, to the author names I was typing (Thanks, TadAd)

Edited again to fix the order of reading, so far.

Message edited by its author, Sep 30, 2009, 7:30pm.

Maybe a thread for me, BDB.

I need a couple of days to think about it time-wise.

Sounds like such good fun! And, chilling.

womansheart/Ruth

An interesting list. There are a few there I haven't read that I'd like to someday. It's a lot to do by Halloween, though. I'll have to think about this.

BTW, The Island of Dr. Moreau wasn't written by "H. G. Moreau". :-D

I can't wait! I am going to have some long nights ahead of me in October, and this list will be great company.

hey, great: a list! I still have exams this month but will be completely free in October so perfect timing. Can I just ask something about the order? Can we do Dracula first because it is the only one I own for no, so I can have time to get some of the others? pretty please?

ETA: oh, that or Poe which I've already read most of

Message edited by its author, Sep 13, 2009, 12:09pm.

Good timing! I was about to start on The House of Seven Gables anyway. I also have The Woman in White on my October TBR pile. Others on my pile are Frankenstein, I am Legend, Doctor Faustus, Shutter Island and The Book of Lost Things.

I actually meant to read I am Legend after seeing the movie, although I heard they're completely different. Might be a good one to add to my personal list, even if it doesn't make it here.

It sounds like something I'd enjoy, but don't know if I can get my hands on all the books. Our county library system lacks several of them, and it's too hard to time an out-of-county ILL to arrive when the group is reading a particular item.

And I am NOT buying any more books for a while . . . . (she says, really REALLY meaning it this time . . . with fingers crossed behind her back . . . ;)

BTW, your touchstone for Ghost led to a book by that title by Robert Harris. Here's a link (hope it works!) for the book by Lightman:

http://www.librarything.com/work/3386623

It's one of the books on your list that our library system doesn't have . . . but it sounds promising . . . Maybe I could buy ONE more book . . . aaaaaaaaaaagh!

ETA to add
ah, you fixed the touchstone for Ghost!

Message edited by its author, Sep 13, 2009, 4:47pm.

Okay, so far we have a request from Miss Glass to read either Dracula or the complete Poe first, any dissent?

That's fine with me.

Luxx and mstrust, As for I Am Legend, it won't make the list this year for me because I've already read it. And it is quite different than the movie, better I think because of the depth of the story. So, don't let me discourage y'all from reading it. You can substitute it in for one on our list here you've already read or don't want to read.

Please, comments on any dissent to us starting with either Dracula or the Poe collection!!!! We want to get reading!!!

One of my possible additions will be The Strain, recommended to me byTrishNYC and DrNuetron. But I want to get through these first. I might take a different suggestion from mstrust on Shutter Island for the end of the list also. Been wanting to read that one before the move comes out.

tymfos, why make such absurd promises?!?!?! We all know you're going to cave and run out to buy some of these to join us!!! Don't make us wait. :)

Well, at least if you start with Dracula or Poe, I'll be OK for a while. I have Dracula on my own bookshelf. Our library's Complete Stories and Poems of Edgar Allen Poe has gone missing, but we have another Poe book that has just about everything he wrote, I think.

Only problem is, if we start now, I already have 5 books going . . .

I "third" reading Dracula first.

I should go start my Amazon list now...

I've gathered them all except for The Wood Wife. If I can find it at a bookstore, I'll get it. Otherwise, I think I'll fill up the month with the rest. There's a very good chance I'm going to start a bit early since I'm really looking forward to them!

Shutter Island would make a nice addition to the list. The Strain is pretty good, but it's the first part of a trilogy whereas Shutter Island is stand-alone.

I'm cool with starting on Poe or Dracula first. My preference is Poe since haven't read any for a while, but either will do nicely.

The Wood Wife is the one I'm least likely to read, too. The libraries don't have it, and it doesn't sound like one I'd go out and buy. I think I will buy Ghost, though. The rest of the original list and Shutter Island, I can grab at a library, unless someone else checks them out first! (It is that time of year . . . )

As long as it's OK to skip The Wood Wife, count me in on this challenge!

On one hand, I think The Wood Wife is better than some of the others on the list; it's a book I definitely enjoyed. On the other hand, it's less a book of "mystery and horror."

I'll follow along on this. I don't know if I'll do all the ones that are re-reads, but I'm game for starting with the Poe. My vote would be to do the Hubbard last because I've hated everything of his I've tried and, if one is going to drop off the end...

I'm starting The Island of Dr. Moreau. Nice to be swinging into the werewolf season...

Okay,

Looks like we have a quorum for starting with Dracula first and moving on to Poe. Though, it looks like the doc may be starting on Poe. I'm pretty sure he finished up a re-read of Dracula not long ago. So, we'll have to catch up with him.

I personally will be starting now!!

Glad to have tymfos and TadAd and jadebird along, even if we aren't reading the exact same books at the exact same time.

And tymfos, don't count out getting one of these titles. We may surprise you with a glowing review.

Happy Haunted Reading!!!

I'm in for Dracula, Poe, and The Island of Dr. Moreau - all free through Daily Lit!

Here is my reading plan for October--which I will start either as soon as I finish my 999 challenge or October 1st--whichever comes first.

From BDB's list

1. The Island of Dr. Moreau by H.G. Wells (purchased)
2. The House of Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne (purchased)
3. The Wood Wife by Terri Windling (ordering this week)
4. Dracula by Bram Stoker (annotated edition—I own; I read another edition last year, so I'm saving this to last in case I don't have time for all I've chosen)

Other books for Halloween
5. The Moonstone by Wilke Collins (I reread The Woman in White last year also)
6. Woman in Black by Susan Hill (if I can find a copy)
7. Blaze by Richard Bachman (aka Stephen King) (I own)
8. Picnic at Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsey (I own)

I read all the Poe stories last year for a group read, which is why I'm not doing him. The others on BDB list I will probably add to my wishlist for next year as I read everyone's comments about them. :-)

Wood Wife is the one I'm most excited about so I hope it comes up early in October. Stasia is also going to read that one and we would like to read it at the same time as this group--so I'll be watching to see when it is posted. Could that one be at the beginning of October after Dracula and Tales of Edgar Alan Poe are done? It would make a nice change of pace. :-)

I'm in! Can't promise I'll do them all, but I will try at least some of them, def Dracula and I will try to find Ghost, as I loved Lightman's Einstein's Dreams... one of my all time faves! I read Complete Tales of Edgar Allan Poe earlier this year, so that's one down. I'll be interested to see what you all think, though. My favorite story is probably Ligeia.

18: Daily Lit? Daily Lit? Can you post a link? The Island of dr. Moreau for free sounds tempting!

#21: Daily Lit is great. You search for a book, and then give them your e-mail address. Then, they split the book into about 5 minute segments, and you get one in you e-mail every day. You can alter your settings so that you can get 10 or 15 minute segments every day instead, and if you want to read it all at once, then you can just keep asking for the next installment, and they will send it right away. They have a ton of classics, since they are in the public domain. It is just www.dailylit.com

Enjoy!

Okay guys,

Looks like we have our third book picked out....Wood Wife will be after Dracula and the Poe collection to accomodate a request by MM1.

Started Dracula last night, just the first chapter. Now I know where the tradition of stupid victims comes from in our modern horror movie. The narrator keeps saying how everyone around him is acting weird and telling him not to go, but he's going anyway. Cue the evil organ music!!!!

Thanks, Mac! I appreciate that. I'll be watching this thread. Let me know when to start. :-)

Oh, didn't know we had an order. Just finished Dracula. Good stuff.

Excellent stuff. Unfortunately my copies of these books are in storage.

Except for two works by Ray Bradbury, I'm reading books that I've never read before because they are recent purchases and right at hand.

THE HALLOWEEN TREE and THE OCTOBER COUNTRY are the only books I have from my library not in storage at the moment.

I'm sending for a copy of Dracula and I've read my volumes of Poe many times. I've started The House of the Seven Gables and I'm really enjoying it. Hawthorne's Young Goodman Brown is one of my favorite short stories.

Thanks, Cait86, for the dailylit.com info- I had never heard of it.

I would also like to join in. I don't know if I can read fast enough to read them all, but I have definitely been planning to read Dracula all year long, and I have it ready to go. I will start as soon as I finish the book I am reading now. Looks like fun! :)
--BJ

Sorry your books are in storage OldSarge, but I can imagine it's tough to get things in order right now. Thanks for adding my library as an interesting one.

mstrust, I'm sure we'll get to the Hawthorne pretty quick. A couple of others are starting there, so I'll list that as our fourth read for the list. Hopefully you'll read a few of the others with us!

billiejean, Dracula's not short, so we'll be reading it for a few days I'm sure.

Still taking suggestions on where the remainder of the books fall in order!

I've joined Dailylit.com so I can read The Island of Dr. Moreau and The Strange Case of Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde. I'm sure I'll be behind everyone on Dracula as I don't even have it yet, but I'll try to catch up.

I am definately in for a couple of the reads. Mainly Dracula and The Woman in White. I have had both sitting around for a while now. About time I read them. I am really looking forward to the Wilkie Collins book.

What? No Lovecraft or Barker or Stevenson? Just kidding.

For those of you who don't have Dracula, it's public domain, so there are several places you can read it online... Here's the one I'm reading, from Project Gutenberg: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/345/345-h...

I read Dracula back in April and was going to read Wilkie Collins' The Moonstone for my 999 challenge so really should keep to that, would also like to read The Strain. I'll add a Darren Shan to the mix - Procession of the Dead.

I thought I had posted here and said I was going to try it too, but I can't find it. Stinks to get old. Anyway, I also thought I had said "Thanks!" to Cait for the DailyLit info. Since I apparently didn't, "Thanks, Cait!"

There is too much good stuff to do on LT. *pouts* I don't have enough hours in my days.

#36 LOL! I know exactly how you feel! :)

I ordered Alan Lightman's Ghost for the group read. I think I have everything else on the list except The Wood Wife. I'm going to wait and see what you all have to say about that one. Since I'm reading The Little Stranger and just ordered The Woman in Black, I think I'll have more than enough seasonal reading to keep me busy without doing that one right now! (And I'm just a handful of pages from finishing 20th Century Ghosts, too.)

bdb Now I know where the tradition of stupid victims comes from in our modern horror movie. The narrator keeps saying how everyone around him is acting weird and telling him not to go, but he's going anyway. Cue the evil organ music!!!!

Ha! I was thinking the same myself. Started it today and it thought it was so funny, particularly this part:

"I could hear a lot of words often repeated, queer words, for there were many nationalities in the crowd; so I quietly got my polyglot dictionary from my bag and looked them up. I must say they were not cheering to me, for amongst them were 'Ordog' - Satan, 'pokol' - hell, 'stregoica' - witch, 'vrolok' and 'vlkoslak' - both of which mean the same thing, one being Slovak and the other Servian for something that is either were-wolf or vampire."

Duhh!! I'd say that's pretty disturbing to hear but noooo he makes a note to ask the Count about local superstitions! :)

One of the themes of Dracula is rationality/science/technology vs tradition and the paranormal. This is one of those places where the conflict comes out. Harker's a modern man who doesn't believe in all that stuff, so he doesn't take it seriously.

One of the things about the book that I never got until I read the annotated version is that Stoker's included quite a bit of what we would consider a technothriller today. Typewriters, the use of phonographs for diaries, rapid communication with telegraphs, etc, were all cutting edge stuff when the book was written.

39: that's really interesting. I just wikied telegraph and apparently the first commercial electrical telegraph "entered use on the Great Western Railway in Britain. It ran for 13 miles (21 km) from Paddington station to West Drayton and came into operation on 9 July 1839." I suppose it took quite a bit of time for telegraphy to become more widespread and be used for longer distances. Dracula was written in 1897 so that makes perfect sense.

Thanks for the added info Doc. I figured you would be keeping us up to date with the stuff you got out of the annotated version.

GUG, So what I find really amazing so far is the mood he's created in just the first couple of chapters with little stuff. And the Count is nowhere near like the vampires of our current ilk. Hair on his palms and vile breath.

doc, on the idea of paranormal vs. science, what struck me is that Harker, while a scientific man who doesn't want to believe in the stuff, has a hard time controling his instincts that something bad is happening. I immediately thought of one of my favorite Non-Fiction books, The Gift of Fear. The book argues that we essentially socialize ourselves out of listening to and developing our instictive natures. Mr. Harker could have used a good read of that book.

Yeah, I think that's a good point. Stoker's not denying the existence of these things - rather that our more rational mode discounts these things at our peril, but in the end the rational mindset is capable of controlling and containing, and ultimately defeating these less rational elements of our universe.

I read the first chapter of Dracula earlier this evening off DailyLit (Thanks Cait!). The last part of his journey to Dracula's castle sounds like it would be very frightening to actually live through.

How's everyone doing? Just dropping by to say I ♥ Renfield! He is such a great and fascinating character!

and just read this on wikipedia:

"Renfield appears as the protagonist in a number of works that provide his backstory or retell the Dracula tale from his viewpoint. The novels The Book of Renfield by Tim Lucas and Renfield: Slave of Dracula by Barbara Hamby are examples of this as is Gary Reed's graphic novel Renfield: A Tale Of Madness. Renfield is re-imagined in the book Fangland into a wannabe artiste named Stimson Beevers who communicates with his master via email by John Marks."

ooooh I'm going to look up the works on LT, see if they're any good!

You love Renfield? You are a dark little thing aren't you. That's cool.

I am really enjoying this book. Everytime I sit down to read, I feel like a heavy drape curls around me and shuts out the light. Stoker is a master at mood. Last night I was reading with the window open enjoying some late summer rain. As the sun sank behind the mountains, I started looking furtively at the sindow next to me every couple of paragraphs. Had to shut the blinds to keep my wits.

Barbara Hambly's Renfield is quite good. It's a faithful retelling of Dracula from Renfield's point of view. While it's perfectly possible to read on its own, make sure you read Dracula first to get the full effect.

I'm on Chapter 3. So far I'm quite enjoying it, although I find Harker to be extremely annoying. He reminds me of a romance novel heroine... verging to TSTL, too stupid to live!

I actually finished it last night -I knooooow I knooow it's just that a) it was very suspenseful and b) I wanted to get studying by today. But I won't say a thing until we're all done with it so we can talk about it :D

I haven't started yet -- still finishing The Little Stranger, and once that's done, I'll start Dracula, which is a re-read for me. I have Ghost on its way from an Amazon book seller, and Fear and The Woman in White coming from the County Library.

ETA touchstones are not cooperating today!

Message edited by its author, Sep 18, 2009, 7:45am.

GUG,

Done already!!!!

I'm with you though, it is very suspenseful so far. Came across a great quote yesterday about death. I don't have the book with me right now, but I'll include it here later.

allthesedarnbooks,

doc made quite a good point up a few posts about Harker fighting his instincts because of his faith in the rational.

I can't remember if anyone is reading the Poe with me next. If not, we can put something else higher on the list. Let me know.

I'm going to read some Poe next, so I vote we forge ahead with the plan.

I wouldn't mind doing a re-read of Poe. However, I will be studying until Thursday and can only do it after that. It's good really that I finished D when I did because I would have had to stop in the middle of it and continue after Thursday otherwise. No pleasure reading for me this week! :(

I will be picking up Dracula today - I had to finish an "I'll Read Yours if You Read Mine" challenge before I jumped into our Halloween reading. I'm excited to get started! I haven't read Dracula in years.

Er, scratch that. I decided that I really want to read an annotated version, and just ordered the Norton, so I'll be starting it early next week.

BTW, apparently BN is doing a deal where they're giving everyone the member price on "textbooks" with free expedited shipping. I'm usually an Amazon junkie, but the BN order ended up being $1 more than the Amazon price with 3-day shipping.

Message edited by its author, Sep 18, 2009, 2:34pm.

I should be finished with Dracula by next week some time. I've just read the first three chapters, but so far I am loving it; I had no idea it was told in diary form, which is one of my favourite narrative forms. I was struck by the opposition of West and East - Harker refers to the locals as "barbarians" and "savages", and even Count Dracula sees England as a haven of civilization. You see this a lot in literature from the period, but it usually is in relation to Africa or Asia. This is the first time I've encountered an "othering" of Eastern Europe. It's interesting how England is the symbol of progress, reason, civilization, and yet here is Harker, an Englishman, showing very little reason at all - the man is clueless. Eliza, I was struck by that same quote; you would think that mass amounts of people giving you the sign of the cross, etc., would deter someone from going to Dracula's castle, but not Harker.

I understand he's supposed to be "rational" but I think he crosses over the line into stupid. For example, how long does it take him to figure out he's locked in? Or what about when he wanders off into the castle, behind the locked doors Dracula told him not to open, and the ladies swoop down on him? If this were a slasher movie, I'd be screaming at the screen, "NO! Don't go in there, you idiot!"

HORROR OF HORRORS!!! I just pulled my copy of Dracula off the shelf -- haven't read it in years and years -- and I noted one little word in fine print that is the ruin of it . . .

ABRIDGED . . .

BOOOOOO, hiss, etc.

*heading off to the library catalog web page*

I'm starting Dracula today. I'm still reading The House of the Seven Gables, which I'm on Chapter 5, I think. Also, I'm on Chapter 2 of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Still on the first chapter of The Island of Dr. Moreau.

I have Dracula, House of the Seven Gables and The Woman in White in my TBR. And The Strange Case of Dr Jeckyll and Mr Hyde and Frankenstein, for that matter. I'm going to try to get to some of them in the next few weeks.

And I might add The Turn of the Screw into the mix, as well.

I read The Turn of the Screw and Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde last year for Halloween. I enjoyed both of them.

I'm loving the discussion on Dracula--I also read that one recently. I now have an annotated edition and if I finish the other books I'm planning for October I'll pull it out and give it a go. That was a book I avoided for years because I knew I wouldn't like it. Boy, was I wrong! I now know why it's a Classic. Renfield was one of my "favorite" characters--and I don't like spooky stories! Maybe I'll find out I do like spooky stories. :-D

Okay, forging one with Poe next, looks like many of us will be finishing up Dracula in the next week or so.

This Dracula thing is fun. It's such a discovery to read it for the first time this late in life.

OK, you guys have tempted me into trying Dracula. I'm a hardcore scaredy-cat, so I don't read a lot of spooky stories, but 'tis the season. If I survive Dracula, I might try some of the others too. We'll see how many nightmares I have!

#60 I'm agreeing with you, Mac. It IS fun to discover a read like this later in life. I never had a desire to read Dracula before, and I can't believe how anxious I am to settle down with it each day! Thanks for dragging me in! I can always count on you for an adventure!
I was thinking about skipping the Poe, but I don't think I will now.

#33 -- Thanks for the link to the Project Gutenberg text of Dracula. Since my print copy is abridged, I've started reading from their text.

What a wonderful project that is!

I will try to join in on at least part of the Poe read, too. I haven't read any of the stories in a long time. Time to refresh my memory!
--BJ

>63, You're welcome! I also found this link, Planet Ebook, which has Dracula, Frankenstein, and The Island of Doctor Moreau in ebook form, to download for free! They also have lots of other classics.

Hey,

I am happy to 'tempt' and 'drag' you guys along. porch, just keep a few lights on in the house if you read at night! tloeffler, i find the same thing about Stoker's story. I think about it often throughout the day until I am able to find a few more precious reading minutes.

On Poe, since I chose an omnibus, everyone can choose to read as much or as little as they want; read from the poems or the stories or the novellas, whatever. Just watched a 'Wharehouse 13' (Science Fiction Channel television program) that featured Poe. Things seem to be lining up.

I read the complete poems earlier this year, so I'll probably be skipping those. It's a great excuse to revisit some of my favorite stories, though!

I settled down with Poe today - read about half the stories in Tales of Mystery and Imagination today. My favorites are still The Cask of Amontillado and The Mask of the Red Death.

I think I'll jump into the Hawthorne next...

Message edited by its author, Sep 19, 2009, 10:44pm.

My favourites would have to be Tell-Tale Heart and The Pit and the Pendulum, though I'll see when I re-read them if they stand the test of time.

I've always had a thing for The Black Cat.

What a great idea to read horror stories for Halloween! I'd like to suggest one that I inherited from my Mother, but has been sitting on my TBR shelf for a year. I'm refering to J.S. LeFanu's masterpiece Uncle Silas. I pulled it down and I am adding it to the rest. I'll see if I can get the ones I don't have (like The Ghost) elsewhere.

Message edited by its author, Sep 21, 2009, 12:21am.

uh ... dangerous and scary thread here......

must star.. eek!

My favorite Poe, since I first read it in 5th or 6th grade, is The Tell-Tale Heart. Such tension!

I read the complete Poe short stories last year--many of them were familiar from earlier and some were new to me. One of the new ones I really liked was Ligeia. I also love (in addition to the ones already mentioned above) The Fall of the House of Usher. One of my favorites by Ray Bradbury was Usher II in The Martian Chronicles because it reminded me of the Poe story and was so well done.

>74, I love "Ligeia," Carolyn! It was probably my favorite of his stories, along with "The Fall of the House of Usher," of course. I'll have to dig out my Poe book and do a little rereading for Halloween, even though I read it earlier in the year.

As far as Dracula goes, I've just finished the Harker's journal section, and am starting in on Mina's letter... Chapter 5, I think.

I'm through nine chapters of Dracula. One thing I'll say, Stoker didn't waste time getting into the thick of things! There was plenty of creepy stuff right from the first chapter. Great atmosphere, too, as others have noted.

I finished Dracula. I found the middle a trifle wearisome but enjoyed the rest. My comments here.

Message edited by its author, Sep 21, 2009, 10:12am.

You can count me in. I began Dracula today and read the first chapter. I am only reading the ones on the list that I have. I may try some online reading but I much prefer to hold the book in my tight little hands. Anyhooooo, I have all of Poe's works and am deeply embedded in at least 3 other reads, so I'll see how it goes.
I absolutely love this thread. I have been lurking and skulking since --BJ gave it to me and what a fun group and what interesting conversation to be found here. Thank you bdb for setting this one up for us. You are very much appreciated.
belva

You can count me in. I began Dracula today and read the first chapter. I am only reading the ones on the list that I have. I may try some online reading but I much prefer to hold the book in my tight little hands. Anyhooooo, I have all of Poe's works and am deeply embedded in at least 3 other reads, so I'll see how it goes.
I absolutely love this thread. I have been lurking and skulking since --BJ gave it to me and what a fun group and what interesting conversation to be found here. Thank you bdb for setting this one up for us. You are very much appreciated.
belva

Whoa!!! I finished Dracula yesterday. I have a lot to say, and I'll be working on a review. But I want to wait until a few more of you are finished before I post it here or on my thread.

TadAd, You found the middle wearisome. My wife found the last half of the book rushed. And I liked the pace and detail just right. We three bears all like things a little different.

tymfos, I agree wholeheatedly about Stoker's ability to create a chilling mood. It's a testament to his writing.

I will be reading the Poe shorts for a while now. Trying to mix in an ARC that is decidely not Halloweenish but must be read because I promised a review.

I am sure glad everyone is having as much fun as I am with this. Welcome to all the new posters who have joined us!

I originally was going to start with the Poe. Now, I'm not so sure what I'll do. I've read his Tales of Mystery and The Murders in the Rue Morgue but the remainder of the "Complete" is quite large (800+ pages of very small type) and I've got a lot of other stuff going right now. Maybe I'll just sample a couple of old favorites and wait for The Wood Wife to start.

Ghost arrived in the mail today! Looks promising . . .

I just realized that I never shared this!

Baltimore is hosting a number of events this year to honor Poe (as opposed to just the 2-3 they do every year), and the biggest event is coming up: Poe's funeral.

They are hosting viewings of "his" body at Poe house on October 7th or 8th, and on the 11th they are holding a funeral in his honor. They are taking the body from Poe House to the cemetery by horse-drawn carriage and have a number of speakers scheduled. John Astin - who played the original Gomez, occasionally works as a Poe impersonator, and teaches at Johns Hopkins - frequently attends Poe events. I *believe* he is giving the eulogy.

It is going to be an amazing event! Sorry, just wanted to share. ;) "Unfortunately" I'll have a 2-day-old infant at the time of the funeral and won't be able to make it. My firstborn shares Poe's birthday, though...

Luxx

What a great event that will be! I'm sorry you will have to miss it, but at least we won't have to be jealous of you. Blessings on your new arrival in October. If it is on the 5th he will share my birthday. :-)

I think I am going to read the shorts in the complete Poe. They are about 280 pages or so. I may not read them straight through.

Wish I could go to the Poe events!

Luxx- that sounds like a lot of fun and I wish I could go. I will be getting to Washington Irving's house in Tarrytown a week or two before Halloween. I understand they have jack o' lantern displays and read "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow".

I'm on the third chapter of Dracula and couldn't agree more with previous comments- why, oh, why would Harker go to the Castle after the peasants beg him not to? And why is he so calm after the Count chokes him?

86: to answer your question, a quote from later on in the book (no spoilers, don't worry):

"which of us would have received such a possibility, in the midst of our scientific, sceptical, matter-of-fact nineteenth century? We even scouted a belief that we saw justified under our very eyes"

But yes, when someone tries to choke you okay, maybe you won't think he's a vampire but at least you will think he's a disturbed person and potential murdered and you'll try and get away from him no? Not Jonathan Harker, that "brave earnest man" :)

>83: Luxx,

Is there anything in late January? We're headed down for a long weekend (I'm not sure exactly which one).

--Tad

Tad - They hold an event for his birthday every year! January 19 is the actual date, but the event varies. I'd keep an eye here to see if you can make it: http://www.eapoe.org/birthday/index.htm

This past year was the first time I went, and it was lovely. There were a few theatrical performances, the yearly toast, and fantastic readings by John Astin. You should order tickets far in advance if it works with your schedule - it sells out pretty quickly.

Better late than never? Thx BDB for the pronunciation tip at the beginning of the thread *grin*

We'll see how much of this I can do :)

Cheers

Thanks Luxx. Actually, I think the 15th-17th weekend is the one we're there and I also think the Convention Center (where we'll be) isn't too far from Poe's house. Hmmm.

It's very close! Poe House itself is closed in the winter (that's when they do repairs, and my guess is that they don't want to try to heat the place), but the celebration is typically held at Westminster where Poe is buried. I believe the society owns the former church; earlier this year they actually held a wine tasting in the catacombs!

I just read great reviews of Dracula by both girlunderglass and TadAd. I think I will try to finish mine up and get it posted here and at my thread. I intend to link theirs at the same time.

Message edited by its author, Sep 22, 2009, 7:01pm.

Okay -- I was with a friend from DC (I lived in Philly). We met in Baltimore to do the harbor. And we decided to take in the Poe sites. So we walked, and walked and walked. The neighborhood got bleaker and bleaker. We rounded a corner and ran smack-dab into an inner city basketball team (these guys were big and tall -- we weren't). One of the guys threw his hands in the air and said, "oh no! whiiiiiiite people!" LOL Everybody laughed and one guy pointed and said, "It's over there."

And it was, but it was closed! LOL

Okay -- Just checked, and, as I suspected/feared, I have exactly none of these books. So I'll be participating only with free e-books and to the limit of my tolerance for on-screen reading. :( Oh well, next year, we may be back in France and then it might be a different story.

Susan

I love that story! I read it to my husband and we both got a good laugh. We lived 24 years in the Deep South (Savannah, GA) and I remember how skittish we Californians were when we first arrived. "People is just people all over the world!"

Heh, I've lived here my whole life and I don't know that I'd go wandering around Baltimore. There are certain places that are great (like the Harbor), but all around I prefer DC.

Bummer that it was closed! I've actually never made it while it was open - it's on my To Do list, though.

I got my hands on a hard-copy book to finish Dracula, and also some Poe and the House of Seven Gables. The Woman in White and Fear (that touchstone hardly ever works) came in from the county library, so I'm in good shape for the Halloween read.

It looks like I'm not going to get to read Creepers for the group read. I should have put a hold on our library's copy as soon as I saw the list, but I didn't and now there's a waiting list for it. Doggone it . . .

Of course, I could say that The Little Stranger and Someone in the House, which I just finished, were read in place of it so I'm not short on creepy stuff regardless.

Now I'm also going to read The Graveyard Book for work-related reasons . . .

*trots off to hunker down with a pile of books*

I liked The Graveyard Book--it was my first Neil Gaiman. I read it last year when I bought it as a gift for my (grown) son who is a big Gaiman fan.

Dracula by Bram Stoker

My Review on the book's home page (TadAd's and Girlunderglass' reviews are also here.)

Every night, as I settled in with this classic horror tale, I felt as though a dark, heavy drape was closing in around me, blocking out the light and isolating me. Sights and sounds took on a sinister air; shadows moved around me menacingly.

Bram Stoker cast the mold for all vampire stories to come, piecing together myths and folktales to create one of the most disturbing and creepy villains of all time. Count Dracula comes complete with the breath of decomposing flesh, sharpened teeth, red shining eyes, and hairy palms. His hypnotic command over the creatures of the world and people, together with his ability to shape shift, also make him one of the most powerful villains of all time.

Stoker also added a great deal to the mythology of victims in horror tales. The people whom Dracula chooses as his victims are riddled with self-doubt and fear. Jonathon Harker, who introduces the Count to us, is perhaps the best example. He ignores the warnings and pleadings of local villagers, trusting in his own rational mind, and flies directly into the vampire’s web. Once there, he ignores his own growing sense of doom for far too long before attempting to free himself. Harker rubs many folks the wrong way, with his constant inner debate over whether the Count is evil or whether he is just an eccentric old man; a debate that the reader can settle immediately. In defense of Harker, I wonder whether he bothers us because he epitomizes our own self-doubt and fear. Indeed, when Harker is brave, climbing down the wall of the castle, opening the vampire’s coffin, and searching the vile beings pockets for a key to freedom, we cheer him on. But when he falls back into his victim mentality, we want to cast him off. Perhaps, Harker represents the inner struggle we all face to get over ourselves.

Another character who seems to cause a good deal of head shaking is Harker’s betrothed, Mina Harker. This smart young woman often outshines the males in the hunt for Dracula, culling together overlooked clues and evidence. Later in the story, some argue that she is abandoned as just so much feminine dead weight, ignored as too fragile to help, requiring protection rather inclusion. For me, the story carried a heavy moral in the group’s choice to exclude Mina. At the very moment when Van Helsing chooses to cut Mina off, Dracula gains the upper hand. When Mina is again made part of the circle, the group is able to locate and gain ground on the vampire. Stoker seemed to be making a pretty clear point to me that the gifts Mina offered in the search for Dracula were vital to success. And he also seemed to be reiterating that their endeavors were only hindered by separating their once singular mind.

The execution of the Count in the final pages seems to herald the very death of myth itself. Throughout the entire hunt for the vampire, Van Helsing makes much of open-minded thought. But, even in his inclusion of folklore and myth, the Dutch professor relies on logic and reason to process this alternative information, eventually locating the villain through an early form of behavioral profiling. When Dracula is surrounded by men armed with Winchester rifles and then dispatched with steel knives, rather than a wooden stake, Stoker ushers in a new modern era of industry and commerce, killing forever the dark days of myth and folklore.

Stoker’s novel deserves its place hall of the classics. He single-handedly spawned an entire genre of story-telling. So many of the popular vampire tales or our day follow the paths he trail-blazed. Dracula is the standard by which all recent vampire stories should be judged. The original is the best.

Bottom Line: A frightening book. Stoker is a master at mood and tone. His vampire is second to none.

4 1/2 bones!!!!

Message edited by its author, Sep 23, 2009, 8:22pm.

So far I've found one of the books free online... but the process has just begun :) One short story (Poe) and one book. But found another that fits the theme which I may throw in for fun :)

>100 Nice review, Blackdogbooks. I agree completely! Also, a good point about Jonathan Harker. I didn't consider his behavior too out of the ordinary for a self-acclaimed "modern" man. The book scared the bejeebers out of me when I was 14. It is still spooky as I read it today.

Message edited by its author, Sep 24, 2009, 12:08am.

I agree, that's a great review. I'm really enjoying this thread and looking forward to reading a bit of horror myself.

I finished Trick or Treat Murder which was bad enough that I wrote a long review to get it off my chest.
I'm almost done with Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde and I've gotten to the part of Dracula where Mina seems to have taken over the narration.

My Dracula finally arrived in the mail, and I'm about 90 pages in. I'm really enjoying the annotations of the Norton edition, especially as they focus on the influence of film and modern culture on our perspectives on vampires.

Reading an annotated edition of Dracula sounds like a really cool thing to do . . . maybe I should order one . . . :)

>106 - Someone else mentioned reading an annotated version here, so I stole the idea. I know there's a pretty pop version out now that I'll probably buy eventually, but I'm a big fan of Norton critical editions.

I just wrote over on my thread that our faithful drnuetron was the one I recall reading the annotated version. I seem to remember a similar version coming out for Frankenstein recently.

I am reading the Poe shorts and have finished Murder at the Rue Morgue and have started the sequel. I was a bit put off by the first in the first few pages but came to enjoy it; I think it was a bit of distaste for the protagonist, who seems much too sure of himself, pompous. Anyone have the same feeling?

I am thinking of giving Poe until about the end of the month and then move on with The Wood Wife on October 1. Does that sound agreeable to those waiting in the wings for the start of that book?

Message edited by its author, Sep 26, 2009, 11:04am.

I'm not doing The Wood Wife, but I've fallen behind a bit with Dracula and Poe, plus I have some other things I have to read. Maybe by the time you all finish The Wood Wife, I'll be caught up!

>108: I think Dupin's self-certainty was part of the point—the superiority of pure "ratiocination" over normal human endeavor. I've always found it interesting that Poe, an American, created that particular genre but it was caught up and perfected by the British in the form of Christie, Doyle and others. Americans didn't seem to hit their "detective story" stride until the Depression era brought hard-boiled detectives to the forefront. I don't think "The Murders in the Rue Morgue" is the best, however; "The Purloined Letter" is my favorite of his mysteries.

As for The Wood Wife, Carolyn, Stasia and I are starting it now...doesn't mean anyone else should, though. For some reason, I'm just not in the mood to re-read so much of the Poe, though I did revisit a few of my favorites, and one of my not favorites—I'm still angry at his revisionism in "The Thousand-and-Second Tale of Scheherazade". :-)

I may start it this weekend then. I just didn't seem in the mood for Poe for some reason. Either that, or I didn't like him.

So, I'll finish up the story I am reading now and get started on The Wood Wife.

I finished Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde this morning. I wonder why it took me so long to get around to it, as I loved Stevenson's Treasure Island. Dr. Jeckyll actually has a rather violent (for its time) scene that surprised me.
I won't be reading The Wood Wife. I'm behind on Dracula and from there I'll read either I Am Legend or Frankenstein.
I got tickets for the Legend Night in Sleepy Hollow, NY in October. I'm very excited!

On the subject of annotated versions of Dracula: I read The New Annotated Dracula last October and thought it was quite fun. The annotator presents the novel as a disguised version of a true story and uses the notes to work out timelines and such. He also uses different versions of the text to "tease the true story out of the text". If I get an annotated version it'll be that one.

I recently read a graphic novel version of Dracula that was really fun, quite faithful to Stoker. Finished The Island of Dr. Moreau. That was great. I was going to start House of the Seven Gables, but stumbled across Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. What a kick.

I finished Dracula today (loved it!), and received The Wood Wife in the mail today, so I may skip the Poe for now and go straight into it. I've read The Woman in White and though it was good, wasn't good enough to read again with everything else piling up on my little table. We shall see about the others!

I finished Dracula this evening, and started off my Poe reading with The Telltale Heart.

I have got Dracula but some suggestions is the series (if your interested) House of Night novels by PC and Kristen Cast.

bdb: " I am thinking of giving Poe until about the end of the month and then move on with The Wood Wife on October 1. "

I am not going to be reading Wood Wife but I'm finishing Poe this weekend so the timing is perfect - I'll have time for an unrelated to the challenge read and then I'll join you guys for The Island of Dr. Moreau when you start that one.

I'm just going to stumble along and read what I can get to as they pop up. I started The Woman in White while waiting for Dracula, and will probably go back to it next.

Someone on this thread might know the answer to this. I have a 1966 Doubleday edition entitled Complete Stories and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe. No ISBN. It's nearly 800 pages. However, it does not say "Complete WORKS" of Poe, just complete stories and poems.
So, does this mean that I have all of his published work, or not? Did he write any novels or novellas that would not be included?

The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym, possibly. My complete works has that, the complete Tales of Mystery and Imagination and The Raven and Other Poems.

Message edited by its author, Sep 27, 2009, 4:10pm.

>120: A "Complete" work is usually 800+ pages of relatively small type and is usually not complete. :-) I'd say you're on the low side.

I would suspect "Complete Stories and Poems" would probably miss his novels (drneutron mentioned one, there was also the unfinished The Journal of Julius Rodman) and his essays. I believe he also had an unfinished play, though I don't know the title.

I had looked forward to this group read, but it looks like I'm going to have to beg off. :( Just too much going on. Thanks BDB for arranging it all! Happy reading!

Okay, thanks for the help. My book does not have any plays or essays by Poe. It does, however, contain The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym. There's also a poem I heard about by Poe called 'Eureka' - which is not included here. The unfinished 'Journal' is not here either.

I think I have a good idea of just how 'complete' my book is now! I think it's complete enough for me at this point.

Thanks again.

I finished a re-read of The Wood Wife this weekend. I'll hold off on a review because I'm supposed to be reading this as a joint read with Carolyn and Stasia. ;-)

Instead, a little about Terri Windling. Until I did some browsing, I knew very little about her other than she was the editor of one of my favorite series: The Fairy Tale Series, which had modern retellings of many of the old tales. She only wrote the one adult book that I know of and so, while I love that book, I never really poked around to find out more. Now, she's a minor goddess in my pantheon. *grin*

I enjoy folklore, and modern castings of old fairy tales that are targeted at adults (as the old tales originally were), as well as the relatively new form of urban fantasy. If I were to list my favorites authors that do this kind of work, the name that would appear at the top of the list is probably Charles de Lint. Only a short way down would be Emma Bull, Steven Brust and Jane Yolen. Pamela Dean and Patricia Wrede would be in the upper part of the list also.

Now I find that Windling "discovered" and published both de Lint and Bull, and that she promoted Brust, Yolen, Dean and Wrede during her time at Ace and Tor. I wish she'd write another novel but, that aside, I read she has two anthologies out that look interesting: The Armless Maiden, which uses fairy tales to explore child abuse (and raises money for children's shelters) and The Coyote Road, which contains "trickster" tales...I love stories of Anansi, Coyote, Loki, etc.

Yeah and I fell down on the job because of a very busy weekend! I hope to finish today--tomorrow at the latest.

I definitely have to fin The Coyote Road because i want more "trickster" tales and I'm going to be reading about the Anasazi as soon as I finish 999 (Wood Wife is my last book for that!).

finished my Poe today, though I didn't re-read it all, only my favourite stories - still as good as I remember them. Let me know when you plan on starting Dr. Moreau - I know you're doing Wood Wife first and I have a pretty long book I just started so there's no hurry!

I am about 150 pages in and I love it. It looks to be a favorite for this year. Her understanding of the desert and its people is so acute and the translation is beautiful, allowing for a non-desert dweller to see the beauty that is often missed.

I thought I saw another novel on the listed books page in my edition (I don't have it at work with me)?

I read The Armless Maiden last year, and enjoyed it - if you can say to enjoy something about child abuse, and thus pretty disturbing at times. If I'm remembering correctly, Winding actually wrote a story (or maybe it was an essay? - watch, I'm probably just remembering that she wrote the introduction and am making too big a deal about it) in it. I'm another fan of Windling's fairy tale series, and didn't realize she'd written any novels. Now that I know I've ordered Wood Wife and it's on its way to my local library as I type.

Message edited by its author, Sep 28, 2009, 6:41pm.

>128: Mac,

She wrote a YA novel, The Changeling.

That's the one, but I didn't know it was a YA novel. I got no reading done last night and the chances for tonight are slim. It runs me crazy because I am so drawn into the story right now. Oh well!

bdb

I know exactly how you feel! For two days I've had a little over a hundred pages to go and I can't seem to find the time to get them read! The story is mesmerizing and haunting and the last couple of nights I have wakened thinking about the story. I really need to finish it so I can get a good night's sleep! :-) I hope I can squeeze it in today (by putting off "nonessential jobs" that should be done but can wait) because I won't have a "free" chunk of time to read again until Thursday! This book does not lent itself to reading in spurts.

I posted my review of The Wood Wife and am ready to move on. Is The House of Seven Gables the definite next one? I'm approaching that with trepidation. I have no idea why. I've never read anything of or about Hawthorne.

Message edited by its author, Oct 1, 2009, 8:46am.

I finished up The House of Seven Gables a few days ago and have been eagerly awaiting others to jump in! Here's what I posted in my thread on it:

"Finished this one up from blackdogbooks' October reading list. It's a great morality tale - all about the decay of a New England family brought on by the sins of the patriarch, how those original events are mirrored in a subsequent generation, and how atonement for those sins restores the family. There's ghosts, mesmerism, hidden property deeds and a creepy old house. Nice choice for a Halloween read!"

FYI, I finished up Alan Lightman's Ghost yesterday. Here's my review:

David can see better than most - so well that he always gets the last line on the eye chart and he was the first to spot the school bus coming down the road when he was a kid. So when he saw something in the slumber room at the mortuary where he works, it clearly wasn't a problem with his eyes. If not, though, what was it? Alan Lightman's Ghost is about what happens when David, in trying to get a grip on the experience, confides in a few people and word gets out that he's seen a ghost. What results is an interesting story of life and death and how people resolve the fundamental question of our existence - what happens after we die?

Ghost is partly a commentary on the science vs supernatural debate, and is moderately interesting. It's more interesting when Lightman is concentrating on character. Ghost is populated with fascinating people, deeply realized.

Ghost isn't perfect. The plot meanders pretty widely at the end, and I'm not a fan of present-tense perspective. But it's a quick, thought-provoking read that I'll recommend to friends.

edited to admit that I don't know the difference between first-person and present-tense late at night...

Message edited by its author, Oct 1, 2009, 9:57am.

TadAd,

Yeah, I am going to move onto the Hawthorne next. I was a little concerned, my only Hawthorne up to now is The Scarlett Letter. But the doc's review made me look forward to it.

The doc is leaving us in the dust!!!!!

I got a little The Wood Wife in last night and hope to finish it up quickly in the next couple of days.

I finished Wood Wife last night but probably won't get the review done until the end of the week. I started The House of Seven Gables--this one seems really good so far. I can see why The Scarlet Letter is considered his masterpiece. I really like that one, but i think this one is going to be more fun! So far it has an appropriately spooky "back story" and atmosphere.

I Dr. Moreau the next one after that? We are going out of town tomorrow for a long weekend and I want to take the next book just in case I get Hawthorne done before we get home.

I'm almost halfway through The House of the Seven Gables. I agree, MusicMom, the backstory is spooky. I'm sorta waiting for him to get on with the rest of the scary stuff-I know it's there. Regardless, I enjoy Hawthorne's style.
I'm having trouble with The Island of Dr. Moreau. I like the writing and the story is sinister, but the description of the treatment of animals is disturbing. I suppose if I'd seen the movie I would have known what to expect. I'm pressing on with my fingers crossed.

I've stalled out on Dracula... while the ebook seemed like a great idea at the time, it's really not an appealing format for me. I don't know why... I spend enough time on my computer! Anyway, I'm pretty sure I have a copy in the attic somewhere but I have no idea where to find it, so I'm gonna try to pick up a hard copy at the library. I have Ghost out, but have yet to start it, and am waiting for my copy of The Wood Wife to come into the bookstore. It seems to be taking forever!

Yeah, we can do the Island of Dr. Moreau next, though the doc's already gone onto Ghost. He's quick, that one.

Well, I'm reading out of order based on when things have to go back to the library...8^}

I'm about 50 pages into The Woman in White right now.

Message edited by its author, Oct 1, 2009, 9:59am.

I finished Dracula, read a little Poe, and am now into House of Seven Gables, while also reading The Graveyard Book, which isn't on the list but seems kind of appropriate.

Finished The Wood Wife and have started The House of Seven Gables. WW will make the favorites for the year. HOpefully a review this weekend. I am also lloking forward to reading TadAd's review, which I've avioded until I could finish.

Loving HSG so far. "God will give him blood to drink."

Not sure how I managed it (brain fart, no doubt), but I read The Island of Dr. Moreau before The House of Seven Gables. Unimpressed with TIODM. I plan to get to The Wood Wife this weekend when I have a little more time to read.

I finally got my review of The Wood Wife finished and posted. Here are some of the impressions I have about Windling’s novel. I would describe it as a collision of “real life” with the myth and folklore of the American Southwest. In addition to the folklore the story handles well several other passions of mine, including music, poetry, and art. Both the “real” characters and the mythical characters are well developed, interesting and sometimes difficult to tell apart. The descriptions of the landscape are so vivid that the reader is pulled into the “place” as well as into the story. I may never use the expression “Words cannot describe…” again. Teri Windling has proven that, indeed, words can definitely describe so vividly that the reader can actually see it all.

Rats. I'm definitely going to have to try harder to find this one...Good review!

Message edited by its author, Oct 3, 2009, 9:36am.

Between nesting and a long-standing academic interest in Dracula, reading the novel (with pen in hand) took me about three times as long as I expected. However, I am glad I took my time with it - it is the masterpiece I remember it to be, and has once again sparked my research-interest. I am also very glad I waited for the annotated version to arrive before beginning it for our Halloween read!

I've posted a review on my thread.

I'm about halfway through The Woman in White now.

I really liked The Woman in White ..
awaiting the arrival of ....

Rage Of Spirits

Cemetery of Angels

Ghosts/a Supernatural Thriller

Nightmare House

A House Divided

The Woman in Black: A Ghost Story

The Enemy Within

Book #57, The Wood Wife by Terri Windling

My Review on the book's home page:

The Wood Wife, by Terri Windling, exposes the often unnoticed beauty of the desert, and, with it, a hidden world of spirits and shape-shifters.

Maggie Black takes up residence in Davis Cooper’s home in the high desert of the Rincon Mountains, which frame the eastern range of Tuscon, Arizona, hoping to use the old poet’s papers to write his biography. As Maggie sifts through Cooper’s things, she begins to see the magic and beauty of the hard land around her. With this newfound openness, Maggie is introduced to a world of creatures that live in a borderland between the seen and the unseen, changing forms to reflect those who gaze on them.

Few people see the beauty of the desert. It is, after all, a hard place, bristling everywhere with spiny cacti and rough stone, all baked by a blazing yellow heat. The needles and rocks and hard earthen crust, though, are only an outer protective layer for a subtle and delicate beauty. Windling expands on that dynamic, creating a whole world of eccentric, colorful creatures, seen only by those who are willing to open their hearts to the magic of the desert. Seeing these creatures and interacting with them, for Windling’s heroine, is only the first step in setting her life on a new path, one open to unseen possibility.

Nearly all of Windling’s characters are driven by creative pursuits; they are either musicians or poets or artists. She is clearly at home in such a world, and the beautiful, haunting prose of the novel only echoes her own wizardry. Windling creates a fantastic world in The Wood Wife that doesn’t read like fantasy because she convinces the reader to walk a path of discovery and openness along with the characters.

Bottom Line: Fantasy that doesn’t read like fantasy; a plea for wild and unnoticed beauty.

5 bones!!!!!

Sounds like pretty much everyone enjoyed it.

I'm with you; why won't she write another novel!!!!!! Let's get together, track her down, and act out some of Misery with her!!

BDB I loved that book!

if you liked Windling.. please do consider trying deLint.

Message edited by its author, Oct 4, 2009, 7:43pm.

Amen to that. Moonheart's wonderful.

I found DeLint before I found Windling. I have been collecting the Newford books and others to complete my DeLint library.

I'm about halfway through The House of Seven Gables, and finding it rather tedious. Yes, the back story is creepy, but nothing much seems to really be happeing. I don't particularly like these people, or their peculiar hens, or their garden, etc. . . . My reading is slowing to a crawl.

(Can those of you who finished it offer me a little encouragement here??)

tymfos

I haven't finished it yet, either, but I'm afraid it's the style of the book you don't like. I have a feeling that there probably won't be any heart-pounding adventure here. (I could be wrong, though!)

I am enjoying the book, especially the way he describes his characters giving us hints of what goes on in the "soul" of each of them. Although I might not find them attractive in real life (even Phoebe sometimes seems almost to good to be true!) I find them interesting and want to see how things work out for them. Judge Pyncheon is the epitome of "smile, and smile and be a villain!" I do find the story a little spooky precisely because of these rather spooky people. And I'm interested to know what happens to them. I think I may end up liking this book better than Woman in White which is a long time favorite of mine.

So, can anyone prove me wrong and offer tymfos encouragement? :-)

edited for spelling--of course!

Message edited by its author, Oct 5, 2009, 4:20pm.

I've only just started The House of Seven Gables and what is sticking out to me most of all is the really, really long sentences. I don't usually notice things like that, so it doesn't bode well. But I haven't given up because of it yet. Maybe not the encouragement you're looking for...

#157 Yes, lots of long sentences . . .

I think it would help if the print in my copy was a little bigger. Long sentences combined with small letters (and on yellowed paper) make my poor old eyes cross after a while.

Tymfos, if you can read on the computer, I'm reading it from DailyLit, and you can choose the font size. It makes the long sentences a little easier to read (but has probably also made them more noticeable to me!)

#159 Thanks for the suggestion. I actually thought about reading it on the computer, for choice of font, but I really don't like reading books that way . . . call me old-fashioned, I guess.

I don't usually like it either, but it wasn't so bad for Dracula. That was the first time I'd tried it. Not sure I could do the whole thing at one shot, but when it's like reading an email a day, it was okay.

tymfos

Can you find one with better print at the library. I was able to find a cheap used paperback of the Barnes & Noble edition and the print is a nice size. I think I would really have trouble reading this books if the print were small! I'm with you--there is no way I could red this book on-line! The long sentences would be really distracting that way. Of course, I'm not sure I could actually read any book on line! I'm old fashioned that way, too. I have trouble with anything that is more than 2 or 3 pages.

tloeffler

If you read a chapter each day, that would be one long email! :-D However, that is really a cheap way to get classic literature if you can read it comfortably that way! I wish I could. I sometimes have trouble concentrating on long reviews on LT. :-)

I read The House of Seven Gables for an American Lit course in grad school and was less than impressed. From what I remember it's one of those books that you either love or can't stand; Hawthorne just happens to not be my style.

Hawthorne's definitely not my favorite. I suppose I'm in the "can't stand" camp. House of the Seven Gables was alright, but I probably wouldn't read it again. As with the messages above, I didn't get into the characters, and the plot was slow. Hawthorne's sentences were beautiful at times, but on balance it just wasn't for me.

Message edited by its author, Oct 5, 2009, 8:52pm.

Okay, gotta weigh in on the Hawthorne. Maybe because I have been reading so much classic literature over the last couple of years, but I don't find the sentences too long or meandering. Now, don't get me wrong, I can get upset with authors who try to flex their literature muscle, drowning the reader in torrents of words and commas - Henry James is the worst offender I know. I don't find Hawthorne's sentences any more lengthy than, say, Austen or Dickens or Poe. For me, Hawthorne is another one who is great at creating a mood, though I will agree that he is not as good as Stoker. And I think he sometimes waits a little too long to unveil the spooky stuff. But then, we are all a little obssessed with immediate gratification in our current culture. I am sure, in his time, the plot wasn't considered near as slow. Anyway, I have really enjoyed HSG so far.

bdb

Thanks, bdb! Now I no longer feel so lonely in my appreciation of Hawthorne. :-D One of the reasons I didn't want to start Gables until I finished my 999 was that I wanted to feel I had the time to savor the book and its language.

I agree that we need to flex our "delayed gratification" muscles. As a society we seem to always be moving so fast that it is difficult to find the time to read a "leisurely" book. For me that makes books like these such a pleasure--finding the time to relax with the pace of the book and enjoy the long sentences and wonderful descriptions of character and pace. But, that's just me--and I can also enjoy a fast paced thriller, too. :-)

I think bdb and MusicMom raise a fair criticism, at least of my reading. I read this one after several more fast-paced books. Seven Gables was very different and probably required a different mindset than I was in. Having said that, I still found myself wondering enough times when Hawthorne was going to get going that I suspect at least some of my reaction was a mis-match between my taste and his style. Nothing wrong with that, it just didn't work for me like it does for others. I didn't think his sentences were too long, though. But in fairness, I don't think Henry James' sentences are necessarily too long either! 8^}

Anyway, I'm glad I read Seven Gables. As I mentioned above, I like Hawthorne's ability to write what I think of as lush sentences.

My personal complaints against Hawthorne are narrative in nature; I simply don't enjoy the stories he has to tell. I definitely agree with the association with Dickens and Poe in terms of technique.

167 - I love your description of " ... Hawthorne's ability to write what I think of as lush sentences." One of the biggest problems I have with Verne (an unrelated author, I know) is that so much of his construction is choppy. The same can be said for many modern writers.

I hope no one read my comment as a criticism so much of the opinions expressed by other readers as a comment of observation, as the doc is getting at. And, I really do think it has something to do with my pseudo-immersion in classics in that style. There was a time I would never have finished Theodore Dreiser's An American Tragedy but I not only finished it, I have decided it is one of the best books I've read this year. It is slow moving and uber-detailed but the pace and detail served a goal and the read was 'worth it' in the end for me.

You guys know my favorite saying about all this, "There's a lid for every jar." The doc is right, there's nothing wrong with a mismatch in taste and technique. (Though, I will fight to the death over the awful Henry James!!!)

Message edited by its author, Oct 6, 2009, 2:31pm.

No worries, I didn't think of your comments as criticism in the bad sense. I meant criticism in the analytical sense. As part of my job, I get to stand up in front of review committees to critique my design work, so I've got a thick skin. 8^}

Message edited by its author, Oct 6, 2009, 2:38pm.

I can't say so much that I dislike House of Seven Gables. I think the comments about reading pace are right on. It is a book that requires time to read carefully, and I don't have that right now -- I'm having to read in 5, 10 and 15 minute bursts much of the time. It would be an exaggeration to say that one of his sentences lasts 5 minutes, but . . . anyway, I'm just starting to get into the story again and I have to put it down, whereas in a faster-paced book, I can jump in and sprint-read for five or ten minutes until the next interruption.

Also, like Phoebe, maybe I need to leave the dark, dreary confines of that House once in a while and go somewhere brighter . . . like the ballpark. (So I've picked up a nice, light book about baseball to brighten some of my reading moments!)

Of course, maybe if spent less time on LT, I'd have more time for reading of all kinds . . . ;)

"Of course, maybe if spent less time on LT, I'd have more time for reading of all kinds . . . ;)"

But then it wouldn't be as much fun without someone with whom to share your thoughts about what you read! :-)

But then it wouldn't be as much fun without someone with whom to share your thoughts about what you read! :-)

True, true!!!

O.K., I know I'm probably the last of the bunch but I've FINALLY finished Dracula. I liked the book, the characters and Stoker's style, so he's made a new fan. I do have a few questions/discussion points, like:

*****SPOILERS******

Why wasn't Jonathan Harker ever bitten by Dracula as Mina was? And how did he escape from the castle?

******************
This seems like the sort of book that reveals more by multiple readings. I gave it 5 stars.

I can pick The House of the Seven Gables back up where I left it now.

169 - I just thought it was good conversation!

174 - Homophobia is the quick answer to your first question. According to my Norton there's a line in the American publication that was left out of the original publication that insinuates that Dracula takes his evening with Harker. The editors claim that Stoker thought that audiences who were embracing Whitman (Americans) wouldn't be as shocked by the implications of a male vampire biting a man. There's a lot of academic debate over what really happens between the two, and why so much is left out of the end of Harker's original narrative.

I sort of like the mystery; it left the mind to wander!

I think it gives it a sense of style; Stoker really knew what he was doing.

Oh good, I was afraid that I had forgotten a key point over the weeks it took me to finish.

****SPOILER*****

It just stood out to me that Harker spent all that time with Dracula and turned out fine.

SPOILER, PERHAPS.

Not exactly "fine." He did take several months of recovery in Europe with some nuns. The fact that he took so much recovery was what convinced me that he had been bitten by Dracula.

BDB - I agree - his time with the nuns lead me to believe he suffered greatly before his escape; his "brain fever" always seemed to be similar to Renfield's maladies.

****SPOILER****

Yes, he did have to recover, but it wasn't clear to me if he was recovering entirely from what Dracula did to him or from whatever he had to go through in his escape. Clearly he had some sort of shell shock. But he didn't turn into the undead as Lucy and Mina had. In fact, it seems that Dracula was the only male vampire.He hated competition.

Well, he couldn't turn into the undead without being dead, and he survived. Mina's troubles and near turn were also a result of drinking Dracula's blood. Stoker's myth seems to be that you have to be bitten, drink the blood of the biting vampire, and die.

Check me on that everyone; but that's what I got out of Stoker's tale.

There have been variations on that process for everyone one who has taken up the vampire story.

I finished The House of Seven Gables. And I really loved the ending. Despite my getting bogged down in the middle for a while, it is really a neat story.

I think I'm going to skip The Island of Dr. Moreau, as I couldn't get it in unabridged book form, and I don't feel like reading off a computer screen. And there are other books I want to get to! I can hardly wait to start The Woman in White, though I am going to wait until Saturday, because that's when I start the 1010 Category Challenge, and it is one of the books I'm reading for that! I have Ghost and a library copy of Fear waiting on the shelf.

I may read The Woman in Black this month, too, as I bought a copy last month. Great thing: I ordered a hardcover edition through the Amazon.com Marketplace, and the merchant sent a paperback instead. When I (gently) complained, they issued a FULL REFUND -- even the shipping -- and told me to keep the paperback they'd sent, which had arrived promptly and was in excellent condition.

I came across a new acquisition by my local public library: Dracula the Undead written by teh great-grandnephew or some such of Bram Stoker. Looks like a few libraries here on LT list it, but there's only one (rather negative) review and two ratings (0.5 and 5 stars). Anybody looked at it yet? If so, is it worth a try? If not, I might give it a go to see what it's like.

I finished The House of Seven Gables last night and enjoyed it a lot. I'm glad I waited until my 999 challenge was over because it is the kind of book that, for me, benefits from being read leisurely. I loved savoring the language and the philosophic bits as well as the story.

I plan to read Woman in Black next because it is a library book and then I will start Dr. Moreau which I own. I usually like H.G. Wells in spite of his archaic style so I''m looking forward to that one. I'm not sure about Woman in Black--the reviews are very mixed--so I'm not promising to finish it. But I will try it.

#183 tymfos, I hope you like Woman in White--it is one of my favorite Gothic type novels. I've read it several times--most recently was last year. I'll be looking for your comments on it.

#184 Jim, since it is easily available to you why not give it a try? Maybe you'll give it a 3. :-)

How long ago was it written? Is there a reason no one has heard of it before? Or is it an undiscovered little gem?! Now we will all be waiting for your verdict! :-D

I finished The House of Seven Gables. Mixed feelings about the book...hopefully I'll get to a review this weekend.

I'm going to slide some other things in before The Island of Dr. Moreau. Since I've already read The Woman in White, I shouldn't fall too far behind.

Dracula by Bram Stoker
Complete Stories and Poems of Edgar Allen Poe
The Wood Wife by Terri Windling
The House of Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne
The Island of Dr. Moreau by H.G. Wells
The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins
Fear by L. Ron Hubbard
Ghost by Alan Lightman
Creepers by David Morrell
The Face by Dean Koontz

Just dropping in because this thread is fun to follow, especially the various takes on these books. I've read the books by Stoker, Poe, Hawthorne, and Wells, mostly in lit classes, although this particular Hawthorne was finished last year. I love Collins's work, but am finally getting to The Woman in White after detouring to about six others of his. I've consumed half of Morrell's book in one day, so tomorrow? I'll go on to The Wood Wife and The Woman in White--I do like both authors's works very much. I enjoyed this particular Koontz and it's one of the few where I can differentiate the plot line (maybe because it's based in Hollywood and with celebrities?) because while I like reading his stuff, I find it very repetitive. Haven't found the Lightman and have no interest in the Hubbard, but the matter may be moot--the end of the month is two weeks away!

For the record, I enjoyed the reading of Dracula and the Poe stories; found (as I usually do with Hawthorne) that it was something of a struggle to get through, but was glad I had read it; Wells is nowhere near as fun to read as Verne or Conan Doyle, or, for that matter, John Wyndham; and Creepers is a fast-paced romp so far--nothing unexpected. Now if we on to Cape Fear--well....

Here's my reaction to The House of Seven Gables. Turns out I had reactions almost opposite of tymfos':

Another atmospheric read for the Halloween Group Read but this one evoked some mixed feelings. I was expecting the slow, deliberate pace of 19th century fiction, and certainly got it. It required a willingness to be patient with the unhurried exposition of characters and the frequent pauses for admonitory reflection, plus an acceptance of the fact that there aren't going to be any electrifying moments. I wasn't in any hurry and was able to relax and enjoy the trip.

What I didn't enjoy was the ending. After 290 pages of this slow trip, we get a sudden and very pat ending for our characters in about 50 pages. Yet, even at that, very little of the story's completion came as part of the plot through the offices of the characters. Instead, the narrator interjects himself for half of it to give us an "oh, by the way" explanation, clarifying what has happened. I was rather disappointed by all this.

In the end, I'm glad I read it, enjoyed it, and would mildly recommend it. If you don't look for modern pacing or excitement, it can be quite pleasant...like floating along on a slow-moving stream with a nice view.

just started The Island of Dr. Moreau last night - read almost half of it and like it so far. It has the same writing style as the other Wells book I read this year (The War of the Worlds) and the story is quite chilling, though perhaps not as believable for today's readers as for Wells's contemporaries.

I finished my 3rd Halloween read--and so far my least favorite: Woman in Black by Susan Hill. I have my review on my 75 thread and will post it on the book page. Here's the verdict:

Bottom line: A lot of people have really liked this book and I can see the attraction, even though it didn’t work for me. I consider it a 19th century Gothic wannabe without the style and the ability to create an atmosphere that would draw me into the story.

A final comment: All of you who disliked Hawthorne’s book because it was “too slow” should enjoy this one. It moves quite quickly! :-)

I'm off to read The Island of Dr. Moreau!

I loved Woman in Black!

I am seriously late to this party..but have some offerings:

The House on the Borderland by William Hope Hodgson............oh yes!

The Beckoning Fair One by Oliver Onions..an oldy but..

Uncle Silas by Sheridan LeFanu...the master of the genre

i leave now.........

#191 mcait

A lot of people did--I wish I could have been one of them. :-) However, I didn't hate" it--I was just disappointed that I couldn't be more drawn into the story.

#192 jdthloue

I've had Uncle Silas on my shelf for years--unread. Perhaps I should dust it off for this month. It is supposed to be really "creepy." I've never read LeFanu--only about him.

>193

LeFanu is good....really good in my opinion..but is "old fashioned" in style...wordy...takes time to appreciate..creepy? yesssssssss...

I finished The Woman in White this week - wow! If all the others were stinkers (which they're not!) this one alone would make the effort worthwhile. Yeah, I loved this book, enough that I think it's the only five-star rating of the year for me. I loved the way the narration gets passed around among the characters and the ambiguity of listening to these various people tell the story from their point of view (and in their own self-interest). The plot kept me going all the way to the end and Collins certainly has a way with words. It's no wonder to me that this book hasn't been out of print since the 1860s!

I am a bit short of halfway through The Woman in White, and I am also really, really enjoying it. I keep wondering what's going to happen next. . . waiting to see what disaster is looming ahead. . . you know something bad is coming . . . what is he up to ? . . . I've got to get back to reading some more of it!

(The only problem so far has been getting so drawn into the heavy atmosphere of the story that I needed to escape, briefly, to something lighter just for the sake of my mood!)

I've finished The Island of Dr. Moreau. I think this was my first Wells novel. I'll wait to comment until others have finished.

195: have you read Collins's The Moonstone ? It also has different storytellers and perspectives which helps the tale along and makes for an interesting read!

Finished Creepers and found it a satisfactory read, although I personally would not classify it as horror--more thriller in the line of some of Dan Simmons' books where there's a slight inkling of horror or mystery plus a fair amount of action and angst. Of note, curiously, is that I saw an episode of CSI:Miami which featured "urban explorers" as part of the plot line shortly after I finished the book.

I've just barely started The Woman in White, but as a Collins's fan, I suspect it will be a fairly fast read of a very large book. Also, after my last few experiences with the "introductory" or "prefactory" or "explanatory" notes, I'm just going to skip them until I'm through the book.

I, too, went right to the story of The Woman in White and skipped the introductory notes, preferring to delay reading the commentary until after I finished the book.

Have any of you read "The Thirteenth Tale" by Diane Setterfield?

#201 hih1973

I read The Thirteenth Tale when it was first released. It was interesting and "spooky" with elements of horror. I found some of it "difficult" because this is not my normal genre, but I certainly was compelled to finish it!

ETA The reason I picked it up is because it falls into my passion for "books about books." That for me was the best part.

Message edited by its author, Oct 13, 2009, 1:41pm.

It's not on your list but I've just read a new cozy mystery focusing on Halloween, fall festivals, witches' spells etc. It's Blackwork by Monica Ferris. Perfect for the season!!

just finished The Island of Dr Moreau - anyone else?

I''m reading it now. It's short but I won't have much time to read until Thursday. Hope to finish it then.

can't wait to hear your thoughts on it!

It's supposedly available, but my hold at the library doesn't seem to be happening. :-(

I started last night reading "The Woman in White". I actually owned it, but I hadn't got around to reading it yet, and I figured this was a great time. I can't remember what now, but I know it was mentioned in another book I read, and that's why I bought it (from the library book sale room) in the first place.

I'm really sick with a cold, so I haven't been reading at my "normal" pace, but I'm already really into this book. Those are the kind of books I love--that grab you from the start and don't make you lose interest.

Just started The Island of Dr. Moreau; last weekend was not good for reading and I didn't finish the Hawthorne until Monday night.

I finished The Island of Dr. Moreau last night--really enjoyed it! I'm posting my "review" on my 75 thread but I will wait to make comments here until others have a chance to read it.

I'm reading Odd Thomas for my Koontz book--it was available at my library and Stasia said she thought I might like it. I've avoided Dean Koontz for the same reason I've avoided Stephen King--I really don't care to be scared to death while reading (or watching a movie!). I'll be interested to see if I can handle this book.

I'm also reading The Moonstone--I read it years ago and remember very little about it except that I really liked it. I had planned to reread it next year but so many people have been talking about it lately I just couldn't put it off any longer!

since I don't own any other of the books, I thought I'd continue my Halloween reading with The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving, which I found online through dailylit.com. It's quite short, hope I will like it. Has anyone read it?

I have. I read it as part of The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent back in school days. Some of the tales didn't appeal to me but I enjoyed that one. You might also try "The Spectre Bridegroom" in the same volume—since it's a ghost story, it's appropriate for the season. :-)

Edit: stupid touchstones.

Message edited by its author, Oct 17, 2009, 8:35am.

thanks for the info, Tad. I don't have the volume though I just downloaded and printed it from Daily Lit. I'll take a look and see if they have The Spectre Bridegroom as well, merci!

I just finished The Island of Dr. Moreau. I really enjoyed it...my favorite of Wells' books that I've read.

GUG - I've read The Legend of Sleep Hollow a few times now. It's a very quick read, and is actually quite charming. I like the original story much more than the cartoons I grew up with. Enjoy!

Finished Dr. Moreau also. This is my second Wells, and I enjoyed it as much as the first, which was The Time Machine. Have to post reviews of both that and the Hawthorne.

On to The Woman in White.

#210. Just read my first Odd Thomas book by Koontz. I really enjoyed it! The one I read was not that spooky. More of a paranormal adventure. Short and quick read. Have fun!

I just finished The Woman in White. I found it a very good story. Not quite what I expected, but very suspenseful. Not scary in a Halloween-ish way, though.

Are we still planning to do Fear? (I can't find a proper touchstone for that one.) I got it through Inter-Library Loan, so I have a deadline for finishing it, if I'm going to read it. I must admit, it seems less appealing to me than the books we've read so far.

I don't know if I'm going to read Fear. I'm not a fan of L. Ron Hubbard's writing.

I've read The Woman in White, so I'm going to jump past it. I have Creepers on audio book for the commute and Ghost just arrived at the library, so they'll be next. If there's time before Halloween, I'll round it up with The Face.

Message edited by its author, Oct 17, 2009, 1:06pm.

I think I may go on and start Fear, and give it a try. If I find I'm not liking it, I give myself permission to give up on it and move on to Ghost (I actually bought a used copy and I am eager to start it!) I can't do Creepers yet, as there is actually a waiting list at the library for it right now.

ETA trying to fix the touchstone for Ghost, but now it's stuck on "loading . . ."

Message edited by its author, Oct 17, 2009, 1:13pm.

Oh, dear. I started Fear, just to try it and see what it was about; I planned to quickly abandon it if I didn't like it.

I didn't think that it would be my cup of tea, you see. I didn't expect to like it, even though the dust jacket contained glowing recommendations from Stephen King, Ray Bradbury, and Isaac Asimov -- all favorites of mine.

The writing style seemed somehow odd to me, from the start. Other than the seemingly odd style (the nature of which I can't quite put my finger on), the story seemed normal enough for the first chapter. Then it got really, really weird in a hurry. It was bizarre, it was unreal, it was madness . . .

I couldn't put it down; read straight through to the end, past my bedtime . . .

I can't exactly say I enjoyed it, but I needed to see where the heck he was going with this crazy story. Then the ending really threw me for a loop, and I had to look back for a few minutes and try to re-think the story with the ending in mind . . .

re: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. I'm a big fan of the story and I happen to have spent last night in Tarrytown. They have an event most weekends in October. It's at the Philipsburg Manor, which dates from Irving's time or maybe before, and a professional storyteller performs the story. They also have a Headless Horseman riding in the woods holding a jack o' lantern in his arms, a woman in white wandering around and a couple of campfires. It's all approriately low-tech.
We got to spend a couple of hours at The Old Dutch Burying Ground/Sleepy Hollow cemetary and found Irving's grave. The cemetary would be quite creepy if it weren't for all us tourists!

222: I just finished it 10 minutes ago - thanks for the info, that makes it even more interesting, the fact that it's set in a real place. Those October events sound absolutely charming!

I've been caught up in other reading but do want to get in a couple of Halloween reads. Because it is also New Zealand Book Month and I want to read a few NZ books I'm going with the 1960s The Scarecrow by Ronald Hugh Morrieson. It has a great opening sentence - "The same week our fowls were stolen, Daphne Moran had her throat cut'. It was featured on our local book show earlier this year as a NZ classic with gothic overtones.
I'll also try for The Moonstone as it's on my 999 challenge.

The Island of Dr. Moreau by H.G. Wells

My Review on the book's home page:

Wells’ story of an evil scientist and the madman’s unnatural creations can be read on many different levels, including as pure horror. Many of the reviews correctly identify a Jonathon Swift-like satire of blind faith in religion, science, and class. But, if you’re in the mood to switch off critical thought, the novel pounds with fear. From shipwreck to chase to murder, Wells never slows the pace.

Bottom Line: Read it as political and social commentary or as unadulterated fright fare.

4 bones!!!!

The House of Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne

My Review on the book's home page:

Hawthorne’s gothic tale is a study in original sin, moral corruption, and redemption. Several generations of the Pyncheon family are cursed by an ancestor’s obsession with wealth and power. Each new generation falls into a common pattern of greed and manipulation, bankrupt of the redeeming qualities of love and humility. Redemption is won when a few simple and pure members of the family overcome the baser urges of their kin, banding together to care for one another.

This is not a book to speed through. There are no quick characterizations. There is no rollercoaster plot. Hawthorne’s prose, while dense and slow, is rich and absorbing. He meticulously designs his characters, sometimes pausing for whole chapters to pore over one person’s thoughts and feelings. The resulting experience is engrossing, with the dark mood of the story folded into every line.

Bottom Line: An absorbing and moody read, rich in meticulous detail and character design.

4 bones!!!!

On L. Ron Hubbard: I never expected to like him at all. I read Battlefield Earth because it appeared on a reader's 100 best compilation. I really expected to find someof his Scientology stuff to creep through the story. I was unbelievably shocked. I enjoyed the story and the writing much more than expected. So, Fear also appeared on the list and the flap appeared interesting. That's how it got on my Halloween list.

I am behind here, obviously, as I am just starting The Woman in White. But you guys go ahead and finish up the list however you see fit and I'll catch up as I can. I'll probably follow the order of the list and extend my reading past the actual holiday.

Message edited by its author, Oct 18, 2009, 6:05pm.

>227: I guess we just disagree on that one, Mac.

Battlefield Earth was what put me on my road to "don't like L. Ron Hubbard" though his Mission: Earth decology (read "10 volumes that are thinly disguised propaganda for Scientology") delivered the coup de grâce.

I found the middle 700 pages of the former tediously slow, the science bad, the characters sort of cartoonish...though I could live with the last because it's no worse than Golden Age SF, which I enjoy. What really got me, though, was the premise: the entire military of Earth was defeated in under 10 minutes by an inter-stellar empire whose specialty is domination and enslavement...yet our handful of slaves, about as sophisticated as your average First Century BC Gaul after 1000 years of every bit of civilization on our planet being crushed, are able to utterly destroy said empire rather easily—caveman (literally) to F-15 pilot (literally) in a few short months was just a bit too much for me.

ETA: Given tymfos' comments, I may try Fear after all...but I fear Mr. Hubbard is not starting with the benefit of the doubt in my case.

Message edited by its author, Oct 18, 2009, 6:28pm.

Perhaps it was a case of starting with such low expectations, I couldn't get any lower, but I genuinely enjoyed reading Battlefield Earth. To be fair, i don't have much a science background with which to critique Sci-Fi; I will have to take your word on that front. But I did enjoy the characters and the world he created. Your point is a good one about the slaves doing what an entire world couldn't, but I liked that underdog sort of story, even if a bit hard to believe; I am able to quickly turn off my rationality and suspend disbelief in the face of all kind of absurdity.

I don't intend to read too much more of that series anyway.

But, I am looking forward to Fear to see what it has to show me.

I started The Face today after finishing up my President of the month (Tyler) for the US Presidents Challenge. Wow. While Koontz can be pretty trite in his prose sometimes, he sure can plot!

I am looking forward to the Koontz. I realized it's been awhile since I read one.

I just started both Ghost (reading) and Creepers (audio book while commuting). I'm maybe 1/5th of the way through each. I'm enjoying the former. I'm having a little trouble getting into the latter due to the constant "As You Know, Bob" moments but I'm hoping it will settle down once the adventure really gets rolling.

And I found a ghost story by a Nobel Prize winner when I was roaming the library shelves--The Lowenskold Ring by Selma Lagerlof--which is very entertaining. I'll let you know how it finishes.

With reference to message 184, being the author of that "rather negative" review of Dracula: The Undead, I can confirm that I have indeed looked at it and it is without exception the worst book I've ever read. Genuinely awful on any level, but particularly disappointing if you happen to have enjoyed Dracula.

Message edited by its author, Oct 19, 2009, 5:51pm.

Today was my day off from work, so I managed to find time to finish Ghost. Since it doesn't look like many folks have finished it, I'll hold off on commenting here. I said a few things on my own 75 challenge thread and my 1010 challenge thread. I don't think I'm going to write a full review.

I have been lurking (perhaps haunting?) this thread for quite some time and just wanted to say how much I enjoy all of your comments. I have read many of the books you are reading, but am off pursuing my own eclectic October spooky reads. ;)

Just checked The Face out of the library, and will probably take a first look at it this evening if I get a chance.

I took a look at Dr. Moreau but just decided I'm not in the mood for it. I will surely read it someday, but not right now.

Message edited by its author, Oct 21, 2009, 5:09pm.

A very bad week for reading but I finished Ghost. I'm traveling with no computer, so a review will have to wait until I have something better than a phone to type with, but I found it only fair. The characters didn't engage me and all the
hooplah which was the basis for the plot seemed overdone.

I am thoroughly enjoying The Face. It is really creeping me out!

Decent week for me...I was on a business trip, so finished off three books. Unfortunately only one was for our Halloween read. At any rate, I finished Fear, Ground Zero (the latest Repairman Jack book, yay!) and Doubleback, my latest Early Reviewer book. I'm also halfway through The Face.

I thoroughly enjoyed Fear. And so far, The Face is one of the more enjoyable Koontz books I've read.

I'm stuck on The Woman in White right now and envious of all you who have gotten to the latter part of my list! Oh well, I'll get there eventually. I am going over to the doc's thread now to see what he said about Fear.

While you're checking out my review of Fear, you'll probably also see my thoughts on The Face. Short version - even though it suffers some from my biggest complaint with Koontz's writing (overblown prose), it was a pretty good book. I'm trying to be sensitive to preventing spoilers, but it's tough...The story takes some twists early on that really made the book for me. I'm eagerly looking forward to others finishing it so we can safely talk about it!

I've almost finished The Face. I need to get it done. I'm really enjoying it, but it's giving me nightmares!

Didn't read The Face but read one of Koontz' Odd Thomas books and The Taking. For a horror writer he has a great vocabulary (Odd T) and a surprising love for TS Elliott. The Taking was much gorier and yet, for me, less scary. Fun reads both. Shall have to find The Face.

I'm a big, big fan of the Odd Thomas series. I'll have to check into The Taking.

I just finished Creepers, the last of the list I could get my hands on. And just days before Halloween! I read it years ago when it first came out, but didn't remember much of the plot as it turns out. It was entertaining, but would have been better if Morrell could have figured out how to make the plot seem a bit less contrived. Worth a read, though.

I gave up and got off the "hold" list at the library for Creepers. I think I'm about creep-ed out for this October.

I just finished The Face and really enjoyed it, despite some nightmares. It's odd -- books, and even scary movies, don't normally give me nightmares.

I started Shutter Island last night and I'll try to finish it by Halloween.

That's a good one! I started Mind the Gap last night. It's an urban fantasy with what looks like some scary elements.

I had to give up on The House of Seven Gables. I know you all loved it, but I just could not get into it, and had to quit. Then I picked up a copy of Fear at a Book Fair, and when I opened it, the entire insides had been cut out (just leaving a 1" margin around the edge of the book). I took that as an omen and decided against it. I am reading The Legend of Sleepy Hollow in honor of the season, though; but that might be the end of my Halloween reading for the year.

A friend gave me Mind the Gap because I liked Neverwhere. It hasn't percolated up to the top, yet.

when I opened it, the entire insides had been cut out (just leaving a 1" margin around the edge of the book).

Holy cow! I've seen plenty of books that have been defaced in one way or another, but this sounds about as extreme as it gets!

It looked like it had been used as a hiding place of some kind. Very bizarre...

Who knows what horrors were secreted there!

And then I wonder...Who would have donated that to a library sale? Anyway, Mac, that's why I put it down! I found it somehow ominous.

I think it would creep me out, too.

As the month winds down I must say I have had a great time reading books I wouldn't have tried without this thread's "nudge". However, I'm afraid that Dean Koontz might defeat me. I'm trying to read Odd Thomas--I'm about 1/3 through--and for days I've been finding excuses for avoiding it. Today I decided to devote most of the day to trying to finish it (I had the day off and could do anything I wanted)--it is now 7 PM my time and I just picked it up to start reading. Now I'm whining on this thread to avoid reading! I am interested in the story and I want to find out what happens. I've been told that this book isn't really one of his "creepy" ones. Let me tell you--it's plenty creepy for me! I will admit Koontz is a superb writer!

I haven't given up yet--but if I'm not done by midnight tomorrow it goes back to the library!

Happy Halloween everyone! I also read some great books I may not have because of this group. I'm still reading Shutter Island and have about half of The House of the Seven Gables to finish. But I got through Dracula, The Island of Dr. Moreau, Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde and The Monkey's Paw. This has been lots of fun.

I've really enjoyed the reading list too. The Face and The Woman in White were the stars of the show for me, but the rest were enjoyed too. Thanks, bdb for putting this together!

Message edited by its author, Oct 31, 2009, 11:18am.

I'm still struggling through Creepers but I'm glad I did this since there were a couple I really enjoyed.

Once again, I was introduced to some authors and/or books I really enjoyed And, thanks to this lists, I managed to avoid the Lovecraft collection which would have scared the willies out of me on a dark and stormy night (yeah, we had a couple last month) or King's short stories. Thanks for the list and recommendations.

BDB

Thanks for making October a memorable reading month! It was great fun and I can hardly wait until next year!

Finally wound up Creepers. Bleh!

Though I would have liked to have read The Face, given the positive comments here, I think I'll save it for next year and move on to the ever-increasing backlog.

Thanks, Mac.

It was a good month of suspenseful reading. I tried some books that I would never have read otherwise, and found some surprise favorites!

I am very glad that everyone enjoyed the titles I chose for the Halloween read. I am still stuck on The Woman in White and I plan to finish out the ones I didn't get to. But it'll take me a little longer to finish up. Thanks for joining me this year. I will probably be doing it again next year!

BDB

"I will probably be doing it again next year!"

No pressure, but you have created a tradition that many of us hope will continue! :-) Actually, maybe there might be a little pressure exerted. :-D

It was a great thread and next year I might actually read some of the ones you all read together instead of going all renegade. Nonetheless, it motivated me to read outside my box and it was great fun, so thanks!