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jammies · 12-10-2008, 08:52 PM

Wow seems like I just had a turn - gonna be tough to do my own synopsis of each book if it's going to be every couple days!

Anyway, for my next pick, jammies' Fahrenheit 451 picks Shadowland by Peter Straub in the Mass/Pulp Fiction category:

Shadowland is a story about two boys who want to be magicians. It is also the story of a man who has learned true magic, and who ostensibly wants to teach them it, although his true purpose is somewhat less noble.

The book jumps back and forth thru various viewpoints, and times, and we learn much of the true motivations and histories of the characters, and much of good and evil besides. Straub does an excellent job of making his monsters both horrific and pathetic; we see inside the little dreams of little men who want to be transformed and feared, and who have willingly embraced hate because it is better than nothing at all.

There are stylistic and continuity errors, and the book is sometimes disjointed, but there are also passages of great skill and powerful imagery; I think it is one of those books that one either loves or hates for mysterious reasons. Put me down definitely in the love camp!

12-10-2008, 08:52 PM	#324
jammies Basement Chicken Choker Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: In a land without pants, or war, or want. But mostly we care about the pants. Exp:	Wow seems like I just had a turn - gonna be tough to do my own synopsis of each book if it's going to be every couple days! Anyway, for my next pick, jammies' Fahrenheit 451 picks Shadowland by Peter Straub in the Mass/Pulp Fiction category: Shadowland is a story about two boys who want to be magicians. It is also the story of a man who has learned true magic, and who ostensibly wants to teach them it, although his true purpose is somewhat less noble. The book jumps back and forth thru various viewpoints, and times, and we learn much of the true motivations and histories of the characters, and much of good and evil besides. Straub does an excellent job of making his monsters both horrific and pathetic; we see inside the little dreams of little men who want to be transformed and feared, and who have willingly embraced hate because it is better than nothing at all. There are stylistic and continuity errors, and the book is sometimes disjointed, but there are also passages of great skill and powerful imagery; I think it is one of those books that one either loves or hates for mysterious reasons. Put me down definitely in the love camp! __________________ Better educated sadness than oblivious joy.