Tristan Posted February 23, 2010 Share Posted February 23, 2010 I feel it. It's time.. time, for me to unabashedly step out of the shadows. Time, for me to lay bare my deepest and most intimate thoughts about.. literature. What, did you have something else in mind, you to voyeurism addicted sensation-seekers? For shame.. Yes people, that crazy Belgian has finally decided to give this whole "log-maintaining" business a try. I really do hope you will all (well, most of you anyway, can't please you all, now can I? ) find it reasonably interesting, and can at least find some merit in this log of mine. It will contain almost everything. Progress in reading, reflections, new purchases and also some tidbits about my personal life. Reasons? Well, firstly, it serves as a journal, a safe heaven to organize my thoughts, and as a forum to exchange idea's with all you charming people. So, let's kick off, shall we? Where to begin? I'm quite new to this exciting world, having only sporadically read books in my life ( a fact I've already mentioned in my introduction ), so I'm by no account an experienced reader. But I know what I like, and those are classic gothic stories. So, having already purchased Dracula and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, I yesterday went with my girlfriend ( lovely girl, and an avid reader herself ) to an almost lovelier book shop, in search of the perfect addition to the prior 2 books.I wound up spending almost an hour there. It was a great experience, only topped by the discovery of a gorgeous ( and unbelievabley cheap!) english version, hardcover edition of Wells' 'The Invisible Man' (is this technically gothic?). I was ecstatic, to say the least. That's it for now. Now I'm off finishing Dracula, which has me completely and utterly in its spell. I'm so glad I've returned to books. It's an entire new world that's opening its doors to me. A world of which I've only scratched the surface, I feel.. Darn, this was a long post.. My apologies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BookJumper Posted February 23, 2010 Share Posted February 23, 2010 First of all, no need to apologise. Long posts about lovely things are actively encouraged! Secondly, welcome back to the world of reading we hope you never leave. I must say, I'm thrilled you're enjoying Dracula; it's one of my favourite books and it saddens me that some people find it hard to get into because of the language - which, might I add, I find the finest thing about it! I hope you get to finish it tonight so as to be able to bask in the glory of the completed work... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tristan Posted February 23, 2010 Author Share Posted February 23, 2010 First of all, no need to apologise. Long posts about lovely things are actively encouraged! Secondly, welcome back to the world of reading we hope you never leave. I must say, I'm thrilled you're enjoying Dracula; it's one of my favourite books and it saddens me that some people find it hard to get into because of the language - which, might I add, I find the finest thing about it! I hope you get to finish it tonight so as to be able to bask in the glory of the completed work... There are definitely some references to history and words modern readers won't understand, which can be troublesome sometime.. But I am fortunate, for I own the Penguin Classics edition, which contains the notes, that explains all that stuff. I love going to the back of the book, to learn what those strange words actually mean. I really want to try them out in conversation, to see the reaction of the person I'm talking to. He/she will think I'm a freak or something. Not that they don't do already. I can be sort of eccentric sometimes.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sirinrob Posted February 23, 2010 Share Posted February 23, 2010 Just thinking here ( half dried pea rattling furiously ) you may like the 'Pendragon Legend' by Antal Szerb, thats full of things that go bump in the night, creaking doors etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tristan Posted February 23, 2010 Author Share Posted February 23, 2010 Just thinking here ( half dried pea rattling furiously ) you may like the 'Pendragon Legend' by Antal Szerb, thats full of things that go bump in the night, creaking doors etc. AND references to European mysticism, I read just know. Very interesting.. Damn, I was afraid this would happen. Recommendations.. A crisis for my wallet will ensue, I'm sure. But keep them coming regardless, always eager to learn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola Posted February 23, 2010 Share Posted February 23, 2010 First of all, no need to apologise. Long posts about lovely things are actively encouraged! Secondly, welcome back to the world of reading we hope you never leave. There are definitely some references to history and words modern readers won't understand, which can be troublesome sometime.. But I am fortunate, for I own the Penguin Classics edition, which contains the notes, that explains all that stuff. I love going to the back of the book, to learn what those strange words actually mean. I really want to try them out in conversation, to see the reaction of the person I'm talking to. He/she will think I'm a freak or something. Not that they don't do already. I can be sort of eccentric sometimes.. Oooooh me too! I've been thinking I should read this book for sometime as I'm making my way through Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles at the moment so should really take it right back to Stoker's Dracula (or so you'd think ) I actually saw a really handsome copy in Waterstones a few weeks ago but it was pretty expensive. However, I'm now sold on the Penguin Classics edition knowing that there's a whole section at the back of the book dedicated to words that aren't in common use anymore....I love that sort of thing and yup.....I'll be slipping those words into general conversation too Great thread by the way Tristan! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tristan Posted February 23, 2010 Author Share Posted February 23, 2010 Introductions, prefaces, short biographies, notes, appendices.. you name it, I'll read it. I even actively search for that stuff in books. I'm such a nerd in that regard. Thanks for the encouragement, Nicola and Bookjumper. Much appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola Posted February 23, 2010 Share Posted February 23, 2010 Introductions, prefaces, short biographies, notes, appendices.. you name it, I'll read it. I even actively search for that stuff in books. I'm such a nerd in that regard. Me too! I think notes might be my favourite thing of all time. I read Good Omens by Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman not long ago and the notes in that book are hilarious and so witty too. If you haven't read it, I'd highly recommend it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BookJumper Posted February 23, 2010 Share Posted February 23, 2010 Introductions, prefaces, short biographies, notes, appendices.. you name it, I'll read it. I even actively search for that stuff in books. I'm such a nerd in that regard.From a nerd to another - you do realise there's such a thing as The Annotated Dracula, which provides more introductions, prefaces, biographies, notes and appendices to the work than populate our wildest dreams ? I'd also second Nicola's recommendation; Good Omens is a work of pure genius(es) - BCF, making booklovers poorer yet richer one suggestion at a time . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charm Posted February 23, 2010 Share Posted February 23, 2010 (edited) Great thread Tristan! So pleased you're enjoying Dracula, it is the master when it comes to vampire novels IMO A couple more gothic vamp books you might enjoy are (from my old reading blog): Children of the Vampire (The Diaries of the Family Dracul) ~by~ Jeanne Kalogridis Synopsis courtesy of Fantastic Fiction Hoping to save his human son from the family duty of serving the evil Prince Vlad, vampire Arkady Tsepesh comes out of hiding, but his arrival is too late to save the young man from being kidnapped by Dracula. The story of this book is about Count Dracula and his male heirs. The count has made a pact and to stay alive he must have the blood of every one of the first born male heirs born through the centuries. The book tells the tale of one heir in particular and the inevitable battle between good and evil. I love it. I liked the style of the writing. I liked the dark gothic atmosphere the author portrayed very well and I also liked all the characters, even the baddies to a certain degree! The story was told well and there was plenty of action throughout with a twist thrown in at the end. Its actually the second book in a trilogy, the first being The Covenant of the Vampire. The third is called Lord of the Vampire which I will definately be trying to get my hands on. If you liked Bram Stoker's Dracula and The Historian by Elisabeth Kostova I think you'll like this. 10/10 and I finally finished reading The Historian ~by~ Elizabeth Kostova (in my defence, it was 704 pages long and my reading mojo had waned a bit! ). I'm not sure how to describe what I thought of it but here goes: Synopsis courtesy of Waterstones Late one night, exploring her father's library, a young woman finds an ancient book and a cache of yellowing letters addressed ominously to 'My dear and unfortunate successor'. Her discovery plunges her into a world she never dreamed of - a labyrinth where the secrets of her father's past and her mother's mysterious fate connect to an evil hidden in the depths of history. In those few quiet moments, she unwittingly assumes a quest she will discover is her birthright - a hunt for the truth about Vlad the Impaler, the medieval ruler whose barbarous reign formed the basis of the Dracula myth. Deciphering obscure signs and hidden texts, reading codes worked into the fabric of medieval monastic traditions, and evading terrifying adversaries, one woman comes ever closer to the secret of her own past and a confrontation with the very definition of evil. Elizabeth Kostova's debut novel is an adventure of monumental proportions - a captivating tale that blends fact and fantasy, history and the present with an assurance that is almost unbearably suspenseful - and utterly unforgettable. My thoughts: The novel is about a young woman who lives with her father and sometimes travels with him on his business trips, where he gradually tells her the story of his search for Dracula and about how he met her mother. He suddenly resumes his search alone and disappears, leaving the young woman to try to find him. It is mostly written in the form of letters, some of which were addressed to her and some addressed to her father. Most of them she found in his study before embarking on a trip across Europe in search of him. The story of the father's search for Dracula (which is what most of the book is about) unfolded pretty slowly and seemed a bit repetitive to me, which then left me feeling a bit frustrated at times. It was also a bit anticlimactic, with the most exciting bit in the book and the ending all wrapped up in the last few chapters. I thought this was a shame because it had the potential for a far more exciting finish which I was expecting all along. This may all sound a bit harsh, but in all fairness, the book did have its good points too. It is well written and has a kind of dark, creepy atmosphere which I love. Its not too complicated and is easy to follow and the author describes things beautifully, to the point where I found myself wishing I could hop on a plane and travel to the wonderful places immediately. It also appears very well researched, half of the time I felt like I'd just come out of a history lesson! I did have to catch myself on now and then because I kept picturing the main characters in more ancient times, rather than the late 20th century, maybe because of the history element to the book and its main topic, Dracula. Dracula himself didn't appear very much at all, which I was a bit disappointed with, however there were a good amount of vampire attacks throughout the whole book. These were not as descriptive as I would have liked though, more the aftermath of the attack. I'm giving The Historian a 7/10 because I'm glad I read it and I did enjoy it somewhat, although her next novel would need to be a bit faster paced for my liking. I think I'll wait and see what the reviews on here are like first. If you are into European medieval history then you may enjoy this book. 7/10 How's that for a long post? :D Edited February 23, 2010 by Nollaig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted February 23, 2010 Share Posted February 23, 2010 Charm your spoiler tag didn't come out right, so I just added a tag to it. Tristan: I second 'The Historian', Charm sent me a copy along with Dracula and I read the two fairly close together, they definitely inspire a mutual appreciation, and The Historian is one of my favourite books now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charm Posted February 23, 2010 Share Posted February 23, 2010 Charm your spoiler tag didn't come out right, so I just added a tag to it. Oh I never noticed Thanks hun, I'll make sure I double check in future Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peacefield Posted February 24, 2010 Share Posted February 24, 2010 <--- Is third-ing The Historian . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tristan Posted February 24, 2010 Author Share Posted February 24, 2010 @Bookjumper: that Annotated Dracula does look rather tempting.. more than 600 pages.. hardcover.. oh, damn you for tempting me like this. Well, perhaps I'll pick it up sometime later. For now, the version already in my possession more than suits my needs. @all the others: thanks for the suggestions. I will definitely attempt to check them all out at some point in time. I promise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola Posted February 24, 2010 Share Posted February 24, 2010 I was in Asda this morning and found Dracula amongst the Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tristan Posted February 25, 2010 Author Share Posted February 25, 2010 I was in Asda this morning and found Dracula amongst the Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola Posted February 25, 2010 Share Posted February 25, 2010 That's a pretty good deal. And you can always buy another (notes included) version if you really like the novel. Those "Penguin Classics" editions, for instance, are quite brilliant. A well-assembled introduction to the classics. I reckon I'll be buying a whole lot of them. More than acceptable price, tons of information, and it looks nice on the shelf as well. I'll worry about investing in those pricey hardcover editions later, when I know what my favourites are. Dracula will be among them, I'm sure. Yeah, I think I'll definitely invest in another copy with notes included at a later date. I'm sure my local Waterstones has quite a range of Penguin Classics at a reasonable price and if they come with extra information it'd be rude not to buy a few eh?! Can't wait to read Dracula now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tristan Posted February 25, 2010 Author Share Posted February 25, 2010 Can't wait to read Dracula now I can't wait to finish it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola Posted February 25, 2010 Share Posted February 25, 2010 I can't wait to finish it! You'll have to write a review (notes included ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tristan Posted February 25, 2010 Author Share Posted February 25, 2010 Thy will is my command. Well, yes, of course I'll write one. Not that my thoughts on the subject will be that particularly mind-blowing or extraordinary, but I'll give it a well-aimed shot. I promise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola Posted February 25, 2010 Share Posted February 25, 2010 Thy will is my command. Well, yes, of course I'll write one. Not that my thoughts on the subject will be that particularly mind-blowing or extraordinary, but I'll give it a well-aimed shot. I promise. I look forward to it good Sir (I'm sure it'll be the review to end all other reviews! ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tristan Posted February 25, 2010 Author Share Posted February 25, 2010 I look forward to it good Sir (I'm sure it'll be the review to end all other reviews! ) Well, I'm happy that you are. I'm really not sure it will be all that (chances are high it won't and ,as a review, will fail in all respects), but I do promise It won't contain any spoilers, since you haven't read it yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted February 26, 2010 Share Posted February 26, 2010 I also cannot wait to read it, as it's not long since I last read Dracula and it's still pretty fresh in my memory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola Posted February 26, 2010 Share Posted February 26, 2010 I think I'm the only person on this forum who hasn't read it yet! No pressure then Tristan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tristan Posted February 26, 2010 Author Share Posted February 26, 2010 Aarghh, the pressure! I'll sure try to make it as entertaining and informative as I possibly can. Should be all kinds of fun, I adore writing reviews. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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