frankie Posted July 5, 2012 Author Share Posted July 5, 2012 Oh, I'd forgotten all about my promotion! Kylie, you can borrow my Mr Pointy some time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 Do I get a prize? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 Kylie, you can borrow my Mr Pointy some time Ummm...thank you? That doesn't look big enough to contain a book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 That doesn't look big enough to contain a book. It's like the TARDIS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 So it could be FULL of books? In that case, thank you good sir for my gift. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted July 7, 2012 Author Share Posted July 7, 2012 The Regulators by Richard Bachman From the cover: Author of the bestselling novel Thinner and four thrillers that have sold millions in an omnibus edition entitled The Bachman Books, the late Richard Bachman has been described as "Stephen King without a conscience." Now he performs an eerie encore with the posthumous release of The Regulators, a harrowing story of a suburban neighborhood in the grip of surreal terror. It's a summer afternoon in Wentworth, Ohio, and on Poplar Street everything's normal. The paper boy is making his rounds; the Carver kids are bickering at the corner convenience store; a Frisbee is flying on the Reeds' lawn; Gary Soderson is firing up the backyards barbecue. The only thing that doesn't quite fit is the red van idling just up the hill. Soon it will begin to roll, and the killing will begin. A quiet slice of American suburbia is about to turn to toast. The mayhem rages around a seemingly still point, a darkened house lit fitfully from within by a flickering television screen. Inside, where things haven't been normal for a long time, are Audrey Wyler and the autistic nephew she cares for, eight-year-old Seth Garin. They're fighting their own battle, and its intensity has turned 247 Poplar Street into a prisonhouse. Thoughts: I've read Rage and The Long Walk by Richard Bachman quite a few times and I'm quite fond of the novels, and therefore I was very happy to find this book by him which I'd never even heard of before, some years ago in a secondhand bookshop. I read the blurb and thought the book was right up my alley; a little unexpected mayhem in suburbia is always welcome in my opinion. The novel started off well, I was really feeling it, oh yeah! It was a sunny day over here, so I was totally in tune with the sunny day premise of the novel. I first thought some of the names of the characters seemed oddly familiar, and then I remembered having read about some of them in Desperation by Stephen King. Some of the other names seemed familiar, too, and I figured Bachman has borrowed all the characters from King's other novels, too. Boy oh boy did I feel stupid when it dawned on me that all of the characters feature in Desperation That's okay, Desperation is not my favorite novel by King but I've never disliked it either. I'd say the first half of the book was great and the pace was good, I couldn't wait to see how the novel ended. Then things started dragging. I was closing on the last 30 pages or so and I kept thinking it'll pick up, and yet it didn't. The novel had all the potential to make a great read, but it felt like Bachman had run out of steam and come up with a quick fix it -solution. Too bad I live in the second store and can't through books out the window: somebody might be walking out there and they'd get hit. My copy is a hardback, after all, and it could do a lot of damage. All the damage was done on me, this time. To prevent any further upset, I'd say if you are not a fan of Desperation by Stephen King, don't go out of your way to read the book. 2/5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 Thanks for the warning Frankie, hopefully Stephen King will walk under your window and you can throw the book at him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted July 7, 2012 Author Share Posted July 7, 2012 Surely he doesn't mind if I throw Richard Bachman's book out the window? Do you think he might then come in, have coffee with me and sign all my Stephen King novels? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 You never know stranger things could happen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted July 7, 2012 Author Share Posted July 7, 2012 Yes, Stephen King walking by my house can't be the strangest thing Last week I got rid of a few books, I had a friend over and I told her she can look at my 'to be rid of' pile and take as many books as she likes. She spent quite a few happy moments going through them and ended up taking a whole bunch of them These are the ones she took: - Pirkko Helenoro: Tuntemattoman sotilaan tytär - Julie Gregory: Sickened - John Updike: Witches of Eastwick (I've actually been watching this new show on women who live in a small town and a stranger moves in and all sorts of weird things start happening. I've seen the first five episodes or so. When I was talking about the series with my friend Kaisa, she asked me why I was getting rid of the book if I liked the TV series. I hadn't made the connection, I can't believe I didn't realise that the series Eastwick is based on the book. ) - Daphne du Maurier: The Birds and Other Stories - Heinrich Böll: Group Portraid with Lady - Donna Tartt: The Secret History - Henry Miller: Opus Pistorum - Julie Robitaille: Quantum Leap - The Beginning - Sharyn McCrumb: Bimbos of the Death Sun - Henry Sienkiewicz: Quo Vadis - P.G. Wodehouse: Old Reliable - P.G. Wodehouse: Pip-pip, Sir! - William Shakespeare: Hamlet - Sue Townsend: The Queen & I - Michael Cunningham: A Home at the End of the World - Cynthia Ozick: Cannibal Galaxy - Mark Twain: A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court - Peter James: Dead Simple - Stephen Fry: Hippopotamus - Juhani Aho: Juha - Dave Pelzer: A Child Called 'It' - L.M. Montgomery: The Blue Castle - Franz Kafka: Amerika - Vladimir Nabokov: Lolita 11 of those books are from TBR, so the good ole mountain was reduced a little. However, in the last two weeks I've acquired two new books which I will post about later when I've taken a few pics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobblybear Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 I recall when Desperation and The Regulators first came out many years ago. I was so excited (huge Stephen King fan at the time), but I remember feeling so disappointed in the books. Can't recall why, but I just didn't like them. I think the best part of them was that in a certain edition the covers of both joined together to make a whole picture, or something like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 I recall when Desperation and The Regulators first came out many years ago. I was so excited (huge Stephen King fan at the time), but I remember feeling so disappointed in the books. Can't recall why, but I just didn't like them. I think the best part of them was that in a certain edition the covers of both joined together to make a whole picture, or something like that. When the covers are the best part of books I guess it is not worth opening them to see what's inside!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 Am I missing the point (I'm a bit woolly headed today) - Richard Bachman is Stephen King. Am I being dense - I've reread your post several times? Feel free to say yes - I'm mightily confused! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted July 7, 2012 Author Share Posted July 7, 2012 Oh, I didn't know about the covers being similar! I image googled the titles and found these: The copy of The Regulators I have has the cover which was represented in my review, and the right side of that picture above ^ was on the back of the book, but the image was a lot smaller, it was in a circle surrounded by a blank, yellow greyish background. It now makes sense, I wouldn't have found out about that myself. The edition of Desperation I've read is in Finnish and it looks like this (it's pretty ugly!): Am I missing the point (I'm a bit woolly headed today) - Richard Bachman is Stephen King. Am I being dense - I've reread your post several times? Feel free to say yes - I'm mightily confused! Sorry to confuse you! Yes, I know Richard Bachman is King's pseudonym. But I felt like reviewing it as a Bachman novel, because that's what King decided to go as when writing the novel. Edit: Or did you mean you didn't know about that beforehand, Janet? I'm not sure what you meant Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 Ah, okay. I couldn't see you saying anywhere in your post that they were the same person, and I was a bit confused as to why Stephen King would allow someone to plagiarise his characters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted July 7, 2012 Author Share Posted July 7, 2012 Ah, okay. I couldn't see you saying anywhere in your post that they were the same person, and I was a bit confused as to why Stephen King would allow someone to plagiarise his characters. Ah, okay Yes, that wouldn't make sense at all, if it were true! I'm sorry, I just assumed everyone knew about him being Bachman. You know what they say about people who assume? They make an ass out of u and me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaliepud Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 - John Updike: Witches of Eastwick (I've actually been watching this new show on women who live in a small town and a stranger moves in and all sorts of weird things start happening. I've seen the first five episodes or so. When I was talking about the series with my friend Kaisa, she asked me why I was getting rid of the book if I liked the TV series. I hadn't made the connection, I can't believe I didn't realise that the series Eastwick is based on the book. ) I enjoyed that series frankie but I was disappointed that they didn't commission a new series... . In fact I have a horrible feeling they didn't even finish the first series but I may be wrong? Well done on making your TBR pile a little smaller, I did the same this week so at least I know now that every book on my (now only one) shelf is a book I am keen to read very soon.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted July 7, 2012 Author Share Posted July 7, 2012 I enjoyed that series frankie but I was disappointed that they didn't commission a new series... . In fact I have a horrible feeling they didn't even finish the first series but I may be wrong? Oh man, I didn't know that! Let me check on imdb... Oh crap, you are right! There is only one season and there's only 13 episodes on it That sucks, I was really getting into it!! I'm, however, glad that you told me and I know now, so it won't come as a huge shock when I watch the last episode and find out there's not more of it. Aww shucks! Well done on making your TBR pile a little smaller, I did the same this week so at least I know now that every book on my (now only one) shelf is a book I am keen to read very soon.. It's a great feeling, passing on books that you don't feel like reading anymore, knowing the amount of unread books you own is a lot smaller, and that now you only have the books you really want to read and can go for them anytime you want It's liberating! These books are actually those ones that I decided to get rid of some weeks ago, but they've been taking space in my bookshelf because I have been too lazy to take them anywhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dex Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 Terry goodkind,I've got some of these i wouldn't mind swapping, how does it work? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted July 7, 2012 Author Share Posted July 7, 2012 About a week ago me and my friend visited the library, and I found a book at the free book exchange trolley that I just couldn't leave behind. As it was a free book, I didn't purchase it, so I'm not breaking any rules It was Bubbenbrooks by Thomas Mann, a classic that I've wanted to read for a long time, and one that is one the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die list. Wohoo! I also got a book package from Brian. We are doing a bookswap, I've yet to post his copy, but I already received mine. It was a darling package, there was Cadbury's Dairy Milk Buttons: That was the picture on the choccy packet, I just hope Brian didn't see it in the store, think it looked a lot like me, and then decide to buy it for me I also got a copy of Junky by William S. Burroughs. Attached to the book were these beautiful bookmarks Brian's made of origami paper, I love the colors and the patterns! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 Ah, okay Yes, that wouldn't make sense at all, if it were true! I'm sorry, I just assumed everyone knew about him being Bachman. You know what they say about people who assume? They make an ass out of u and me Nope - I don't know anything about Stephen King (apart from the fact he writes horror) - I only found out they were the same person when I Googled the other bloke to see if Stephen King had sued him - or given him permission to use his characters. LOL @ 'ass of u and me' - I'd forgotten about that phrase. What lovely gifts from Brian - the bookmarks are gorgeous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted July 7, 2012 Author Share Posted July 7, 2012 Terry goodkind,I've got some of these i wouldn't mind swapping, how does it work? I've got a thread in the Members Books section, a book swap thread where I keep a list of books I have to offer and of books I'd like to acquire. I'd like to read Terry Goodkind at some point but unfortunately he's not on my swap list. Thanks for the suggestion, though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted July 7, 2012 Author Share Posted July 7, 2012 Nope - I don't know anything about Stephen King (apart from the fact he writes horror) - I only found out they were the same person when I Googled the other bloke to see if Stephen King had sued him - or given him permission to use his characters. I'm sorry, Janet, but that's hilarious I'm sorry to have confused you! LOL @ 'ass of u and me' - I'd forgotten about that phrase. Always a great one! And easy to remember What lovely gifts from Brian - the bookmarks are gorgeous. Indeed they are! I wish I would've realised I needed to do something about the size of the pictures, they are too tiny to get a good look at them on their own, but if one clicks on the pics, they go giant. I always forget my camera takes big ass pics! On another note, before I forget! I'm mega excited: They are showing About a Boy on TV tonight!! I read the book a few years ago, and loved it, and have since then read most of Hornby's novels and have wanted to watch the movie ever since, I even posted about it on some past reading log of mine. I can't wait to watch it, I'm recording it as we speak Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 (edited) I'm such a numpty! Oooh, I love the film About a Boy. It's not hysterically funny, but there is something about it that is just so good - despite that fact that (again) Hugh Grant plays Hugh Grant! I hope you enjoy it. ETA: Did Hornby write a book called High Fidelity? I saw the film at the cinema and thought it was utter crap! Set in a record shop, iirc? Edited July 7, 2012 by Janet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted July 7, 2012 Author Share Posted July 7, 2012 Numpty! What a funny word! Oooh, I love the film About a Boy. It's not hysterically funny, but there is something about it that is just so good - despite that fact that (again) Hugh Grant plays Hugh Grant! I hope you enjoy it. I don't actually mind that Hugh Grant's in it. I used to dislike him loads, but I liked him in the Bridget Jones Diaries, eventhough he played the character of the biggest arse ever. And I think Toni Collette's in the movie, she's a superb actress, I love her ETA: Did Hornby write a book called High Fidelity? I saw the film at the cinema and thought it was utter crap! Set in a record shop, iirc? Yes he did, and yep it's the record shop film. I didn't like the movie either, when I saw it ages ago, but I can't remember why, it was such a long time ago. I do remember talking about the movie with Peacefield, she was gutted that I hated it I promised her I'd watch it again someday! I think I watched the movie back in the day when I disliked John Cusack, but I've actually started liking him lots, so now I'm actually looking forward to the re-watching. The novel itself was okay but certainly not Hornby's best. Oh, I just remembered: I think the movie was set in the States? Which is quite annoying, why not set it in the UK, where the novel is set? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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