Deciding what to read next

I finished The Hunger Games on Thursday, and after a few days to let it settle in my head, it's time to start something else. There's a paperback copy of Stephen King's 'Cell' in my overnight bag, along with Terry Pratchett's 'Darwin's Watch.' Of course, it's been a while since I've re-read The Shining, or Salem's Lot. The latter might help me hash through some difficulties with Roja, come to think of it.

About The Hunger Games, it's good. Damn good. Worth every bit of your time and money. That concern that I had about the same type of group dynamic that was used in Battle Royale turned out to be unfounded. My wife and I discussed the book, and as usual we each had our own take on the story, and they were miles apart. Her primary focus was on the government, and how they use the games as both punishment and control. My biggest impression was how much the other people in the book, the regular citizens who would never set foot in the arena, were involved in the game. It's a huge production that seems to touch just about everyone. I hope the next couple of books develop that aspect in more detail.

To me, that's one of the characteristics of good writing. When two or more people can arrive at separate conclusions about a story, and each can pull facts from it to support their views, and the views don't necessarily contradict each other, that's a good story there.

Watched the first episode of SyFy's 'Tin Man' last night. It wasn't what I expected, as I had gotten the impression (and was hoping) that it was a bit darker. Then again, that reminds me that I haven't read the book itself yet.

Still rewriting Roja, and writing 'A room.' The Stephen King bio that I read, Haunted Heart, described how he can churn out a short story 'in a few hours.' My reaction? Envy, disbelief, and more envy. I want to build up where I can do that.

The odds are definitely in your favor, Ms. Collins.

So Tuesday I stop by Wal-Mart on my way home to pick up a copy of The Hunger Games. I try to avoid getting books there, because even big places like Barnes and Noble's need all the help they can get these days. But the B&N closest to me isn't open before I have to be at work. So I hit Wally World, buy the book, and start reading it that night. Wednesday night I mention to my wife that it's pretty good, and that she may want to read it when I'm done.

Friday, I get to work, and not only is one tire on my car low, another is damn near flat. The tires are still under warranty, and my wife has the day off, so she grabs the car, and takes it to the tire place. While she waits, she finishes her Song of Ice and Fire book, and picks up Hunger Games, which I had left in the back seat.

She finished it that night. I haven't finished it yet, so we can't discuss it from beginning to end, but she said it was a lot better then she had expected. Both of us agreed that somehow we had each gotten the impression that the mood and style was going to be similar to Twilight. In a nutshell, it isn't.

Disclaimer: I have not read Twilight, but have seen one of the films when I took my daughter to see it. I also tried to read The Host, but couldn't slog through it. Miss Meyer has her strengths as a writer, but they don't hit any of my buttons.

I got the book to compare it to Battle Royale, because when I saw the trailer for the film (I had never heard of the book before) that's what it reminded me about. I'm not quite halfway through the book, and I can see a world of difference. Battle is about all the kids, though there is a clear hero and heroine. HG is about one girl. They're both set in the future, but BR is more current, while HG, though set seemingly farther ahead in time, feels more like a story set in Roman times. I'm also reading a bit of Biblical influence, comparing the districts to the tribes of Israel.

Right now, my opinion is that Hunger Games is well worth the time and money. Will I be buying the other books in the series? I won't have to. I'll just read the copies that my wife has already said she's going to get.

Still writing, and hoping write something this good.

Movies, books, and a maze.

I finished reading 'Battle Royale' on Friday, and I have to say I liked it. I saw the movie some years ago, and except for changing some small (but not minor) details, I now know it's pretty true to the book. There's that same dark, bleak hopelessness that hits you in the face right at the beginning, and just builds through the rest of the story.

With the Hunger Games movie out, I've been pondering the comparisons between the two, and may pick up the Hunger Games book series so I can judge for myself. (I'll probably read something unrelated first, just to start with a fresh mind) I've read conflicting accounts whether the author of the latter has said she read Battle Royale, but just a bit of browsing, being careful to avoid spoilers, seems to indicate that Games ends up having the exact same group dynamic as Battle, which would 'strain credulity,' to quote Captain Barbosa.

Claudia and I saw 'Prometheus' Saturday, and it's going to take a bit of pondering to be able to say what I thought of it. There's a lot of subtle imagery and heavy questions that it asks. Sad to say, it seemed to waste Charlize Theron.

We also went looking for a van so we can start having steady transportation for all the grid and other stuff for Pan-Gaia designs when we go to conventions. If I ever had doubts that inspiration for good horror can be found anywhere and everywhere, one place we stopped at killed them. Along the highway, there are a lot of car dealerships, and these are one of the businesses that have been hit pretty hard by the recession. A lot of them are closed and deserted, and there is something really creepy about wandering through a lot with plain white vans, (some with bars and metal grid over the windows) vans with mechanical arms mounted on top, and old ambulances all around. There were no salespeople to be found, and all the vehicles were parked in rows that seemed like they had been designed by somebody studying modern art. The word 'labyrinth' came to mind more than once.

Yesterday was Father's Day, and it wasn't as good as I had hoped it would be. My mom is in the hospital, and I didn't get to talk to my daughter.

Am I still writing?  Hell yes.