Lounge of Tomorrow

€uromeinke, FEJ. and Ghoulish Delight RULE!!! NA abides.  


Go Back   Lounge of Tomorrow > A.S.C.O.T > Beatnik
Swank Swag
FAQ Members List Calendar Today's Posts Clear Unread

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
Old 08-08-2006, 08:29 AM   #1
Cadaverous Pallor
ohhhh baby
 
Cadaverous Pallor's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Parental Bliss
Posts: 12,364
Cadaverous Pallor is the epitome of coolCadaverous Pallor is the epitome of coolCadaverous Pallor is the epitome of coolCadaverous Pallor is the epitome of coolCadaverous Pallor is the epitome of coolCadaverous Pallor is the epitome of coolCadaverous Pallor is the epitome of coolCadaverous Pallor is the epitome of coolCadaverous Pallor is the epitome of coolCadaverous Pallor is the epitome of coolCadaverous Pallor is the epitome of cool
Send a message via AIM to Cadaverous Pallor Send a message via Yahoo to Cadaverous Pallor
Dread - go ahead and discuss, just use spoiler tags.

Finished! I really enjoyed this for multiple reasons.

1. Far different style from anything else I've read. I have no clue what is due to translation, what is Japanese style, and what is Murakami himself, but still, very intriguing from a style standpoint. This isn't to say I loved every moment of the style, but it definitely made me pay attention.

2. Characters. Solid, filled-in characters that react as they should (within such a crazy universe, but still). So many people and all of them real to me, no matter how wacky.

3. Settings. I can see the house with the dead end alley behind it, I can see Honda's hut, I can even see the wig factory. All places in an alien culture to me, but so skillfully drawn that I felt present.

Let's drop the number format.

Spoiler:
I thought the story was great, once it got going. It took a while to do so. I really didn't feel enthralled with it until Kumiko disappeared. As soon as that happened my reaction was "finally, something is happening!" Up until that point it was tedious, every day life, with Kumiko coming and going. Looking back I know it's a purposeful contrast but still, I think there was a bit too much set up.

Toru's go-with-the-flow personality that Euro mentions really intrigued me as a contrast to most everything else I've ever read. He wasn't "whipped" per se, he just dealt with things in a manner that I'm not used to. Instead of scrambling around in an embarrassed fashion desperately trying to figure out which way is up (as a British character might - Neverwhere, anyone?), or turning aggressive and hacking his way through (as an American character might), he centers himself and lets these things happen to him until it comes clear where and how he should act. I wish I were more like that.

I was a bit disappointed in not having a face-to-face with Noboru Wataya at the end. Giving him a stroke from afar was anti-climactic.

I loved all the history. If I had ever known about the Chinese/Japanese stuff in WWII, I had forgotten it. It was easy to get wrapped up in the portraits of the zoo, the Siberian mine, the Mongolian desert. Beautifully painted.

More to say later, gotta go.
__________________
The second star to the right
shines in the night for you
Cadaverous Pallor is offline   Submit to Quotes Reply With Quote
Old 08-08-2006, 08:46 AM   #2
Alex
.
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 13,354
Alex is the epitome of coolAlex is the epitome of coolAlex is the epitome of coolAlex is the epitome of coolAlex is the epitome of coolAlex is the epitome of coolAlex is the epitome of coolAlex is the epitome of coolAlex is the epitome of coolAlex is the epitome of coolAlex is the epitome of cool
It's turned into a bit of a slog for me. Of what I've read so far and I'm just now to the part where

Spoiler:
Toru tests that he can access Cinnamon's computer


I'm opposite CP. I thought Book 1 was the most interesting with only a slight drop off once Kumiko disappeared. However, since

Spoiler:
Nutmget showed up


I've only been able to read a few pages at a time and I seem to have lost most of my interest.
Alex is offline   Submit to Quotes Reply With Quote
Old 08-08-2006, 08:55 AM   #3
DreadPirateRoberts
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,483
DreadPirateRoberts is the epitome of coolDreadPirateRoberts is the epitome of coolDreadPirateRoberts is the epitome of coolDreadPirateRoberts is the epitome of coolDreadPirateRoberts is the epitome of coolDreadPirateRoberts is the epitome of coolDreadPirateRoberts is the epitome of coolDreadPirateRoberts is the epitome of coolDreadPirateRoberts is the epitome of coolDreadPirateRoberts is the epitome of coolDreadPirateRoberts is the epitome of cool
Quote:
I've only been able to read a few pages at a time and I seem to have lost most of my interest.
I found it helped to read more that a few pages at a time to get the momentum going.


Spoiler:
I was amazed that someone could go to a train station for 11 straight days and sit and look at faces. Imagine the patience. I can barely sit still for a few minutes. Although it is fun to go to DL, sit on a bench and watch people, but I can only do that for maybe 1/2 hour or so, certainly not a whole day, and certainly not days in a row. Could you?
DreadPirateRoberts is offline   Submit to Quotes Reply With Quote
Old 08-08-2006, 08:56 AM   #4
Stan4dSteph
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: East Bay Area, CA
Posts: 3,156
Stan4dSteph is the epitome of coolStan4dSteph is the epitome of coolStan4dSteph is the epitome of coolStan4dSteph is the epitome of coolStan4dSteph is the epitome of coolStan4dSteph is the epitome of coolStan4dSteph is the epitome of coolStan4dSteph is the epitome of coolStan4dSteph is the epitome of coolStan4dSteph is the epitome of coolStan4dSteph is the epitome of cool
I just got it over the weekend. Is it too late to start?
Stan4dSteph is offline   Submit to Quotes Reply With Quote
Old 08-08-2006, 08:58 AM   #5
DreadPirateRoberts
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,483
DreadPirateRoberts is the epitome of coolDreadPirateRoberts is the epitome of coolDreadPirateRoberts is the epitome of coolDreadPirateRoberts is the epitome of coolDreadPirateRoberts is the epitome of coolDreadPirateRoberts is the epitome of coolDreadPirateRoberts is the epitome of coolDreadPirateRoberts is the epitome of coolDreadPirateRoberts is the epitome of coolDreadPirateRoberts is the epitome of coolDreadPirateRoberts is the epitome of cool
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stan4dSteph
I just got it over the weekend. Is it too late to start?
It's never too late.
DreadPirateRoberts is offline   Submit to Quotes Reply With Quote
Old 08-08-2006, 09:32 AM   #6
Alex
.
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 13,354
Alex is the epitome of coolAlex is the epitome of coolAlex is the epitome of coolAlex is the epitome of coolAlex is the epitome of coolAlex is the epitome of coolAlex is the epitome of coolAlex is the epitome of coolAlex is the epitome of coolAlex is the epitome of coolAlex is the epitome of cool
Quote:
Originally Posted by DreadPirateRoberts
I found it helped to read more that a few pages at a time to get the momentum going.
It's kind of a chicken and the egg thing. I only read a few pages because I quickly grow bored with it (whereas I read Book 1 in pretty much a single sitting) so without the momentum I can't easily read more than a few pages and forcing it will either reclaim the momentum or increase the boredom.
Alex is offline   Submit to Quotes Reply With Quote
Old 08-08-2006, 09:16 AM   #7
€uroMeinke
L'Hédoniste
 
€uroMeinke's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: A.S.C.O.T.
Posts: 8,671
€uroMeinke is the epitome of cool€uroMeinke is the epitome of cool€uroMeinke is the epitome of cool€uroMeinke is the epitome of cool€uroMeinke is the epitome of cool€uroMeinke is the epitome of cool€uroMeinke is the epitome of cool€uroMeinke is the epitome of cool€uroMeinke is the epitome of cool€uroMeinke is the epitome of cool€uroMeinke is the epitome of cool
Send a message via Yahoo to €uroMeinke Send a message via Skype™ to €uroMeinke
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cadaverous Pallor
Spoiler:
I was a bit disappointed in not having a face-to-face with Noboru Wataya at the end. Giving him a stroke from afar was anti-climactic.
Spoiler:
I'm still in the re-read, but doean't that happen when he's in the well?

Seeing the Last Wave again last night is making me think more about real time versus dream time. In this story (as many others) there seems to always be this movement between the two parallel worlds.


I'm in the 300's now - so about half way through so go ahead and pick it up Steph - either you'll get sucked into the groove with us here - or you'll find it tiresome and can abandon when the discussion dies down.
__________________
I would believe only in a God that knows how to Dance.
Friedrich Nietzsche

€uroMeinke is offline   Submit to Quotes Reply With Quote
Old 08-08-2006, 12:45 PM   #8
Cadaverous Pallor
ohhhh baby
 
Cadaverous Pallor's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Parental Bliss
Posts: 12,364
Cadaverous Pallor is the epitome of coolCadaverous Pallor is the epitome of coolCadaverous Pallor is the epitome of coolCadaverous Pallor is the epitome of coolCadaverous Pallor is the epitome of coolCadaverous Pallor is the epitome of coolCadaverous Pallor is the epitome of coolCadaverous Pallor is the epitome of coolCadaverous Pallor is the epitome of coolCadaverous Pallor is the epitome of coolCadaverous Pallor is the epitome of cool
Send a message via AIM to Cadaverous Pallor Send a message via Yahoo to Cadaverous Pallor
Quote:
Originally Posted by €uroMeinke
Spoiler:
I'm still in the re-read, but doean't that happen when he's in the well?
Spoiler:
Yes, and his actions in the well/hotel underworld manifest as Wataya's stroke. The confrontation in the well/hotel are the real climax but I did want to see Wataya get his ass kicked in person.
__________________
The second star to the right
shines in the night for you
Cadaverous Pallor is offline   Submit to Quotes Reply With Quote
Reply



Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 02:59 PM.


Lunarpages.com Web Hosting

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2025, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.