I had been working my way through Barbara Rosenblat's fab narration of the audiobook versions. And then I reached Falcon at the Portal. Anyone who has read the series knows the significance of that. For those who haven't read the series, let's just say a major character acts out of character and FUBARs the romantic story arc from the last few books.
I got about halfway through it. Then...I stalled. Not because I hated the writing. Or because I didn't want to find out what happens. I already knew what came next. But because I just didn't want to suffer through what happened again. Once was enough. In fact, the first time through Falcon, I pitched the print book against the wall. Literally.
So...I decided to skip to the last 20 minutes of the book. There's still some angsty stuff there. But the hit me in the gut emotion was skipped. And, cowardly though it seems, I'm glad I skipped. Because the next book, He Shall Thunder in the Sky rocks! And I don't have the cloud of depression and annoyance following me around that came from my 1st reading of Falcon at the Portal.
What about you? Are there any keeper books that you reread but only the "good parts?" Any books that you'll stop reading just before an emotionally draining scene? Or am I just weird? (Don't answer that last question.)
Janet W: You're not just weird and I do the same thing -- especially when it's re-read time. A friend of mine blogged on this at AAR. Leigh -- I sort of thought of it as to angst or not to angst. Particularly really squicky scenes-- like a couple in Jo Beverley's Lady Notorious -- I whip right by them when I re-read!
ReplyDelete@Janet,
ReplyDeleteto angst or not to angst...good point. I just feel a little silly since I already know what's going to happen, but good writing can affect you even knowing the outcome. And sometimes, I just don't have the energy for that. ;)
When I discovered these books, quite a few years ago, I got all of them out of the library and read them in chronological order. Probably had up to 13 or 14? After I read The Falcon at the Portal and the next one, He Shall Thunder In the Sky, I felt so lucky I was able to read them in order. If I had finished TFATP and been left hanging there, I would have croaked! HSTITS is such an awesome book....love it! I used to dream about the characters in this series. Elizabeth Peters is brilliant!
ReplyDelete@Penny,
ReplyDeleteI was caught up w. this series when FATP was published. I had to wait a *year* before HSTITS came out. It wasn't pretty (hence the book-meets-wall episode). But the payoff was totally worth it. HST is pretty darn awesome.