Grumble

[angelophile]

My comic store wasn't open when I went past this morning on the way out for the day, which means... three? weeks without any new comics. This is an annoyance as I intended to catch up this weekend.

I may have to resort to torrenting some of my pull list, because I don't really want to be a month behind. (Of course, I'll buy the titles when I get to the store anyway, so I fail as a filthy pirate.)

Also, going out was a bad move. I should have just stayed in bed. I feel awful again now.

However, I have now successfully infected my family, friends and random strangers with "swine flu", so I get to appreciate the joy of sharing.

Oh, and I feel unclean. I bought a Harry Potter book. I may even attempt reading it.

EDIT: While I'm on the subject, Maxim have apparently done a Girls of Harry Potter spread, which makes me facepalm so hard. But I can't really totally hate them, because somehow they sidestep my extreme distaste and take the sting out of it by including Dame Maggie Smith on the list.

Comments

[fullmetal-cute.livejournal.com]

Which one did you buy?

[angelophile.livejournal.com]

The first. I figured that was a good place to start.

[fullmetal-cute.livejournal.com]

Makes as much sense as anything. It's... a sweet book. Targeted towards the youngesters, not the greatest of books... but a pleasant enough way to spend some time.

[kirke-novak.livejournal.com]

Logical choice. I don't have a Spock icon, so have some Pike and Sulu. Spcok is somewhere on the bridge, so it's almost as good, right?

I have read all seven books and must admit they were really enjoyable - except for the 6th one, which was painful to read and I mean it in a "sucked so hard" way.

[angelophile.livejournal.com]

I read the first couple of pages earlier and my instant conclusion was that someone was trying very hard to sound like Roald Dahl. I assume JK finds her own voice eventually, though.

[fullmetal-cute.livejournal.com]

It's honestly hard for me to say. I've read more Harry Potter than I have Roald Dahl. Though I loved Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator and The Witches.

[angelophile.livejournal.com]

That seems to be the common reaction to the movie too. I've resisted the books for many years though, so actually picking one up is a major step forward for my popularist tolerance levels.

[angelophile.livejournal.com]

I've always resisted the books, partially because they sounded like Roald Dahl-lite, and I think he's one childrens' author who can't be touched, so somehow it's kinda gratifying and also disappointing to be proved right. Of course, I could be reading it as I want to read it, but the first couple of pages just smacked of borderline cut and paste.

[occamsnailfile.livejournal.com]

I don't think I'd name any author as 'can't be touched', but Dahl is a tough act to follow. Rowling is not Dahl, not in voice or wild creativity, but she hit some kind of a nerve in kids with her book. She does find more of her own voice later on, I think, but I would characterize the tone of all the books as "British" in a way I cannot explain well, but have also seen in such as Diana Wynne Jones.

I think it has to do with it being a simple story about a popular jock boy with a special magical destiny who is opposing both genuine evil and incompetent adult authority. The magic is simple and fairly magical-seeming--though they are learning it for school, it's still magic. Who wouldn't rather do that than Algebra?

Don't look for depth, in other words, but it's not terrible. It's just fluff.

[angelophile.livejournal.com]

I think I'll be able to read them now and take them at that level because enough time's passed and it's no longer the OMGBESTESTTHINGEVAR of choice, so I'm not getting battered around the head with how wonderful the books are. It means I'm able to have reasonable expectations.

On the Dahl thing, it may be specifically the language and setup of the opening pages with the horrible aunt and uncle and the way they're described. It's all very Dahly, like a blend of Matilda and James and the Giant Peach (except without the delightful outlandishness of the parents getting gobbled up by a rampaging rhinoceros.)

Of course, that's just an impression formed by the initial setup and when I actually read the book, no doubt the tone will vary, but it just struck me initially that it smacked of Dahl-lite.