Just can't put it down... (Full Version)

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Prator the Legendary -> Just can't put it down... (7/14/2009 15:54:58)

Periodically you find a book which is good. And when I say good, I mean REALLY good. So good that you get completely sucked into it, read it constantly every spare moment you have, possibly forgoing meals and sleep in order to read it. You may have had a few experiences in your life wherein you have read something long into the night, gone to sleep, and immediately commenced reading it again upon waking. Some books are just that compelling.

What books can you name that have given you such an experience? I can only recall a few that I've read recently...

1. Watchman: Yes, the graphic novel. I dunno why, but somehow I found it extremely addictive in ways that few books ever are. Maybe it was the constant moral dilemmas, or my curiousity to know the whole story, or possibly the pretty pictures, but I think Watchman is one of the best stories I have ever read. And I do mean "ever."

2. The Mote in God's Eye: A bit of science fiction by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle, this is the only book I remember reading that gave a fairly convincing description of First Contact with an alien species. Make no mistake about it, that's what it's all about: First Contact. Two species, completely alien to eachother, trying to learn more about eachother while trying not to appear hostile but still keeping their weapons at the ready because there's no telling what a new species might be capable of even if they DO have a lot to offer and there's no sense throwing caution to the wind because there's no knowing what the other side might do with technological secrets... As you read this story, you can never quite tell if it's going to end in war or in peace, and it's the constant jockeying for information that drives the reader's curiousity and the plot of the book.



Arthur The Brave One -> RE: Just can't put it down... (7/14/2009 18:08:31)

The sixth Harry Potter book, when it first came out. Had to read it in English, because it would take the damn translators another good two to three months to translate it, and I couldn't wait that long. I completely ravaged it (in a good way: the book was still in one piece when I finished, don't worry :P): read all 652 pages in about a day and a half. And I consider that quite the achievement, seeing as I was only twelve, and I'm dutch :P

Can't think of any others right now, but I know I've had only a few of these over the past few years.



Firefly -> RE: Just can't put it down... (7/14/2009 18:31:32)

Practically any halfway good book, because I have nothing better to do. Reading sure beats homework or TV or any of that other stuff. For me, how long it takes to read isn't the only measure of how good a book is. There was a YA book that I breezed through in around two hours, but I didn't like it at all. For really good books, I'd rather read them slowly to savour them. The number of hours a day I spend reading it is probably a better indication of quality than how many words I read in an hour. Of course, there are books that I read really quickly simply because they were /that good/.

The most obvious example would be Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice. Her other books were also really great, but that was the one that had me trying to finish within the night no matter what the protests from my parents are.

George R. R. Martin's A Game of Thrones had me struggling to /reread/ it before the due date. Can't say the same of the rest of the series though.

I believe I read all the Harry Potter books within a few days. Same goes for the Twilight series (Twilight itself took less than one day; Breaking Dawn took three, I think). The latter is probably an example of the books being easy to get into rather than the books being extremely good.

There was a series where I read every book within a few hours, in two sittings at the most. Absolutely brilliant writing style. However, I stopped after the first five or so books because the later ones replaced the plot with porn.

Anyhow, I think how fast I read something depends more on the style of writing rather than the quality of writing. From what I've noticed, first person is /much/ easier to get into. Entertaining me while I'm reading is half the story--if that's done, great. However, a truly good book should make me think about it after I closed it.



Fornever -> RE: Just can't put it down... (7/15/2009 2:45:38)

Inkspell would be one. It took me a few tries to get through Inkheart, but mostly because I was seven when I first tried to read it and couldn't understand. However, after getting my hands on Inkspell, it was one of the best reads I've ever had. There were some times when it got a little slow, but I couldn't put it down anyway. Finished the book in a day, since I had nothing to do at the time.



Fleur Du Mal -> RE: Just can't put it down... (7/20/2009 3:06:08)

1)
Happened to me with Watchmen as well. I queued for it almost a month. When I finally had it in my hands, on one Friday night last Fall, I thought that reading it was going to take some time, yet I had finished it already on Sunday.

Exciting plot, highly intellectual content, several layers, deconstruction of superheros, all made for gluing the book in my hands.

2)
Fantasy-Genre: Ursula LeGuin's Earthsea series. Six books, each read in one sitting, first 4 books I've read twice that way. They have exceptionally strong themes, I love the humanity and freedom of imagination. The second book, The Tombs of Atuan, is perhaps the most enticing as large parts of it took place in total darkness, and it had elements of horror, which appeals to me.

Thematically, The Hickman-Weis DragonLance Twins-trilogy is maybe weaker, but very easy to get into. I read the three books in two days. That is, for the second time, when I finally got them purchased to my own personal library. =P It was slower when I had to use the library for I couldn't get them all out the same time. =P

3) Pretty much anything Arturo Perez-Reverte has written and I've gotten my hands on so far. El Capitan Alatriste (not sure if its title is in English Captain Alatriste or something more imaginative) would be an example of those books that have that 'page-turning' quality, as Firefly puts it, ---it's a fast-paced adventure tale, but not really that deep. El pintor del batallas -- Painter of Battles? is a really dramatic tale of the mind of a war photographer, strongly thematic, not pathetic at all.

I would love to elaborate my latest literary experience with a novel of his, especially since I laid my hands on it right after oDrew had made a thread about indirect narration in the Lit.Dis and I was able to take note on different aspects of that, plus there's the pretty skillful use of two different narrative voices, but the book really has content-wise absolutely nothing to do with PG-13, so I'm frankly hesitant/afraid to even name it here.


There have been other books that I couldn't put away and read while I was walking from place A to place B, but these came up to my mind first.



Helixi -> RE: Just can't put it down... (7/20/2009 11:22:46)

Schindlers List. It was incredibly well described in the book and even more mindblowing for the fact it was true. I can't really describe in words how this book moved me.



Fornever -> RE: Just can't put it down... (7/25/2009 0:56:19)

Despite how good it is, I cannot read House of Leaves that way. It's just too...strange for me to be able to do that.
I concur with whatever was said about the Harry Potter books.



Reaper Sigma -> RE: Just can't put it down... (7/30/2009 13:02:21)

All Harry Potter books. I would read for hours without knowing.

The Artemis Fowl series. A perfect mix of magic and science.

The Percy Jackson series. I finished these in a day.

Lord of the Rings, I wasn't exactly hooked by these, since most of the text was old and I didn't know most of it.

Dragonheart. Great book. Not exactly an "OMG awesome book", but it's good.



BadHulk -> RE: Just can't put it down... (7/30/2009 16:38:03)

Paranoia:I had a translation of the book but oh boy... I readed it twice and I was SO happy.

The Nightmare: The title is Translated. No idea if its a translation but I assume so. I finished it yesterday and I was suprised, you dont get to know the killer untill the last chapters >.< Oh god. What a speculations were there.



damani -> RE: Just can't put it down... (8/1/2009 4:29:47)

There was a vampire book by Anne Rice about an Italian vampire...I read it in one sitting, returning it at the end of the study hall to a very bewildered librarian. Also, I read ''Arabian Nights'' in one sitting--the idea of stories keeping blood at bay fasinated me. Naturally, there were others...many others...
To be honest, just about every book I pick up, I devour. I feel the book is trying to tell me something and I'd be doing it dishonour by merely ignoring it.
:/

Sorry.



hydra095 -> RE: Just can't put it down... (8/15/2009 6:19:03)

Star Wars Allegiance was a good book.

quote:

The story was told in three parallel threads which eventually intertwined in the later part of the book.

Five members of the Imperial Stormtroopers attached to the Imperial Star Destroyer Reprisal began to have doubt about their work after being made to participate in massacre of innocents on planet Teardrop. The planet had a rebel base, but evacuated just moments before the Reprisal arrived. The Imperial Security Bureau (ISB) officers in charge of the operations had the innocent people killed anyway. Back on board the Star Destroyer, the ISB Major Dreflin made a mistake of pushing the stormtrooper too far and ended up killed by his own weapon. The five stormtroopers aboard realized official channels would get them nowhere, and managed to escape on board the ship Suwantek. While on the run, their sense of honor and duty led them to seemingly unrelated incidents where they rescued local populace, and subsequently pursued a link to a pirate group named the Bloodscars operating in the Shelsha Sector.

Leia was dispatched to the Shelsha Sector to meet three local representatives of the Rebellion. Luke, Han and Chewbacca went along as her escorts. They separated to pursue different leads, the men to investigate pirate attacks on the Rebel supply line, and Leia to a negotiation that the governor of Shelsha sector was going to declare independence and join the Rebellion.

Mara Jade was investigating corrupt Imperial moffs, and clues from stolen valuable artworks led her to the Shelsha Sector.




9/10



Erason -> RE: Just can't put it down... (8/15/2009 21:32:21)

Heh, the inheritance cycle.
And the same as reaper.



imhell -> RE: Just can't put it down... (8/16/2009 1:18:39)

Hehehe, it would be The 13 and a Half Lives of Captain Bluebear for me. The humor, the layout... and very random.

The Harry Potter series is a big one too because, I think, the first/second/third ones were the books that launched me on my book-reading career.

Heck, Harry Potter led to reading, which led to a love for stories, which led to video games, which led me here! I am here because of Harry Potter.



Xirminator -> RE: Just can't put it down... (8/16/2009 8:40:20)

The Belgariad series is something I reread often and can never put down. I owe my love of fantasy, reading and writing to it.

It is written by David Eddings, who has written several very enjoyable series.



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