In which a bibliophile confesses to a reading sin or two

BooksReading can be tough work. Lately, I have found myself at odds with a few things.

First, there’s the book I want to read, but can’t enjoy. I won’t name this book, or its author (who is an amazing human that has done some fantastic things for the world outside of their books), but let’s just say that the latest book was supposed to be a crescendo in their story and was very well received by other fans. When I got to the book, however, I floundered. I’ve picked it up multiple times since it was published and still only made it about halfway through. The writing is superbly artful and tight, the imagery succinct. What’s missing is any sense of tension. Oh, sure, there’s a little here and there, a tight spot as it were, but there’s no sense of overlaying tension in the book. Nothing is compelling the protagonist other than his own self-interest, albeit for a right and worthy cause. Rather boring. And its heresy for me to say that in a review, not to mention the storm of righteous hatred that would bring me.

Then, there’s all the books I want to read, but can’t seem to find the opportunity for. Many decades ago Robert Jordan published the start of a new fantasy trilogy quadrilogy? pentology! series called the Wheel of Time (believe it or not, I remember early covers heralding The Eye of the World as the start of a new trilogy). I read those books avidly, enjoying them greatly. If memory serves, I even sent a fan letter to Mr. Jordan himself (and got a lovely response, something I know I kept though I’ve no idea where it might be right now). Jordan passed away a few years ago, but under the direction of his estate, Brandon Sanderson was allowed to pick up the reigns and complete the Wheel of Time series. By all accounts Sanderson did a wonderful job with it, but truth is I stopped reading around book 8 or so, and I don’t remember much of the books past book 3 or 4 anyway. I would love to take the time to read the whole series, book 1 to 13 (latest/last). But who has the time for that? That would mean a serious gap in my book reviews for FBA. My only contract with the Fantasy Book Addict site may be a social contract, but it’s still something I try to honor. But to leave WoT unread…?

Finally, there’s everything else I haven’t read but want to read. My iPad currently has pages of books queued up. Books for moods (“I need some stardrives and blasters, and I need them now!”, or just as often, “Wizards! Give me wizards and quests! And dragons! Scaly, slithering dragons!”), books sent to me by publishers (namely Pyr, who does an amazing job of trying to keep me stocked up), and books that friends mentioned in passing that crossed my plate so I added them for that time “when the world is quiet.” There are books (and series) by friends that I’m dying to read, but just haven’t had the time to take a break and enjoy. A lot of that, of course, like with the Wheel of Time books, is because taking the time to read everything pending just for fun means I will have months until my next book review.

Bah.

I think sometimes the simplest answer is the best one. Its like someone pointed out to me about writing recently – if you’re not doing it for the fun of it, what’s the point? Sure, its kind of Ouroborosian to justify reading with blissful abandon by pointing to writing with the same sense of freedom, but it works. Who has time for muddling through books that drag? Or avoiding the ones we want to read for the ones we feel we have to read? Not I. Life is too short to avoid enjoying the books you want.

OK, enough of that. I’ve confessed, condemn or pardon me as you will. I’m off to enjoy a quiet Sunday with family, including the second half of a certain nine year old’s birthday party (because like Hobbits, we really know how to party here in Chez Cummings).

 

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