Văn Hóa Học & Một Số Vấn Đề Lịch Sử, Văn Hóa tải xuống LIT miễn phí

Jernej česen jernejcese0e3b — What’s the weirdest book you ever read? Something like UBIK by Philip K. Dick. How about Daniel Pinkwater’s LIZARD MUSIC or THE SNARKOUT BOYS AND THE AVACADO OF DEATH or YOUNG ADULT NOVEL? Maybe it was Charles Portis’ MASTERS OF ATLANTIS? Neal Barrett, Jr.’s THE HEREAFTER GANG? Well, whatever it was, tell it to move on over. Here comes LAST DAYS. Wacked out does not begin to describe this book. Kline (no first name) has lost his job as a policeman when “the man with the hatchet” cut off his hand. To save himself, Kline cauterizes the wound and kills the man. No longer readily functional in his chosen profession, he becomes a private investigator, subsidized by two bags of money he liberated from the man with the hatchet and forgot to turn in, justifying it as compensation for appendages rendered. The notoriety of his case brings him two men who wish to hire him for a case. Both men are amputees and Kline refuses the work, feeling that something is wrong. He is eventually coerced or kidnapped into taking the case and finds himself in a Salvador Dali Cloud Coocooland, among a cult of people who worship amputation and who rate their piety by the number of body parts taken. Take a finger, it is One. Take a hand, it is also One. Take three fingers at separate times, that’s a Three. Thee are people in the group in double digits. Kline, obviously, is a One but with some cachet due to his self-cauterization. Fancy stuff tom these guys. Kline has been brought in to investigate the murder of the co-founder of the sect. He faces some problems, as the co-founder was a high number and only consorted with other high numbers. These elite members will not meet or talk with a One, even a notorious One. Nor can he view the body. However, he cannot walk away. The sect is insistent on the investigation. So, he records questions on a tape recorder and these are presented to the elite who respond. Their responses, also recorded, seem to have little bearing on the questions asked. Then things get weird. To discuss more of the plot is to disclose items best revealed slowly through Evenson’s prose. The story may not be for everyone. I found it riveting. I read this book in about three hours on a flight from San Antonio to Chicago. More fascinating that a winter storm multicar pileup on the interstate with 18 wheelers pointing rubber to heaven. It reminded me of artist Alan Clarke’s THE PAIN DOCTORS OF SUTURE SELF GENERAL. This is Underland Press’ first publication. Their next title is, I believe, THE PILO FAMILY CIRCUS, another weird novel with Clowns. I’ll be looking for it. They are also pioneering some weekly on line serials with reader voting on the direction the action flows. These are called Wovels. Fun stuff here, too. I predict an interesting future for this press and readers of discriminating taste.

Florian Defaix mazup — Despite how "plagiarized" this book appears to be, it still gives a good story line with character with different personalities. For a young writer, Christopher Paolini wrote what was the biggest influence at the time, that being Lord of the Rings. Now, I can't say I'm a big fan of Lord of the Ring, but it is a well written series that many series draw inspiration from. Eragon is just one of these series of which also got big media attention, hence, the raining on Paolini's parade for writing a thoroughly enjoyable book to read! Eragon is a book filled with fantasy lore well known to many avid fantasy readers with his own twist and story intertwined with a well known and well used blue-print for other fantasy stories. The use of a magical connection between dragon and the Dragon Rider is used effectively, leaving many readers wishing for a dragon of their own. In conclusion, while this book is heavily influenced by the LOTR series, it still retains its own individualistic twist to keep the reader hungry for more.

Barkhasbadi Batsuh _arsa91 — First things first - I listened to the audio version of this, narrated by the very talented Tavia Gilbert. I don't know that I would have continued reading in print, to be honest. The inital part of the book essentially introduces our main characters and didn't grab me right away. BUT, I'm so very glad that I continued with this one because what a whallop this packs! By the middle, I was completely engrossed...the sections from Hope's diary were very moving. The main characters take on a depth I hadn't imagine they would at the outset. By the end? Well, by then I had had several teary moments, several can't-turn-this-off-because-I-just-CAN'T! moments, including one while standing on my porch crying. Such a moving story, surprising even though you know essentially where it's going...threatening when it needs to be, and yet still leaves you feeling hopeful and redeemed by the end.