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View Poll Results: July 2010 Mobile Read Book Club Vote
The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien 17 13.08%
His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novik 13 10.00%
The Deed of Paksenarrion: The Sheepfarmer's Daughter (book 1) by Elizabeth Moon 24 18.46%
Magic Kingdom For Sale — Sold! by Terry Brooks 6 4.62%
American Gods by Neil Gaiman 22 16.92%
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll 8 6.15%
Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift 5 3.85%
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien 8 6.15%
The Princess Bride by William Goldman 11 8.46%
A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin 16 12.31%
Voters: 130. You may not vote on this poll

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Old 07-12-2010, 10:07 AM   #166
WT Sharpe
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The Sheepfarmer's Daughter reminds me of the novels of earlier eras when authors would take their time developing the characters and plots. Perhaps the fault--if fault there be--lies in our modern expectation of instant gratification in all things. For better or worse, our current pace of living has apparently caused us to lose patience with anything that takes time to fully develop.

What do you think?
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Old 07-12-2010, 10:29 AM   #167
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Quote:
Originally Posted by WT Sharpe View Post
The Sheepfarmer's Daughter reminds me of the novels of earlier eras when authors would take their time developing the characters and plots. Perhaps the fault--if fault there be--lies in our modern expectation of instant gratification in all things. For better or worse, our current pace of living has apparently caused us to lose patience with anything that takes time to fully develop.

What do you think?
Well after the comments so far which have turned me away (I haven't actually started it other than reading the first few pages) this actually make me MORE interested in reading it. A big reason I bought a Sony Reader was the availability of Classic Novels and I've read quite a few of them since getting it....maybe I'll give reading this a big push. and see what I think compared to a yous guyses...
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Old 07-12-2010, 10:40 AM   #168
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Originally Posted by WT Sharpe View Post
The Sheepfarmer's Daughter reminds me of the novels of earlier eras when authors would take their time developing the characters and plots. Perhaps the fault--if fault there be--lies in our modern expectation of instant gratification in all things. For better or worse, our current pace of living has apparently caused us to lose patience with anything that takes time to fully develop.

What do you think?
I don't think an "it was better in the old days" explanation is enough, and I don't think it covers my case. One thing I enjoy about "Lord of the Rings" (an obvious example) is the slow pace, and in general I find that a book does not necessarily have to be fast paced for me to enjoy - I even find I enjoy a slow pace more and more, so I can enjoy the prose and the multiple layers in it. In this case, I find the prose flat, bland and boring, and honestly only suited to bring the story forward. And when the story is developed as slowly as it is, and with fairly flat characters, too, I've found very little in it to enjoy. It's not "bad", just "meh".
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Old 07-12-2010, 10:51 AM   #169
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I am among those who find the book too slow-moving for my tastes, and what you say about it's style rings true. For what it's worth, those who have read past the first book in the series say the follow-ups are much more enjoyable.
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Old 07-12-2010, 12:07 PM   #170
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I don't think an "it was better in the old days" explanation is enough, and I don't think it covers my case. One thing I enjoy about "Lord of the Rings" (an obvious example) is the slow pace, and in general I find that a book does not necessarily have to be fast paced for me to enjoy - I even find I enjoy a slow pace more and more, so I can enjoy the prose and the multiple layers in it. In this case, I find the prose flat, bland and boring, and honestly only suited to bring the story forward. And when the story is developed as slowly as it is, and with fairly flat characters, too, I've found very little in it to enjoy. It's not "bad", just "meh".
That is my opinion too, and the reason I stopped reading it. I can't judge the story because I didn't read enough into the book, but the story is not what interests me in a book anyway. I do like believable characters with a depth of their own and that you can identify with (even the villains), and from the little I've read I'm not sure this book offers them.

But really I'm just chiming in to say that it's hard to judge a book from what others say about it, because there are so many different aspects to books, and different people will enjoy, or expect, or dislike, different aspects. Even among the people who didn't much like this book, we do it for different reasons, so that doesn't mean that we will all like or dislike the same books generally.

I think someone here, or in another thread, mentioned Pillars of the Earth, and although I did read it through, I thought it was OK but rather clumsily written. Just an example that mileage will differ
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Old 07-12-2010, 12:15 PM   #171
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I do intend on finishing the book, because it does have redeeming qualities, but I did need to take a break from it. Perhaps it just doesn't currently suit my mood. I find that happens sometimes.
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Old 07-12-2010, 12:19 PM   #172
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But really I'm just chiming in to say that it's hard to judge a book from what others say about it, because there are so many different aspects to books, and different people will enjoy, or expect, or dislike, different aspects. Even among the people who didn't much like this book, we do it for different reasons, so that doesn't mean that we will all like or dislike the same books generally.
That's a very good point.
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Old 07-12-2010, 02:44 PM   #173
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At the end of this volume, there are a few questions that might - just - make me look at the subsequent ones. The author sets up two heavily drawn villains, and then just seems to throw them away. I would suppose that they will turn up again in later installments. There is also the question of why the various bad hats drew attention to themselves by going on the attack when they were, apparently, not sufficiently equipped to follow through. And why did they fight so badly? During one of the battles, halberdiers threw their halberds like javelins before the battle had been fully engaged. Military folly. Why did they do that?

I imagine that the various villains know something about the heroine that neither she nor her friends have yet discovered. It is to clear up these mysteries that one might go on reading.

But the prose is terribly wooden, and the characterization remains at the level of a book for adolescents: there's something terribly schooly about it all. I found myself reading as quickly as possible, in order to get it over and done with. If I had put it down, I don't think I'd ever have picked it up again. So on balance, I doubt very much that I will read on.

P.S. I have read six of the other books on the original list: all of them are in an entirely different world in so far as the writing is concerned. I'm afraid Elizabeth Moon simply should not be in competition with Tolkien or Gaiman. And Swift????

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Old 07-12-2010, 02:49 PM   #174
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But the prose is terribly wooden, and the characterization remains at the level of a book for adolescents: there's something terribly schooly about it all.
As I read it I was thinking it was written by the book*. And I thought I'd have loved it if I was 15-25.

*i.e. a book on how to write
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Old 07-12-2010, 05:51 PM   #175
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So is Sheepherders Daughter? Or Americann Gods. I'm late, as always.
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Old 07-12-2010, 05:57 PM   #176
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So is Sheepherders Daughter? Or Americann Gods. I'm late, as always.
Sheepfarmer's Daughter won, but some of us have found the prose a bit bland and the story a bit slow. Others like it very much. Personally, I find American Gods a superior novel (and will start a non-bookclub discussion thread on it on next Friday in case you are interested).
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Old 07-12-2010, 05:59 PM   #177
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Sheepfarmer's Daughter won, but some of us have found the prose a bit bland and the story a bit slow. Others like it very much. Personally, I find American Gods a superior novel (and will start a non-bookclub discussion thread on it on next Friday in case you are interested).

Thanks! And I'll get cracking on SHDaughter.
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Old 07-16-2010, 03:30 PM   #178
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But we should not have to read two slow books to get to the good stuff in book 3.
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Old 07-16-2010, 03:47 PM   #179
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But we should not have to read two slow books to get to the good stuff in book 3.
There's lots of good stuff in book 1. I am reading it and it is a good story. There was a bit where it slowed down for a while about 1/3 of the way in... but once you get to a certain spot

Spoiler:
Paks and her two friends, Canna and Saben, escape the attack and set off to tell the Duke what happened.


...I think it picks up and moves quickly again. I am a bit more than 1/2 way through and I am pretty sure at this point I will read the whole trilogy.

BOb

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Old 07-16-2010, 03:56 PM   #180
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...I think it picks up and moves quickly again. I am a bit more than 1/2 way through and I am pretty sure that this point I will read the whole trilogy
While I agree that the writing isn't at the level of "To Kill A Mockingbird", I throughly enjoyed the book and have already picked up the second and third novels.

Waiting for the start of discussion on "American Gods" and about to finish "His Majesty's Dragon"
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