The Passage by Justin Cronin - Page 5

Penforhire · 10-12-2012, 12:42 PM

I'm 2/3rd through it I have mixed feelings, but still liking it. The story is killer. His characterizations are awesome. I am enjoying the ebb and flow of the pace.

But what the holy heck is up with the insanely long stretches of info-dump, where he tells us the story without using action or dialog?! I would not forgive this if the story itself wasn't so good. I am puzzled because he writes action and dialog scenes just fine. I'm not talking about diary passages or newspaper clippings. Those are fine. But he goes into "this happened and then that happened" author-to-reader mode too often.

It also bothers me that he develops some minor characters so thoroughly but I forgive this because his skill at characterization really works with the protagonists.

Aside from the issues noted, I do enjoy his writing style. It does not distract from the story. I would make one change if I were editing this tale. For whatever reason, he decided to have his colonists use "flyers!" as an exclamation where we might say sh*t or damn. That pulls me out of the story every time, breaks the mood for me.

Unless he completely flubs the last 1/3rd of the book I'm hooked and will continue the series. A coworker is 100% two-thumbs-up and waiting impatiently for the 2nd book, due in a few days now?

melmac · 10-12-2012, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Penforhire

A coworker is 100% two-thumbs-up and waiting impatiently for the 2nd book, due in a few days now?

Yep on the 16th

applesauce · 10-13-2012, 07:48 AM

The Twelve pricing kinda sucks tho. amazon kindle $21.22 and hard cover less at $16.80

That is very unfair.

applesauce

orlok · 10-13-2012, 08:20 AM

I really enjoyed it - listened to it as an audiobook, and it went on forever! Must have taken me about 6 weeks of car journeys to get through, but I enjoyed every minute. Looking forward to volume 2.

tecweston · 10-13-2012, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by applesauce

The Twelve pricing kinda sucks tho. amazon kindle $21.22 and hard cover less at $16.80

That is very unfair.

applesauce

What country are you in? In the US, the ebook is $13.99 at all retailers. Still too much for an ebook, but much better than $21.

Of course, if you belong to a library that lends ebooks, you could probably wait for them to get it. My library got The Passage (that's how I started reading it, then bought the paperback to finish), so I'm expecting them to get the second book too.

melmac · 10-16-2012, 10:05 AM

Yippee-ki-yay !! The Twelve is up on Audible and it's again narrated by my absolute favourite Scott Brick

Downloading part 1 as I type

BenG · 10-16-2012, 10:20 AM

Darn, I wasn't thinking about The Twelve on Audible and I spent my monthly credit on Cabell's Jurgen last night.

daffy4u · 10-16-2012, 11:16 AM

For those Audible members who don't have "The Passage" in their library and don't have a credit to spare, it's on sale for $7.49. That's 36 hours and 52 minutes of unabridged creepy goodness for only $7.49!

BenG · 10-16-2012, 12:47 PM

That price is good when you buy the kindle edition also.

Rumpelteazer · 10-16-2012, 04:53 PM

I'm still rereading The Passage (just over 60% through) and I still stand by my opinion from two years ago that the middle bit is a bit slow (not necessarily bad, but I like an evenly paced book). Despite that I can't wait to start reading The Twelve.

orlok · 10-17-2012, 03:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by melmac

Yippee-ki-yay !! The Twelve is up on Audible and it's again narrated by my absolute favourite Scott Brick

Downloading part 1 as I type

I listened to The Passage as an audiobook (really enjoyed it), but can't decide whether to do the same for The Twelve, or go for the Kindle edition. Mainly because I don't get that much chance to listen, as I'm not travelling that much these days and that is when I do my listening. The Passage took ages to get through, and I can imagine The Twelve would take me even longer. Decisions, decisions.

melmac · 10-17-2012, 04:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by orlok

I listened to The Passage as an audiobook (really enjoyed it), but can't decide whether to do the same for The Twelve, or go for the Kindle edition. Mainly because I don't get that much chance to listen, as I'm not travelling that much these days and that is when I do my listening. The Passage took ages to get through, and I can imagine The Twelve would take me even longer. Decisions, decisions.

Actually The Twelve is 10hrs shorter than the The Passage

Passage - 36 hrs 52mins
Twelve - 26 hrs 26 mins

melmac · 10-17-2012, 04:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by melmac

Actually The Twelve is 10hrs shorter than the The Passage

Passage - 36 hrs 52mins
Twelve - 26 hrs 26 mins

I listen when some when travelling in the car but my trips aren't that long so the bulk of my listening gets down when I'm out walking/exercising

orlok · 10-17-2012, 04:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by melmac

I listen when some when travelling in the car but my trips aren't that long so the bulk of my listening gets down when I'm out walking/exercising

That ten hours would help, for sure

. My next Audible credit doesn't arrive until the 5th of next month though...can I wait that long?

I do listen when I'm mowing the lawn/gardening/doing chores, but as winter approaches even that opportunity is reducing. I find I can't just sit and listen - I need to be doing something or my attention wanders and I get distracted and miss big chunks of the story.

EDIT: Just checked, and The Twelve isn't available on Audible UK yet anyway...

cearbhallain · 10-20-2012, 09:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by orlok

I really enjoyed it - listened to it as an audiobook, and it went on forever! Must have taken me about 6 weeks of car journeys to get through, but I enjoyed every minute. Looking forward to volume 2.

Me too. The audiobook was great and the voice characterizations were also quite well done. Happily I only discovered this title a few months ago - and now the sequel is available at Audible. I'm in for the wait with everybody else for volume three though

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10-12-2012, 12:42 PM	#61
Penforhire Wizard Posts: 2,230 Karma: 7145404 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Southern California Device: Kindle Voyage & iPhone 7+	I'm 2/3rd through it I have mixed feelings, but still liking it. The story is killer. His characterizations are awesome. I am enjoying the ebb and flow of the pace. But what the holy heck is up with the insanely long stretches of info-dump, where he tells us the story without using action or dialog?! I would not forgive this if the story itself wasn't so good. I am puzzled because he writes action and dialog scenes just fine. I'm not talking about diary passages or newspaper clippings. Those are fine. But he goes into "this happened and then that happened" author-to-reader mode too often. It also bothers me that he develops some minor characters so thoroughly but I forgive this because his skill at characterization really works with the protagonists. Aside from the issues noted, I do enjoy his writing style. It does not distract from the story. I would make one change if I were editing this tale. For whatever reason, he decided to have his colonists use "flyers!" as an exclamation where we might say sh*t or damn. That pulls me out of the story every time, breaks the mood for me. Unless he completely flubs the last 1/3rd of the book I'm hooked and will continue the series. A coworker is 100% two-thumbs-up and waiting impatiently for the 2nd book, due in a few days now?

10-13-2012, 07:48 AM	#63
applesauce Addict Posts: 385 Karma: 3553492 Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Perth Western Australia Device: kindle oasis	The Twelve pricing kinda sucks tho. amazon kindle $21.22 and hard cover less at $16.80 That is very unfair. applesauce

10-13-2012, 08:20 AM	#64
orlok Close to the Edit! Posts: 9,797 Karma: 267994408 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis, Amazon Fire 8", Kindle 6"	I really enjoyed it - listened to it as an audiobook, and it went on forever! Must have taken me about 6 weeks of car journeys to get through, but I enjoyed every minute. Looking forward to volume 2.

10-16-2012, 10:05 AM	#66
melmac Wizard Posts: 1,399 Karma: 5573651 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Perth AU Device: Sony PRS650, Sony T3	Yippee-ki-yay !! The Twelve is up on Audible and it's again narrated by my absolute favourite Scott Brick Downloading part 1 as I type

10-16-2012, 10:20 AM	#67
BenG Home Guard Posts: 4,729 Karma: 86721650 Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Alpha Ralpha Boulevard Device: Kindle Oasis 3G, iPhone 6	Darn, I wasn't thinking about The Twelve on Audible and I spent my monthly credit on Cabell's Jurgen last night.

10-16-2012, 11:16 AM	#68
daffy4u I'm Super Kindle-icious Posts: 6,734 Karma: 2434103 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Long Drive, Calinadia Candafornia Device: KDXG, KT, Oasis	For those Audible members who don't have "The Passage" in their library and don't have a credit to spare, it's on sale for $7.49. That's 36 hours and 52 minutes of unabridged creepy goodness for only $7.49!

10-16-2012, 12:47 PM	#69
BenG Home Guard Posts: 4,729 Karma: 86721650 Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Alpha Ralpha Boulevard Device: Kindle Oasis 3G, iPhone 6	That price is good when you buy the kindle edition also.

10-16-2012, 04:53 PM	#70
Rumpelteazer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,100 Karma: 24047426 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Utrecht, the Netherlands Device: Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition	I'm still rereading The Passage (just over 60% through) and I still stand by my opinion from two years ago that the middle bit is a bit slow (not necessarily bad, but I like an evenly paced book). Despite that I can't wait to start reading The Twelve.