Posted by jukkahoo
I’m going to nick this from Matthew Cheney’s brilliant Mumpsimus blog, since I really would like to hear from you guys. What do you consider to be the so called literary sins you’ve committed?
We all have our favourites, our guilty pleasures and comfort reads, but what are all those have-to-read classics and/or notable books, that you haven’t been able to process thru? Or in some cases, can’t stand the sight of. Confess your sins! What has irked your wrath? What is not really good, even though simply everybody says so? WTF?
I’ll go first. Krhm.
I don’t really get Phil Dick. Yeah, it is evidently a sin, but I just can’t seem to to enjoy him. I have read few of his books and the ones that I seem to be able to appreciate, are the old, straight-forward amore pulpish tales like the Eye in the Sky. I did enjoy The Man in the High Castle and Flow My Tears the Policeman Said (or is it Policeman Sayid?) somewhat, but Ubik and Valis I just coudn’t care less. or even finish. I have no idea what’s going on in those books, but more importantly, I don’t care. My eyes glaze over, I lose the will to live, I fell asleep.
What else? Oh yes, Kimmo Saneri. Nope. A short story or two, but nothing more. And really, a short story is enough. Been there, done that. Greg Egan. I tried Distress, but couldn’t get past first thirty pages. Should have another go, evidently, but alas. And Stephen Baxter… *sigh* Greg Bear’s Blood Music was crap from the word go. Then again, that and most of the previous ones have one thing in common, they write more or less hardcore-sf, which really lets me down every single time. Painovoima 700, Lohikäärmeen muna etc. Dullness galore. I just cannot fathom the Bore city. Hoyle, vomit. Ian Watson is another bore. I also really don’t care for Joanna Russ’ Female Man (Naisten planeetta), but that I’ve said many a times, so that’s no real revelation here.
OK, now you. Play along and went out. Go for it!
Eating Muffins 