JtheJackal
Emperor
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The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells is the book I have read the most times. I find it really entertaining and imaginative.
Which book
- Thread starter Kyriakos
- Start date
There are many books I've read twice, but I can only think of four to which I've gone back for a third reading: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Chronicle of a Death Foretold by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson, and The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie.
Gilder
Deity
Another question, which interests me as a writer, is whether you would bother reading a story again if you felt you didnt understand it the first time.
Short stories? Almost certainly. I remember having to read Hemingway's "Hill's Like White Elephants" three times in high school because I didn't get what happened. I was a wee bit of a thickie then.
Full-length books? If it's not a doorstopper, yeah.
I've read LOTR in late autumn/early winter semiannually since 1972. I like the longer novels (War and Peace, Shogun, The Stand) for character and plot developement, and I always notice something new with a re-reading of an exceptional novel. Of course, taste comes into play.
In my experience, if you don't understand Fiction (as opposed to say, a quantum mechanics textbook) it's the author's failure. The writer is leading me on an adventure, he shouldn't try to trick or fool me (if he wants me to buy his next book). A novel can be complex, as long as it's clear.
Another question, which interests me as a writer, is whether you would bother reading a story again if you felt you didnt understand it the first time.
In my experience, if you don't understand Fiction (as opposed to say, a quantum mechanics textbook) it's the author's failure. The writer is leading me on an adventure, he shouldn't try to trick or fool me (if he wants me to buy his next book). A novel can be complex, as long as it's clear.
I definately agree that everything should be clear and easy to follow. I was thinking of a story being formed in such a way that you would not really know what is going on untill the very end, and then if you read it again it would be a different experience
But probably this would not be a good idea
But probably this would not be a good idea
Julian Delphiki
Anton's key
For me, it must be Mars/Barsoom-series by Edgar Rice Burroughs, I've probably read every book 5> times - even the last one. LOTR comes good second.
ParkCungHee
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It depends on a few things.Another question, which interests me as a writer, is whether you would bother reading a story again if you felt you didnt understand it the first time.
One, obviously is the quality of the writing in General. If it seems like it's a good book and I should understand it, I'll read it again.
The second is whether the writer intended it. I mentioned that I've reread watchmen at least a dozen times. I didn't understand it the first time, I didn't really understand it the second time. It's clearly written with the intention that you go back and read it a few times, otherwise you'll miss so much detail.
Chukchi Husky
Lone Wolf
I never read any book more than once.
Speaking of Margaret Atwood, I've read The Handmaid's Tale numerous times. Sometimes I'm just in the mood for depressing, dystopian stuff.
Of course. The Original Six novels in the Dune series (as opposed to the crap put out by KJA/Brian Herbert) merit extensive re-reading. I was in my early 20s when I first read the Dune books; it's 25 years later, and I'm still gaining new insights with every re-read.Another question, which interests me as a writer, is whether you would bother reading a story again if you felt you didnt understand it the first time.
Other books I've read numerous times:
The Union/Alliance series by C.J. Cherryh, especially the Cyteen trilogy, Rimrunners, and the Merovingen Nights series
The entire Darkover series by Marion Zimmer Bradley
The Fire Brand by Marion Zimmer Bradley
The entire Children of the Lion series by Peter Danielson
I, Claudius and Claudius the God by Robert Graves
The original Dragonlance trilogy: Dragons of Autumn Twilight, Dragons of Winter Night, Dragons of Spring Dawning
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, Time Enough For Love, To Sail Beyond the Sunset by Robert Heinlein
Up the Line, Lord Valentine's Castle by Robert Silverberg
The Phoenix trilogy, by M.K. Wren (Sword of the Lamb, Shadow of the Swan, House of the Wolf)
various Star Trek novels
Crystal Witness by Kathy Tyers
...and many more. I love rereading favorite books.
Huayna Capac357
Deity
This.
I already know how it ends so all of the pacing and suspense is totally screwed up
