Book Nerd’s Comments (group member since Dec 20, 2018)

Book Nerd’s comments from the Never too Late to Read Classics group.

Classic spine-tingler that was made into an episode of The Twilight Zone. It's interesting to compare the original short story version to the Rod Serling screenplay. 1951 Retro Hugo Award Winner

To Serve Man

The Overlords appeared suddenly over every city--intellectually, technologically, and militarily superior to humankind. Benevolent, they made few demands: unify earth, eliminate poverty, and end war. With little rebellion, humankind agreed, and a golden age began.

But at what cost? With the advent of peace, man ceases to strive for creative greatness, and a malaise settles over the human race. To those who resist, it becomes evident that the Overlords have an agenda of their own. As civilization approaches the crossroads, will the Overlords spell the end for humankind . . . or the beginning?

At first I was annoyed that you don't really learn anything about Sensei or the narrator. What they study and what they talk about or even why they're friends. Seems like he just randomly stalked a guy on the beach. But then the story about his past gets interesting.
I get the feeling this is one of those stories that's a commentary on Japan in general?

Read this quite a while ago. It's better than the Illiad but not as good as the Odyssey.

Tracey the Bookworm wrote: "Book Nerd wrote: "It's funny how Irene keeps calling her "giant great grandmother" and such. I still can't decide if she's really some part of the goblin conspiracy or not.
Also I just finished the..."
I finished it. It was a pretty good little story.

(view spoiler)[At first I thought she might be evil because she was clearly using illusion. (hide spoiler)]

It's funny how Irene keeps calling her "giant great grandmother" and such. I still can't decide if she's really some part of the goblin conspiracy or not.
Also I just finished the descriptions of the goblin animals. They sure had odd ideas about evolution back then.

Kathy wrote: "This is my first time reading the book. I love the scenes from the hunting in the submarine forest."

Yeah, they were really so "shoot anything that moves" back then.

Patrick wrote: "Threads are weak to water, fire/heat, and cold. They usually get burned up entering the atmosphere, or freeze depending on where they land on Pern. Let me know if that answered your question :D"

Yeah, for something that survives in space they seem awfully fragile. They're also vulnerable to that fertilizer stuff.

Anyway, I finished. It was pretty good. Hopefully I'll finish the trilogy sometime.

I understand why she did it but I hate when they italicize a word like between. It makes me put a weird emphasis on it while I'm reading.

It's not really a question. Just doesn't make sense.

Why are the threads that travel through space destroyed by cold weather on Pern?

I've read this a couple of time. It's Verne's most famous book for a reason.

I just started this. Looks good.

Finished finally. A lot of things have been keeping me from reading.
I agree the australia chapters weren't as good but I really liked New Zealand.
A really great adventure.

You can understand why "larboard" was replaced with "port". It sounds almost the same as "starboard" when you're yelling across a ship. But I don't see what's wrong with right and left. :p

They sometimes said "volume" or "density" when talking about gravity. Gravity is determined by mass. No big deal. Thanks.

I did enjoy From the Earth to the Moon more. Though it wouldn't work as it was written, the space gun was a cool idea and way ahead of it's time.

I'm through the first twelve chapters and really enjoying it. Travel was such an adventure back then when the world was "bigger".

Mikiko wrote: "At the moment, I am reading a Japanese classic translated into English, I Am A Cat (Wagahai wa Neko de Aru) by Natsume Sōseki."
Cool, I want to read that soon. We're reading Kokoro in August.

I've been waiting for a copy. Guess I'll read at least a little of the online version though I hate reading off a screen.

There just really wasn't much to it. I guess Verne didn't want to speculate about what was actually on the moon.

So far it's a ton of description of the moon's surface. I liked From the Earth to the Moon better.

They keep saying "volume" and "density" when they mean mass. I think Verne would have known better. Has anybody read it in french? I wonder if that's a mistranslation.