The Sword and Laser discussion

Anyone else reading this book? I'm like 45% in and it's so emotionally draining I'm not sure I'm going to finish. None of the weird stuff is getting to me, but this chapter about a mentally ill alcholic mom who feels trapped by the love she has for her son is murdering my heart. I almost wish Joe Hill hadn't put the weird stuff in it.

Wait what? I feel I need to see the description to understand this.

Seems interesting, how'd you find it?

I follow Joe Hill on Twitter because of his excellent comic Locke and Key. Easily one of the best comics today and we'll see about of all time when it wraps up in a few months. Went looking through his goodreads bibliography and found this it looked interesting and now I'm reading it.

He's also got this other novel called Horns that apparently is about to be a movie with Daniel Radcliff.

I read this a few months ago and really enjoyed it. Reminded me a little of the way his dad wrote back in his early days.

Daniel wrote: "I follow Joe Hill on Twitter because of his excellent comic Locke and Key. Easily one of the best comics today and we'll see about of all time when it wraps up in a few months. Went looking throug..."

I thought Horns was very good, and NOS4A2 is great.

I read this about a month ago. It's one of the best things I've read all year. Just before that I read Joyland and I'm currently reading Doctor Sleep. There is some serious talent in that family tree. I know Joe's brother Owen published his first novel earlier this year. I might have to track down a copy.

Last thing I wrote on my review:

"I'm stalled about a third of the way through. Of course Vic isn't going to die yet, and who cares if new characters do? I don't usually like long 'epic' reads with long time periods and a lot of characters. I liked the beginning of Horns much better."

Tamahome wrote: "Last thing I wrote on my review:

"I'm stalled about a third of the way through. Of course Vic isn't going to die yet, and who cares if new characters do? I don't usually like long 'epic' reads wit..."

Yes, the beginning of Horns was chock full of hooks.

I'm a huge Joe Hill fan. I really liked this book, much more than I did Horns. I loved the use of magic in it and his characters are always extremely interesting and complex. Think Heart Shaped Box is the best place to start but it sounds like I'm in the minority over here surrounded by all you Horns fans. That will be interesting to see how it translates as a movie.

But yeah, NoS4R2 is brilliant.

Heart Shaped Box is the scariest book I have ever read.

I read this when it first came out and loved it. It is totally worth finishing. But I totally agree, it puts you through an emotional shredder.

I really enjoyed NOS4A2, and I think Heart Shaped Box is more similar to it than Horns. I really enjoyed HSB, but Horns was pretty good too. I've also enjoyed a lot of his short fiction.

His brother Owen's book is on my to read list also.

Hit such a road-block around the half-way mark but found when i plowed on a bit the plot picked up incredibly. Not sure how it stacks up to his other books yet but it's certainly closer to Heart-Shaped Box in feel and levels of horror. It's moving along like Blaine the train now and all I want to do is finish.

Spoilery?: I made a nerd-squee when it was revealed that this takes place in the same universe as Locke & Key. There's even a reference to the Dark Tower's mid-world! It's these type of links that just make my day.