What's My Book?

[dolorous_ett]

I pinched this idea from dolabellae because I thought it sounded like fun.

The game is as follows - I give the last sentence or couple of sentences from five of my favourite books. Your task - to identify the books.

1. Extreme malice distorted his dusky, half familiar face. Then someone cried: "Look!" and I looked in terror over my shoulder and saw under the dark trees a figure folded in a blue cape, faceless, motionless, watching me.

2. His feet left the ground, the rope cutting into the soft flesh beneath his chin. Up into the air he jerked, kicking and twisting, up and up and up.

3. She gloried in being a sailor's wife, but she must pay the tax of quick alarm for belonging to that profession which is, if possible, more distinguished in its domestic virtures than its national importance.

4. Still I wunt have no other track.

5. If Senior Members of the University chose to stand - in their gowns too! - closely and passionately embracing in New College Lane right under the Warden's window, he was powerless to prevent it. He primly settled his white band and went upon his walk unheeded; and no hand plucked his velvet sleeve.

One from a detective story, one from fantasy. Two male authors, three female. Two American writers, three British. No science fiction - my favourites that are with me at the moment either have really obvious endings or endings that could belong to anything. In general, my favourite science fiction books don't seem able to cut it where resounding endings are concerned. It's odd that I never noticed.

Comments

[catkind.livejournal.com]

Well, I'll jump in quickly for the easy ones: 3 is Persuasion, and 5 is Gaudy Night. Both favourites of mine too; for the rest, 'aven't a clue, guv.

[dolorous-ett.livejournal.com]

Right on both counts!

Actually, I didn't think Persuasion would be one of hte "easy" ones at all - well spotted.

[dolabellae.livejournal.com]

I started something! Of course I don't mind you taking up the idea (and probably a good idea to include some clues). Shame that the only two I can get have already been identified - I was thinking of choosing Gaudy Night myself :-)I have the feeling I might kick myself when (2) is identified, though.

[dolorous-ett.livejournal.com]

Thanks for your belated endorsement! Next time I'll do the decent thing and ask first...

Gaudy Night's a corker, isn't it?

For number 2, I refer you to Ignipes's answer below.

The other two are rather more obscure... but since there was such a takeup for A Place of Greater Safety, I wait in hope.

[ignipes.livejournal.com]

2. A Storm of Swords

=D

[dolorous-ett.livejournal.com]

I knew you'd get that one - or if you didn't, no-one did.

It's an interesting and very typical GRRM moment I always think - a moment when the charming heroes of the greenwood are behaving in a way that's both bullying and unjust.

And love love LOVE your icon!

[ignipes.livejournal.com]

Yes, I am very predictable.

I always thought that those particular heroes of the greenwood were quite creepy, and that scene at the end just confirmed it. That's what I love best about GRRM. Nobody else would think, "Hey, I have this great idea! Instead of just writing another Robin Hood & His Merry Men cliche, how about I throw in some ZOMBIES!" Or almost-zombies. or whatever they are. I love it.

I'm glad you like the icon. You are welcome to steal it, if you ever decide to shuffle your icon space. It goes with your username, after all. :)

[dolorous-ett.livejournal.com]

He's full of these great ideas - little girl from a big Northern castle going off to join the Ninja assassins? Macho blond hero being rescued by - literally - a big girl? Not to mention the Lord of Light, whose servants are either misguided or downright evil, judging by their actions...

Thanks for the offer of the icon - but for the fact that you've really made "the dead are likely dull fellows" so very much your own, I'd pinch it like a shot. But it's yours alone.

[lareinenoire.livejournal.com]

::glances about shiftily, between unfinished WH paper and Storm of Swords lying oh-so-temptingly on the coffee table::

I need to reread that book, since A Feast for Crows comes out in less than two months! Eeeeee!

I've already set aside the Borders gift card too. I'm so very predictable.

[dolorous-ett.livejournal.com]

Eeeeeeee! indeed.

It's coming out this month here, if I'm not much mistaken. Am seriously contemplating trying to go to one of his book signings when he comes to the UK.

I promise not to tell you what happens. In fact I'd do better not to mention it at all, judging by the amount of opprobium HBP spoilers collected, even when under a cut.

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

Next month?! And Storm of Swords still sitting unread on my shelf (in self-defence, I didn’t discover Martin until a year ago)? That’s my October reading taken care of , then …

[dolorous-ett.livejournal.com]

Worth every minute, I can assure you.

Sorry if any part of this thread contains spoilers, by the way.

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

'Tis the hazard of the web - and it's not as if I don't leaf through and spoil things pretty comprehensively for myself.

[ignipes.livejournal.com]

The macho blond hero being rescued by the big girl is, quite possibly, my favorite sequence of events in the series so far.

Or maybe not. There are lots of sequences of events in the books that are my favorites.

[dolorous-ett.livejournal.com]

There are lots of sequences of events in the books that are my favorites.

So very many. How are we supposed to choose?

The being saved by the big girl part is great - though another one close to my heart is when he stuns her by acting like a True Knight and sending her off to defend Sansa with her father's sword! (Up yours, Tywin!)

[ignipes.livejournal.com]

Eee! I know. I spent about 2500 pages resisting the urge to become a Jaime Lannister fangirl -- because, really, he doesn't quite deserve it -- but in the end, I gave in, right about the point he told his father to fuck off.

*sigh*

[dolorous-ett.livejournal.com]

I'm reserving my judgement about Jaime. All those good resolutions may go down the drain if he gets a prosthetic hand or learns to fight left handed.

Dolorous Edd, on the other hand, I fangirl shamelessly. And the Blackfish. I expect great things from the Blackfish.

[ignipes.livejournal.com]

Or gets killed. ;)

I'm quite fond of the Blackfish, too. He seems to be the only one in his family with any sense.

[tunxeh.livejournal.com]

Riddley Walker!

[dolorous-ett.livejournal.com]

Yes! I'm so glad someone else knows this amazing book as well as me!

Thank you!

[dolabellae.livejournal.com]

Is that the Russell whatsit (I always get confused between Banks and Hoban!) one about a post-nuclear world? On my to-read list, though that has to be a mile long...

[dolorous-ett.livejournal.com]

The same and very.

Not everyone can bear to wade through the non-standard spellings - but it's a book in a million, it really is. Banks's "Feersum Engin", though parts are spelt in an unorthodox way too, really doesn't come close, even though it is very good.

[dolabellae.livejournal.com]

Ah, I meant Russell Banks (US writer I think - haven't actually read any of his stuff but see the odd review and muddle him up w Hoban). Not that I've actually read much Banks sci-fi, either...