Hatrack River Forum: The Thursday Next books

This is topic The Thursday Next books in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
http://www.hatrack.com/ubb/main/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=032700

Posted by Leonide (Member # 4157) on :

This is one of my favorite book series, in a completely different class than my love for the Ender Saga...right alongside H2G2 as the funniest scifi/fantasy/literary/smorgasbord of craziness quadrilogy ever.

I just finished reading Something Rotten , which I have to say was the most hysterical of the bunch (possibly even my favorite -- i laughed out loud more than once and i don't do that often while reading!)

I think it may even be the last one (does anyone else know for sure?)

I know Annie owns a copy of The Eyre Affair [Wink]

and I think Tom's read the series...anyone else have the pleasure?

Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :

I've been a bit evangelical about these, too. [Smile]

Posted by plaid (Member # 2393) on :

I liked the first one OK, but wasn't excited enough to try any of the others. How do the later ones compare?

Posted by Lady Jane (Member # 7249) on :

I read The Eyre Affair in Las Vegas, and while the writing style is tight, I laughed several times, and I enjoyed the central conceits, the plotting sucked eggs. The ending was cobbled together from every stupid romantic comedy I've ever seen, and the characterization of everyone besides the aunt and uncle were ham-fisted. I love Jane Eyre and I wanted to like it, but the book suffers greatly from the comparison.

Not to rain on your parade. I just barely finished the first one and was so dissapointed.

[ March 16, 2005, 10:26 AM: Message edited by: Lady Jane ]

Posted by Leonide (Member # 4157) on :

Well, I think the series has gotten "better with age" as the saying goes...the three sequels are less about romance and more about Thursday getting into some ridiculous scrapes and getting out again.

The last book, especially, is a mind twister. I didn't see *any* of those twists coming and I'm usually pretty astute when it comes to book endings (years of Agatha Christie...)

But the plot is the worst in the fourth book, convolution-wise. I still loved it, but there were roughly 50,000 different subplots going on and my brain was having trouble keeping up.

I think they're all pretty smart when it comes to literary commentary, though, so that might have been part of the point. [Dont Know]

Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :

"I didn't see *any* of those twists coming and I'm usually pretty astute when it comes to book endings (years of Agatha Christie...)"

I'm proud to say that I saw at least one of those twists coming from the previous book. In fact, I set the third book down and turned to Christy and said, "Here's my prediction about the gingham lady...." [Smile]

Posted by margarita (Member # 6856) on :

Funny, I just started reading The Eyre Affair at lunch today...before I read this thread. I like it so far.

Posted by Christy (Member # 4397) on :

Yay! I've been trying to get Hatrackers to read this series for over a year now. It didn't seem like I had any takers. I'm glad to see a couple of fans out there.

I do think the series has gotten better with age, although I did like the first one very much myself.