Haunted A Novel by Chuck Palahniuk

[graywarrior]

I just started chapter 2. It is fucking WIERD. Anyone else read it?

[ucmike]

1. no, but i'll see if i can get it for xmas

love chuck p. "weird" is a good description for all his books.

[democracyindanger]

2. Yep.

Hope you like grisly stuff. Two chapters in ain't nothin'.

[Taverner]

3. This one will be interesting

I've read all his books but this one...

Nihilism in writing - gotta love it

[democracyindanger]

9. To be honest

I think "Haunted" is the weakest of his books. Enjoyable, but it just seemed to lack the plot development of his others--and the "short stories" and "poems" inserted throughout quickly became skippable.

But that's just me, and not meant to discourage you from picking it up. Maybe you'll agree, maybe you won't...

[graywarrior]

5. Colon sucking in the pool is......what's the word....?

....there is no word.

[democracyindanger]

10. Bush-like?

:evilgrin:

[graywarrior]

14. More like the rest of the republicans sucking Bush's

[Spider Jerusalem]

4. I gave up on Palahniuk a few years ago.

He's the most massively author of his generation. And he's not very good, either. Everything of his that I read was a rather repetitive variation on the same basic theme. Got old quick. I'd rather read something that doesn't make me want to throw it across the room by the time I'm on the third chapter.

[graywarrior]

8. Ahhh....Harry Potter for you.

[Spider Jerusalem]

11. No thanks.

I have nothing against darkness and nihilism. I just don't like bad writing.

[graywarrior]

13. Then try this.

Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal

http://www.everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=1430452

[jane_pippin]

6. If you like his books you might like a book called

Rust & Bone by Craig Davison. It's a collection of short stories and it's been getting some good reviews. It's pretty brutal from what I hear, (which is why I haven't read it. Some friends who have say steer clear of one story if you're a dog lover but otherwise, it's great. And they said the reason to steer clear of the dog story is because it's so well written that it seems real), but apparently it's very good. It has the Chuck seal of approval too.

here's a link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0393061299/qid=1134426662/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/103-8695734-6442234?n=507846&s=books&v=glance

Lookit me--I'm the lounge's own Levar Burton over here.

[graywarrior]

7. I'll definetly check it out

[On the Road]

12. I Love Chuck Palahniuk. I Love Him.

I am a raving fan. He is the only author whose current work absolutely galvanizes me. He may not qualify as the best novelist of the decade by technical artistic standards. Some of this plots are loopy and unbelievable, most of the protagonists are all variations on the same theme. But I believe he's singlehandedly reviving the novel with his crazy energy, his pace, his sense of humor, and his ability to shock and surprise (which is not easy nowdays).

I agree with democracyindanger that "Haunted" is not his best one. I liked a lot of the stories by individual characters, but was particularly disappointed in the meta-plot about the authors living in the sealed house. I think Chuck needed to greatly reduce the number of characters -- there are far too many to give each one a personality and develop relationships among them. But hey, it's worth finishing just for the good parts.

And by all means, read one of his other novels. IMO, the order would be: Fight Club, Invisible Monsters, Choke, Survivor, Lullaby, Diary. He has quite a cult, too. Weird is good.

[ghostsofgiants]

15. Not yet, but I want to...

I love Palahniuk's writing.

[Monkey see Monkey Do]

16. Not yet (waiting for pback), but I've read the chapter "Guts"

and that's ... well ...

[dannofoot]

17. Oh my, my...

...you have no idea what you're in for.

Just wait till you read what happens to Comrade Snarky. She delivers the most memorable line in the book.

Oh my, my...Normally Mrs. Danno and I share each other's books...I told her that I didn't think she'd sleep if she read this one (and "Fight Club" is one of her all-time faves).