April's SciFi Discussion: Nightfall

[dwndrgn]

Please start whenever you'd like - I'm not trying to rush anyone - I just wanted to get the thread posted so that whenever anyone feels like posting their thoughts, ideas, questions or whatnot regarding the work, they could do so.

[dwndrgn]

Has anyone read it??!! Goodness. As for myself, it is still sitting in my car, staring at me every time I get in. I have a strange aversion to this book. I don't even have a clue what it is about but I can't even pick it up and turn it over to see a blurb on it. Is there a name for this type of irrational phobia? Should I force myself outside and at least open the book to say that I could? Or, should I stay here, comfortable in my cozy chair with my chihuahua on my lap speaking through type to my book loving friends? Nope, I'm going to get it now...

Well. I'm just astounded. The only thing written on the back of this copy is:
"So the universe is not quite as you thought it was. You'd better rearrange your beliefs, then. Because you certainly can't rearrange the universe. Nightfall is coming. Believe it."

They almost had me. If they hadn't thrown in that "Nightfall is coming" sensationalist horror flick line, I might have been able to read the book. Now I'm just annoyed that someone ruined a perfectly good catch with that trite little line. Hmph.

I decided I was being upset just as an excuse to not read the book. Braved the opening paragraphs and promptly shut it again. Don't like the names. Don't like people who have offices that cover an entire floor (or should if windows on each side would show four suns, some in the east and some in the west) and don't like the words "eyelids flickered", gives me an image of Star Wars where Leia's image flickers as she delivers the plea "help us Obi-Wan, you're our only hope". I sure hope my eyelids never flicker...

[Winters_Sorrow]

sorry - I missed the original posting!

I really enjoyed this book (I should, I'm the evil genuis who nominated it!! )

Your copy does sound a bit odd - the UK version had a proper precis on the inside covers without sounding like a cinema trailer! Oh well

Shame you can't quite get into the book - the eyelid's fluttering thing is because they have 2 sets (because of the numerous suns which their planet is exposed too) and so are always 'blinking' at least one set to avoid being blinded - that was my interpretation anyway. I liked this story a lot, because of the little details present (their scariest theme park ride involved sitting in a dark room!) and the attempt to mix seperate discoveries within the same story. An archaeologist discovering multiple remains of previous civilisations, an astronomer trying to come up with a unifying theory for gravity - without being able to see 'stars' as it's never dark in this world

It gets very apocalyptic as ti gets on and the sense of public hysteria and panic is fairly well portrayed.
Give it a chance - I'm sure you'll convert once you stop glaring at the cover


funnily enough - irrational phobias have a part to play in this book as well

[dwndrgn]

I did give it another chance, read about a chapter in but just couldn't get into the story. I think it is mainly the odd little mistakes like outside of an office with windows on all sides (which makes the office really large - the size of the building in fact) is a long hallway which also has windows on each side. Doesn't seem to logically fit. Maybe I'm just looking for things to not like. I don't know. Hopefully next month's choice will go better for me.