Who? What? The Eff?

[erastes]

Hamlet the Hoodie. Oh dear. Not that I wouldn't give some teeth to see the production, mind you.

I just finished reading "The Malacia Tapestry" by Brian Aldiss and all I can say is WTF? What the blink blinkerty blink was that supposed to be about? I'm completely baffled.  Ok, i know what it was supposed to be ABOUT, e.g. jobbing actor shags a lot, meets some slightly radical people who might bring about change to a country that prides itself on never changing. Falls in love, shags a lot, gets found out, tries to reform, tries to impress fair maiden and her family, kills a dinosaur, finds out said love interest is shagging his best friend, has feelings hurt.

Did I miss anything?  Nothing actually happens for at least half of the book, and there's a completely pointless eight pages segment where someone describes the plot of a play - which is not at all interesting and I just skipped, because - yanno - pointless.  I thought this man was supposed to be good?  Perhaps I should read his sci-fi.  Praps not...

As you can see by the Amazon reviews several people thought it was a "masterpiece" but I don't get it. At all.

Comments

[zehavit-lamasu.livejournal.com]

Hahah - I didn't read the book but I own a copy... my dad wanted to throw it away but I didn't let him because The cover is prrrrrecious!!! ^^;; (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/ZehavitLamasu/malachia.jpg)

I think if you got THAT copy from the library you would expect nothing but manly men shagging a lot of boobacious ladies and fighting Godzilla in a windy park...

I once said that this should be the cover of one of the books I write on the last day of NaNoWriMo ... when very very VERY drunk XD.

[lee-rowan.livejournal.com]

The Malacia Boobies!!

I guess Aldiss got his reputation because he was writing sexy stuff when most sci-fi had been fade-to-black, but I tried a couple of his books and gave up. And that's about all I remember of them, which is kind of sad.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

This is almost fade to black, full of euphemisms and exploding lights-perhaps I'm just too blooming dense to see the deeper meaning or something, but I rather think I'm the little boy wondering where the Emperor's clothes are.

[crawling-angel.livejournal.com]

*does Metallica headbanging* Fade to Black is a whoop of a tune! Even Brian can hear them in the bushes, lol.

Ah...book...yes o.O

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Ah, you kids and your modern rock and roll!

[crawling-angel.livejournal.com]

Yeah, man!

[erastes.livejournal.com]

WOW! Now that cover would put an entirely different slant on my reading it. Yes - that scene actually happens, too -and you are right "It does exactly what it says on the tin"

Thank you, you have the BEST stuff.

[m-barnette.livejournal.com]

No, avoid his Scifi too, it's pretty much the same, unfortunately. I gave up on him as his plots are all very down beat.

[m-barnette.livejournal.com]

Oh, I forgot to mention, stupid AND down beat. Gah.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Yes, this was sort of like this. It was like a soap opera, but one which has got to a bit of a dull point in the plot. Even when the exciting stuff happened it was a bit boring.

I just didn't see the point.

[lee-rowan.livejournal.com]

Royalty check.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

*laughs* Ooo ! You cynic!!

[lee-rowan.livejournal.com]

Okay, not royalties... it was probably an advance.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

*giggles madly*

[m-barnette.livejournal.com]

Yes, I'd say that's the answer, unfortunately.