DNF: for now
I’d just like to take a minute to go over a two books I started reading but had to stop and why.
THE SHADOW OF THE GODS by John Gwynne — I own a physical copy of this book but hadn’t started it yet. I was waiting to get the audiobook on Libby. When it came, I excitedly started it right away, listening to four hours of it at work before realizing I had absolutely no idea what was going on. Other than a couple of names I could remember, I didn’t really know the characters or understand their backstories and motivations. I was lost. So I restarted it. I listened to two whole chapters before I realized nothing had changed. I was still lost. So, I picked up my physical copy and read the first chapter. And it clicked. It’s written beautifully. But for some reason, the audiobook narrator is not doing it for me. I don’t know what it is. He seems to be doing a fine job. I don’t really have anything to criticize him about. I think I’m just clashing with him. Maybe the frequency of his voice or something he has absolutely no control over. I don’t know. I’m not knocking the gentleman, but I just can’t seem to break through with the audiobook. So, I will be returning to the physical copy of this book someday, but I’m not sure when exactly. I’m just busy. But I look forward to finally diving in, as I’m sure I’m going to enjoy it in that format.
THE DARK TOWER: THE GUNSLINGER by Stephen King — I’m not ready for this book. I went from The Shawshank Redemption to The Dark Tower. I don’t know what I was thinking. I got several chapters in before I had to put it down and walk away. Again, like #1, I feel I will love this series someday. But today’s not the day. It’s not the narrator this time. He does a fine job. It’s the pacing. It feels like an old epic western that slowly moves across the frontier. Very slowly. But at the same time, there are connections to our present-day real world, and that’s jarring, too. I’m having trouble adapting to its strange tone. I’ll get back to this one. Maybe after I have thirty or so books under my belt this year, I can start getting weird with books like this one.
