Ever tried to shift 10,000 books (approx.) and 50,000 comic books (approx.)?

[fpb]

The last two days have been murderous. I made up my mind that it would be more efficient to redesign my front room, where I keep my computer and all my books. So I had to shift my whole comics collection and all my research books,`not to mention the furniture concerned and lots of odds and ends. Alone. Most of the work is done, but there is still plenty of work left - in this sort of thing, work makes work.

"Becomethesea", your rant about The Da Vinci code is coming along. The problem is that I may have too much to say about it. Once started, I am not sure when I'll finish.

Comments

[privatemaladict.livejournal.com]

What's to rant? The characters are boring, the plot is mildly entertaining, the historical "facts" are an irritating blend of fantasy and reality. The entire thing relies on cheap sensationalism to get read - lets throw in a weirdo religious group to get the atheists reading, take a few difs at the Catholic church, throw in a Mary Sue love interest and take your readers on a tour through some famous artworks (in my opinion, the best part of the book, as it made me go and look very carefully at said artworks.)

It's a fun read, I'll give it that much. But if it wasn't for all the hype surrounding it, I doubt I'd even remember it now. In fact, I think Dan Brown's chosen the wrong medium - the book has all the ingredients for a Holywood blockbuster. Bring the popcorn, and you might enjoy it.

[fpb.livejournal.com]

Just you wait.

[privatemaladict.livejournal.com]

Actually, now we're on the subject, you know what else I hate about Dan Brown? I minght have even left the DaVinci code as an "okay" book in my mind, except that I enjoyed it enough to go and read "Angels and Demons".

And it was, among other sins, exactly the same. I mean, the plot was... almost identical, with some details changed, as obviously, it was a different book. There was a different Mary Sue love interest, (but still, undoubtedly, a Mary Sue) and the big Theme was "science vs religion," and the setting was the Vatican rather than Paris. (You should read it, it'll get you ranting like nothing else.)

And I'm told by people who have read the other Dan Brown books that they're pretty much the same, too.

And this guy's a bestseller???

[curia-regis.livejournal.com]

And this guy's a bestseller???

Possibly because most people are rather... illiterate?

Actually, I kind of liked his books. They were interesting, and that's the only thing I require from a book. Hence, my inability to read anything usually classified as 'literature'. Then again, I like Robert Ludlum books, so I can't really talk.

But who reads a book with that kind of blurb in order to admire the writing style? It's pretty obvious that it's going to be a story that's all-plot, rather cliched, without good characterisation and with only passable writing.

[privatemaladict.livejournal.com]

Well, as I said, I enjoyed DVC enough to read Angels and Demons. But they're so... bland. And predicatble. And the characters would be sporked if they appeared in fanfiction.

[curia-regis.livejournal.com]

And the characters would be sporked if they appeared in fanfiction.

Really? You think so? I can think of quite a lot of popular fanfics that are approximately that standard.

[privatemaladict.livejournal.com]

We-elll... The female characters certainly would be. I mean, what's-her-name in "Angels and Demons" - walking around the vatican in short shorts? I can't even remember all her failings now, but she was nauseating.

[curia-regis.livejournal.com]

Was that Vittoria Vetra or was she in one of the other ones? I've probably spelled her name incorrectly. Ooops.

But yeah, the female characters. Talk about oh-so-perfect.

[privatemaladict.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that's the one. Talk about "Meh!"

[privatemaladict.livejournal.com]

Oh, and rearranging books, for me, is the only household chore I actually sort of enjoy. I mean... my books! My preciousss books! I did the same thing about a week ago, though being half your age, my collection is undoubtedly much much smaller. But I think the fact that I did it in 40 dgree heat balances it out.

[fpb.livejournal.com]

Try being as fat as I am.

[privatemaladict.livejournal.com]

Well, try shifting enormous Biochemistry textbooks with my skinny girl arms. In 40 degree heat.

[curia-regis.livejournal.com]

I've never moved so many books but I can imagine how painful it is. But fortunately, I don't own so many books. Probably will by the time I'm your age though.

[becomethesea.livejournal.com]

I actually feel kind of silly because I loved both The DaVinci Code as well as Angels and Demons. Mind you, I don't take either one as Gospel. But I was highly entertained.

However, one thing that goes along with much of my thinking from Angels and Demons was the notion that to be able to have a formula that could include everything from the smallest microcosm to the largest entity of the universe would be like understanding the mind of God. It was probably lifted by Dan Brown from Stephen Hawking's A Brief History of Time, because it's a very similar notion.

I, personally, don't think it's possible to understand the mind of God and think it's quite audacious for us as humans to even try. :P