Quote of the Day

[oloriel]

Over on Mark Reads, Mark has reached the Fangorn chapter in The Two Towers.
And he notes:


OH GANDALF, I SERIOUSLY MISS YOU AND YOUR SASSY WIZARD ADVICE. WHY CAN’T YOU JUST MAGICALLY COME BACK WITH AFTERLIFE MAGIC? DAMN IT, THAT’S NOT HOW THIS WORKS, BUT WHATEVER. I SUPPOSE I HAVE YET ANOTHER ANGRY LETTER TO WRITE TO TOLKIEN.

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BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH. I snorted tea when I read this. I can't WAIT for tomorrow's chapter. XD


Ok. I guess this is the point where I should explain about Mark Reads to those of you who don't know it yet. (I dunno, don't you? Sometimes I'm, like, the latest to find out about these things. But maybe I'm not, this time. So just in case...)
So there is this guy, Mark. He reads books. And then writes about his reading experience, chapter by chapter. Now currently he's ploughing his way through LotR, and here comes the catch: By some strange fate, he is completely unspoiled. Hasn't heard a summary, hasn't seen a movie, hasn't even seen a parody or trailer. He is blessedly unprepared. He has no idea whatsoever. I have no idea how this is even possible, but it is wonderful.
I don't know, do you have that feeling when you finish a book for the first time, and you liked it, where you're half happy to know how the story ends, and half sad because you'll never be able to read that book for the first time again? Of course re-reads are beautiful, you always pick up on stuff you missed the first time around - but on the downside you know the plot twists now, and you're no longer breathlessly turning pages to find out what happens. The best appropriation is when you've talked a friend into reading that book as well, and then get to watch his or her reactions with a big grin of OH THE THINGS I COULD TELL YOU BUT I DON'T WANT TO SPOIL IT.
And that's why I love Mark Reads - because it feels just like that. Bless his beard. It's fun to see the things he does and doesn't pick up on, or the unspoken information he gathers as he goes along.
Today's review I didn't enjoy so much because it's entirely in ALL CAPS and my brain feels like someone shouted at it for a long time, but on the whole... so much fun.

(He also uses the most adorable swears. "Son of a motherless bumblebee" may be my favourite. I wish I were speaking English just so I could introduce this into everyday conversation.)

I'm still giggling at the line quoted above. Too perfect. *is really twelve*
XD

Comments

[gaharr.livejournal.com]

Now that is just lovely.

[coppertone.livejournal.com]

I read his Harry Potter reviews, and they were pretty fun! But LotR too? The sheer number of books Mark has somehow managed to never learn a single thing about is really starting to hang, draw and quarter my suspension of disbelief.

[oloriel.livejournal.com]

Before the movies started to be shown on primetime TV, it wasn't hard to miss them... and if you saw references to them somewhere, not knowing the source, you'd probably have missed them. Now, though, I agree that it's rather amazing he doesn't have a clue... but I guess if you avoided the films and books on purpose, it would be possible.

TBH, though, I don't really care if he is genuinely altogether unprepared or whether he's faking it - just as long as he's faking it convincingly ;)

[shadowbrides.livejournal.com]

Maybe he only recently learnt to read? :P I find it a bit hard to believe too, but I liked the review. Ents being as cute an avalanche of puppies heee. When I first read the about the talking, walking trees part I was so immensely disappointed about the fact that the trees my garden were of the silent non-moving kind.

[oloriel.livejournal.com]

Before starting on FotR, he explained that he avoided these books because as a kid, he was a bit of a nerdy outsider anyway and he didn't want to do things expected of nerdy outsiders, such as read LotR. Which I guess makes sense; I know people like that.

As I told Oshun, though, in the end I don't care if it really is his first contact with the subject matter - as long as he's convincingly unprepared... ^^

[satismagic.livejournal.com]

LOLOLOL!