Saturday, April 4, 2009

This is not a Threat, It's a Promise

Three times now in our marriage Avram had given me a novel he owns. "You must read this," he says. "It's a great book," he says. "You'll really like it," he says.

So I eventually, after giving my due amount of protest over mediocre paperback fantasy cover art and presumed mediocre insides, read the book. The great book, the book I'll really like.

Three times I have finished the book, and said, "Well, it was not bad. Even had some good parts. But it is the first book in a series (which three times he did not tell me about beforehand), so how come you do not own the rest of the series? Because now I need to know desperately what happens next" (As I am not a patient reader).

And invariably Avram responds, "Oh, I didn't like the rest of the books. They weren't as good as the first one. I wouldn't recommend reading them."

And so three times I am stuck having read the beginning of a trilogy or series, with no plot resolutions in sight, because the next books are "not worth reading."

Three times I have restrained from doing my husband bodily harm.

But he should beware offering a fourth must-read tacky artwork cover part of a large lame series paperbook fantasy to me, insisting that I must read it. The next time he will not be so lucky.

3 comments:

  1. If anything, I do this to Tim rather than the other way around. He has had to go purchase the final book in a series that I started at least twice. But to my credit, the artwork is not tacky on these books of mine.

    And yes, the book I am missing (from my blog) was the last of the Sabriel trilogy. Boo.

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  2. I must say this was quite the post to come from the Priesthood of General Conference home to.

    Although I am sure that I merit such censure from my spouse, I wished to clarify a few minor points.

    For starters, I recommend all three of the books in the current series she is reading.

    Also, these were not books which I insist that she must read...I only recommend them when she is whining about having nothing to read. They were books I enjoyed quite a bit when I was younger, and happen to own. So, I only own the first book--my wife doesn't really like to buy books, so it isn't really my fault.

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  3. I want to know what the three books were. In defense of my nephew, there are a few series that I've wished I'd stopped after the first one; Dune comes to mind. I need more evidence before I can render a verdict!

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