Ray Bradbury

[Vladimir]

Can't judge those, the only one I read besides Martian Chronicles and Fahrenheit was Dandelion Wine, but it was about 20 years ago and didn't leave any lasting impression. Do you think that reading any of other Bardbury's larger works would change my opinion?

 

[j d worthington]

Possibly, but it all depends on what you're looking for going into it. At times his longer works are similar to his short stories; at times not. Probably the closest would be Dandelion Wine and The Halloween Tree in flavor, but he has written a variety of types of novels, so it largely depends, as I said, on what you are wanting to find....

 

[dask]

Possibly, but it all depends on what you're looking for going into it. At times his longer works are similar to his short stories; at times not. Probably the closest would be Dandelion Wine and The Halloween Tree in flavor, but he has written a variety of types of novels, so it largely depends, as I said, on what you are wanting to find....

Hey, I read those two. Liked 'em both, especially DANDELION WINE even though it didn't seem all that fantasyish. I notice there's a sequel to it. Have you read it? Any good?

 

[j d worthington]

Farewell Summer? No; I bought it fairly recently, but haven't had a chance to get to it. It is, however, quite a short book, so I may try to squeeze it in sometime in November....

 

[Vladimir]

Possibly, but it all depends on what you're looking for going into it. At times his longer works are similar to his short stories; at times not. Probably the closest would be Dandelion Wine and The Halloween Tree in flavor, but he has written a variety of types of novels, so it largely depends, as I said, on what you are wanting to find....

Now that you mention it, I try to read a new book by Bradbury (new to me, I mean) every 3-5 years. And then I get bored with it, so I just re-read "The Martian Chronicles" or pick up a collection of the short stories. I guess those are destined to be the limits of our relationship

 

[Foxbat]

Whilst I would consider myself a fan of Bradbury's work, I have to say that I've just finished reading A Graveyard For Lunatics and I didn't like it very much. Having searched online, most of the reviews of this book seem pretty positive, but I felt reading it was like wading through a swamp. The use of a Hollywood studio as a backdrop allowed for some pretty nice scenes (the Beast in Notre Dame, Christ on Calvary etc.) but I felt this merely camouflaged a story that seemed to lack that something special. Perhaps it's just me 'not getting it' and perhaps it's a one-off but this is a book I certainly won't be returning to.

I should add that, had it been any other author rather than Bradbury, I probably would have given up long before the end.

 

[Connavar]

Wasnt that novel some mystery set in classic hollywood era ? I think i read about that novel recently. I wonder if he is good at writing mystery since he has other books who are weird mystery.

 

[Foxbat]

Wasnt that novel some mystery set in classic hollywood era ? I think i read about that novel recently. I wonder if he is good at writing mystery since he has other books who are weird mystery.

Yes. that's the one. I must admit that I don't normally read murder mystery novels and perhaps that coloured my view somewhat on this particular book.

 

[j d worthington]

Like most writers who began in the pulps, Bradbury wrote a variety of types of tales, including a fair amount of mystery/suspense. Several of these were collected together in A Memory of Murder (which also includes the weird tale, "The Small Assassin", which borders on weird/mystery). But these were written in the 1940s; his later mystery novels have a different feel to them, so liking one may not mean you would like the other... or vice versa.....

 

[Connavar]

Which of the weird mystery and/or straight mystery eras would you rate most JD ? The 1940s tales or the later novels ? Im a big fan any type of crime fiction from hardboiled,supernatural mystery,classic detective etc


Speaking about Bradbury i started my second Bradbury book today in The Machineries of Joy. A collection that was not my first 5-6 choices of next Bradbury read but i got it from the library for quick fix i needed to read him fast heh. I couldnt wait to order his best books or get bad library versions of them when he is a writer i respected alot after reading my first book.

Its a collection that is a big surprise to me, bad cover of Tyrannosaurs Rex, the first story which is the titel story is one of the weakest stories i have read of him. But the other 4-5 stories i have read are very weird,witty,creepy and very imaginative. I loved " The One who waits" which was my first martian story of his. A very creepy SF/horror type story from alien being POV. Weird,dark fantasy/horror like stories and SF stories after another. Hehe you never know what to expect.

This short story collection reminds me of early Richard Matheson stories i have read with the weird sf stories but with better characters and they dont feel like dated first works of his like some of the Matheson 50s stories feel.

 

[j d worthington]

On the whole, I think I'd go for the earlier stories with this, though (at a distance of nearly two decades) I do recall liking Death is a Lonely Business and A Graveyard for Lunatics (which blends the two genres, iirc). I think of the two novels, you might find the latter more of interest....

 

[Connavar]

I dont have to choose between those two novels because they are in the same series. A Memory of Murder collection you meant is pretty much what there is of the older mystery stories ? No early novels ?

Bradbury is too prolific for my taste There is so much interesting books he wrote. Do i get the classic big ones like Fahrenheit 451, Martian Chronicles or less known but interesting sounding novels.

 

[j d worthington]

Hmmm. Considering the man has been publishing for close to 70 years....

Weeellllll... I would definitely suggest getting both The Martian Chronicles and The Illustrated Man, for one thing. Both are classics in their own right, and there are some interesting connections between the two as well (stories which are sometimes sequels, sometimes mirrors, of ones in the other collection). Fahrenheit 451 is, I think, still a classic, but I don't think it is his best, myself. But I would definitely pick up Dandelion Wine and, from an entirely different phase of his work, The Halloween Tree (which is much more than simply a spooky tale, as it is also an evocation of childhood, the mysteries of growing, a history of the holiday, and a look at what it means to truly love a friend). I, personally, quite like the collection I Sing the Body Electric, and find that Long After Midnight is also a very effective collection of tales, while such things as The Anthem Sprinters and Other Antics or The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit and Other Plays are among the most enjoyable modern plays I've encountered; I also have a strong fondness for The Golden Apples of the Sun; while the anthology I mentioned, Timeless Stories for Today and Tomorrow, gives an idea of what he is like as editor... and gives a great deal of insight into his own tastes and the things which influenced him.

Ummm... not really being very much help here, am I....?

 

[Connavar]

I decided to read,buy next The Martian Chronicles and Something Wicked Comes This Way. I want both SF,other types story of his at the same time. I need to read a novel before i think he is only a master of short stories

Also Dark Carnival collection have stories that wasnt in my October Country collection. Plus stories that havent been collected anywhere else. Dandelion Wine and Holloween Tree sound good to me too but being SF fan i want to read collections like R is for Rocket, and Fahrenheit 451 doesnt have to be his best work. I like that type of story.

 

[j d worthington]

Yes, there are some pieces in Dark Carnival which, I believe, haven't seen print elsewhere. That collection remained out of print for decades, but I believe it has had a reprinting or two since... I'd have to check Joshi's book on Arkham House to be certain of that.

R is for Rocket and S is for Space were actually my first two Bradbury collections... I checked S is for Space out of the library when I as six years old, and got hooked on Bradbury when I read "The Chrysalis" and "Pillar of Fire"....

Something Wicked This Way Comes is a fine novel indeed, and the culmination, as it were, of certain motifs and themes he had been exploring since early in his career, especially his use of the figures of the Illustrated Man and the Dust Witch....

 

[Extollager]

I am taking note of your recent notes here, JD.

 

[Vladimir]

I decided to read,buy next The Martian Chronicles and Something Wicked Comes This Way. I want both SF,other types story of his at the same time. I need to read a novel before i think he is only a master of short stories

Also Dark Carnival collection have stories that wasnt in my October Country collection. Plus stories that havent been collected anywhere else. Dandelion Wine and Holloween Tree sound good to me too but being SF fan i want to read collections like R is for Rocket, and Fahrenheit 451 doesnt have to be his best work. I like that type of story.

You say this as if there was something implicitly wrong about being *just* the master of the short story I don't think Bradbury would be a lesser writer if he had only written short stories. In fact, it suits his style. He is able to transmit many ideas with few words and he is very poetic. For a long book, thhis style could be (and, in my opinion is) a drawback.

 

[Connavar]

No i meant i prefer great short stories over novels in general since i like many classic short story authors of horror,crime and pulp era etc

I meant i need to see his famous novels and not just go with my love for the short story and read only his collections

 

[Vladimir]

No i meant i prefer great short stories over novels in general since i like many classic short story authors of horror,crime and pulp era etc

I meant i need to see his famous novels and not just go with my love for the short story and read only his collections

That's exactly my situation with Bradbury. I think you'd enjoy Martian Chronicles.

 

[Connavar]

I hope Martian Chronicles live up to the expectations because its so highly rated work by his that i expect something special from. Normally im weary of expectations like that.