Weekend Reading Report 11/3/24

[@GrammaticusBooks]

"Powering through Varney...except you can't power through Varney"...Lol. Good stuff. "The Long Walk, I'd forgotten about that story! And you're correct. It was excellent. Good stuff again!

[@DaleRibbons]

Just a few odd thoughts that came up as I watched this: The thing about 'The Long Walk' is it's an allegory about the Vietnam War. There is some speculation that the author of the Hunger Games was 'inspired' by it, explaining why the plots are so suspiciously similar. I started reading/collecting the Fantastic Four about the time those issues were originally printed. #122 was my first issue. I always liked Robin myself. I can understand why some readers didn't though. I never thought the character of Dick Grayson was as interesting when he quit being Robin.

[@CourteousKitsch]

I finally conquered Varney! It remained fun throughout, but I was disappointed that so many interesting plot threads ended up forgotten. It was like a TV series that got cancelled before they were able to wrap everything up, though I suspect the writers had no idea where they were going with this story from week to week. It does get downright scary and mean-spirited at the end, which surprised and delighted me! And I am amazed how many elements of this story inspired Universal and Hammer vampire and Frankenstein movies. So keep plugging!

[@russworks2882]

You recently commented that your favorite monster is the werewolf, which makes me wonder if you ever read the Wagner the Werewolf (or "Wehrwolf") penny dreadful that Dover also reprinted, and is obviously in the public domain and likely out there for free somewhere. I never got my hands on it; my understanding is that Wagner originally appeared in a penny dreadful ripoff of Faust and then was expanded into his own series. Kind of like Moon Knight.

[@2025Mindfulness]

I agree with you about Rage and The Long Walk.

[@stephennootens916]

The Long Walk is one of Richard Bachman's best works. It is a tragic that he wrote so little.

[@charliedogg7683]

The premise of "The Long Walk" sounds like the athletics carnivals I endured while at school (although the teachers were only armed with sarcasm). "The Hulk has killed The Thing!" (repeats sottovoce): "The Hulk has killed The Thing!" then "The Hulk didn't kill The Thing". Love your sense of drama and your wonderful delivery, Michael.

[@wbbartlett]

Varney is basically what a novelisation of all 60 years of Coronation Street would be like. Plus a vampire (perhaps, maybe, we'll decide that later in the book).

[@glenmcculla6843]

Ken Barlow is a vampire. He's been around for millennia, and Barlow is a known vampire name. Discuss.

[@Angel-sh7mn]

Always reminds me of the old soap opera Dark Shadows

[@glenmcculla6843]

@@Angel-sh7mn Barnabas Barlow!

[@glockensig]

I started reading The Long Walk by Slavomir Rawicz years ago but then life happened. I need to go back and read it!!

[@jack_yo]

Always enjoy the weekly reading report. I feel it necessary to say that if you decided to abruptly end the 500 book challenge at 200, 250, etc, no one would be disappointed. Quite the opposite, very few people could have lasted so long. It's very impressive. I'm sure it would take me over 3 years to read 200 books. Whatever happens, I'm here for it. 👍

[@DDB168]

I agree, The Long Walk is not so outrageous a concept. It sounds a lot like working in an Amazon warehouse.

[@craiggerrard5117]

My friend is an specilist on 19th century literature and did an online talk last week on vampires in 19th century books. Varney got a good mention.

[@MysteryandMayhem-gr7nn]

Dr. Chillingsworth! Now, there's a name worthy of the shudder pulps.

[@PeculiarNotions]

I read The Long Walk earlier this year, too. I thought it was okay, but I believe we're closer to something like Death Race 2000.

[@BookBlather]

I’ve been wanting to read The Long Walk for a “long”‘time. Glad to hear you had a good experience with it. We will need to have a celebration when you finally conquer Varney! 🧛‍♂️

[@kevintowle9665]

The Long Walk is a great story and premise. Enjoyed your update MKV. Have a good week!

[@kdj3000]

Your comic projects have inspired me. I have two that I am contemplating, but I don't know which I'll do first. I'm thinking GL, but may do ASM in the Essentials volumes. I was an avid reader of the Spider-man newspaper strips and reading Spidey in B&W is very nostalgic for me.

[@slothrob]

Have you seen that DC are introducing their version of Epic Collection this week, as DC Finest? They are starting with post-crisis Batman Year One and Two, from the 80s, and the often-reprinted golden-age Superman.

[@ellesse3862]

ooOO! the next reading challenge milestone is almost here, as a spectator I'm excited. What have I read this week? umm.. Dark Horse Conan volume 3 - The Tower of the Elephant & other stories, I prefared Marvel's version of that story, and now I'm reading Penguin Classics M P Shiel - The Purple Cloud, another early apocalypse novel as I enjoyed last years Mary Shelley's The Last Man, thanks Roger.

[@anotherbibliophilereads]

Maybe you should convert the 500 book challenge to the e 125,000 page challenge. Finishing Varney might be worth 10% of your goal.

[@briteskin]

Halloween week effected my ability to read so didn't complete anything other than some monthly comics. I am still up in the air about Mad Cave nostalgia comic reboot releases (Dick Tracy, Flash Gordon) but really liking the Dynamite ones (Space Ghost, Jonny Quest) thus far. Those 70's Marvel reprint books were gold. I wish Daredevil had a reprint run like Avengers, Fantastic Four, Hulk, and Spider-man did.

[@flutebasket4294]

A crusade has to be waged against authors and editors who spoil endings in front matter. Happened to me with _Old Man and the Sea_ and I've never gotten over it!!

[@desnuts1238]

Hello Michael! I don't know if you've seen my previous comment, since you didn't reply, I'm guessing you didn't, so I'm asking once again. In one of your videos you mentioned Ross Macdonald and I was wondering if you could make a whole video about Ross and maybe compare him to other noir/hardboiled writers such as Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett. I'd very much like to see such a video made by you. Have a good day!:)

[@nedmerrill5705]

Someone should abridge Varney.

[@Klarkash-Ton]

Yep, been saying this for years. There's a lot of good stuff in there, but it's soooo repetitive and inert that it makes it tough to slog through.

[@Angel-sh7mn]

It wouldn't be as special then

[@Klarkash-Ton]

@@Angel-sh7mn No one's stopping you from reading the original!

[@davidnovakreadspoetry]

I would not believe that about Robin either. 😂

[@salty-walt]

196! Still that's great! You're moving along better this year! Wasn't it less than 80 the first year? No shame, but as long as you're reading King in order, how is the ERB read in order going?

[@warrengilson1835]

Nine years ago I started my Classics reading project - every Classic work of literature in chronological order starting with The Epic of Gilgamesh. I’ve just started the eighteenth century and am 400 books into the 1100 I identified. Nothing is impossible 😂

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

@@warrengilson1835 amazing!

[@إسماعيلسعيد-خ8ذ]

Call me Ishmael. Thank you for your weekly reading report. What do think of Richard Layamon?How do you evaluate THE TRAVELING VAMPIRE SHOW?

[@slothkng]

that right there is why i don't read introductions penguin classics are awful for that

[@OctoberSoda]

Where’d you get the Batman digital comics?

[@Nomad-Rogers]

Steven King is a way better writer under his Richard Bachman personality or pseudonym I wish King would bring Bachman back.

[@stephenwalker2924]

*Stephen

[@patriciafay-f9l]

Almost 200 books is amazing I can't be the only one who doesn't think you need to get to 500 - just sayin' but I am impressed with your dogged pursuit of your goal

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

Well, at this point there’s no backing out. Thanks!

[@andyiswonderful]

I like Steven King, especially for his terrific imagination. One criticism I have is that the frequently structures his narratives while the main character and others are on some long, long journey. This gets tiresome.

[@stephenwalker2924]

*Stephen (it's personal, apologies)

[@dreiraven3rvn457]

So the French hold the secret to reanimating corpses? Somehow that's not surprising, given that the French have a breakfast dish called "un Croque Monsieur" ... *rimshot*

[@Morfeusm]

Maybe it was written in that book only for this pun 😂

[@MylesNewman-cc1tx]

LXXX = 8,762.

[@salty-walt]

I obviously didn't get the joke. Wouldn't it just be 80?

[@MylesNewman-cc1tx]

I must have been unconsciously thinking of how votes sometimes get counted.

[@salty-walt]

@@MylesNewman-cc1tx I thought there was a comedic alchemy of which I was ignorant!