The cover for the new novel is awesome and I CANNOT wait for the US release on Feb 19. I have all three of the other novels in 1st edition HCs.
I don't know if anyone's brought this up yet as this is my first post, but have you read David Grossman's Lion's Honey: the Myth of Samson? I've just started it, and it brings back all the haunting, silent majesty I felt on first reading of Book of Samson (my favorite of your works yet).
Buddy, I'm glad you found it too. Thanks for the very kind words. I think the Monster cover is great, though I haven't seen its final form yet. Hope you like the book as much as you like the cover!
I'm happy to hear you liked Samson, it's also my favorite of the three, but I think it's a sort of love-it-or-hate-it book. There were people who liked the first two, and especially the first one--the Noah book--who I think really didn't care for Sam. I haven't read the Grossman book, though I understand it's a very different approach to the story. There must be a graduate thesis or two lurking out there somewhere.
All great myths are open to manifold interpretations. It's their timeless quality that allows us to constantly superimpose our contemporary experience onto them. Your take throws many current events into bold relief.
Grossman's take, as a Jewish author, works Samson more as a metaphor for the multiple facets of the modern Israeli experience and identity. It's a short, sweet read--bittersweet, to be more precise.
Plus, I must admit a longstanding love of "muscleman" characters. I'm a total sucker for R.E. Howard Kull pulp and old 60s Sword 'n' Sandals movies. My personal all-time favorite story is Gilgamesh, of which I own at least five different versions or translations.
Gilgamesh is great. I read Stephen Mitchell's translation a few years ago and loved it. Also love the proto-Noah story (flood, ark) contained in it... who knew? Well, lots of people actually, but not me.
None of which really compares to Hercules Versus the Moon Men, my favorite 1960's sword & sandal epic. Ah,those Italians have a lot more than the Renaissance to brag about...
4 comments:
The cover for the new novel is awesome and I CANNOT wait for the US release on Feb 19. I have all three of the other novels in 1st edition HCs.
I don't know if anyone's brought this up yet as this is my first post, but have you read David Grossman's Lion's Honey: the Myth of Samson? I've just started it, and it brings back all the haunting, silent majesty I felt on first reading of Book of Samson (my favorite of your works yet).
Glad I found you blog!
Buddy, I'm glad you found it too. Thanks for the very kind words. I think the Monster cover is great, though I haven't seen its final form yet. Hope you like the book as much as you like the cover!
I'm happy to hear you liked Samson, it's also my favorite of the three, but I think it's a sort of love-it-or-hate-it book. There were people who liked the first two, and especially the first one--the Noah book--who I think really didn't care for Sam. I haven't read the Grossman book, though I understand it's a very different approach to the story. There must be a graduate thesis or two lurking out there somewhere.
All great myths are open to manifold interpretations. It's their timeless quality that allows us to constantly superimpose our contemporary experience onto them. Your take throws many current events into bold relief.
Grossman's take, as a Jewish author, works Samson more as a metaphor for the multiple facets of the modern Israeli experience and identity. It's a short, sweet read--bittersweet, to be more precise.
Plus, I must admit a longstanding love of "muscleman" characters. I'm a total sucker for R.E. Howard Kull pulp and old 60s Sword 'n' Sandals movies. My personal all-time favorite story is Gilgamesh, of which I own at least five different versions or translations.
So, there's that...
Gilgamesh is great. I read Stephen Mitchell's translation a few years ago and loved it. Also love the proto-Noah story (flood, ark) contained in it... who knew? Well, lots of people actually, but not me.
None of which really compares to Hercules Versus the Moon Men, my favorite 1960's sword & sandal epic. Ah,those Italians have a lot more than the Renaissance to brag about...
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