Monday, February 2, 2009

Some of Your Blood

I finished reading Some of Your Blood by Theodore Sturgeon yesterday.

Wow.

The book is written in fragments, semi-epistolary. I struggled through the first third because it was a narrative written by a semi-literate man. (the grammar was atrocious)

I'm glad I did. Since I've started writing, I've scared myself with what my mind was able to conceive, but only on rare occasions. Horror fiction doesn't scare me as it did when I was a child--it doesn't make me look around and put the book down and hope everything is going to be okay.

I felt that way again in a couple of places while reading Some of Your Blood. Without setting off too many spoilers, let me just say the end of the book struck me like no other since I Am Legend; it was just that good.

Some of Your Blood isn't for the casual horror fan. I understand why it isn't more widely read. I'm not even sure some would consider it horror in the popular sense of the term. But if you like to think--if you like a book that makes you go back and reread some passages because of their sheer power, go for it. Be patient. This one avoids cheep scares for deeper, longer lasting discomfort. I promise that you'll think about it after you're done reading.

6 comments:

Jamie Eyberg said...

It is always nice to find a book that genuinely surprises us and inspires with its attention to detail and originality. I hope the next book you read is half as good.

Anonymous said...

Oooh...going on my To Read list!

Katey said...

That sounds like exactly the kind of thing I'd enjoy. Thanks a lot for that rec, it's now on the to-buy list.

Jeremy D Brooks said...

I think scaring yourself is a huge win...it means not only did you write a scary story, but your characters/scenarios are playing out in ways that you didn't expect in advance.

BT said...

If I wasn't reading a book for review purposes, I'm not sure I would have struggled through the first third.

Every book I read now, I do reviews for so I may have gotten through it, although I have read two books in the last year which I struggled with and ended up just putting away.

If it pops up on our reviewers list, I'll see if I can grab it. Not sure I'd go out and buy a book that has been reviewed as slow to start with though - regardless of the benefits of working your way through the bad bits.

Unknown said...

Adding it to the list. thanks!