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I just scanned over a fairly recent post asking fans to rank Palahniuck books according to personal favor. Looking over the first page, I didn't see a single mention of Haunted. Not first, not third, not at all. Can someone explain this anomaly to me? I have read and re-read all of Chuck's books ever since I stumbled across Survivor back in 2000. I absolutely love Haunted. It easily ranks in my top three from C.P. and top ten novels ever. It reads like a modern day listing of the crimes commited by those condemned in Dante's Inferno; an unspoken record of the dark carnality that exists only in the shadowed corners of our own human nature. Besides the literal shock, nausea and genuine horror I experience every time I read this book, the overall genius required to conjure up stories such as The Nightmare Box or Obsolete leaves me speechless. The first time I read the allegory comparing the picnic to the revelation contained within the nightmare box it induced tears. I'm sure most of us would agree that Palahniuck books, in general, set a certain precedent for aspiring authors. But Haunted, wow. Haunted is the reason I read and re-read everything I write and always remind myself it could be that much better. I was a little surprised that no listed Haunted as their favorite but the fact that it was completely absent just doesn't register as reasonable. Did I miss something?
i dont know. i like her. she may be new but she filled in her personal interest section, and she writes.
hey, perfect. as nate mentioned, it may have been an old thread. pre haunted's release. haunted culled a lot of new fans for chuck. many of the old fans, though, you'll find, didnt like haunted. at all. that's just the way it is. and there is a strong possibility that, yes, some fans omit it from their lists altogether. me, personally, i havent read a book by him i didnt enjoy. that includes snuff, and certainly rant.
hey. welcome to the cult
-kabol
They caught me because of the blood on my fingers and between my teeth. I looked up from my meal on the tile of the kitchen floor and dropped her cold limb with a thud and minor splash and told them it wasn't me.
though, after thinking a bit, you should definitely consider removing the two names in your fav authors section of one j.t.leroy (though, actually, that was two..) and james frey. just wanted to throw that out there.
-kabol
They caught me because of the blood on my fingers and between my teeth. I looked up from my meal on the tile of the kitchen floor and dropped her cold limb with a thud and minor splash and told them it wasn't me.
i hated haunted. it became one of those books i kept wanting to put down but, for whatever, reason i stuck through it. i guess hate isnt the right word. i mean, it wasnt terrible. but i did think it was boring. some of the shorts were great but tying them together wasnt.
its where i started to lose interest in chuck completely. im not an easy person to shock and i grow tired of people trying to shock me. i feel like chuck just tries to send things to his editor/publisher that will make them say "oh no! he cant do that!" just to say that he did indeed do that. of course, thats just my opinion. but, yeah, just tired of it. thats what i feel like snuff and now pygmy are also trying to do. ive been meaning to pick up rant for a while though.
um, recap: did not like haunted and losing/lost faith in chuck because of it and subsequent books.
[Ritt] 11:55 pm: I come down cold and strong like WINTER HAIL/ When I drop bombs they score tens on RICHTER SCALES!/ I get on the stage spit a VERSE AND BLOW/ everybody back within the FIRST TEN ROWS!!
i appreciate the input from veterans of these forums. obviously, i just recently joined and really don't participate in forums in general. one of the reasons is because of rules like a title being too long. it's a quote and one i thought summarized what i was feeling in relation to the topic. i don't expect anyone to abide or respond to anything i have to say. i thought the idea behind these forums was to allow people with similar interests to share ideas, questions and feedback. the reason i decided to finally join the cult instead of just visiting was a belief that the unique, nihilist spirit of Palahniuck's writing would also exist within these pages. apologies all around to the toes i might have stepped on.
sorry, i forgot to mention, i did review the post. though it was older, even the last few pages have very little to say about haunted. and as for choices concerning other novelists work, i'll post a blog. this doesn't seem to relate to the topic and i certainly don't want to break the rules..
dont apologize for posts. i dont think youve stepped on anyones toes. i see nothing wrong with this one. you seem to at least be able to post logically and thoughtfully which is nice. its true that many people, me included, often skip over long ambiguous titles. i assumed it was a quote which is why i gave it a look see. as far as the nihilism, dont know what to tell you. weve all got our tendencies towards nihilism, existentialism, atheism, anarchy, and other such things. but i dont think many people share that nihilistic spirit. i tend towards nihilism often times but apathy is my true delight. apathy overrules all other ideologies brewing around inside me.
i dont know, hope for the best. i think youll be fine here and im sure many people will respond to things of this nature. i mean, i did, and i was disagreeing. and there are no rules for posting. at least i dont think so. i dont know, threads often end up on completely unrelated topics than originally intended.
[Ritt] 11:55 pm: I come down cold and strong like WINTER HAIL/ When I drop bombs they score tens on RICHTER SCALES!/ I get on the stage spit a VERSE AND BLOW/ everybody back within the FIRST TEN ROWS!!
oh, and people rarely respond to blogs around here. or at least i never have. just post whatever youre thinking as another thread or in this thread and itll probably get more response than a blog.
[Ritt] 11:55 pm: I come down cold and strong like WINTER HAIL/ When I drop bombs they score tens on RICHTER SCALES!/ I get on the stage spit a VERSE AND BLOW/ everybody back within the FIRST TEN ROWS!!
the only rules are no posting nazi-racist stuff and no posting nudie pictures. although you can describe the nudity in as many words as you want.
oh and also no spam.
anyways, as for haunted, it usually gets a bum rap along with diary and lullabye for not being as "good" as his first four books. A lot of people will say they didn't like them but when compared to some of the other books by other authors at the time they hold up pretty damn well as good books. So when someone says they hated haunted it usually means compared to Chuck's other work and not compared to books in general.
Also, it seems most people that got into Chuck through Haunted, diary or lullabye like those most over people that got into Chuck through FC, Survivor or Choke. So it's like a generational thing.
again, i appreciate the feedback. i have looked for an appropriate place to respond to the opposition to my literary favorites but nothing really seems applicable. so, in very brief form, i'll just say that those choices are just that, my literary favorites. not my favorite people, not my beacons of truth. i don't care if it's laura albert. i don't care if oprah disapproves. i don't care if the book jacket labels it fact or fiction. the work of these authors affected me before their scandals affected everyone else. i'm not the type of person to change my honest opinion based on the outrage of others. if a book can increase my awareness, challenge my beliefs, strengthen my resolve, in short, change my person, it deserves my respect.
again, i appreciate the feedback. i have looked for an appropriate place to respond to the opposition to my literary favorites but nothing really seems applicable. so, in very brief form, i'll just say that those choices are just that, my literary favorites. not my favorite people, not my beacons of truth. i don't care if it's laura albert. i don't care if oprah disapproves. i don't care if the book jacket labels it fact or fiction. the work of these authors affected me before their scandals affected everyone else. i'm not the type of person to change my honest opinion based on the outrage of others. if a book can increase my awareness, challenge my beliefs, strengthen my resolve, in short, change my person, it deserves my respect.
thats what i like to hear. shes spirit, sass, and conviction. cant ask for much more. and, too, yeah, its your list. it can say whatever it wants. i think kabol may have been joking when he said that though. but maybe not. i think youll do fine here.
i like diary. i like it more than choke anyway.
[Ritt] 11:55 pm: I come down cold and strong like WINTER HAIL/ When I drop bombs they score tens on RICHTER SCALES!/ I get on the stage spit a VERSE AND BLOW/ everybody back within the FIRST TEN ROWS!!
i like diary. i like it more than choke anyway.
No0o0o0oo0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0!!!!!!!!
((spontaneously combusts))
thank god. i never liked him anyway.
[Ritt] 11:55 pm: I come down cold and strong like WINTER HAIL/ When I drop bombs they score tens on RICHTER SCALES!/ I get on the stage spit a VERSE AND BLOW/ everybody back within the FIRST TEN ROWS!!
Appearantly you're not alone. You're the second person who's done that to me.
http://www.chuckpalahniuk.net/node/1031210
the its about time you combust in a spontaneous manner, isnt it?
i mean, two people cant be wrong.
also, thats an odd coincidence.
[Ritt] 11:55 pm: I come down cold and strong like WINTER HAIL/ When I drop bombs they score tens on RICHTER SCALES!/ I get on the stage spit a VERSE AND BLOW/ everybody back within the FIRST TEN ROWS!!
i appreciate the input from veterans of these forums. obviously, i just recently joined and really don't participate in forums in general. one of the reasons is because of rules like a title being too long. it's a quote and one i thought summarized what i was feeling in relation to the topic.
one of the reasons i love this forum is because there are no fucking rules =)
aside from basic rules to abide by: no harrasing other members, no outright racist comments, or the trading of government secrets.. that sort of thing. i particularly liked the title. true, true, most members dont take seriously a lot of new members because so many come and go in a week or a day. there used to be word that youre not a cultist until you hit 500 posts, but stonecoyote was a cultist at like his tenth post. really, anyone who spends considerable time here will see through much of the bullshit involved with forums because most of the members who participate regularly here arent trying to make themselves look good or "cool" or whatever; we're just being ourselves. point being, if youre honest, other members will be honest with you.
just thought id throw that out there. this is a day of throwing.
-kabol
They caught me because of the blood on my fingers and between my teeth. I looked up from my meal on the tile of the kitchen floor and dropped her cold limb with a thud and minor splash and told them it wasn't me.
It just so happens a lot of people being themselves, you find out they're scumbags. Haha, just kidding, sort of. I, myself, don't try to look cool here, I just am this awesome all the time. I came packaged this way.
Your thread title is just fine.
I have yet to read Haunted, but I wanted to contribute to this about Lullaby getting a shitty rap... that was the first book from Chuck I read, actually, after seeing Fight Club years ago when it came out. I loved Lullaby, and it's definitely one of my favorite books from him. I noticed, though, it gets a lot of shit from other people. It's that book that started me on Chuck, got me reading Survivor, Fight Club, Choke, Diary, Invisible Monsters next... I have yet to read the newer books, though, like Haunted. I've read Guts and that one short about emmigration squads, though. My sister owns it, I have to borrow it from her someday.
I am the ghost that haunts my dreams. It's pathetic, really, to be the monster of my own nightmares. Next to you is the only time I feel safe...
[ click! ]
perfectblue20, wotcher. I think you've found somewhere where your honest opinion will always be welcome. Unfortunately the comment about new members arriving and being oddly spirited away after only a couple of posts is true. Stick around, I think you've got recognised Cult member stamped all over you if you like it or not, can't deny the fates and thier crown prince the cosmic joker so ya may as well go along with it.
JKabol, thank you for your kind words sir.
Its not how hard ya rock, its how well ya roll.
I liked the concept of Haunted. I think my beef with it was the pace? Like, it took a while getting to the point, breaking away for a short story and poem every chapter or every other chapter, and when it finally got there I didn't really care anymore. Also, I found myself more interested in the shorts than the main story, so that was another thing. Eventually I skipped the shorts and just read through the main parts, but that didn't help either. And the ending blew nuts.
Lullaby is a book I feel like I should read again someday. I didn't nessecarily dislike it, it felt too....um? fairy taleish? Like, with the talking cow and stuff. I don't know, I'm wierd like that. Talking animals turn me off.
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