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Jimmni t1_j28u03g wrote

If it helps, they’re truly wonderful and weird books.

The main antagonist is my favourite in literature. Iago is but a child beside his grit, patience and ambition.

The prose is rich and beautiful. Just read the very first paragraph and you’ll see.

It’s a world, albeit a small one, that you’ll never forget. Full of detail and mystery and the quirkiest of characters.

Also it’s actually three books, you just have them in one volume. Take them one book at a time. The second is the best.

The first two are my favourite books of all time and I re-read them most years. The third is good too but quite different.

All that said, they’re not books I’d recommend to get back into reading. Maybe a Pratchett instead.

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Automatic_Secret_539 t1_j28unx0 wrote

>Also it’s actually three books, you just have them in one volume. Take them one book at a time. The second is the best.

Thats part of the problem i think its a paperback book which i dont agree with anyway but ontop of that it just looks so long as its the three books combined. Im looking at hardback copys and they are mega money too. I wanted to read these because of the song the drowning man, im a big music person and i thought it was such a beutiful song. That and the fact i love gothic literature and poetry and the setting sounds so beutiful. I really want to start but am straggling with it.

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Jimmni t1_j29a7wj wrote

Just read the first page and you’ve started :D

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cferrari22 t1_j2a8irm wrote

I know some people would be appalled, but unless it’s a book you want to keep forever, tearing it into three (or more!) parts is NOT a sin! 😁

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Automatic_Secret_539 t1_j2a8p20 wrote

Not sure my dad who brought it me for Christmas would be too happy, i totally get book art but i really dont like damaging or using books like that unless the book is already damanged beyond repair. Just personal preference!

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cferrari22 t1_j2a8ou2 wrote

Sorry, just saw that someone else already suggested it.

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bibliophile222 t1_j28u5m2 wrote

Worst-case scenario: you start it and don't get through it for some reason. That's it. Nothing bad, you could just set it aside and try it again later. No biggie.

Best-case scenario: you read the whole thing and freaking love it, and you get to feel proud of yourself for tackling something so big after such a long break!

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GrudaAplam t1_j28ueen wrote

Just because it's all in one book doesn't mean you have to read it all in one go. I spaced out an omnibus edition that contained three books over three years, one book per year.

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Automatic_Secret_539 t1_j28uw15 wrote

I guess thats part of the issue for me. I like having things seperated by something, i think buying the books seperated might help me, thank you for the advice

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Fabulous-Wolf-4401 t1_j29jjj3 wrote

An ex boyfriend of mine once tore his book into thirds so I could read it too (we'd both wanted to read it but he'd started it first) - I was horrified at the time (damaging a sacred book!) but then I thought, it's the content that matters. If you can bear to separate the book into the separate novels, I would do that.

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Automatic_Secret_539 t1_j29jqg7 wrote

Oh my goodness, no i dont think i could bare that. Its the paperback copy so it isnt the expensive one but still i could never- i might buy the books separately though that sounds like a good idea!

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gunslingrburrito t1_j28uudb wrote

They're gorgeously written with oddball, memorable characters. And really, you can skip the third book unless you feel like reading it by the time you get to that point.

The setting changes in the third book, and the author's health had badly deteriorated. It's really not as good as the first two books.

Titus Groan and Gormenghast tell a complete story on their own, and they are stone cold masterpieces.

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_fallen__ t1_j28uze6 wrote

Gormenghast is good enough, and magical enough, that once you have read 50 pages, you will want to read more.

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macadamnut t1_j28zxtx wrote

The cat room made it for me.

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keerin t1_j28vqyx wrote

I've not read this yet but I've just bought the Broken Earth Trilogy, the illustrated Earthsea collection and the Baroque Cycle to read this year.

The main way I get past the "large book fear" is to remind myself that I read 50 pages a day either way, so it doesn't matter if it's a 2000 page story or four 500 page books. The time/pagecount will pass either way.

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IndigoTrailsToo t1_j297c9f wrote

I borrowed this book from the library and but I couldn't make it more than halfway before giving up. The prose is beautiful, the characters are interesting, but it just moves very, very slowly. It was a DNF for me.

So it's possible that this book series might not be for you. Not because I didn't like it, but because not every book is for everyone and that's okay.

Try to let go of all of the anxiety and expectations and just let yourself be you.

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vibraltu t1_j299tvd wrote

Go easy and take a break between sections.

The plotting and pacing are unconventional, so it will come across as odd. You have to go with it.

Gormenghast isn't for everyone, so if you don't get into it don't feel bad.

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wood_for_trees t1_j29pips wrote

>Gormenghast

I read this, but have always called it Gormenghastly since. YMMV, but I ticked it off and moved on.

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Fluffy-Ferret-2725 t1_j2a09lo wrote

Take your time with it, few pages here and there. Not much happens for 80 pages or so but it sets the scene and is wonderful writing.

Highly recommend this book... it has stayed with me.

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CrazyCatLady108 t1_j2a3fpn wrote

Please post 'Should I read X book''What do I need to know before I read X' questions, in our Weekly Recommendation Thread.

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