Showing posts with label mystery. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mystery. Show all posts

Sunday, September 17, 2023

Top 100 Mystery Reading List Interlude: In Need of a Fantasy Book

I’ve decided–after all–that I just might need a break from my reading “challenge” of the Top 100 Mystery Novels of All Time. Seriously, I just finished The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins–a conclusive experience that begs for a break in reading genres. However, I wasn’t listening to my reading spirit and went forth to read The Circular Staircase by Mary Roberts Rinehart and The Hot Rock by Donald E. Westlake post The Woman in White. I was dedicated to my "challenge". I was determined to extend my reading of mysteries on into September.


Unfortunately, in keeping consistent with the Top 100 Mystery Novels list, I’ve tried to read The Circular Staircase TWICE in my life and have recently failed again. Somewhere around the 25% mark, I consistently grow bored with the story. Plus, I never seem to like the first-person narrative (for several reasons I’ll hold back from sharing at the moment). It’s crazy to me, because I figured The Circular Staircase would be a fantastic book to read for a mystery lover such as myself. But, nevertheless, I can never seem to get into it. Therefore, The Circular Staircase is being bounced off my reading attempts in regard to the Top 100 Mystery Novels of All Time.

Second to that, I proceeded forth to try to read Donald E. Westlake’s The Hot Rock. 25% into the book, and I’m honestly not feeling it. It’s too, dare I say, goofy in its tone. Yet, I’m still hoping to return to it after I finish reading…

…the interlude book/genre…

The Soprano Sorceress by L. E. Modesitt Jr. Finally, FINALLY pulled this off my shelf. My reading spirit kept calling me to this book; put aside the mysteries for a break and read some high fantasy. I'm about 250 pages in and am sold. It's not the greatest high fantasy. Certainly not the deepest high fantasy. Though completing The Wheel of Time tempered me on how to read high fantasy books such as this. But it's kind of what I need. Just an epic, magical adventure involving a portal fantasy traveling woman who uses her voice to summon storms (of all things). Alongside the many forces trying to either control her and her powers, or destroy her.

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