Friday, December 09, 2005

The Hobbit, The Bet, and The Chosen One





take the WHAT BAD BOOK ARE YOU test.


and go to mewing.net. not as good as reading a good book, but way better than a bad one.



That's kind of funny, considering I really liked The Hobbit. Although I suppose there are some people around here who think I am SO BORING, SO HUMORLESS, and SO ANNOYING. Those people can bite me :)

As long as we're on the subject of books, I need to let all of you know that I finally finished the new Harry Potter. I'll also tell the story of The Bet because I think it's funny.
I bought the new HP book the day it came out - I saw Frema and Luke at the bookstore that night, buying the same, of course. Phil bought it a few days later, even though he was still finishing up the fifth book.

I thought it would be fun to challenge him to a race.... mostly because I have the advantage of being a really fast reader and I knew I would completely kick his ass. I told Phil I'd wait to start the book until he finished the fifth, and then we could start the sixth together. (If I knew then what I know now, this is the point in The Bet where I would have started to cheat.)

A few days later, Phil informed me that he finished the fifth book and was ready for the next one. So he started. But I didn't. I was afraid to do any leisure reading because of grad school, and I was *really* busy with things at work... so I just didn't start it. And I never did. And before I knew it, Phil called to tell me that he had finished. Phil had beaten me.... me, the kid who brought a book to the swingset during recess..... me, the girl who baked cookies for the school librarian because she allowed me to check out an extra book every week..... me, the woman who will cancel weekend plans at the bar in favor of a good book. I had been defeated.

Months later, the end of DePaul's grad quarter, and a calm surfacing over most of my duties at work, I was finally able to spend some time with my love. Four days later, and it was over. Just like that. I *always* do that - I read and read and read, and then it's over and I don't know what to do with myself. I'm sad because it will be years before the last book comes out and, frankly, I'm not sure I can wait that long. I should have rationed it.

But WOW - what a book! Because all of you were so kind not to ruin it for me (special thanks to Frema, Luke, and Phil - even though he tried ruining it several times!), I'll show the same kindness for others and not reveal the TOTALLY INSANE ending to this book. I will say that I didn't think it was as sad or as surprising as book five, although it was fantastic in its own way. Book five is my favorite, though, so I'm probably a little biased.

Either way, Phil - you totally won this round, as much as it pains me to say it. Own'd.

4 comments:

Frema said...

My thoughts of the ending can be summed up in one word: planned! or at least, anticipated!

Make of that what you will and discuss.

becky said...

i think so, too. but it was still sad... and i still hate him a little bit for it.

phil! i totally wanted to talk about the "ron weasley" stuff, but i didn't want anyone to think i was giving anything away... even though that really has nothing to do with the book. and, if we're being honest, i'm going to miss those calls a lot... there's really no need for them to stop just because i've finished the book now, right? :)

isn't the satisfaction of beating me at something i was so smug and confident about enough for you? if not, then... i got nothin'. i'll make steve draw you a funny picture as your prize.

my word verification is better: qiryyyt. kinda like professor quirrel from the sorcerer's stone! see how everything goes back to harry potter? so satisfying.

Luke said...

At least you finished before the sixth movie came out.

As for what I think about the end (in somewhat vague terms), I'd wager that there's more to all of it than just what had to be done. Word.

Melanie Allen said...

I too enjoyed the Hobbit. I do not find you so boring, so humorless, nor so annoying : )