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WARNING - may contain spoilers if you have not read the book....
Just finished this (mostly in one sitting) and thought it was an astonishing book. I found it incredibly gripping, and it affected me in a way I just wasn't expecting. I can't remember many books that have left me thinking "wow" at the end in the way this one did.
However, as a cyclist, I have to admit that one of the first things that occurred to me, within a few pages of starting the book, was "Why aren't they cycling?". The protagonists stuck pretty much to the tarmac, which generally seemed to be in reasonable condition. Instead of shoving a shoogly, overloaded shopping trolley, I'm sure they could have looted a couple of nice tourers from a post apocalyptic LBS, loaded up their panniers, and spun down to the coast in a few weeks, comfortably outrunning any marauding cannibals.
It set me thinking about other films and books where things might have worked out better with the addition of bicycles. "Run, Lola, Run" for instance, might have come to a satisfactory conculsion much quicker if Lola had hopped on a bike in the first place.
i must admit that wasnt my first thought when i read it
but its a brilliant book
i must admit that wasnt my first thought when i read it
Nor me. Anyway, bicycles would draw too much attention, plus they barely had anything to eat, so energy levels would have been an issue. Plus, what tyres for a post-apocalyptic wasteland covered in a mixture of ash and snow?
Given they were struggling to get a working shopping trolley, shat makes you think they could get bikes?
Actually that was exactly my first thought too so glad I'm not the only one. In that scenario I'd have expected bikes to be everywhere
Apparently there's an early draft in which they find a pair of mountain bikes and go to shred some gnar but have to abandon the bikes because the squeaking disk brakes attract cannibals.
The Road is a rubbish book that leaves out the interesting whys and what happeneds to simply perv over the desperation of people not used to living out of a shopping trolley. "it was bleak, and the bleakness was bleak in a bleak way. nobody had any names, which was bleak and... shhhh! did you hear that? it sounded bleak..." etc.
That crossed my mind but not enough to spoil the story. Can't say I gave much thought to all the issues mikey and cynic-al mention but they're valid points.
Possibly the most affecting book I've ever read though, made me blub like a baby at the end. You might also want to read McCarthy's "Border Trilogy" - not quite as bleak, but just as powerful.
I thought it was absolute unrelenting rubbish, in which almost nothing happened to some characters so thin that they almost didn't exist, and every time anything did happen it was totally unconvincing.
What tyres for post-unexplained-apocalypse?
Apparently there's an early draft in which they find a pair of mountain bikes and go to shred some gnar
I think there was also one where they come across a bit of a graveyard surrounded by bikes with avid brakes and press-fit bottom brackets. Eventually, they make it to the coast and stumble across a small community of internal hub geared UST fat-bikers who made the journey, only to commit suicide as by being the only bikers left, they were no longer part of a niche.
Northwind - Member
I thought it was absolute unrelenting rubbish, in which almost nothing happened to some characters so thin that they almost didn't exist, and every time anything did happen it was totally unconvincing.
i didnt see that at all
i came away impressed at how sparse macarthys writing style is but still left me with a vivid impression of the story
Given they were struggling to get a working shopping trolley, shat makes you think they could get bikes?
To be fair, I find it difficult to find a working shopping trolley in the Newton Abbot branch of Asda, God only knows how I'd cope with the apocalypse.
Personally come the reckoning I'd be fighting my way down to the Dorset coast to liberate a couple of Pugsleys from Charlie the BikeMonger's storeroom.
If Romney wins we all might get a chance to find out..................
Cormac McCarthy is my favourite author: Go read Blood Meridian and The Outer Dark.
He has this amazing way of making you gripped to a story, even though all the main characters are actually quite detestable. His prose and descriptive writing is second to none IMO
Cormac McCarthy is my favourite author: Go read Blood Meridian and The Outer Dark.He has this amazing way of making you gripped to a story, even though all the main characters are actually quite detestable. His prose and descriptive writing is second to none IMO
+1
Blood Meridian is an astonishing book, much better than The Road. The Crossing is also excellent though unbearably sad.
Liked the Road a lot - think it's up there with his best work.
About due another book is Cormac - 'The Passenger' is listed on his wiki page as being forthcoming.
Apparently he's written a screenplay.
I am hoping Ridley Scott, or maybe the Coen brothers will make Blood Meridian, but I fear that it is un-filmable without ruining it.
liked (if that's the right word) The Road, didn't really get blood meridian so much. Not sure I'll bother with another, his writing style really impressed me in the road and the grinding bleakness was horribly well maintained, but seemed just more of the same when I read blood meridian later
the border trilogy is worth reading too, but its no bundle of joy!!
no country for old men is relatively cheery also brilliant
Worth thinking about the context of the story. I read that Cormack Macarthy wrote the book after fathering a child aged 65. Guess that would sharpen your focus around not having much time left to teach your son or daughter the skills they need to live. The unspecific apocalypse of the narrative is surely just a backdrop for the father and sons relationship and the inevitable demise of the father.
Blood meridian is very good
The unspecific apocalypse of the narrative is surely just a backdrop for the father and sons relationship and the inevitable demise of the father.
Happy families then! Bet birthdays are a blast at their gaff........
Loved The Road, and it's worth watching the film too.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0898367/
Also No Country For Old Men is fantastic, as is the film. However I gave Blood Meridian a go months and months ago (after being recommended it on here), and I'm still struggling to get through it. I just find it a bit weird, and can't really get into it.
I had a really bad night's sleep after reading the first half of The Road- not nightmares, but sort of unsettled by the sense of desperation and constant fear in the book. Really good but not exactly a comedy classic.
I've read all of his books and he's one of my favourite authors.
Fantastic book - i love anything apocalyptic and the Road was very thought provoking
Unusually for an adaptation, the film was also very good