Canterbury Tales – Cannonball Read 17

The incredible ending to one of the greatest modern speculative fiction stories

Fall of Hyperion by Dan Simmons

January 25, 2020 by MarkAbaddon Leave a Comment

Sticking the landing is difficult in stories. Hyperion built up so many mysteries and threw so much at the reader, it would take a monumental achievement to have a satisfying conclusion. Dan Simmons accomplished that ending so beautifully that even an East German judge would score it a 10 (kids, ask your parents to explain that, if necessary). There are so many disparate stories in this book that are woven together: the pilgrims on their way to the Shrike to either have their one wish […]

Hyperion – a modern classic

Hyperion by Dan Simmons

January 18, 2020 by MarkAbaddon Leave a Comment

Some books make you think and force you to challenge long held concepts. Some books affect you emotionally and can force you to weep during social situations where it may be inappropriate (reading on the bus, for example). Only a true classic can achieve both of those objectives and Simmons’ Hyperion certainly qualifies. This is a book that has won many awards and been hailed as a classic for over two decades and I am now realizing how influential it is when I watch shows […]

Road Trip!

April 23, 2015 by Melina Leave a Comment

What better way to end the school year but with humor…and I mean dirty humor! Geoffrey Chaucer wrote the Canterbury Tales as a frame tale (he got the idea from the Decameron and thought it was cool, the rest was history!). He sets up the frame by telling us about this large group of pilgrims who are travelling from London (Southwark) to the shrine of Thomas a Becket. Chaucer spends a lot of time in the Prologue of the tales describing the different characters both […]

Zirza on A Gothic Classic for a ReasonIt's one of those wish-you-could-read-it-again-for-the-first-time books. I loved it.
Emmalita on “It came to something when you found yourself hoping that the footsteps you heard were ghosts.”I loved the ending! I don’t think it’s been out long enough to talk about why though.
Dixie on Track Her Down by Melinda LeighI am just starting Track Her Down and I have read them all in order till now and thought I...
Roland of Gilead on How can you give us the gift of a crazy character named Rando Thoughtful and then just as suddenly take that gift away? We need to talk, Uncle Stevie.I came across this randomly years after it was written because I was searching "Random Thoughtful. But I have the...
Emmalita on “Only you, Em, would refer to heartbreak as a distraction. I think I would have a more sympathetic response if I asked to marry a bookcase.”Oh my goodness, Gallifrey was beautiful. I’m sure her mittens were gloriously murdery.

Help Our Mission