11/22/63, Oryx & Crake and Await Your Reply Mini Reviews
by Jenners • 09/14/2012 • 4 Stars, 4.5 Stars, A Authors, A Titles, C Authors, Contemporary, Dystopia, Fiction, K Authors, Number Title, O Titles, Science Fiction • 83 Comments
11/22/63 by Stephen KingGenre: Fiction, Science Fiction (?)
Where I Got It: Bought it for my Kindle
Why I Read It: Hello! Stephen King + time travel = must read
My Rating: 4.5 stars
Brief Description: Jake Epping, a schoolteacher in Maine (of course!), is approached by his friend Al with a very strange proposition: Al has found a portal back in time to the year 1958, and he wants Jake to go back and prevent the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Although Al has attempted to do this himself, his health is failing and he cannot complete the task. Reluctantly, Jake agrees and embarks on what turns out to be a long strange trip that has consequences far beyond what Jake could have ever imagined.
My Thoughts: My description was very bare bones so believe me when I tell you this hardly scratches the surface of all that happens in this epic novel from one of our modern storytelling masters. King finally wrote a book that people who “don’t like Stephen King” can enjoy and figure out why the man sells millions and millions of books. In fact, many of the reviews I’ve read of this book were from Stephen King virgins who professed their surprise and delight at how much they enjoyed and got involved with this story. The book is about much much more than the prevention of the JFK assassination—although that is what propels the story forward (or perhaps backward I should say). This is King at his best—telling a whopping good story with a big old beating heart at its center (not literally) that elevates the book from a “time travel adventure” to a gut-wrenching, heart-breaking story that will leave you emotionally wrung out. It is exciting, funny, scary, romantic, sci-fi historical fiction like it has never been done before (and probably won’t be again). And if you’re not a King newbie, you’ll love this book too. Look for some of our old friends making a cameo in the Derry sequences!
Oryx & Crake by Margaret AtwoodGenre: Fiction, Dystopia
Where I Got It: Paperback Swap
Why I Read It: I haven’t read an Atwood book in a long while and the reviews of this one sounded interesting
My Rating: 4 stars
Brief Description: Set in a future dystopia after something very bad has happened, our hero Snowman seems to be one of the last humans alive. His story of how this world came to be and his role in it comprises the book.
My Thoughts: Yeah, yeah yeah … I’m not telling you all that much. But my thinking is: Why should I try to describe it when Margaret Atwood has done such a good job telling the story? Atwood has created a fantastic dystopic tale that should be discovered as she’s written it—with Snowman living in his own personal hell and thinking back on how he came to be there. Usually when you read a dystopia, the story takes place primarily in the horrible new world that has been created. What makes Oryx & Crake different is that this tells the story of how the dystopia came to be (the most interesting part, don’t you think?). In other words, Snowman is giving us the dystopic back story, and it is wildly imaginative, disturbingly plausible and (to be honest) just plain fun. I got really caught up in this book and had a hard time putting it down. You can bet I’m going to be reading the companion book, The Year of the Flood. I also think this would make a kick-ass movie, and I can’t believe it hasn’t been done yet. (Or has it and I just missed it?)
Await Your Reply by Dan ChaonGenre: Fiction, Contemporary
Where I Got It: Bought it
Why I Read It: Someone who read a review I wrote on Amazon said I should read this book. So I did.
My Rating: 4 stars
Brief Description: A man searches fruitlessly for his twin brother, whose been missing for 10 years. A new high school graduate embarks on an adventure with her former history teacher and ends up in an abandoned motel in the middle of Nebraska. A young college student receives shocking news and ends up being mistakenly pronounced dead … so he decides to just go with it. The fates of these three people run parallel throughout the book before crashing together in unexpected ways.
My Thoughts: Reading this book is akin to throwing the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle in the air and having it assemble itself before landing, with all the pieces fitting neatly together. It was a nifty little trick that Chaon pulled off in this book, and I was impressed. I will admit that I struggled while reading to figure out what the heck was going on … how exactly did these three seemingly unrelated stories fit together? Chaon keeps the puzzle pieces up in the air for most of the book, but when it all starts fitting together, there is an “aaaah” moment that made it a fun and satisfying reading experience. If you enjoy intricately plotted stories that have sinister and dark undertones, this is the book for you!
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Hmm, raves. I’ve just put hold on all three of these as audiobooks. These better be good, Jenners. These better be real good.
Oh they are, Michael. But I cannot vouch for the narrators!
I herewith indemnify you against an narrator-related problems or complaints.
Since I am slowly, but happily, making my way through Derry in IT I think it might be awhile til I get to this one, but it looks SO GOOD!
It is sooooo good. And although long, it reads quickly. It would be worth it to read it while the Derry parts are fresh in your mind. The “cameos” come early on.
Ok- I’m back…
The Company of the Dead by David Kowalski. Apparently, a bookseller pushed it on a friend as (hold your gasp) BETTER than 11/22/63 but similar. I want to read it because of the time travel component.
Better than 11/22/63? Really?
Sounds like Await Your Reply will make a great book club book.
And… Agree that 11/22/63 reads extemely fast and one shouldn’t be put off thinking it a chunkster. Also, I have a book to offer If-YOU-LIKED-112263: but I have to go look it up and come back here, ok?
I’m reading these backwards and I have to read this “better than 11/22/63″ book. What did you think? Was it??? I’ll wait to see what you think.
I have to read 11/22/63, it sounds great. I just need to make the time for it, and i’m still stuck UNDER The Dome beleive it or not! I never got past the first 100 pages or so.I’ll have to start over.
I’m adding Oryx & Crake to my wish list, I enjoy dystopia. You hit the nail on the head when reviewing Await Your Reply , I enjoyed that book veyr much when I read it.
Nice mini reviews!
Glad to hear you felt the same about Await Your Reply. And I couldn’t put Under the Dome down once I started so maybe it just isn’t for you. 11/22/63 is pretty much universally loved though. And Oryx & Crake is a really good dystopia that felt really different to me.
I haven’t read Atwood in so long, but now you got me thinking!
Me too! It was back in college that I last read her.
I have got both King’s and Atwood’s book and really need to get down and read them. I’ve been thinking of maybe going the way of audio but we’ll see. I’m glad to see you liked both. Are you going to tackle Year of the Flood now? I’ve heard it’s a great sequel.
I heard the King book is AWESOME on audio (but really long). I’m definitely planning on reading Year of the Flood.
11/22/63 is really high on my list to read this winter. Also, that Atwood is such a strange book, but it’s fascinating!
Oh it would be a great winter read. (Or fall, or spring or summer.) And I agree with your completely on the Atwood book.
Hey Jenner….. Just received The Slap in the mail and wanted to say Thank You! I am starting it as soon as I finish Wild. You Rock!
I’m curious to hear what you thought of Wild. I really enjoyed it but some people just hated it.
I am so not an Atwood fan and so not a fan of post-apocalyptic lit but I think you’ve convinced me to read Oryx & Crake. Well done!
Wow!! I’m surprised … it seems like it is not your type of book AT ALL! I hope you don’t hate it if you read it!!!
I read 11/22/63 earlier this year, but hadn’t read IT. Now that I’m reading IT, I’ll have to go back and read some of the Derry sections of 11/22/63 to see the cameos.
I’m on the fence on whether I want to read Oryx and Crake. I wasn’t a big fan of The Handmaid’s Tale, which was also dystopian. I read Alias Grace and loved it, but it was so very different. I’ll probably give it a try, though. Glad to hear you liked it.
I know! I almost wanted to reread IT to get the full impact of the Derry sections.
And I suspect that each Atwood book is wildly unlike any other Atwood book so you might want to give this a try. It started a little rough but I got into it after awhile.
I haven’t read the King book but the Atwood & Chaon are favorites. I think you’ll like THE YEAR OF THE FLOOD even more- it’s more plot-oriented and doesn’t really involve Jimmy until the end. I kind of hated Jimmy on my first read but the second time I realized that was the point, LOL. She’s amazing.
Oooh….you got me really excited about THe Year of the Flood now!!!
I am a Stephen King virgin so might have to pick this one up
It is the perfect book for King virgins! There are many apparently!
Ooh, it’s to the Kindle store I go. Finished “Skippy Dies” a few weeks ago and I am so grateful to you for the recommendation. You are my go-to person! I am a Steven King fan, but finally OD’d. So great to learn of his latest book.
Oh I’m so glad you liked Skippy Dies!!!! And if you are a King fan but kind of burned out on him (I was like that too), 11/22/63 is a great way to get back into him. He really outdoes himself.
I started it today and am completely hooked! I’ll be mentioning you one of these days very soon on my blog. You are an exceptional book reviewer. I like being surprised by a book and many reviewers give too much away in their reviews. You never do. You tell enough to enable me to make an informed decision as to whether or not a book is for me. Your comments aren’t intended to show everyone how clever you are. They’re thoughtful, clear, helpful. You are now my go-to book reviewer! And you non-book blogging is a joy. Where’s the line for the fan club?!?
You so made my day with this comment. Seriously. I think sometimes my reviews aren’t so hot so to hear this from you makes me feel so good. Thanks for that!
These are all books that I have on audio, and I need to make time for them. I have heard great things about all three, and think that I am going to start with Oryx and Crake because I have the sequel on my KIndle as well. Are you planning on reading the sequel? Fantastic mini-reviews today!
Definitely planning on reading the sequel to Oryx and Crake. A few commenters have been saying it is even better than O and C!
Atwood sure does know how to weave a plausible dystopian tale. I will definitely look this one up.
Await your reply sounded good too! Thanks for the recommendations
I think the plausibility of Atwood’s dystopias is what makes them so disturbing and creepy.
Loving the mini reviews. I might have to do something like this from now on while I find it hard to do proper reviews. I actually just posted a short review of 11/22/63 on my blog. I am a Stephen King virgin and thought that it would be a good idea to start here after a few people suggested it. I was really enjoying it, but it will a little too long for me to keep reading. And I think you put it exactly right when you were talking about Oryx and Crake – Margaret Atwood says it best
I’m so far behind on reviews that mini-reviews are all I’ve got in me. I think they are just as good (if not better) than long reviews. I’ve been trying to focus on brevity as we all have limited time to read blogs let alone books.
L0ved 11-22-63 and I have yet to read Oryx and Crake, but I own it!
I have so many books I own already but I still don’t read. Why is that???
I’m glad to see you enjoyed King’s book. I liked it too but I prefer his stories that have a touch of creepy in them. This one was almost normal by comparison.
Oryx and Crake sounds good, I’ve only read The Blind Assassin by Atwood and didn’t like it all that much.
Stephen King’s short stories are still haunting me to this day. There was one about a boy whose father drinks too much and is turning into a gooey slime that gave me the creeps for years.
Isn’t 11/22/63 divine? It is the penultimate story because it has just about everything in it. Now that I’ve read IT, I can appreciate those scenes in Derry that much more. So clever, Mr. King!
Wasn’t it cool how he worked in the kids from IT into the book? I love when authors do that. And it was truly a book that had everything in it!
Await Your Reply sounds very interesting…
And I would like to read the King…but it is just SO long.
Yes the King is long but it doesn’t FEEL long and that is the key!! I read it in three days because the pages just flew by. By contrast, I’ve read books that were only 250 pages but felt much much much longer. Be sure to read it on an e-reader so you don’t have to hold the heavy book! ; )
Liking the sound of the Margaret Atwood. I had no idea Stephen King dabbled in SciFi – not that I’ll be likely to give this one a look as time travel and me just don’t get on. As always great mini reviews, thanks.
See, I love time travel books and I was so curious how King would do with it. It is the time travel scenario that caused me to classify it as sci fi, though you could make a case for it being historical fiction too with all the stuff he presents about the JFK assassination. It really is a book that defies categorization.
I listened to 11-22-63 and was completely blown away by the writing, the narration and my incredibly long delay in reading King! That book is at the top of my list this year as favorite book, possibly of all time. If you ever re-read books and decide to re-read 11-22-63, try the audio version – the narrator IS Jake Epping.
I have never read the other two books you reviewed but now want to definitely read Oryx and Crake – sounds deliciously scary!
I kind of wish I had done 11/22/63 on audio but I knew it would take me FOREVER. (I read a lot faster than I listen.) Sometimes I just can’t wait that long. The pages just flew by and I think I was done in three days.
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I also have Oryx and Crake, which I hope to get to before too long. I enjoy these mini reviews–they are like a sampler plate.
I love that image of a book review sampler plate!
You are not the first I’ve heard give very positive reviews of King’s novel. I’m sure I’ll get to it at some point.
I can’t remember the last Atwood I read – surely not The Handmaid’s Tale! – and Alias Grace has been sitting on my shelf for years. This one sounds good and I think it will go on my “wish list”.
The King book seems to be universally popular… especially with King “newbies.” I love when an author gets new fans like that.
I got the King book from the library as so many people on Friday Reads on facebook were talking about it … absolutely fantastic.
Wasn’t it great? I think the history/research and the romantic story line just elevated it to something really special.
I think I should have started with this SK book, since the Stand just made me sick. Haven’t read your others yet.
11/22/63 is definitely not as “sick” as some of the other King books. People who don’t like his horror stuff really liked it. Maybe that was the place to start!
Fabulous review of 11/22/63. I agree with every word you said.
Haven’t read the others, but I’m sure your reviews of them are just as brilliant.
Even though 11/22/63 was a really long book, I think I finished in just a few days because it was just so readable.
So glad to hear you like Oryx and Crake–I agree it would make a great movie. And The Year of the Flood? Even Better. You get to find out some of the things you’re still wondering about from Oryx and Crake…
So glad to hear Year of the Flood answers some of the other questions!!! I’ve got to get my hands on that soon.
A mini review for 11/22/63??? Jenners! I should flog you! But I won’t. Wasn’t it awesome? Simply one of the most awesome things I’ve ever read in a long time.
A mini review doesn’t mean I don’t like the book!!! It just means I’m horribly unable to find time to write book reviews!!! It was an awesome book. And I just finished Let Me In — that was a great RIP read and now I’m curious about the movie. But the whole “now Eli is a boy” thing was weird. Still, the story was kick ass!
11/22/63 was my first (and only) experience with King and I loved it. I listened to the audio version and I hung on every word.
I love that this particular book exposed so many people to Stephen King for the first time. He really can write but so many people avoid him because of the stories he chooses to tell.
I have all three of these titles and haven’t found time for any of them yet! But I’m glad to see that they all get high marks from you so I know I have worthwhile reads awaiting on the TBR shelf!
Isn’t it awesome when you see someone rave about some books and you already have them!? I love that feeling.
I have the King book, but haven’t read it yet. The others are new to me. Will have to check them out!
I’ll warn you now … once you start the King book, you might have trouble putting it down.
Three great books to read and I just don’t have the time!
I know … that is my whole problem in life: finding time to read all the good books out there.
I just started listening to 11/22/63 this morning. It’s 30 freakin’ hours long! I need to go on an epic road trip if I have any hope of finishing before Christmas.
I suspect you will become so hooked that you will be randomly driving around just to hear what happens next!
Hee hee. I do this.
I liked 11/23/63 a lot. Glad u had the chance to read it. I have lots of reviews to catch up on and may take the mini-review route as well. Great job.
I almost can’t do anything BUT the mini review … not that it means a book isn’t worthwhile if it doesn’t get a full-blown write-up.
These all sound terrific. I was already interested in the King and Atwood books, but I hadn’t heard of the other. You make it sound so intriguing.
The Dan Chaon book is really kind of cool. For the whole thing, you’re like “How do these stories fit together?” and then, when you realize the connections, you just sigh in admiration for the author.
I’m thrilled to see your opinion of Oryx and Crake because I own a copy and attempted reading it when I wasn’t in the appropriate mood. I read a few pages, thought it was bizarre beyond words and gave up. I’ve been looking for a reason to pick it up ever since, but this time I’m going to wait until I’m in the right mood.
And about 11/22/63 – I was one of those who was new to SK and I loved that book! It made me want to read everything else he’s ever read, except for the fact that I don’t read horror.
So… I’m still pondering reading some of his other books – maybe The Stand or The Dome. But definitely not the really freaky horror books at this point.
I agree: the start of Oryx & Crake is difficult. But I think it is worth keeping on with as it gets better. And there is a follow-up book so I’m really pumped up about that. And I love that 11/22/63 got you to be a fan of SK. If you can handle a love/ghost story, I’d highly recommend Bag of Bones.
I loved the King book, haven’t read the others. I’d be more likely to read Await Your Reply, as the dystopian thing just isn’t my cup of tea. I prefer to read about the sick and twisted world that actually exists.
Isn’t it sad that there really is no need to write dystopias as so many people are living in one today? Sad.