[Intrepid Homoludens]

Originally Posted by Kingzjester

I literally wanted the puke twenty pages into this book, but ended up throwing the book across the room in anger and storming out to buy some coffee. It is soooooo very badly written, it is horrendous. I couldn't continue reading. It reads like a high school paper by a half-literate idiot who has nothing to say. I don't understand how in the world is Conrad always hailed as the Great Polyglotic Writer of Amazing Unadulterated Genius and next to nobody notices that Nabokov, for example, wrote fantastically well in Russian, French and English?!?!

And I really wanted to read The Secret Agent because apparently it was Unabomber's favourite book. Just goes to show you that the fellow had no taste in 'high' literature.

Marek, stay clear of Conrad!

I agree! I wanted so badly to experience The Secret Agent but I could not penetrate that writing style to save my life. AAACH!! Seriously, Conrad was posing with his pen. I definitely sensed substance in there, unfortunately it was buried far too deeply in his near opaque bravado. I finally got disgusted after the first two chapters and threw the book out. mycroft, I dunno how you survived the guy's ego, but more power to you.

I opine, John Buchan's The 39 Steps and Greenmantle, though simpler and more 'accessible', are at least more flowing and clear in their narrative. I really need to read the rest of his stuff.