Poll

Which of these two books do you prefer to read? PICK ONLY ONE (1).

AND THEN THERE WERE NONE by Agatha Christie - (pub. 1939; 264 pgs; mystery/thriller)
8 (61.5%)
STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND by Robert A. Heinlein - (pub. 1961; 528 pgs; sci-fi)
5 (38.5%)
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Total Members Voted: 13

Voting closed: September 05, 2014, 07:30:39 PM

Author Topic: FS Book Discussion #1 - And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie  (Read 12796 times)

oldkid

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Re: FS Book Discussion #1 - And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
« Reply #40 on: September 08, 2014, 09:59:45 PM »
Just picked up the novel from the library today.  I'll start reading tonight.
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Jared

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Re: FS Book Discussion #1 - And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
« Reply #41 on: September 09, 2014, 11:47:51 AM »
Watched the movie recently for the Ratings Project Horror Watchlist (RIP). Best AC adaptation Ive seen.

Is this the one we're talking about? http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0037515

Definitely want to watch the adaptation after I'm done with the book :)

That's the one...Barry Fitzgerald is a lot of fun in it.

SmashTheTV

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Re: FS Book Discussion #1 - And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
« Reply #42 on: September 09, 2014, 03:38:46 PM »
I think im just over 30% in. Already wishing this book was longer. To many characters for a short book. But I guess we don't need to get to know them very well since they are all going be killed off.


oldkid

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Re: FS Book Discussion #1 - And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
« Reply #43 on: September 09, 2014, 08:43:43 PM »
I'm perhaps 20% into the book, and I agree that we are speeding through the introductions to the characters, which make it difficult for me to remember who they are unless there is a distinct profession mentioned.

This is a set up which I am very familiar with from Murder by Death and Clue and a variety of murder mysteries of this type.  And yet instead of boring me, it is oddly comforting and perhaps a little nostalgic.  I find myself wishing there were more gags or clever bits involved, but I'm still enjoying my stay on Indian Island.

It is interesting that the original title was Ten Little Ni*****s, and the original poem was of that theme as well.  The American version changed it to "Indians", and added the title that we currently have, which has since been approved as official by the Christie estate.
"It's not art unless it has the potential to be a disaster." Bansky

heisenbergman

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Re: FS Book Discussion #1 - And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
« Reply #44 on: September 09, 2014, 09:06:08 PM »
I'm at pg.40, 15% into the book, at the part just after The Voice had spoken (wow, holy shit here we go!).

I'm also having trouble with the huge cast of characters, but I'm able to manage it better slowly as I go along. It was a very elementary introduction and none of the characters feel at all sufficiently fleshed out, but I suppose that if they're introduced enough for the purpose of the mystery/thriller aspect (which the story is known for), then it should be all good as long as that aspect of the book is executed perfectly.

Minor gripe: I feel like the dialogue is written in a very clunky manner. I'm not sure if it's just my copy, but in other novels I would always see dialogue written in the following manner...

"Owen? Did you say Owen?" she said sharply.

instead of Agatha Christie's format...

She said sharply:
"Owen? Did you say Owen?"


It just comes across awkwardly.

Also: The adverbs! Maybe I'm more particular since I just finished Stephen King's On Writing, which pretty much admonishes the use of adverbs (and is backed up by William Strunk, Jr.'s The Elements of Style) - but holy cow, Agatha Christie showers adverbs on her dialogue attribution like a 5-year old would put chocolate sprinkles on vanilla ice cream.

smirnoff

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Re: FS Book Discussion #1 - And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
« Reply #45 on: September 09, 2014, 09:43:52 PM »
It's a bit like what reading the script for 12 Angry Men must be like. Take a while to distinguish them. I must say though after I understood that she was going to progress through all the introductions in the same way I was happy they were brief. I was impatient to get to the story.

SmashTheTV

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Re: FS Book Discussion #1 - And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
« Reply #46 on: September 09, 2014, 11:01:34 PM »
It is interesting that the original title was Ten Little Ni*****s, and the original poem was of that theme as well.  The American version changed it to "Indians", and added the title that we currently have, which has since been approved as official by the Christie estate.

My kindle is set to the UK. I get the even more PC 'Soldier Island' and in the poem they are called soldier boys.

Sandy

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Re: FS Book Discussion #1 - And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
« Reply #47 on: September 10, 2014, 09:31:14 AM »
Wow SmashTheTV! That is PC.


I'm not sure where I'm at exactly chapter wise (are there chapters?), because I'm listening to Norman Barrs read it, but according to the youtube red bar, I'm 2/5ths of the way through. I've seen the movie, so going through knowing the outcome, has been a nice angle to experience the story. Very enjoyable.

Corndog

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Re: FS Book Discussion #1 - And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
« Reply #48 on: September 10, 2014, 10:29:41 AM »
I'm reading on my Kindle and have Soldiers as well. Sitting in the airport, so I expect I may finish this on the flight home. But I'm back off the ground to Denver tomorrow for vacation, so I probably won't write anything until next week.

I have enjoyed the concept/scenario so far, but feel the dialogue and actual writing, the filling out/coloring of the flesh upon the bones of the story is lacking somewhat.
"Time is the speed at which the past decays."

heisenbergman

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Re: FS Book Discussion #1 - And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
« Reply #49 on: September 11, 2014, 08:38:15 PM »
on pg.73 of my copy, 28% into the book, Chapter 5 Part VI.

RIP Anthony Marston you piece of shit. Pardon my French. I just can't with someone who kills two children, brushes it off so nonchalantly as an accident, and is back to speeding through roads immediately after. The circumstances of his death are quite curious though. Also, that seemed to unfold a bit too quickly.

I like how the novel is shaping up. It's quite easy to say how the narrative structure of the whole story will unfold (any deviation from expectations at this point will be a pleasant surprise); so really, the only two things the book has going for it right now as far as I'm concerned are:

(1) Whodunit?!; and,
(2) The backstories of each of the characters and the secrets they hold.

For those who have gotten this far, who is the most intriguing character for you so far, given the respective accusations laid upon them by the "The Voice" and what was been revealed about their backstories so far?

(lol so many spoiler tags)