NiCK Crush

The plot revolves around a 13-year-old exchange student, one of a dozen "shipped to America", to live with American families. Agent Number 67, nicknamed Pygmy for his diminutive size, arrives in the United States from his totalitarian homeland, as an 'exchange student' into the welcoming arms of his Simpsons-spinoff Midwestern host family. They introduce Pygmy into the rituals of postmodern American life. Along with his fellow operatives, he is planning something big; his science project is intended to kill millions when it explodes in Washington, D.C.



Probably my most anticipated novel of his since Lullaby, although Rant ended up being a wonderful surprise.

peon73

amazon shipped mine on friday and i received it today! no sleep tonight

NiCK Crush

very nice!

I'll be picking up my copy tomorrow after work.

dino88

You bastard. I pre-ordered through Amazon and it still hasn't shipped. Oh well, let us know how it is.

clappj

Thanks for the heads up!
It just popped up this morning on my public library's website, and I was the first to reserve it.
Gotta love unused library books!

Nefarious

Anyone interested in a signed first edition (or other signed versions of his books) can purchase them from St. Helens Book Shop. I've purchased the last few releases from them without issue.

http://www.sthelensbookshop.com/NASA...rs&page=266033

movieking

So does anyone have any personal reviews of the books yet?

Superboy

It's funny that it mentions the family as being similar to the Simpsons... because this sounds just like a classic Simpsons Episode.

movieking

I am only a little way in, but I am having trouble staying interested because of the writing style. I find it pretty hard to follow and really have lost interest. Is it worth keeping with? Is it just me having trouble with the writing style?

CKMorpheus

I lost interest in his books around the time Haunted came out. They seemed to be getting worse and worse. I couldn't even get past the second chapter of Rant.

I used to be first in line to grab his new books, and had gone to every book signing/reading of his at the Barnes and Nobels at Union Square. Do you guys think I should attempt to get back into him? I can't imagine anything else of his reaching the quality of storytelling in Survivor or Lullaby.

JWAR

I'm quite the opposite with Palahniuk's work. I loved Rant and loathed Survivor. I thoroughly enjoyed Snuff but barely wanted to finish Choke. I think you should give him another chance. Some of his stuff seems boring at times, but usually has a good pay off.

djmont

The reviews of this have been brutal.

Is there a particular work of his you would recommend as an introduction?

dino88

I'd definitely start with Survivor.

Drop

You are definitely in the minority. Really should give Survivor and Choke another chance. I really liked Rant too, his best since Choke. Snuff was enjoyable, but so forgettable.

The bets place to start with Palahniuk is always Fight Club, then Survivor (still his best) and then anything but Diary. I like Diary too, but it's easily his worst, haven't read Pygmy, but that's gotten mixed reviews and I expect to like it.

FantasticVSDoom

I still think Fight Club is the best, followed closely by Survivor... Steady falling since Haunted and can't get into Pygmy. Sadly, may have to give up on him all together.

NiCK Crush

Yea, Pygmy was an incredible disappointment for me. And I agree, start with Survivor.

Liver&Onions

I pretty much did I did enjoy Rant however.

Fight Club
Survivor
Invisible Monsters
Rant
Choke

Then pretend he stopped writing.

NiCK Crush

Rant is brilliant.

NiCK Crush

His next book Tell All sounds... odd. But, it's Chuck.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tell_All_(novel)

mhg83

The problem i have with Palahnuik is that it seems like he tries too hard to be weird. All his characters are too abnormal and seem completely unrealistic. I don't think anyone acts like that in real life.

Liver&Onions

Never been to Portland then, have you?

FantasticVSDoom

I agree, and it worked early on for him, but now it just seems he's trying for the sake of being weird and it just isnt coming across as any good.

Drop

I think his problem is that his literary vocabulary hasn't grown. He's characters aren't any weirder than they ever were, they're all kind of the same. So of course people are going to get tired of it.

I say that not having read Pygmy, and also finding Rant the most recent book to expand his reach. I think the sci-fi bend, non linearity, and interview angle complimented his typical style in an interesting way.

NiCK Crush

stp115

The limited edition of "Rant" is currently in Amazon for $40.44 if anyone is interested. http://www.amazon.com/Rant-Limited-Biography-Buster-Casey/dp/0385523297/ref=tmm_hrd_title_1