Subject: (urth) Is Free Live Free worth it?

From: Redhaven1 <redhaven1 at aol.com>
Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2001 02:04:42 +0000

I'm just starting Free Live Free and it seems darker and grittier than 
anything by Wolfe I've read yet.  Actually, I'm not really enjoying it at 
all.  I would just give Wolfe the benefit of the doubt (he's never let me 
down yet) and read it trusting it will be better, but I'm coming to this list 
for advice.  Maybe this book was his one dud.  What did you guys think of it? 
 Is Free Live Free worth it?  (i.e.  Does it get better?)

-Steve

*More Wolfe info & archive of this list at http://www.urth.net/urth/

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From: James Jordan <jbjordan at gnt.net>
Date: Tue, 30 Jan 2001 21:38:15 +0000

Have you ever read the Wizard of Oz? Or even seen the movie? If so, bear it 
in mind while you read. It will make the going much more fun.

JBJordan

At 09:04 PM 1/30/2001 -0500, you wrote:
>ranjit at moonmilk.com

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From: Peter Westlake <peter at harlequin.co.uk>
Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2001 10:26:07 +0000

> Is Free Live Free worth it?  (i.e.  Does it get better?)

It does. It isn't dark at all, and enthusiasts of grittiness wave it aside.
You have probably passed the single instance of profanity in the entire book,
for instance. Stick with it, is my advice. And as well as thinking about the
Wizard of Oz, keep an eye open for anomalies. Odd things about the weather,
music, anything at all.

Spectacled Bear.

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From: Michael Straight <straight at email.unc.edu>
Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2001 08:21:27 +0000

>  Is Free Live Free worth it?  (i.e.  Does it get better?)

I think Free Live Free is easily Wolfe's funniest book.  In fact the
phrase "madcap adventures" comes to my fingertips.   It's also got a
humdinger of a puzzle to fit everything together at the end (I hope you've
got the edition with the timeline in the back--BUT DON'T PEEK AT IT!)

I think Free Live Free is the best of Wolfe's "modern" novels,
(Castleview, There Are Doors, Pandora).

-Rostrum