I can’t read sings or poems embedded inside novels. The only exception is Alice in Wonderland.
Do any of you read them? Like the ones in LOTR? In Hyperion a poet character keeps reciting annoying poetry.
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Always felt strongly if an author puts a song in a novel they should be obligated to also release a soundtrack or sheet music.
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I’ve read LOTR about a dozen times and only recently started reading the poems and songs with any significant degree of attention, and that’s because of audiobooks
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Pynchon’s sings put you in a mood if you sing them out loud and try and guess the tune. They’re a staging area for the next plot development.
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Agreed - and I usually skip the poems / songs.
I enjoy poetry, but it requires a different mindset, and I don't enjoy switching from my reading a novel mode to an appreciating the embedded poetry mode.
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Rothfuss embeds good poetry.
"How odd to watch a mortal kindle
Then to dwindle day by day.
Knowing their bright souls are tinder
And the wind will have its way.
Would I could my own fire lend.
What does your flickering portend?"
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I try to sing all the songs in the Hobbit, sorta becomes comic relief after a while...
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That entire book is (loosely) based on a poem dude. Kinda the price of admission with Simmons.









