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Post by Christmas Chief on Jun 24, 2012 18:17:51 GMT -5
I've certainly never seen anything that elaborate in a series of hardcover novels, but the idea is definitely in the Snicket spirit.
If they're abandoning the paper-over-board format, I wonder if they'll also abandon the deckle-edges. On one hand, it would make the books a heck of a lot easier to flip through, but on the other hand you lose the old document feel associated with Snicket's world. Well, it's not "abandoning," really; these are new publishers with a new illustrator working in a new era with an established author. They're already promoting ATWQ differently than ASOUE - and indeed they should - but the point is there are a lot of variables here, with the one constant, perhaps, being Snicket's writing itself.
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Post by Poe's Coats Host Toast on Jun 24, 2012 19:37:06 GMT -5
From this can we assume that The Lost Arms, as well as being a pub, has some kind of inn attached to it? Either that, and it's a tavern, or, something I mentioned in another thread earlier, I suspect it to be a hotel, and not a pub at all. The only two occasions we've seen the name of The Lost Arms, as for now, are a napkin and a soap bar. The napkin was an indication for a pub, but with the soap bar I think it's less of a stretch to say that it's a hotel (with food service). Also, the quote "Scrub and scrub but our stains won't fade" and the two names, Ink Inc. and The Lost Arms, the first of which is an ink company and the second is represented by a soap bar, I think is an indication to Ink Inc. being the opponent of The Lost Arms and vice versa. This particular quote by Ink Inc. is like a warning to anyone who tries to fight/oppose them. And a soap bar would be the only thing to possibly scrub off ink. I'm going to go ahead and claim the theory that The Lost Arms is a hotel (kinda like Hotel Denoument used to be) or tavern run by members of the good side of VFD , and Ink Inc. is a company/firm/factory run by members of the evil side of VFD.
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Post by Dante on Jun 25, 2012 1:59:44 GMT -5
If they're abandoning the paper-over-board format, I wonder if they'll also abandon the deckle-edges. The Egmont editions never had deckle-edges anyway, so if this is the case, and I suspect it will be, then that's one change which British fans won't notice at all.
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Post by Christmas Chief on Jun 25, 2012 7:15:41 GMT -5
If they're abandoning the paper-over-board format, I wonder if they'll also abandon the deckle-edges. The Egmont editions never had deckle-edges anyway, so if this is the case, and I suspect it will be, then that's one change which British fans won't notice at all. It would be ironic if the page types were reversed ... but I don't think they will be. There's something about Seth's style that just wouldn't complement uneven edges.
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Antenora
Detriment Deleter
Fiendish Philologist
Put down that harpoon gun, in the name of these wonderful birds!
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Post by Antenora on Jun 26, 2012 10:30:53 GMT -5
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Post by Dante on Jun 26, 2012 10:34:07 GMT -5
Following Antenora's upload of the full publicity schedule, I looked up some of the references. I couldn't find much material on PublishersWeekly, but they do describe ATWQ as being inspired by "classic noir series" ( here), which is interesting to know. Secondly, there is indeed a big spread in Little Brown Young Readers' catalogue, which reveals that we could've had the first paragraph and Ellington Feint's name months ago if we'd been on the ball, along with a new chapter illustration draft and a hint at a... rather strange new plot device. View it here.
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Post by B. on Jun 26, 2012 10:47:23 GMT -5
Thanks for those pictures, Antenora. Also note, the website is now marketing itself as "lemonysnicketlibrary.com." What's that under May about a website being released? There doesn't seem to be anything going on at the web address.
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Antenora
Detriment Deleter
Fiendish Philologist
Put down that harpoon gun, in the name of these wonderful birds!
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Likes: 113
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Post by Antenora on Jun 26, 2012 10:48:03 GMT -5
Bombinating Beast? Snicket is really going in for obscure words with this series, although this one is even more obscure, and far less morphologically transparent, than "clusterous." This one sounds like a fanciful neologism for "explode" or "plant bombs," but apparently it means "to buzz." Here's what the OED says about that doubtful adjective: Etymology: < Latin bombināre a corrupt or doubtful variant of bombitāre , or bombizāre ; see bombilate v.(Show Less)
According to that entry, it was coined by the 16th-century satirist Rabelais, who used it in a parody of theological discourse (of the "how many angels can dance on the head of a pin" sort, except with a bombinating chimera eating second intentions in a void instead). Whether this etymology is of any relevance, I can't say, but linguistics is one of the greatest joys in life, don't you find?
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Post by Dante on Jun 26, 2012 10:51:19 GMT -5
I personally suspect that the bombinating beast will turn out to be some sort of mechanical device which the suggestible townsfolk believe to be some kind of monster - possibly hidden in the Clusterous Forest. Hence the buzzing noise. But what could it be for, even supposing that speculation to be correct? In addition, notice that, in the draft chapter image, many of Stain'd's shops seem to be closed - another sign that the town is fading. Also, it seems to me increasingly likely that Ellington Feint is "the girl" - and also that she is some form of femme fatale.
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Post by Christmas Chief on Jun 26, 2012 11:46:54 GMT -5
Antenora, what kind of OED are you using to find these words? Neither my corporeal nor electronic versions give any result for either "clusterous" or "bombinating," which suggests to me Handler must have invented them without realizing they already existed, or found them reading ancient scrolls. (It's possible he keeps a list of obscure or unusual words he comes across while reading, to insert in conversation or use in his novels.)
I was interested in the fact the caption listed items "not shown," as I recall a recent talk by Handler in which he expressed his frustration at the ridiculousness of the phrase (his reasoning was that there are a plethora of things not shown, so what was the point of even beginning to list them?). The fact Lemony, Ellington, and particularly the Beast are listed seem to satirize the same concept.
The catalog entry: It looks like we can look forward to a book trailer at some point, in addition to the items mentioned on the Attaché Case publicity schedule.
Classic noir - hold on. I've heard that before, in relation to Snicket. I'll have to remember where.
Edit: That was it. When Handler interviewed Judy Blundell, he asked her about the world of noir.
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Post by Poe's Coats Host Toast on Jun 26, 2012 12:57:19 GMT -5
Thanks, Dante, for the Little Brown Young Reader's catalogue picture with the new illustration and the info of that intriguing "Bombinating Beast." And thank you, Antenora, for the scans with the complete publicity schedule! I personally suspect that the bombinating beast will turn out to be some sort of mechanical device which the suggestible townsfolk believe to be some kind of monster - possibly hidden in the Clusterous Forest. Hence the buzzing noise. But what could it be for, even supposing that speculation to be correct? So it'd be like M. Night Shyamaladingdong's "The Village," huh? Interesting. Or like a Scooby-Doo episode =P But it does sound interesting. Also, it seems to me increasingly likely that Ellington Feint is "the girl" - and also that she is some form of femme fatale. Now I would like that. It would add to the noir factor of the new series. Thanks for those pictures, Antenora. Also note, the website is now marketing itself as "lemonysnicketlibrary.com." What's that under May about a website being released? There doesn't seem to be anything going on at the web address. Yep. I knew it. They wanted to release an exciting interactive website as early as March 28 (the Drop Everything mailout), which apparently got postponed to May, but then it still somehow didn't work out. What a shame, I hope they're working at it to release as soon as possible, 'cos there's a lot of potential and time is running out until the release of the book. We do have something to look forward to. Soon, I think.
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Post by Dante on Jun 26, 2012 13:19:29 GMT -5
I wouldn't say that "time is running out," exactly. They've still got about four months, although admittedly it's also been about that long since the series was announced.
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Post by Hermes on Jun 26, 2012 16:11:53 GMT -5
Yes, I thought of the Rabelais passage - which would suggest that the beast is a chimaera. But in any case, I wouldn't rule out its being a real beast - we know that the biology of the Snicketverse is a bit odd, with snakes in particular being rather unusual.
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Antenora
Detriment Deleter
Fiendish Philologist
Put down that harpoon gun, in the name of these wonderful birds!
Posts: 15,891
Likes: 113
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Post by Antenora on Jun 26, 2012 17:28:19 GMT -5
Antenora, what kind of OED are you using to find these words? Neither my corporeal nor electronic versions give any result for either "clusterous" or "bombinating," which suggests to me Handler must have invented them without realizing they already existed, or found them reading ancient scrolls. (It's possible he keeps a list of obscure or unusual words he comes across while reading, to insert in conversation or use in his novels.) I use OED.com through my university's library proxy, so I have access to the full dictionary. To get that without a university subscription, I think you have to pay. And for reference, here's the entire entry for "bombinate," with textual citations: Etymology: < Latin bombināre a corrupt or doubtful variant of bombitāre , or bombizāre ; see bombilate v. To buzz, make a buzzing noise. [a1553 Rabelais ii. vii, Questio subtilissima, utrum chimera in vacuo bombinans possit comedere secundas intentiones. (In ridicule of the subtle discussions of the Schoolmen.)] 1880 A. C. Swinburne Study of Shakespeare (ed. 2) iii. 199 As easy and as profitable a problem to solve the Rabelaisian riddle of the bombinating chimæra. 1880 Daily News 21 June, The power of a chimæra bombinating in a vacuum to eat second intentions is scarcely less suggestive of a..solution. The Latin from Rabelais means roughly "A very subtle question: whether a chimera in the void, bombinating, can eat second intentions." Talk about asking the wrong questions...
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Post by Hermes on Jun 26, 2012 17:41:25 GMT -5
From the quotations, it looks as if the term is used only connection with the Rabelais quote.
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