SmegHed
Catastrophic Captain
some times i don't even understand me!
Posts: 51
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Post by SmegHed on Mar 11, 2006 7:19:13 GMT -5
Last night i finished the Reptile Room and am about to go on to the Wide Window but i don't know if the series gets better or worse. Can some more "experienced" readers fill me in.
p.s. no people saying read on and find out p.p.s this is my first thread so be gentle!
thx
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Post by Dante on Mar 11, 2006 7:24:05 GMT -5
Whether it gets better or not depends on your tastes. The series gets rather more humorous and the scenarios more absurd (it's dark humour, though, often very ironic) as the books go on, although since about book seven and onwards they begin to get a new dark side (although it's more of a moral darkness). They also become much more mysterious, with hidden secrets and such sprinkled all around. Some dislike this, but I disagree, and in addition I personally think that the books are significantly better-written. You may find the following thread of interest, although I'm sure it's also full of spoilers: Do you think the books are going downhill?
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Post by lauren on Mar 11, 2006 7:43:46 GMT -5
What exactly do you mean when you ask "does the series get better or worst"? If you are reffering to the Baudelaires' situation, yes it does get worst. If you are reffering to the quality of the books, it's a matter of opinion. Like Dante said, in the later books, a lot of mystery gets incorporated into the story if you like that sort of thing. There are different characters introduced in each book which is all very amusing and they all have their highs and its lows. On a personal level, I thought the first few books were the most entertaining, the series then dulled down a bit for a while and only recently regained its humor. Of course a lot of people would disagree with me, because of opinion. But seriously most of the books are rather amusing and are worth the read.
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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 Mar 11, 2006 8:07:16 GMT -5
I think the later books are certainly better-written. In some of them, Snicket becomes rather self-parodic, which is quite interesting and funny. And the writing does improve, and the various allusions and motifs get more complicated and more interwoven with the story. There's more mystery, and a lot of moral uncertainty.
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Post by Sugary Snicket on Mar 11, 2006 13:48:53 GMT -5
In my opinion, the series gets better as the Baudelaires' problems get worse. Book eleven for instance has a rather interesting plotline near the end, and book twelve is even better. The series has its high and low points, however. Take a look at book nine, and you'll see what I mean. Book nine really didn't provide much info except that.... well, I really shouldn't spoil it for you, but I think it was more of a book to bond Books eight and ten together in a more witty way. And the series had planned to have 13 books, so.....
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SmegHed
Catastrophic Captain
some times i don't even understand me!
Posts: 51
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Post by SmegHed on Mar 11, 2006 14:51:17 GMT -5
Thx evry1 i also forgot to ask does snicket stop explaining what words mean, i am quite a mature reader and i find this rather irratating.
p.s. im not trying to be biig headed
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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 Mar 11, 2006 14:56:50 GMT -5
The "word which here means" gag is continued throughout the books. It's an integral part of Snicket's style, but I think he does some more clever/elaborate jokes with it later in the series.
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SmegHed
Catastrophic Captain
some times i don't even understand me!
Posts: 51
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Post by SmegHed on Mar 11, 2006 15:03:49 GMT -5
ok, but i agree with you. Snicket has a very distinct style.
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Post by lauren on Mar 11, 2006 20:03:45 GMT -5
And the words explained generally become less recognised as the series moves on e.g. From TBB explaining what the word 'rickety' means to TPP explaining what the word 'denouement' means.
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Post by Raedyn L. on Mar 12, 2006 1:04:12 GMT -5
Oh, yes, the complicated words. Like ersatz. Denouement. Triptych. I thought I was smart, but those words confused me.
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Post by Nicky on Apr 26, 2006 18:11:39 GMT -5
I think that they get better. Meaning that although there situation worsens the plot just keeps getting more intricate. You read about new characters, new places, new codes, etc.
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Post by Sugary Snicket on Apr 29, 2006 12:21:19 GMT -5
I like that he's explaining larger words. I'm a major Word Nerd, I'll read the friggen' dictionary just for something to do when I'm bored. I didn't even know the words Austere and Ersatz existed until books five and six, and I'd never even heard of Denounment until book 12.
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Post by Alfred is Present on Apr 29, 2006 18:39:58 GMT -5
I agree that opinion matters when you decide if it gets better or worse. I say its both. Snicket writes better and better, while the Baudelaires sink farther and farther to despair and all that, but all in all, the humour and story caught me at first.
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ellipsed...
Reptile Researcher
welcome to the sick pony nation
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Post by ellipsed... on Jul 12, 2006 21:09:58 GMT -5
IMO, I feel that the story is better once the "eye" is explained. I won't spoil it for you. I like how they get darker, and not so childish. In the end, it's just your opinions and tastes that really matters.
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Post by Sugary Snicket on Jul 18, 2006 14:08:17 GMT -5
Another excellent point, Andrew120. Like Lemony said, if you really are one of those people who don't like kids caught in dangerous positions and stuff, then don't read the books. But if you see kids as equals who can care for themselves, you'll like them. Same with humor. The humor is dry and witty, and sometimes even a bit zany, so it depends on your tastes. I read TBB and was in love instantly with the series. The series DOES get darker, from simple deaths of Guardians to trapping the Baudelaires themselves. Olaf's plans are getting more and more frightening, and he's stopped going after adults and people close to the Baudelaires, and started going after the Baudelaires themselves. The Marriage plan of Olaf's in TBB was creepy, right? Now compare that to say, the plan of sawing Violet's head off in THH. Scary, right? I rest my case. Then, he went after the VFD volunteers. Look at TGG. Look at TPP. Again, I rest my case.
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