I just finished "The Onion Girl" by Charles de Lint, which I highly recommend to Neil fans, as Charles de Lint's writing deals with mythology, folk lore, fairy tales, and Faery, as well as dream imagery.

For those of you who have already read de Lint, what book would you recommend as my next reading venture? I love the idea that many of his books and stories take place in the fictional city of Newford, so I'd prefer to continue reading about its denizens.

Save the . . .

*realizes there's about two posters left who'll get the joke*

To be honest, I've heard people talk about The Onion Girl, but I know precious little about it. What's it about.

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AJGraeme
First Heretic of the Cheese Llama Cult
Devotee of the Omniscient Tortilla
"You have reached Ritual Sacrifices. For Goats, please press 1, or say 'goats.'"

I heart de lint.

Though I've had Spirits in the Wires on the top of my "to be read" stack at home for the past two freaking months and I'm starting to getting really pissed off at it that it's yet to be read.


I'm looking right now to see if there's a Newford chronology; but given the nature of the books, I don't know if there is one. I'll get back to you on this.

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I’ve been hissing at [your] angels
Who grab viciously at my eyes
--An Pierle

Closest I can find is a page from his site in order of publication :

http://www.sfsite.com/charlesdelint/pubbooks.htm


Not all are Newford; but it will tell you if it is in parenthesis next to the title.

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I’ve been hissing at [your] angels
Who grab viciously at my eyes
--An Pierle

Dweller, its about 400 pages...
Sorry. Couldn't resist.

Its about an artist who goes through a traumatic accident that leaves her paralyzed and has to confront some pretty demons within in order to begin healing. That's the New Agey synopsis.

This is the "why Charles de Lint is cool" synopsis: This artsy woman, Jilly escapes to the Dreamworld after getting crushed in a hit-and-run accident, and some neat folklore-y types help her along the way. There's even a character called "Whiskey Jack," and he has a lot in common with Whiskey Jack from American Gods. Not surprising, of course, considering that Whiskey Jack is a Native American trickster god/archetype.

oh, this is the thread we were surpost to...

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I prefer to live in a country that's small, and old, and where no one would ever have the NERVE to wear a cape in public, whether they could leap tall buildings in a single bound or not.

Being as it wasn't me who saved it, I feel free to avail myself of the opportunity to say that I detest Charles de Lint.

Actually, that's not fair at all. I've only read Onion Girl, and I'm told other stuff is a little different (less earnest, I guess). So, I detest Onion Girl. With respect to Alaura, of course. I have many friends who love it.

Not me, though. I detest it.

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Most of my heroes don't appear on no stamps

That's okay. I have it on good authority that Charles de Lint detests you.


'sall good.

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I’ve been hissing at [your] angels
Who grab viciously at my eyes
--An Pierle

I'm confident I could take him in a fight.

______________________________
Most of my heroes don't appear on no stamps

You put him anywhere near your silly good vs evil fight webpage and I'm gonna slap you silly.

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I’ve been hissing at [your] angels
Who grab viciously at my eyes
--An Pierle

The Newford books tend to deal with the same themes again and again, using different characters who move through the same/closely related sub-communities. They're well written and good if you enjoy the comfort of returning to similar territory again and again. (Personally, with de Lint, I burnt out on it after about five books. Those authors I can tolerate that kind of work from are the ones that got grandfathered in from when I was much younger.)

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He smelled of rhino hide and chemical lemon.

I tend to like to read those comfy books during the winter. Harry Potter, Tolkein books, Narnia Chronicles...Sandman... books that exist in a single universe and have characters that reappear. So it sounds like I'd like to continue with the Newford books. Now someone give me a recommendation, dammit!

I mean dammit, PLEASE. Sorry. Forgot to use the magic word.

Ah, you don't want to read them in order? I suppose I understand that. Er. They're all good. Every single one.

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It turns out that not all the world's information is already on the Internet. -- Google

I heard that it isn't necessary to read them in order. And frankly, I'm a non-linear type of gal. I like piecing things together as I come to them. It forces you to pay attention.

Whats your favorite Newford book?

Hard to say. I really like the Crow girls, so maybe Somewhere to be Flying?

Really, I suppose it would be the individual storylines that I'm most interested in, and they do flow through all the books. I honestly can't pick a favorite.

Just read them all!

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It turns out that not all the world's information is already on the Internet. -- Google

I really liked the new one-- Spirits in the Wires--you must read it! I don't generally think I'm ever truly tired of deLint-- he's one of those writers I buy almost without looking at the plot synopsis on the strength of his name alone. But I thought Spirits was much better than a few of the other ones he's done. I really wish there as a real real wordwood.

I did not care for the deLint books that were previously published under a pen name-- can't remember the titles, but it does say fairly clearly which ones they are on any website. The felt too much like ripoffs of say, Dean Koontz, who I don't like very much.

Dogs come when they're called. Cats take a message and get back to you.--Mary Bly.

Wanna see my blog?

Read Spirits over vacation. I reccomend it to EVERYONE on the Board. ESPECIALLY to the Board. I think The Board would enjoy it tremendously.

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It turns out that not all the world's information is already on the Internet. -- Google

Although i've never read any de Lint, i recently added Dreams Underfoot to my 'to read' list. Has anyone read it? How does it stack up against the rest of his work? Should i read something else that he's written before i read it?

I enjoy de Lint's shorter work much more than I do his novels, so I think any of the collections would be a fine place to start. Dreams Underfoot includes a couple of my favorites--"Ghosts of Wind and Shadow" and "Our Lady of the Harbour"--that were formerly available only in limited small press editions; and it has "Uncle Dobbin's Parrot Fair" as well, so I think that's about the best start anyone could make.

Circus, I have not read much DeLint but I started with "Dreams Underfoot", and got me hooked. I think it's a wonderful collection. And although it features characters previously known to readers, I think there's alñl you need to know about them in there.
i'm now halfway through "Moonlight and Vines", another Newford stories collection, my third one And I also read Yarrow, which loved inmenesely, and Forest of the heart, which I liked too but maybe less than Yarrow (which is shorter and thus has a more "tale" feel to it than Forest..., a novel)