In my never-ending search for a scientifically non accurate answer to the question 'Who is the typical fantasy reader visiting the blog?' by doing various polls, I came up with a new simple topic.
I was taking a look at my overflowing shelves, observing the vast quantity of unread novels when I asked myself if I will ever read a book I have already read once in the past. I remember doing it when I was younger and the collection of fantasy and sci-fi novels I owned or were available at the local library were very limited. More so since I read only in french at that time and the translations of fantasy books available were concentrated around the names like Tolkien, Marion Zimmer Bradley, Isaac Asimov or Choose your own adventure books.
Since I read Tolkien for the first time in English (I had read it twice in french before), I don't remember having read the same book twice. I was tempted a couple of times but with so many new novels to discover (and an ever growing to-read pile), but that realization just popped to my mind, I'm not even sure it's going to happen again, and that for a long time. Moreover, I think that blogging made things even worse since I want to share my opinion with you on so much different authors and series...
If I had to choose one right now, I would probably go with Memories of Ice by Steven Erikson since I really have fond memories (no pun intended) of some events happening in that novel.
So, if I go back to my interrogation, even though I'm interested in knowing what novel you would like to read again (I would enjoy your comments on that too), I want to know if I'm alone in this situation.
I was taking a look at my overflowing shelves, observing the vast quantity of unread novels when I asked myself if I will ever read a book I have already read once in the past. I remember doing it when I was younger and the collection of fantasy and sci-fi novels I owned or were available at the local library were very limited. More so since I read only in french at that time and the translations of fantasy books available were concentrated around the names like Tolkien, Marion Zimmer Bradley, Isaac Asimov or Choose your own adventure books.
Since I read Tolkien for the first time in English (I had read it twice in french before), I don't remember having read the same book twice. I was tempted a couple of times but with so many new novels to discover (and an ever growing to-read pile), but that realization just popped to my mind, I'm not even sure it's going to happen again, and that for a long time. Moreover, I think that blogging made things even worse since I want to share my opinion with you on so much different authors and series...
If I had to choose one right now, I would probably go with Memories of Ice by Steven Erikson since I really have fond memories (no pun intended) of some events happening in that novel.
So, if I go back to my interrogation, even though I'm interested in knowing what novel you would like to read again (I would enjoy your comments on that too), I want to know if I'm alone in this situation.
Do you read the same novel more than once?
- Yes, quite often
- Yes, sometimes
- It happened
- No
I only buy books that I am willing to reread. It doesn't happen that often, but often enough to fill up my bookshelf. I don't reread incredibly often, but maybe a few times a year, and what I reread totally depends on my mood at the time.
ReplyDeleteI have a handful of books that I break out and re-read every couple of years, just because I start to miss them. These include The Stand, Dragon Prince, The Lost King, and The Witching Hour, just to name a few.
ReplyDeleteI regularly reread books I really enjoyed the first time. You rarely get everything out of a really good book during the first reading and your perception of the book also changes as you read more.
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ReplyDeleteIf I like the book, yes, I'll reread it. If I don't think that at some point I'll want to reread the book I consider buying it a waste of my money.
ReplyDeleteI don't read very much so the reread might happen five, even ten years later, but it happens.
I guess I would say "Yes, sometimes"
ReplyDeleteI have several classics that I go back to now and then: Lord of the Rings, Chronicles of Narnia, A Wrinkle in Time...
And I really only buy books that are good enough to read again some day, or to share with someone else. Although I must confess that nothing makes me happier than a full bookshelf :-)
I re-read all the time. I find that each time I read I understand a different element of style, structure, character building and choice, world building, and overall creation. The first time I read I tend to whip through in interest mainly in the characters and plot. However when I reread I gain a deeper understand of the text.
ReplyDeletePlus, some books are like security blankets to me. They make me feel all warm and fuzzy.
I am currently re-reading the Song of Ice and Fire books due to the fifth book coming out. They are some of the only books I have ever re-read and I can say I am not enjoying it as much the second time around. It feels like going through the motions to refresh my memory rather than something that contains excitement. And these are some of my all time favorite books.
ReplyDeleteThe only other books I have re-read are ones I remember from my very earliest days of fantasy in middle school and high school. I did that purely to see if they lived up to my fond memories. They did not.
i think the lord of the rings is the only book i have read twice, with exception for those books i had to read in school (classic canon stuff mostly, as it goes with school literature) but somehow felt the need to read again, because at the time i focused more on girls and cigarettes ;)
ReplyDeleteI reread books often. Especially because I love to become immersed in serials, which often means I will reread the last book when the latest book is about to hit the shelves. I read a lot of science fiction/ fantasy books and trying to keep straight the different universes takes effort, rereading them helps me keep up with the series.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing guys. Seems like I'm among the minority in not 're-reading'.
ReplyDeleteI agree with some of you saying that a second read could help to discover new things and grasp things differently. But as Grant says, re-reading a book after many years where your perception changed could change your feelings in both directions... I will probably give it a try sometime anyway.
And I understand you Kristy, a full bookshelf is a must! :)
I do rereads mostly to refresh my memories.
ReplyDeleteIt usually happens for series where the books are realeased with a few years inbetween
I regularly reread books I loved. Normally it goes in two year cycles, but sometimes you just yearn for that particular storyline and style.
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