As if he was doing it on purpose, to be overtly meta.

Based on an interview I heard recently, that was his intention.

Hmmm. I just don't think you can write a book about a school for magicians, even with the intent of being all meta about Harry Potter et al., without coming across as just an imitation (rather than a meta commentary on Harry Potter et al.). I just don't think it worked.

Although it was the very strong Narnia streak in it that I disliked more than the Harry Potter streak.

Don't get me wrong; I almost always finish reading something I start, and this was no exception. I wanted to find out what happened, and there were a few things I didn't see coming.

Although it was the very strong Narnia streak in it that I disliked more than the Harry Potter streak.

I definitely consider it an adult mash-up of Harry Potter and Narnia, which was fine and interesting, but what bugged me was that he explicitly referenced Harry Potter within the text, but felt he had to create a faux-Narnia for the main plot (although I assume that might have been a rights/permission issue more than anything else).

I can see why you would hate the Narnia element if you are a Narnia fan (I'm not particularly), but I thought what he did with it was interesting. Up to the point where it went off the rails, that is.

A great ending of a book is Life of Pi. I was in awe for days. One of my favourite books, generally.

Amy, the challenge has begun: The Great Unread.

That's fantastic and I will join you all! I'll start by finishing Eoin Colfer's And Another Thing, which I started about a year ago and still haven't got even half way through.

I'll start by finishing Eoin Colfer's And Another Thing, which I started about a year ago and still haven't got even half way through.

I'm starting with books I haven't finished, too. Right now it's a tossup between The Strain and Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.

I only put twelve on my list, and I'm tempted to do another twelve of classics I've never read, but I also don't want to doom myself to failure. Maybe short classics I haven't read?

I only put twelve on my list, and I'm tempted to do another twelve of classics I've never read, but I also don't want to doom myself to failure. Maybe short classics I haven't read?

My reading this past year was completely derailed by the longer books on my should-read list. That is one reason I'm playing this year's challenge by ear (or eye) and not choosing all twelve books now, but rather going by what jumps out at me when I need to choose another, or by what book salon themes we vote on, which is dictating my first two choices ( The Name of the Rose and Possession ), both of which I'm eager to read.

Right now it's a tossup between The Strain and Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.

I find the The Girl... books very hard to finish. Larsson starts wandering about half way through. I've been trying to finish The Girl Who Played With Fire - I might have to give up. I find them frustrating reads - although I love the films.

A Prayer for Owen Meany, one of my fave books of all time, has a great ending. The entire book builds up to it, and it doesn't disappoint.

This, yes. Very much so.

A Prayer for Owen Meany, one of my fave books of all time, has a great ending. The entire book builds up to it, and it doesn't disappoint.

Completely fucking agree. I was amazed by how relevant so much of what I thought was just narrative meandering turned out to be.

I thought The Adventures of Kavalier and Clay was great until the last third sort of came out of nowhere and didn't connect with anything that came before it. Bye bye, narrative momentum!

Speaking of Possession, I think it has an excellent ending. I cry.

For OMGWTF endings, I'll put in a word for Jack McDevitt's A Talent for War, a book I've practically shoved into the hands of strangers. McDevitt is an enjoyable hard sf writer, but I fear that every one of his books since I've finished, sighed and thought, "It was no A Talent for War."

Even though I wrote my Ph.D seminar paper justifying the last part of Huckleberry Finn, I really wish the whole business with Jim at the farm didn't exist, and we went directly to the wonderful last paragraph.

To Kill a Mockingbird has a great ending.