| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Monsieur |
Posted - 12/10/2004 : 09:12:14
I just bought this book and can't wait to read it.
I've already read "The Nose", "The Coat" and "Taras Bulba", which I found excellent. I am not very fond of Russian litterature, but everything that is good in Dostoievsky, Bulgakov etc can be found in Gogol (imo).
Has anyone read it and did you like it?
I will show you fear in a handful of dust |
| 29 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| starmekitten |
Posted - 01/03/2006 : 14:37:25
I'm sure I've read that one relatively recently, I think I bought it from a charity shop when flat hunting. It'll come back to me when I see the bastardized version on TV. |
| Llamadance |
Posted - 01/03/2006 : 11:15:34
I didn't spot Rankin, but I believe he was the guy who stopped Miranda being beaten up?
And apparently the next one is Fleshmarket Close, which I haven't read yet, though it's about the house somewhere. Sure it's not on next week? If not, then I'll have more time to read the book, form a biased opinion and slate it when it's televised.
That which does not kill me postpones the inevitable.
|
| starmekitten |
Posted - 01/02/2006 : 16:28:14
The lady of the house suspects a kindred spirit.
My lady of the house is nuts.
It doesn't look like the rebus is on next week, I wonder which one they've done and when! when!
Did you spot Rankin? |
| Llamadance |
Posted - 01/02/2006 : 15:58:27
My lady of the house loves Alan Rickman. 'Truly, Madly, Deeply' is one of her favourite films.
I remember Hannah as being much grittier, but that's kind of hazy.
And if you have some Xmas cheer left, the first two series of Messiah are £12.99 here:
http://www.play.com/play247.asp?page=title&r=R2&title=181706&p=57&g=72&pa=sr
That which does not kill me postpones the inevitable.
|
| starmekitten |
Posted - 01/02/2006 : 15:48:35
The lady of the house decides she already likes your lady of the house and wants to know if she has an appreciation of alan rickman.
I've created a monster.
I don't remember much of Hannahs rebus, I just remember thinking that wiry pretty boy wasn't the hard drinking chain smoking never sleeping roll stealing accidental womanising ex SAS tainted soul that rebus is. Shees, and I was worried about my dad beign a fan boy. I'm seriously gutted about missing messiah now, I remember it looking awesome. |
| Llamadance |
Posted - 01/02/2006 : 15:38:05
Messiah was great, and maybe Rebus would end up being too similar if it was done closer to the style of the books. I may buy the Hannah's Rebus DVD just to compare and contrast anorak style.
That which does not kill me postpones the inevitable.
|
| starmekitten |
Posted - 01/02/2006 : 15:28:27
Here's a counter argument, Stott was in Messiah which I have never seen (I don't know why I really wanted to) and the lady of the house said was awesome but very dark, thus proving telly land people can deal with dark and foreboding. In fact, telly land is full of voyeuristic crime drama enthusiasts. Even Hannahs rebus (as wrong for the role as he was) had a bit of a more sinister feel about it. I'm hoping this is just a gentle little tease before the dark and dirty other two come out.
There were some brilliant rebusisms in it (the super? but she's the super? - rank comes off with the rest of the kit) but otherwise, I was deflated. |
| Llamadance |
Posted - 01/02/2006 : 15:24:12
Haha, my wife said "that's level 5 of the car park at Glasgow Airport. Look, there's the M8"
That which does not kill me postpones the inevitable.
|
| Llamadance |
Posted - 01/02/2006 : 15:21:43
Your lady of the house and my lady of the house must have gone to 'lady-of-the-house' school together, as that's pretty much what she said, with all the "got to appeal to people in TV-land"
I see what they mean, but Rebus is a fantastically successful character, so why would anyone think it wouldn't work on TV? And I think by sanitising it for TV, it's in danger of becoming just another police drama. Rant Rant. Blah Blah.
I've been trying to take it as a singular TV entity, which is pretty hard, but the story worked reasonably well.
That which does not kill me postpones the inevitable.
|
| starmekitten |
Posted - 01/02/2006 : 15:18:47
I also don't remember the end really so am going to have to hunt it out too. I think we decided that the makers figured the english ITV viewing population wouldn't know the difference in airports. To be fair I wouldn't have if it weren't for this pair with their
I've been there
We were there
Ooh, we go there
Hang about, where's that that's Glasgow.. have we been there? |
| starmekitten |
Posted - 01/02/2006 : 15:14:54
Ideally Rebus should be half a foot taller as well if I'm honest (I'm in love with Stott, all women are) It could have been a lot darker. I've just mentioned this to the lady of the house and she says that dark rebus should be reserved for under the cover by lamplight with a drink of something bad for you and a cigarette and not for the viewing public of the ITV. |
| Llamadance |
Posted - 01/02/2006 : 15:13:12
My mute wife noticed it was Glasgow airport too. Maybe the only appropriate transatlantic flight was from there? Dunno.
That which does not kill me postpones the inevitable.
|
| Llamadance |
Posted - 01/02/2006 : 15:11:06
Did Flip turn up at the end of the book? I can't remember. But yeah, basically I agree with everything you've said. I'm going to dig out the book.
I think they have to make some allowances for TV, and possibly for the popularity of it. Overall, I wasn't too enamoured. Stott was alright, but I felt that the whole thing kind of lost the essential charm of Rebus. Really, it could almost have been any TV copper, my wife (who is now not speaking to me due to arguments over this) reckoned it could have been a Morse.
I want Rebus drinking whisky, chain-smoking fags, dragging himself out of bed. Hell, even sitting in his chair watching Edinburgh in a sodium light because he can't sleep.
That which does not kill me postpones the inevitable.
|
| starmekitten |
Posted - 01/02/2006 : 15:02:16
Also, why was she going from Glasgow airport? this has been providing some perplexity here |
| starmekitten |
Posted - 01/02/2006 : 15:00:01
We have been discussing this somewhat down here in Englandshire. Firstly:
*Gill Templer had a face like a bag of marbles.
*Siobhan was too plummy and acted with a stick up her jacksy and wore a terrible trouser suit.
*His Curator GF he was supposed to meet whilst investigating the Arthurs Seat coffins which were nothing to do with miscarriages and still births but actually to do with another serial killer who was supposed to be that mental retired pathologist guy (right?)
*She was too young for him anyway.
*The whole reason it's called the falls is because of finding the baby coffin in the falls where the mad holistic woman was.
* Flip was supposed to be missing from the start and Clarke and was it Holmes? were following clues left in her flipside email
* The murderer wasn't actually supposed to be revealed till the end.
The lady of the house said it's too big a book to be squeezed into a 90 min ITV drama so had to be fiddled with. I think they could have had a lot less of the drawing pictures of his girlfriend nonsense.
On the plus side.
Stott was great.
Rankin was in it! |
| Llamadance |
Posted - 01/02/2006 : 14:54:09
OK, help me out here. Was that completely rewritten into barely a semblance of the original story?
(I mean the ITV1 Rebus version of the Falls that has just been on)
That which does not kill me postpones the inevitable.
|
| Llamadance |
Posted - 12/29/2005 : 08:57:37
Yep, Monday. It should be great, I hope they do the books justice. There are 2x90 minute films. I don't know what the other one is.
I think Stott will be good, and I take back all I said about Coltrane doing it. I was just reading an interview with Stott on Teletext which said that his people have been telling him for years that he'd be perfect for the part.
That which does not kill me postpones the inevitable.
|
| starmekitten |
Posted - 12/29/2005 : 08:33:23
Isn't it exciting! My father is now changing his tune about it being best that stott does it, but squeaks and I are adamant he will be perfect.
Perfect, it's on monday isn't it |
| Llamadance |
Posted - 12/29/2005 : 08:24:12
Oops, sorry for the year long hiatus, but I've just read that Ken Stott is indeed the new John Rebus. A few have been done with him, with the first being The Falls. I'll see if I can find a link.
That which does not kill me postpones the inevitable.
|
| Newo |
Posted - 12/11/2004 : 01:47:42
I read Diary Of A Madman in London a few years ago, it´s one of my favourite short stories.
Has anyone read Bulgakov´s Heart of a Dog? It´s about a Moscow doctor who transplants the testicles of an alcoholic balalaika player into a stray puppy and is seriously funny. So much so I was really disappointed by The Master and Margerita, apart for the sections with the cat. Praps I´d want to read it again, but I found that a bit of a drudge.
--
Maze rats dreamed of mazes, according to the latest studies. Maze rat scientists dreamed of rats. I was dreaming of cheese. |
| n/a |
Posted - 12/10/2004 : 16:28:48
Noooo Cracker?!?!?!
The reason John Hannah played Rebus in the televised version is (I have been informed by my father and his girlfriend who did the Rebus tour) was because Hannah bought the rights to the one book specifically so he could play Rebus, but I thought he was all wrong. Too skinny and fresh for a start, apparantly Rankin wasn't happy with the televised version which is why he didn't sell any of the other rights and there was just the one made.
Although saying that, I see Stott as Rebus (craggy and dishevelled with a strange bit of a sexy something) and the bird from cracker as Siobhan.
(need to get out more)
Frank Black ate my hamster |
| Llamadance |
Posted - 12/10/2004 : 14:28:11
quote:
Originally posted by Tre
And Llamadance, I've read all the Rankin -Rebus books (my father is a great fan) who do you imagine as Rebus.. I see Ken Stott myself..
Frank Black ate my hamster
I've seen the televised Dead Souls with John Hannah playing Rebus and he's inextricably linked to my mental image. Saying that, he doesn't quite square with the description in the later books, whereas Ken Stott definitely would. Problem is, Ken Stott just feels like the ubiquitous tortured copper.
I could have seen Robbie Coltrane playing him, but that's kind of typecasting too.
So, in summary, the lovechild of Hannah, Stott and Coltrane would be perfect. |
| kathryn |
Posted - 12/10/2004 : 11:16:50
I don't believe in "treasured possessions" nor do I have any, but I am
rather fond of my old copy of "Tales of Good and Evil"!
Nabokov wrote a book about Gogol and once famously said something like: "We all fell out of Nikolai's overcoat," meaning that all great Russian
writers owe a literary debt to Gogol.
 I still believe in the excellent joy of the Frank |
| n/a |
Posted - 12/10/2004 : 10:21:51
I really liked dead souls for reasons I probably shouldn't mention if you haven't read it yet... It's very frustrating the lack of completion though, most of the latter half is retrieved but there are whole scenes missing in some places...
And diary of a madman was very funny, I bought it in a second hand bookshop in Morcombe bay and read bits on a grassy stretch by the beach while the ex nosied round a hippy shop, I giggled... I got funny looks..
[edit] Just went and found my copies of both, Diary of a madman and other stories --> 50p Dead souls --> £2, excellent.
And Llamadance, I've read all the Rankin -Rebus books (my father is a great fan) who do you imagine as Rebus.. I see Ken Stott myself..
Frank Black ate my hamster |
| floop |
Posted - 12/10/2004 : 10:14:05
i took a great Russian Literature class in college (i was a lit major) and read DIARY OF A MADMAN. i agree about Gogol. it's like Dostoyevski with a sense of humor. MADMAN was laugh-out-loud funny. . i should pick up DEAD SOULS. thanks for reminding me of this guy
ist es möglich für ein quesadilla skrotum zu lecken? beim sprechen der quesadillas von LBF, ja. ja in der tatheheheheheheehehee! |
| Llamadance |
Posted - 12/10/2004 : 09:30:36
I read this recently. It was excellent. Hard drinking Scots detectives 
 |
| Newo |
Posted - 12/10/2004 : 09:21:11
Upon the advice of a priest friend of his he tossed it into the fire, poor sap.
--
Maze rats dreamed of mazes, according to the latest studies. Maze rat scientists dreamed of rats. I was dreaming of cheese. |
| Monsieur |
Posted - 12/10/2004 : 09:19:05
Part II is unfinished, right? He actually destroyed it, I think.
I will show you fear in a handful of dust |
| Newo |
Posted - 12/10/2004 : 09:14:30
I loved it, you´re in for a really good time. As long as you know it´s unfinished, I didn´t and when it started dribbling off flung the book across the room.
--
Maze rats dreamed of mazes, according to the latest studies. Maze rat scientists dreamed of rats. I was dreaming of cheese. |
