First Chapter Tuesday is hosted every Tuesday by Vicki @ I'd Rather Be at the Beach. This is meme in which bloggers share the first chapter of a book that they are currently reading or thinking about reading soon. Join the fun by making your own post and linking up over at Vicki's blog, or simply check it out to find more new books to read!
For this week's First Chapter Tuesday I thought I would share some intros from two books that I've just started reading!
For this week's First Chapter Tuesday I thought I would share some intros from two books that I've just started reading!
Killing Commendatore by Haruki Murakami
trans. Philip Gabriel, Ted Goossen
trans. Philip Gabriel, Ted Goossen
Excerpt:
PROLOGUE
"Today when I awoke from a nap the faceless man was there before me. He was seated on the chair across from the sofa I’d been sleeping on, staring straight at me with a pair of imaginary eyes in a face that wasn’t.
The man was tall, and he was dressed the same as when I had seen him last. His face-that-wasn’t-a-face was half hidden by a wide-brimmed black hat, and he had on a long, equally dark coat.
“I came here so you could draw my portrait,” the faceless man said, after he’d made sure I was fully awake. His voice was low, toneless, flat. “You promised you would. You remember?”
CHAPTER 1: IF THE SURFACE IS FOGGED UP
From May until early the following year, I lived on top of a mountain near the entrance to a narrow valley. Deep in the valley it rained constantly in the summer, but outside the valley it was usually sunny. This was due to the southwest wind that blew off the ocean. Moist clouds carried by the wind entered the valley, bringing rain as they made their way up the slopes. The house was built right on the boundary line, so often it would be sunny out in front while heavy rain fell in back. At first I found this disconcerting, but as I got used to it, it came to seem natural."
The man was tall, and he was dressed the same as when I had seen him last. His face-that-wasn’t-a-face was half hidden by a wide-brimmed black hat, and he had on a long, equally dark coat.
“I came here so you could draw my portrait,” the faceless man said, after he’d made sure I was fully awake. His voice was low, toneless, flat. “You promised you would. You remember?”
CHAPTER 1: IF THE SURFACE IS FOGGED UP
From May until early the following year, I lived on top of a mountain near the entrance to a narrow valley. Deep in the valley it rained constantly in the summer, but outside the valley it was usually sunny. This was due to the southwest wind that blew off the ocean. Moist clouds carried by the wind entered the valley, bringing rain as they made their way up the slopes. The house was built right on the boundary line, so often it would be sunny out in front while heavy rain fell in back. At first I found this disconcerting, but as I got used to it, it came to seem natural."
Since this book has a prologue as well, I decided to do as I usually do and include a snippet of both that and the first chapter.
I've been looking for to reading Killing Commendatore since it was release in Japan two (?) years ago and the wait has felt endless. It was published in English as of a few months ago and I'm finally finding the time to sink into this one. I'm already loving it and can't wait to keep going.
Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository
I've been looking for to reading Killing Commendatore since it was release in Japan two (?) years ago and the wait has felt endless. It was published in English as of a few months ago and I'm finally finding the time to sink into this one. I'm already loving it and can't wait to keep going.
Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository
Blackfish City by Sam J. Miller
Excerpt:
"PEOPLE WOULD SAY
People would say she came to Qaanaaq in a skiff towed by a killer whale harnessed to the front like a horse. In these stories, which grew astonishingly elaborate in the days and weeks after her arrival, the polar bear paced beside her on the flat bloody deck of the boat.
Her face was clenched and angry. She wore battle armor built from thick scavenged plastic. At her feet, in heaps, were the kind of weird weapons and machines that refugee-camp ingenuity had been producing; strange tools fashioned from the wreckage of Manhattan or Mumbai. Her fingers twitched along the walrus-ivory handle of her blade. She had come to do something horrific in Qaanaaq, and she could not wait to start.
You have heard these stories. You may even have told them. Stories are valuable here. They are what we brought when we came here; they are what cannot be taken away from us."
Goodreads
"PEOPLE WOULD SAY
People would say she came to Qaanaaq in a skiff towed by a killer whale harnessed to the front like a horse. In these stories, which grew astonishingly elaborate in the days and weeks after her arrival, the polar bear paced beside her on the flat bloody deck of the boat.
Her face was clenched and angry. She wore battle armor built from thick scavenged plastic. At her feet, in heaps, were the kind of weird weapons and machines that refugee-camp ingenuity had been producing; strange tools fashioned from the wreckage of Manhattan or Mumbai. Her fingers twitched along the walrus-ivory handle of her blade. She had come to do something horrific in Qaanaaq, and she could not wait to start.
You have heard these stories. You may even have told them. Stories are valuable here. They are what we brought when we came here; they are what cannot be taken away from us."
Goodreads
I've had this on my TBR for way too long. I finally have my hands on a copy and hope to actually get this read before the end of the year!
What do you think? Would you keep reading these books? (And feel free to join in and make your own post!)
*Excerpts are taken from the novel itself; I do not claim to own any part of the excerpt.
Definitely an intriguing opening! I'm curious about the faceless man and want to know more.
ReplyDeleteMy Tuesday post features excerpts from Joy That Long Endures.
That totally drew me in as well.
DeleteI would probably like the first book but it's so many pages. The second book sounds interesting.
ReplyDeleteIt really is long! It's definitely intimidating for a Murakami book.
DeleteI've been seeing Killing Commendatore a lot lately. I hope you enjoy it. MK is featuring a middle grades fantasy at Girl Who Reads
ReplyDeleteThanks! I'll be sure to stop by. :)
DeleteI love Murakami so I would definitely keep reading that one!
ReplyDeleteAwesome! I love Murakami as well.
DeleteI heard this was so long but, so worth reading! enjoy
ReplyDeleteIt is super long, but so far it's paying off, so we'll see!
DeleteThe opening of the Murakami book sounds really promising! I’ve tried to get into Murakami’s work, but I usually end up bored or confused.
ReplyDeleteAj @ Read All The Things!
Yeah, I can understand that with Murakami, haha. His definitely confuse me sometimes, but for some reason I can't get enough of it still.
DeleteThe beginning of the Murakami one is certainly intriguing. I've had mixed success with his books but I could see myself continuing with it after that opening.
ReplyDeleteI hope if you ever pick it up that you enjoy it! He seems to be hit and miss with a lot of people.
DeleteI hope you like Blackfish City! I didn't love it but I did love the setting, the floating city in the Arctic and the post apoc feel. It's very interesting!
ReplyDeleteThanks! I'm really looking forward to it, the setting is what has intrigued me the most, so at least there's that no matter what, haha.
DeleteI've actually been eyeing the new Murakami as well but I need to find a ton of time to read it because his books require so much of my time and energy (not necessarily in a bad way!!! just that it takes much longer for me to get through them since the passing is much slower.) I hope you love it Jordan and it ends up being worth the very long wait!!
ReplyDeleteI totally get what you mean about Murakami taking more time and energy. I always use his books as a sort of 'palate cleanser' when I'm feeling overwhelmed because they do force me to slow down and relax while reading, haha. Thanks so much!
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