Finally found and finished Alan Moore’s Watchmen, which was as mind-blowing as I expected it to be. Had read about 3-4th of the book in 2003. Bitterly regretted leaving London without finishing it, but the last few months were just so hectic I couldnt even step into a bookstore.
Anyway. Also read, well, speed-read Septimus Heap Book 1: Magyk by someone whose name is on the cover but the book isnt in visibility range right now. Immensely depressing. Not the book, which is just boring and inane, but the fact that THIS tripe gets published by Bloomsbury. Hello? Hellooo?
Wouldnt have finished it if I didnt have to review it; really wondering what to say about it. I hate these pudding-type books: No redeeming features whatsoever, and not even bad enough to thoroughly rip apart. People who write really bad books are actually doing critics a huge favour.
Samit Basu
Novelist, film director, screenwriter, columnist
Uncategorized
Juvenal delinquent
Samit Basu 
“I hate these pudding-type books: No redeeming features whatsoever, and not even bad enough to thoroughly rip apart.”
cudn’t agree more… can’t stand those insipid books dat u can neithr like, nor hate! seems like such a waste of time n anticipation aftr u’re thru w/ dem!
Posted by Teleute | June 8, 2005, 5:29 amI myself own a copy of Watchmen. Apparently DC reprints the series every year because if it doesn’t the rights revert to the creator Alan Moore.
Moore exerts an almost auteuristic feel here, he plays with the frame but everything in the picture is to his design.
Did you notice all the Gunga Diner takeout boxes in the panels? There’s even a page somewhere that describes how the Gunga Diner slowly took over Mcdonalds as the main fast food restaurant in this alternative world.
How about the fact that all the cars were electric?
Or the fact that every time you see a sign that says, “Who watches the Watchmen” its never fully completed only partially written.
Or the fact that weird pipes have taken over cigarettes?
There’s a lot more to it than just these bits of trivia. Chapter 5 is a mirror image as in the last page of Chapter 5 is a mirror image of Page 1 of Chapter 5 (only in framing not content, again like a film director).
Not to mention the book itself is a biting satire of the superhero genre and its fetishist underpinnings.
Last thing: Jude Law has expressed desire to play Ozymandias the most intelligent man in the world.
Posted by anangbhai | June 8, 2005, 6:27 ama thousand huzzahs for anangbhai. all good stuff that i either didnt know or was too lazy to post.
but didnt the watchman movie project just get cancelled…again?
Posted by samit | June 8, 2005, 10:46 amAnd in the meantime, they’ve tentatively cast John Cusack as Nite-Owl
Posted by Gamesmaster G9 | June 8, 2005, 11:22 pmThanks for the warning..I nearly bought Magyck, simply because it had a chapter titled “Rattus Rattus”.
Posted by Aishwarya | June 12, 2005, 9:37 amdamn. John Cusack WOULD make a great night owl. Now why didn’t I think of that. Who would be a good comedian? Can’t think of anyone. Maybe Charlie Bronson could’ve played the role with grace but alas Harmonica no longer lives.
No no no. I’m not gonna waste time thinking this is gonna get me too messed up.
Posted by anangbhai | June 12, 2005, 11:43 am