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Posted By : Gael_Sword - 3/6/2007 11:30 PM
I recently just finished reading William Hope Hodgson's, THE HOUSE ON THE BORDERLAND. I am not sure what to make of it. The protaganist astral projects to some other plain or dimension. Sees his house on a larger scale and as if it's made of jade. He is chased into his house by pig-faced,man-like creatures. Time hurls by until the death of the sun and there is a mysterious woman he has been in love with for eternity. What is the significance of the color green? Do any of  you remember reading this? This has to be one of the strangest stories I have ever read.

Posted By : nathan - 3/7/2007 12:15 AM

Try this link: house

The book is very seminal in a lot of ways. Always remember the time frame it was written in. It was like the Carrie of its day in the sense that it set everything on its ear by its fresh approach to what readers were expecting.

If that helps?


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Posted By : Gael_Sword - 3/7/2007 12:51 AM

Natahan,

    Thanks for the link. I was just wondering if any of you remembered reading it. I understand the importance and appreciate the originality of the tale in context of the time but it is just such an ambiguous story. Nothing is really explained. It has left me pondering. Maybe that is the whole idea.

Howie


Posted By : PaulMc - 3/7/2007 10:18 AM
Gael_Sword said...
I recently just finished reading William Hope Hodgson's, THE HOUSE ON THE BORDERLAND. I am not sure what to make of it. The protaganist astral projects to some other plain or dimension. Sees his house on a larger scale and as if it's made of jade. He is chased into his house by pig-faced,man-like creatures. Time hurls by until the death of the sun and there is a mysterious woman he has been in love with for eternity. What is the significance of the color green? Do any of you remember reading this? This has to be one of the strangest stories I have ever read.


It's strange, and the first 100 pages are greatly atmospheric.

Once it delved into the vastness of the cosmos, it lost me. It was much more interesting when the house was under siege by the pig creatures.


-- Paul McNamee

My Writings
The Tales of Doran Coyle


Posted By : Gael_Sword - 3/8/2007 1:19 AM

Thanks guys.

Paul: I agree. Hodgson really created a creepy atmosphere with the swine-things trying to get into the man's house. I think one of the things about parts of the story that I had a problem with was the same thing happens over and over. Sun goes down. Night falls. Sun comes up. Sun goes back down. Night falls etc. This goes on too long. For long periods nothing seems to really happen.

Jeff: Looking forward to your thoughts on the story. I enjoyed it but don't know if I would actually read it again in its entirety.


Posted By : MichaelEhart - 3/22/2007 7:42 PM
I find it to be a great idea generator, though, if ever I am stuck in the middle of something. The atmosphere is wonderful, and after reading a bit I usually have 16 weird and unusable ideas of how to work my way out of whatever corner I have written myself into.


"The Scarlet Colored Beast" The Sword Review, September 2007
"Nothing But Our Tears" The Sword Review. August 2007
"Weaving Spiders Come Not Here" The Sword Review, July 2007
"The View From the Shotglass Floor" Ray Gun Revival, coming soon!
"Six Zombies Doing That Mick Jagger Strut" Damned in Dixie, March 2007
"The Death of Number 23" Dark Krypt, Fall 2006
"Servant of the Manthycore" Sword Review, April 2006
"Voice of the Spoiler"  Better Fiction, Spring 2006
"Dancing with the Elder Gods"-- Thirteen Magazine, October 2005
"It's a Living" Byzarium---November 2005
"An Exorcism Straight, Hold the Elvis" The Sword Review, October 2005
Host, 2005 Nebula Awards Live Chat, sff.net
http://mehart.blogspot.com/


Posted By : Gael_Sword - 3/28/2007 2:17 AM

Michael,

    Do you mean you read parts of it or the whole thing for inspiration? I am still wondering about the color green. His house was green on the Plain Of Silence. When the sun as we know it died,the new sun was green,the place on the dog where it was burned glowed green,etc.


Posted By : MichaelEhart - 3/30/2007 1:02 AM
Parts--- good lord I could not read the whole thing again if paid :)


"The Scarlet Colored Beast" The Sword Review, September 2007
"Nothing But Our Tears" The Sword Review. August 2007
"Weaving Spiders Come Not Here" The Sword Review, July 2007
"The View From the Shotglass Floor" Ray Gun Revival, coming soon!
"Six Zombies Doing That Mick Jagger Strut" Damned in Dixie, March 2007
"The Death of Number 23" Dark Krypt, Fall 2006
"Servant of the Manthycore" Sword Review, April 2006
"Voice of the Spoiler"  Better Fiction, Spring 2006
"Dancing with the Elder Gods"-- Thirteen Magazine, October 2005
"It's a Living" Byzarium---November 2005
"An Exorcism Straight, Hold the Elvis" The Sword Review, October 2005
Host, 2005 Nebula Awards Live Chat, sff.net
http://mehart.blogspot.com/