“I've had some preconceived thoughts about The Road from comments and references that have been made towards the book. I've heard that it's very sad and hard to read if you're a Christain or have beliefs, but I also hear it gets you thinking. When starting the book I tried not to get these thoughts in my mind while I read, but I search for sad parts and things to get me thinking. I haven't gotten too far in The Road, but so far it's definitely got me wondering. There's a boy and a man. Who is the boy? Who is the man? Not only do I ask myself who they are, but where are they? It seems there's no existence around them and they are just trying to hang on to life for as long as they can. The book has started off slow, but I still find myself looking forward to what will happen next. I'm very interested to see what will happen next and where they boy and the man take themselves. And for that fact, to see how they survive?”
“This book is definitely not like any other that I've read before. Cormac McCarthy writes in such a visual and imaginative way that it's very hard to not "see" what's going on. He hasn't said where the book is taking place or what's happened to the city where they're at now and I'm very curious to see if he will. This seems like an extremely mysterious book which keeps it exciting but also draws me back because straight forward is usually much more helpful. I'm also very curious about the boy and the man; their relationship seems distant at times, but very close at the same time. When Cormac uses "each the other's world entire", that really entices me to learn more and dig deeper than what's just being said in this book. I'm not sure how much I'm going to enjoy this book yet, because it's a bit difficult to understand where it's going and the details around it. Although I am excited to learn more about the relationship between the boy and man.”
“I just started reading this book and to be quite honest I don't like it so far. I'm not sure what it is about it, but I just can't seem to get into it. ”
“Ops! That should have read :"If they give you ruled paper, write the other way." ---- Juan Ramon Jimenez”
“I have been reading science fiction for 50 years but not closely in recent times.I am old enough to have voted for A Canticle for Leibowitz which won a Hugo in 1961.If I had of been old enough I would have voted for Earth Abides which won the International Fantasy Award in 1951.I don't know if Leigh Brackett's The Long Tomorrow was nominated for a Hugo in 1956....These are just three of the finest post-apocalypse science fiction novels I know (actually there are quite a few , check the Wiki entry for this genre).But I have never , never read a post-apocalypse science fiction novel like Cormac McCarthy's THE ROAD.I was a little familiar with McCarthy beautiful , strange and rule breaking prose but I have only gotten around to reading this novel in the last week.It is best and the most unique post-apocalypse SF I have ever read.... I now put McCarthy up among my favorite SF authors who are Theodore Sturgeon, Phil K Dick, Ursula Le Guin and Cordwainer Smith....I am flabbergasted that THE ROAD which won the Pulitzer in 2007 for best fiction was not even nominated for a Hugo or Nebula ... that just passes beyond my understanding!"If they give you ruled paper , write the other way." -- Robert HeinleinAl Jackson”
“This book made me work hard so I was somewhat uncomfortable but I was hooked. I love mysteries, so I hung in there with this bleak story in order to see if they survived. Surprise, surprise - I love the book and believe it will be read by generations to come. It took me on an emotional roller coaster ride and I plan to re-read it before I see the movie.”
“well I love the book and this is how I feel about the movie. I will either love it or hate it. I hope they stay as close to the plot in the novel as they can!”
“just heard the movie is coming out in 2009. very mixed feeling about seeing it. what do others who loved the book think?”
“I've been trying to figure out what happened to our planet in the novel, because McCarthy never really explains it. It remained totally unknown. Sometimes when he employed metaphorically visual descriptions and semi-cryptic dialogue, then we had a small hint. Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoyed the fact that he allows the reader come to his/her own assumption of what might have had actually occurred, how long and when. I have many theories to entertain the imagination such as: a dying sun since there was a permanent state of coldness or winter; a total devastation as result of solar explosions in the atmosphere of the sun; an asteroid or comet collision; the moon's orbit and rotation had changed or the moon moving away from Earth; the after math of global warming (partial or total destruction of the ozone layer); a man-made global destruction/ weapon of mass destruction/nuclear war missiles, etc. I believe that the majority of the population might have had a kind of survival/emergency plan, they might have thought they knew what was coming (hence the canned foods, can opener, portable gas stove burner, flashlights, batteries, blankets, dust masks, toilet paper, tooth brush/toothpaste, water, etc. found by the father and son in an abandoned house where they stayed for about a week or so) but ultimately the people did not know the actual magnitude of the imminent catastrophe to come. ”
“This is a book you read when you can appreciate the art of writing. I wouldn't recommend this book for those looking for an adventurous plot. Although there were scenes where I found my heart racing with wonder and anxiety as to what would happen next. I was able to do so based on McCarthy's genius writing style. The characters lifestyle was limited i.e. walk, eat, drink, look for food, and start a fire. Nonetheless, this is a great story of love and survival.”
