April 2009 Archives

I was drawn in to Stone Junction at the book store because of the introduction by Thomas Pynchon. I didn't actually read Pynchon's introduction, I was merely convinced by the fact that Thomas Pynchon had written an introduction that this would be a worthy read. Unfortunately, as I later discovered after finishing the book, Pynchon's introduction amounts to, "This isn't a very good book. Don't buy it just because I wrote an introduction."

Ha, ha. Just kidding. Pynchon didn't say such a thing. And the book is fine, it just wasn't my cup of tea. The first three quarters of the book read like genre-influenced outlaw fantasy which I was entertained by but did not find enlightening. It includes about a hundred pages of poker playing, which, while interesting, seems unrelated to the real thrust of the novel and served as mostly adolescent entertainment. The last quarter of the book turns to metaphysical wandering, with interspersed sections of rambling bandit DJs, diary entries of an escaped lunatic, and Frodo-like staring into a large, spherical, magic diamond that "may or may not be the philosopher's stone." I put that last bit into quotes because it's what all the reviews say and what the book jacket says, but it doesn't actually mean anything to me or add any depth to the book.

I'm being a bit unfair, but the book just didn't gel for me. I wanted more substance in the beginning and, well, less "substance" at the end. For some reason I feel embarrassed at not having liked the book more. The book's fans will likely accuse me of not "getting it". But I'm afraid I did get it and I just don't like what I got.