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Reliving the days of our youth here... :-) I remember being blown away by The Pastel City, in particular. Did I have one writer in particular, I dreamed of writing like...? What I remember for sure is that I knew I would write an Arthurian novel... :-D

The Pastel City Fan Club, people?
I wish I could work out what age I was when I stumbled on The Pastel City (in the most stupid jacket that had nothing to do with the story). Two things struck me: tegeus Cromis, and the ruins of old technology, the lyrical rotting metal, that reminds me, now, of the atmosphere in Beowulf, where they live in the enigmatic shadow of ruins built by 'giants' (that is, the Romans). I can't explain futher, but I've never gotten over the sad romanticism of the Great Rust Desert.

I think I was too young to go straight on to the later material. That didn't stop me, and I'm glad: however half-understood, they did seep into me. I admired the short novel 'In Viriconium' madly and puzzled my brains over it, which no doubt challenged and kickstarted a young brain; nor do you always need to understand.

But with the short stories of 'Viriconium Nights' I felt I did understand, deep deep deep as they were - at least, I felt I was grasping at wispy major truths. I'm glad I tried, whatever I did or didn't get.

I read Pastel City again lately and found I hadn't forgotten much, from teens to forties: I guess I made a valiant attempt to learn the book by heart.

Gosh, y'all! Now I'm going to have to read these novels all over again! (And it's not like I don't have other things to be getting on with... :-D)

I remember adoring poor Cromis, and he wasn't my usual kind of hero back then. Maybe not even now! So very life-lorn, the poor soul. But I'm sure I'd enjoy revisiting him. And the later novels lost me rather, but it was a long time ago, and no doubt they'd mean more to me now.

Peter, I do so like your point that some notions we find in books are worth the effort of grasping and re-grasping, at different times, even if we never quite feel we do actually grasp them. Here's to more books that are worth such attention!

Pursuant to our discussions, I've just bought this nice set under one cover. Curious to read the intro - I know Julie's an admirer of Neil Gaiman. And I promise to read from the front to the back, and see what I make in my age.

I wonder how the author feels about them, in his age? I haven't followed him into what he does now: short descriptions told me he'd changed his style or matter, and when a writer important to you does that, you tend to sulk.

Peter wrote: "Pleased to meet you Julie."

Pleased to meet you as well! Especially as Bryn tells me you've been 'liking' AA Milne quotes. :-) I am going to send you a friendship request, but please feel free to ignore if you wish!

Peter wrote: "I have a confession to make Julie: I have never read any Winnie the Pooh. A very good friend loves that particular quote and is a huge fan of A.A. Milne. I must admit I thought it a very gentle f..."

LOL! Hey, you recognise a good quote when you see one, and that's good enough for me.:-) In the meantime, you (via Bryn) set off a major nostalgia trip for me and my online friends - just about all of us, it seems, grew up with Pooh Bear, and our favourite quotes were flying thick and fast. It was marvellous!

So glad to hear you're enjoying Cromis all over again! Maybe it's good to leave a revisit for so long, as it seems we all three have. It gives us a real sense of discovery all over again.

Perfect way to describe how Harrison has fulfilled an ideal. I felt the same the more I read