September 2012 Book Club: Cloud Atlas

Discussion in 'TMB Book Club' started by Barry Zuckerkorn, Jul 28, 2012.

  1. Gin Buckets

    Gin Buckets Well-Known Member
    Donor
    Virginia Tech HokiesIndiana HoosiersAtlanta BravesAtlanta HawksAtlanta Falcons

    Re: Sixsmith and Autua -- I know they aren't incarnations, but Sixsmith is the only person who knew both Frobisher and Rey. I included Autua, because he seemed to believe that Ewing was an incarnation of a previous friend of his. I'm curious if there's anything to that I guess.
     
  2. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
    Donor
    Missouri TigersSt. Louis CardinalsChicago BullsSt. Louis BluesEvertonBook Club

    I hit a huge mental block. After reading Zachry's part, I really havent picked up the book again. Gonna knock it out this week. But I think the end of Zachry was good end.
     
  3. SmoochieWallace

    SmoochieWallace Ipse dixit
    Donor
    Florida GatorsTampa Bay RaysTampa Bay BuccaneersTampa Bay LightningArsenal

    I missed the permeation of the number 6 through the book

    From wiki:
    The number "six" is repeated throughout the novel so many times it is beyond the scope of this article to track them all. Some examples include: six interlocking stories; the music score Cloud Atlas is a "sextet with overlapping soloists" (not unlike the six stories); Sixsmith is the name of a main character, who is 66 years old; Eva is the result of "six centuries of breeding"; a police officer is shot six times in the back; Napier knew Luisa when she was six; Cavendish is sixty-something years old, he needs 60,000 pounds to avoid being "beat up", his hospital window only opens six inches; Sonmi recites Six Catechisms, drives six-wheeler fords, lives on the university sixth-floor where she is left alone for six days, completes secondary school in six months; A Prescient woman arrives in Zachry's sixteenth year, he rolls a six'n'six when playing dice, etc.
     
    TC likes this.
  4. The Blackfish

    The Blackfish The Fish in Black
    Staff Donor TMB OG
    Alabama Crimson TideIndianapolis ColtsBook Club

    I noticed it to the extent of 6 stories and a sextet of solos but that's about it.
     
  5. The Blackfish

    The Blackfish The Fish in Black
    Staff Donor TMB OG
    Alabama Crimson TideIndianapolis ColtsBook Club

    Going to be interesting to see how many people decide to read it after the movie comes out. I'm surprised how few people read it after it won the poll. I know Daniel Ocean voted for something else so I"m guessing he decided to opt out this month (which is fine I may do the same some months)

    I know Stone Cold Steve Austin read it, I guess he hasn't felt like discussing much :idk:
     
  6. Daniel Ocean

    Daniel Ocean I only lied about being a thief
    Staff Donor TMB OG
    UCLA BruinsDenver BroncosLos Angeles KingsSneakersBook Club

    I meant to read it but I have been too busy. I haven't read anything for almost 3 weeks.
     
  7. Arkie Proud

    Arkie Proud The Dungeon Master
    Staff

  8. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
    Donor
    Missouri TigersSt. Louis CardinalsChicago BullsSt. Louis BluesEvertonBook Club

    Just finished Somni's second Chapter. Football and end of baseball season is really cutting into my reading time. Read the discussion between Gin Buckets The Blackfish and @pikodropov

    I agree with everything you guys said. The reincarnation is really hitting home with the Sidartha references. Great book btw. Looking forward to see why Cavendish has statues built for him
     
    The Blackfish likes this.
  9. KJROD20

    KJROD20 the ends will justify the means.
    Boston Red SoxBoston CelticsNew York RangersSeton Hall Pirates

    Bah I am so far behind this month. I just finished Luisa's first part (Chapter 3 I guess?). Hope to set aside some time this week to get through a chunk of it.
     
    Truman and The Blackfish like this.
  10. Celemo

    Celemo tell 'em Steve-Dave
    Donor
    Michigan WolverinesPortland Trail BlazersOregon State Beavers alt

    Haven't read the thread but checking in...just starting Sloosha's Crossing.
     
    Truman likes this.
  11. The Blackfish

    The Blackfish The Fish in Black
    Staff Donor TMB OG
    Alabama Crimson TideIndianapolis ColtsBook Club

    Have fun figuring out what the fuck they are saying
     
  12. Celemo

    Celemo tell 'em Steve-Dave
    Donor
    Michigan WolverinesPortland Trail BlazersOregon State Beavers alt

    yeah, I kinda noticed it went from articulate asian to west virginia tailgate with the quickness
     
  13. dfmPSU

    dfmPSU don't drive angry
    Donor TMB OG
    Penn State Nittany LionsPittsburgh SteelersTottenham HotspurPittsburgh Pirates

    Zachry is actually an old man during the section. He's sitting around a campfire telling a story from his youth. Hanks age could be a problem depending on how they film the scenes, though. If the scene is an older man around the campfire telling the story, then Hanks will work (but I think we'd all agree that it would make for a lame scene). If it's filmed as a flashback, then using Hanks would make no sense. Perhaps Hanks plays Zachry around the campfire, and the flashbanks are played by a younger actor?
     
  14. SmoochieWallace

    SmoochieWallace Ipse dixit
    Donor
    Florida GatorsTampa Bay RaysTampa Bay BuccaneersTampa Bay LightningArsenal

    Judging from what I saw in the trailer, it seems pretty clear to me that Hanks is suppose to portray a young Zachry.

    For example, in the long trailer, at 2:45, it shows an adult Tom Hanks in what appears to be the scene where Zachry's father is killer and brother is kidnapped. Right after that scene it shows what looks like an adult Tom Hanks with Halle Berry on their journey up the mountain. At 3:00, it is adult Tom Hanks with Halle Berry who is playing Meronym. Basically the whole trailer only shows Tom Hanks as Zachry.
     
  15. SmoochieWallace

    SmoochieWallace Ipse dixit
    Donor
    Florida GatorsTampa Bay RaysTampa Bay BuccaneersTampa Bay LightningArsenal

    There is something else I caught in the original trailer.

    At 3:11 it shows Sonmi being led down a hallway by four armed guards. One guard lifts his pistol and presumably shoots the other guard. As far as I remember, that scene is not from the book. Do you think the movie would portray a scene where Sonmi escapes execution at the lighthouse or could it be a more exciting variation on her escape from the University.
     
  16. Gin Buckets

    Gin Buckets Well-Known Member
    Donor
    Virginia Tech HokiesIndiana HoosiersAtlanta BravesAtlanta HawksAtlanta Falcons

    I assumed that was the rebel helper friend who shot his rebel friend in the name of getting her out of there.
     
  17. dfmPSU

    dfmPSU don't drive angry
    Donor TMB OG
    Penn State Nittany LionsPittsburgh SteelersTottenham HotspurPittsburgh Pirates

    Gotcha. I hadn't watched the trailer. I've assumed since I heard there was going to be a movie that they'd have to take a lot of liberties with the script. This may be one instance of that.
     
  18. SmoochieWallace

    SmoochieWallace Ipse dixit
    Donor
    Florida GatorsTampa Bay RaysTampa Bay BuccaneersTampa Bay LightningArsenal

    I thought the rebel got shot because he got hit by something that was going to put him in excruciating pain :idk:
     
  19. The Blackfish

    The Blackfish The Fish in Black
    Staff Donor TMB OG
    Alabama Crimson TideIndianapolis ColtsBook Club

    This is correct
     
  20. Gin Buckets

    Gin Buckets Well-Known Member
    Donor
    Virginia Tech HokiesIndiana HoosiersAtlanta BravesAtlanta HawksAtlanta Falcons

    Maybe it's a hollywood variation of what happened in the book? :idk: I don't really remember that part other than a friend killing a friend for the rebel cause. I actually completely forgot that the dude got hit by anything.
     
  21. SmoochieWallace

    SmoochieWallace Ipse dixit
    Donor
    Florida GatorsTampa Bay RaysTampa Bay BuccaneersTampa Bay LightningArsenal

    [​IMG]
     
  22. lazy bum

    lazy bum active consumer
    Donor TMB OG

    I don't think the movie is going to follow the book verbatim. I saw an interview with David Mitchell where he commented on that, saying he expected some things to change and for it not to be a picturebook storytelling of his book. He felt it would be boring if they just filmed everything exactly like he wrote it.

    I think the Sloosha section will be modified for Hanks' age to go along with the theme the Wachowski's are highlighting by having the same actors portray multiple characters in time. I don't have a big problem with it and, honestly, I'd rather watch a pro like Hanks than depend on some child actor crapshoot.
     
  23. The Blackfish

    The Blackfish The Fish in Black
    Staff Donor TMB OG
    Alabama Crimson TideIndianapolis ColtsBook Club

    I think Sam Rockwell could nail Zachry
     
  24. pennstate2012

    pennstate2012 Well-Known Whore
    Donor
    Pittsburgh SteelersPenn State Nittany LionsPittsburgh Penguins

    I read this book because it was on my list. I won't go into great details, but overall the book was average to me. I understand the themes of reincarnation, but the stories were not connected as much as I would have liked. I also don't know how they will make a movie of this since it was really disjointed to me.
     
  25. KJROD20

    KJROD20 the ends will justify the means.
    Boston Red SoxBoston CelticsNew York RangersSeton Hall Pirates

    Obviously I'm way behind, but I just finished the 2nd Sonmi section. What a mind fuck

    on the last two pages. What I got from it was that the corpocracy created this whole story to have the purebloods fear all fabricants, which would both bind them as a "nation" and allow the Xecs to publicly start executing the fabricants at their ascension. Am I right there?

    If so, of course, something went wrong at some point. I think the corpocracy stupidly allowed the Declarations to become public, thinking that the purebloods would see them as "blasphemies" but instead, they must have clung to them, revolted, caused an apocalypse, and then we get to Zachry, whose culture or whatever found these Declarations and Sonmi became their god. They even mentioned the Abess (sp?) in the Somni part regarding the Union.

    I think I may be a little off, but along the right path.

    I love the lingo from the Sonmi and Zachry sections. The usage of brand names for just words (nikes = shoes) is pretty interesting to me.
     
    Fargin' Icehole and TC like this.
  26. The Blackfish

    The Blackfish The Fish in Black
    Staff Donor TMB OG
    Alabama Crimson TideIndianapolis ColtsBook Club

    Yea that's basically what I took from Sonmis story as well

    I don't know if it led directly to the "apocalypse" or whatever but it definitely caught hold (Thr declarations that is) enough that she is worshiped as a god in the future
     
    Fargin' Icehole likes this.
  27. Celemo

    Celemo tell 'em Steve-Dave
    Donor
    Michigan WolverinesPortland Trail BlazersOregon State Beavers alt

    about halfway through the second Somni chapter (damn you mlb playoffs)...I'm hoping to see more stuff tie in together.
     
  28. Celemo

    Celemo tell 'em Steve-Dave
    Donor
    Michigan WolverinesPortland Trail BlazersOregon State Beavers alt

    finished the other day..

    I'm of the opinion this movie is going to slightly resemble the book, nothing more. Hollywood will really push the love angle which I felt wasn't present in the book at all.

    enjoyable read, will read again in a couple years
     
  29. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
    Donor
    Missouri TigersSt. Louis CardinalsChicago BullsSt. Louis BluesEvertonBook Club

    I cant believe I let this slide and not give my final :twocents:

    I agree and share you sentiments about the entire book and how the characters seem to go with each other. I loved the book, but can see how others would not.

    One thing I disagree with is the Somni parts. I got the impression that all of those things happened, just not naturally. The corpocracy knew how the rebels would react with her ascension. They manipulated it all to happen to help build fear of the fabricants. Not too big of a difference, because it achieved the same end. Just slightly different means I guess.
     
  30. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
    Donor
    Missouri TigersSt. Louis CardinalsChicago BullsSt. Louis BluesEvertonBook Club

    Agree. Mitchell is very subtle with the reincarnation theme, I dotn know how they translate it as subtley on screen.

    Also- I was speaking with someone that mentioned the movie and how it was a book. I told them I read it. They asked what it was about, I had a hard time explaining it besides just saying it was a bunch of individual stories that tied together throughout the book. But pass that, I had a really tough time.
     
  31. SmoochieWallace

    SmoochieWallace Ipse dixit
    Donor
    Florida GatorsTampa Bay RaysTampa Bay BuccaneersTampa Bay LightningArsenal

    I saw the movie last night

    The movie did a really good job with some stories, but really cut a lot out of other stories. With Ewing, the movie stayed fairly true to the book. It cut out some of the boring fluff. It also tweaked the ending but I thought it was better. The RF story was changed a lot. They completely cut Eva out of the story. At first I didn't like it, but the more I think about it, the more I realize it was necessary for time sake. Louisa Rey was like Ewing; stuff was cut out but mostly the same. Cavendish was almost exactly like the book except for a tweaked ending and I think they did a good job with it. Sonmi was COMPLETELY different and I am still not sure I agree with some of the changes. Sonmi's changes percolated into Zachry's story a little bit and the story was streamlined to fit the movie, but I really enjoyed the ending in Zachry. Overall, I thought the movie tied the stories more closely together even though this came at the expense of some of the details of the book. I think you have to read the book before you see the movie. If not, it will be extremely difficult to follow. I believe this is the reason the movie has gotten less than stellar reviews
     
    Celemo and Gin Buckets like this.
  32. dfmPSU

    dfmPSU don't drive angry
    Donor TMB OG
    Penn State Nittany LionsPittsburgh SteelersTottenham HotspurPittsburgh Pirates

    Agree with all of this. I enjoyed the Somni section the most and felt it was the most important section of the book, but I understand why they made the changes. Her section could be a movie unto itself, moreso than the others. I'm not sure how most people will understand it without reading the book. My wife had no idea what was going on, and I had to explain it to her afterwards.
     
  33. TC

    TC Peter, 53, from Toxteth
    Donor
    South Carolina GamecocksCarolina PanthersCarolina Hurricanes

    -20 pages in. Absolutely loving the language. Obscure and intricate just to the point where I have to think hard -- but not that I can't follow it. Guarantee the author is a huge Moby Dick fan judging from this chapter

    -Thank you guys for staying faithful with spoilers. Makes the thread still good for people starting later
     
    Truman likes this.
  34. TC

    TC Peter, 53, from Toxteth
    Donor
    South Carolina GamecocksCarolina PanthersCarolina Hurricanes

    Starting part 2 now. This time it's not Moby Dick but Candide that I'm reminded of. Laughed aloud multiple times per page so far
     
    Celemo, The Blackfish and Truman like this.
  35. TC

    TC Peter, 53, from Toxteth
    Donor
    South Carolina GamecocksCarolina PanthersCarolina Hurricanes

    Also a bit of Catcher in the Rye
     
  36. Celemo

    Celemo tell 'em Steve-Dave
    Donor
    Michigan WolverinesPortland Trail BlazersOregon State Beavers alt

    can't wait for TC to meet Zachry
     
  37. TC

    TC Peter, 53, from Toxteth
    Donor
    South Carolina GamecocksCarolina PanthersCarolina Hurricanes

    Into the fifth part. Shit man Timothy Cavendish and Sonmi-451 are bewildering. Longing for the return of Robert Frobisher and Adam Ewing right now
     
    The Blackfish likes this.
  38. Celemo

    Celemo tell 'em Steve-Dave
    Donor
    Michigan WolverinesPortland Trail BlazersOregon State Beavers alt

    I keep going back and forth between Cavendish and Somni as being my favorite plot line
     
    The Blackfish likes this.
  39. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
    Donor
    Missouri TigersSt. Louis CardinalsChicago BullsSt. Louis BluesEvertonBook Club

    I think Zachary was my favorite plot line, but Frobisher was my favorite character. Guy is/was hilarious
     
  40. TC

    TC Peter, 53, from Toxteth
    Donor
    South Carolina GamecocksCarolina PanthersCarolina Hurricanes

    Just got to the Zachary part. Definitely in WTF is going on mode after a few pages
     
    Celemo likes this.
  41. TC

    TC Peter, 53, from Toxteth
    Donor
    South Carolina GamecocksCarolina PanthersCarolina Hurricanes

    This part at the end of Sloosha's Crossin' was pretty spesh
    I watched clouds awobbly from the floor o' that kayak. Souls cross ages like clouds cross skies, an' tho' a cloud's shape nor hue nor size don't stay the same, it's still a cloud an' so is a soul. Who can say where the cloud's blowed from or who the soul'll be 'morrow? Only Sonmi the east an' the west an' the compass an' the atlas, yay, only the atlas o' clouds.
    Gets right to the theme of the book
     
  42. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
    Donor
    Missouri TigersSt. Louis CardinalsChicago BullsSt. Louis BluesEvertonBook Club

    Yep. I felt like the book could have ended in a way right there.
     
  43. TC

    TC Peter, 53, from Toxteth
    Donor
    South Carolina GamecocksCarolina PanthersCarolina Hurricanes

    But it's only halfway over :lovelove:
     
  44. TC

    TC Peter, 53, from Toxteth
    Donor
    South Carolina GamecocksCarolina PanthersCarolina Hurricanes

    Kinda disoriented restarting the Sonmi part. Having to flip back and forth some
     
    Celemo likes this.
  45. TC

    TC Peter, 53, from Toxteth
    Donor
    South Carolina GamecocksCarolina PanthersCarolina Hurricanes

    Anybody in here read Guns Germs and Steel? This part in the final Adam Ewing section is right out of that book. Where they are discussing racial superiority with that preacher
     
  46. Gin Buckets

    Gin Buckets Well-Known Member
    Donor
    Virginia Tech HokiesIndiana HoosiersAtlanta BravesAtlanta HawksAtlanta Falcons

    You guys see where the movie was named worst movie of the year?
     
  47. Celemo

    Celemo tell 'em Steve-Dave
    Donor
    Michigan WolverinesPortland Trail BlazersOregon State Beavers alt

    From who? Seriously I've given zero fucks about what critics say about movies. I haven't seen CA yet but I'm willing to pay 16 bucks for the DVD because I enjoyed the book so much :twocents:
     
  48. The Blackfish

    The Blackfish The Fish in Black
    Staff Donor TMB OG
    Alabama Crimson TideIndianapolis ColtsBook Club

    lol I haven't seen the movie yet but there is zero chance it was the worst movie of the year. Shit there was a twilight movie or two that came out this year.
     
    Celemo likes this.
  49. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
    Donor
    Missouri TigersSt. Louis CardinalsChicago BullsSt. Louis BluesEvertonBook Club

    I havent seen the movie. I will torrance it for sure. I wouldnt be surprised if its bad. Seems like a really hard book to make into a 2 hr movie.
     
  50. TC

    TC Peter, 53, from Toxteth
    Donor
    South Carolina GamecocksCarolina PanthersCarolina Hurricanes

    They made it into a 3 hour movie. But yeah I said that from the beginning, before I even read the book. Just hearing about the concept. Fucking Hollywood. "Experimental novel that can only work as a book? Sure, make it a movie! Throw in Tom Hanks and Halle Berry!"