# S. (created by JJ Abrams) - any review from KB'ers?



## Brownskins (Nov 18, 2011)

Stumbled upon this.  Not available in Kindle version yet, so I will probably wait.

But I am intrigued and would like to hear feedback from those who have read it... (or send me a link if this has been covered before).

Thanks.


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## deckard (Jan 13, 2011)

I am currently reading this. I can give you my impressions but not a complete review since I haven't finished it yet.

For those who don't know about the book, it is a different type of read. The best way to describe it is by referring to the Amazon site: http://www.amazon.com/S-J-Abrams-ebook/dp/B00G99SIO6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1384474976&sr=8-1&keywords=S. It does a better job than I could in describing it.

I find the novel challenging, to say the least. I am not sure I am reading it the "right" way and there are a number of reviews discussing how one should read the novel and I am not sure any one way is the right way. I am reading "Ship of Theseus" with the comments by Eric (in pencil) first, then reread it with all the comments by Eric and Jennifer. The running comments by Jennifer and Eric occur over a period of time and is in different color ink so you can see the progression of their relationship and their thoughts on the book and the author. I'm not sure what to make of the inserts in the book which consist of postcards, telegrams, newspaper articles, letters, things like this. There's even a diagram of a building made on a paper napkin and a decoder wheel! Because of these things (the different colored ink to show the comments over time and the inserts) I'm not sure how it could be done in Kindle format.

It is difficult not to read the additional comments and to try to figure out what is going on behind the main story (if you can decide what the main story is). I am finding the book enjoyable and look forward to reading each night.

If you have watched any of JJ Abrams films/TV shows, like Lost or Fringe, the book is similar to what you might expect a book of his would be like. When I watched Lost and Fringe (both of which I enjoyed), some times I would say "Huh" and reading the book is somewhat like this.

Although it is hard to describe, I will say I find new twists with each reading. I would recommend you read the reviews on Amazon and Goodreads (like I did) and possibly read some of the newspaper reviews (like the NY Times and Wired) to get an idea of what others have said about the novel. I would recommend this book to a person who likes challenging reads and likes JJ Abrams and they would likely enjoy this novel. Like the review from Wired said, reading S. "is like downloading Lost to your brain."

YMMV.

Deckard


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## Brownskins (Nov 18, 2011)

I am so excited to buy a copy now.  It's on my Christmas list.  Will read the reviews as you mentioned.  Thanks for sharing your thoughts on it.

Will see if I can visit a bookstore tomorrow to browse through a hardbound copy.


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

I heard JJ Abrams discussing this book with Stephen Colbert on The Colbert Report last night.  The premise sounds a little "gimmicky", but fascinating.  I don't see how it could ever be translated to a digital edition.

I've put a copy on my Christmas list.  I didn't think I would ever request a fiction book in paper again.


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## Martin OHearn (Feb 9, 2012)

crebel said:


> I don't see how it could ever be translated to a digital edition.


Or an audio book.

I'm not even sure how it will do as a library book; I don't think it will get checked over at the desk for all the pieces each time it's returned. (Which would be a shame.)


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Saw the Colbert interview, too. I am intrigued.


Sent from my Kindle Fire HDX.


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## kansaskyle (Sep 14, 2010)

The description for S. intrigued me too, so I put it on back order in December because Amazon didn't have any new copies. I kind of forgot about it until I got an email today that it shipped.

From what I understand, this isn't something that lends it itself to an eBook or audio format, so this will be my first hardcover I've purchased in years!

It appears to be back in stock if anyone is interested.


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

I also pre-ordered when it was out of stock.  I haven't received a shipping e-mail from Amazon yet, but after seeing the above post I checked my account and it is listed as shipping!


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Looks like it's in stock as of Friday.

I got a message a couple of weeks ago that they didn't know when it would be available and did I want to cancel my order.

I did then. . . 'cause my GC was getting low and that was tying up a chunk of it . . . but I'm flush again now, so maybe I'll order it when I know I can really get it.  (She said as if there's any chance of even unwrapping it before the end of tax season.  )


eta: and that cancellation was probably a mistake because I'm pretty sure the price before was $22 something and now it's $29 something.


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

Ann in Arlington said:


> eta: and that cancellation was probably a mistake because I'm pretty sure the price before was $22 something and now it's $29 something.


I thought I was charged less, that the first price was $34.95 (plus S&H since I'm not in Prime), but no matter either way, it sounds worth it. I didn't think I would ever buy a non-kindle fiction book for myself again.

eta: e-mail received, but shows estimated delivery date between the 20-24th.


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## hs (Feb 15, 2011)

I hadn't heard of the book until I saw this thread, but it sounds like an interesting idea! The concept reminds me of _House of Leaves_ by Mark Danielewski. I'm adding S. to my wish list.


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## Brownskins (Nov 18, 2011)

My kids gave me this to me for Christmas!  And they keep on asking me when I will read it.  I told them as soon as I am done with the Maze Runner series...  I browsed through it though and I am very excited.  The inserts are very interesting.


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## kansaskyle (Sep 14, 2010)

Brownskins said:


> My kids gave me this to me for Christmas! And they keep on asking me when I will read it. I told them as soon as I am done with the Maze Runner series... I browsed through it though and I am very excited. The inserts are very interesting.


My copy arrives tomorrow, and I'm looking forward to diving into it. If I had known it was shipping, I would have delayed _War and Remberance_. I have about 750 pages to go!


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## Meemo (Oct 27, 2008)

I have it - I had actually pre-ordered it from Amazon as soon as I heard about it, about a week before it released. It's a really awesome concept that I love - it even smells like an old library book (not in a musty way). It's been a slow read for me because (1) it's a hardback and I'm so Kindle-spoiled and (2) like Deckard, I read through a chapter in the novel, then I go back and read the margin notes. And I need it to be kinda quiet to do that. My daughter has finished it and liked it. We were both pretty geeked out about getting it - she chose it for her book club for January.  

I saw a sample of the digital edition in iBooks, but it's not the same as having those artifacts in hand, especially the decoder wheel. It wouldn't be impossible on a tablet but with eInk you'd lose the color-coding of the margin notes.  And you lose that whole "old, well-loved book" field.  I did go through when I first got the book and used my phone to take pictures of where each artifact was, in case it mattered. Those who are waiting for it, have fun!


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## kansaskyle (Sep 14, 2010)

My copy arrived today, and it does have an old library look and smell! The inserts are interesting, and I found this site that includes a picture of each insert and lists where they appear in the book in case they fall out, or you take them out.

I'm thinking of taking them out and trying the approach where I read through the original story first, and then go back and read the back and forth column notes.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Well, I just ordered it.  The price was down to $21.84.  With Prime I'll have it no later than Wednesday


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

Ann in Arlington said:


> Well, I just ordered it. The price was down to $21.84. With Prime I'll have it no later than Wednesday


Well piffle! Mine hasn't been delivered yet, but I have received the shipped e-mail (should be here Monday - or Tuesday if there is no mail Monday). That's a significant price drop from what I was charged, I might make a call to customer service to see if they will issue a credit.

ETA: I did call and Jimmy from Amazon immediately processed a $7.95 credit to my account. Amazon Customer Service continues to be awesome!


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Yay!  That's kind of why I posted.   I'd pre-ordered at $22 something, then cancelled it before it shipped.  THEN, when it was in stock at $35 or so I decided not to purchase.  So when I saw it at that price today, I thought I'd share in the hopes some of you folks who paid more could get a credit. 

You're welcome.


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

Ann in Arlington said:


> Yay! That's kind of why I posted.  I'd pre-ordered at $22 something, then cancelled it before it shipped. THEN, when it was in stock at $35 or so I decided not to purchase. So when I saw it at that price today, I thought I'd share in the hopes some of you folks who paid more could get a credit.
> 
> You're welcome.


Belated thanks, Ann!


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## OnOneWheel (Jul 25, 2009)

Mine came in yesterday. Very cool. Will be interesting on how to approach reading it.


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## balaspa (Dec 27, 2009)

I just got my copy. I don't see how this one will EVER become a Kindle book. It comes with all of this extra stuff that, well, would just be impossible to do in an ebook format.


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## Meemo (Oct 27, 2008)

It definitely wouldn't work for an eInk Kindle, but most of the "artifacts" can be reproduced on a tablet (I did look at the sample in iBooks) - but things like the "decoder wheel" in the back - that just ain't gonna work.  And of course you don't get the scent.  Really, just not the same at all as holding all those artifacts in your hands, and certainly not nearly as much fun!  I was pretty much geeking out when mine came from Amazon.


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## kansaskyle (Sep 14, 2010)

I started _S._ this weekend, and it is a bit of a challenge. I'm trying the approach of reading the Ship of Theseus story first, and then going back to pick up the margin notes and inserts. I occasionally find myself peeking at a note or two along the way since there are underlined words, lines and arrows, asterisks, etc. all over the text. If that wasn't enough, there are also footnotes throughout the story that add another layer of information.


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## Brownskins (Nov 18, 2011)

Great to hear you've started kansaskyle.  I still haven't since some library books I was waitlisted for started coming in and since most of my reading is with my Kindle, I've somehow given those books the priority.... keep us posted with your experience and approach though.  I have a plan in mind but am open to input as to how to best enjoy S.


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## kansaskyle (Sep 14, 2010)

I finished the book last night, and I feel a bit frustrated in that I missed something -- well, several things. I'm curious how others felt after finishing.

I took the approach of reading the story first, then going back through four times to pick up the paired margin comments (blue/black notes, orange/green notes, purple/red notes, black/black notes). I wonder now, if I should have tried it the other way around of simply reading everything on a page at a time. I read some reviews, and I found people that did it that way; however, they were left with a similar feeling of maybe they had "read the book wrong".

I put my questions in the spoiler section below. If anyone that finished the book can help, I would appreciate your thoughts!





Spoiler



*Love is the answer* -Is that really one of the messages, if not the primary message, the author was trying to convey? FXC has to make up her own happy ending in Chapter 10 while Eric and Jen find theirs in Prague. All of the other mysteries are really secondary and not really that important compared to the message of love? 
[*]


Spoiler



*What's with all the bird and monkey references?* - Were these just interesting distractions that didn't really go anywhere. I got that some of the bird names were codes for people, but I wasn't sure about the monkey business!


[*]


Spoiler



*What was up with the agents after Jen?* - Is there a new "S" organization that was after Jen or was Moody sending the thugs to scare Jen and burn stuff down? If there really was a new "S" it seems highly unlikely Jen and Eric would self-incriminate themselves in the book and leave it in public for anyone to pick up.


[*]


Spoiler



*Who/what was Serin?* - It seems strange that Serin would send Eric so much cash, but we never found out more about them, their backers, their goals, etc.


[*]


Spoiler



*What's with the Eotvos Wheel?* - I never used the wheel in the back of the book, but I guess that was supposed to compel me to crack the cipher in the rest of the chapters that Jen didn't figure out? I see this site is attempting to crack the messages, but that seems like a ton of work that I just am not willing to invest in this work of fiction


[*]


Spoiler



*What do you make of the Ship of Thesus story?* - This seems like a big political rant against capitalism and arms manufacturing. Are we supposed to get something meaningful from the mysterious ship? Why do the sailors sew their mouths shut? What's up with the time traveling ship? What's up with the pouring out of one's soul on paper in the lower deck? Is this part of the story an homage to the Thesus Paradox, but instead of rebuilding the ship we are kind of rebuilding themes of the book in Jen and Eric's lives?


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

I am a horrible person!     I was so excited to get this book.  But, it has been here for two weeks and I haven't even opened the Amazon box.    I just keep reading other books on my comfortable Kindle.  I'll get to it one of these days, honest.


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## Brownskins (Nov 18, 2011)

kansaskyle said:


> I started _S._ this weekend, and it is a bit of a challenge. I'm trying the approach of reading the Ship of Theseus story first, and then going back to pick up the margin notes and inserts. I occasionally find myself peeking at a note or two along the way since there are underlined words, lines and arrows, asterisks, etc. all over the text. If that wasn't enough, there are also footnotes throughout the story that add another layer of information.


So this is where I am at now. I started last night but was constantly distracted. I read the foreword (or intro, I forgot what it's called) but kept on glancing at the side notes. Since I don't want to bring the book along with me on the train, it may be a while before I finish it... so in the meantime, still reading from my Kindle


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## kansaskyle (Sep 14, 2010)

My daughter put in little page flags in the book where the inserts were located, numbered the flags, and put matching flags/numbers on the inserts.  That way I would carry the book around without fear of losing the inserts.  

The only issue I saw with this approach is figuring out which inserts correspond to which margin comments.  If you are reading everything on a page as you go through, then it would be easier to figure out.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Mine's still in the shrink wrap -- I don't really want to start it while I'm still working 'cause my reading periods tend to be shorter and sometimes lacking altogether on a given day!  So I'm 'saving' it for when I have time to really focus.


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

Ann in Arlington said:


> Mine's still in the shrink wrap -- I don't really want to start it while I'm still working 'cause my reading periods tend to be shorter and sometimes lacking altogether on a given day! *So I'm 'saving' it for when I have time to really focus.
> *


Yes, that's it. I'll go with that reason. Thanks, Ann.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.


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## balaspa (Dec 27, 2009)

I got my print edition but have yet to try and start reading it.


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## balaspa (Dec 27, 2009)

Just started reading the hardcover version of this. It is going to take some getting used to.


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## kansaskyle (Sep 14, 2010)

Enjoy the journey!

I look forward to your thoughts when you finish, and hopefully you can answer some of questions  few posts back!


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