Dangerous Hero Addict Support Group discussion

Sometimes I go back and re-read a book, only to feel quite differently about it the second time around because it doesn't feel current anymore.

What are some older books you have re-read that can stand the test of time? What are some books that cannot? Does that infkuence your enjoyment of the books?

A lot of Diana Palmer books are hard to re-read for me because she puts in a lot of cultural references, like video games, that date the books significantly.

I guess the way I look at it, if the books are set in a specific period, they don't have to be "current". For example, reading a book written in, and set, in the 80s is no different for me than reading a historical. Any mentions of things specific to that time will serve as reminders of that period rather than detract from the story. When I re-read old favorites, I keep that in mind and have never had an issue with it.

I am the same as Kim. I actually enjoy the books references to things that are current to the time they are written as it makes me remember things that I enjoyed then and end up travelling down memory lane as I read.

I do have certain books that do not stand the test of time but rarely is it because of the dated feel of them. There are a lot of older bodice ripper type novels I loved at one time but now are like "meh". These include some of Johanna Lindsey, Catherine Coulter, Rosemary Rogers, etc. However, there are many that I still love, like The Flame and The Flower, Prisoner of my Desire, and The Black Lyon, to name a few.

I still love my rereads of Judith McNaught, Paradise and Perfect. She definitely stands the test of time. Sometimes I will reread a book and then take it off the keeper shelf permanently, I think it's due more to the mood that I was in when I initially read it. If it doesn't grab me a second time, it's gone!

My favorites tend to stand the test of the time because most are set in a different time period anyway. On the other hand I love Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake series despite some of my complaints with the later installments. Everyone complains about the sex but I noticed a continuity issue with the earlier books. Despite being a year between books they all leave an impression that there is only weeks or months between adventures. Yet you will notice drastic fashion and technological advances when reading these books back to back. Beepers turn into cell phones and Anita's clothes go from grunge to business casual in the blink of an eye. The characters arcs are even more startling.

Pamela(AllHoney) wrote: "I do have certain books that do not stand the test of time but rarely is it because of the dated feel of them. There are a lot of older bodice ripper type novels I loved at one time but now are lik..."

Exactly. I have like all of Coulter's books because I loved them as a teen, she was my intro to HR, what started it all. I get all nostalgic. But the last time I re-read one that used to be a fave (The Offer), I still liked the story, but this time around, the dialogue seemed silly or stilted or something. I'll hold on to em for fondness, but I just didn't love it like I used too.

Kim wrote: "I guess the way I look at it, if the books are set in a specific period, they don't have to be "current". For example, reading a book written in, and set, in the 80s is no different for me than rea..."

I like this way of looking at it :)

I feel like it kinda takes me out of the story to some extent. Maybe that has to do with the writing, too. If a book is really well-written, you won't think about it as much. I don't have trouble with historicals because they're SO different, but I admit to having some issue with stuff set in the 80s, 90s and early 2000s.

I wonder if the age of the reader makes a difference? I'm in my 50s so the books written in the 70, 80, etc are time periods I'm familiar with and lived through.