Book Hangover

Book

“That moment when you finish a book, look around, and realize that everyone is just carrying on with their lives as though you didn't just experience emotional trauma at the hands of a paperback.” – James Craig

I would like a dialogue of times you have picked up an excellent book, videogame, or movie series and when finished, felt like you lost something important.

I would have to say one of the earliest times I experienced this moment was the Redwall series by Brian Jacques. Redwall, for those that don’t know, is a series of books about critters that live human like lives in somewhat of battle frenzy world. From the first book to the last in the series I was amerced in this world of war lord badgers, English fighting bunnies, and evil pirate ferrets! I couldn’t get enough, to the point I would try hiding my books in class and reading during lectures. There was little that could pull my attention away at the time and I savored every second of it. Alas, like all good things, it came to an end when I completed the latest written book in the series. I remember clearly where I was sitting when I finished and the emotion that overcame me. I was too young to know what it felt like to go through a break up or losing a loved one was like, but little did I know how damn near close it was. The feeling had a late onset to me. I remember closing the book, leaning back and thinking to myself about the world I was just in. What would I have done in this book? Which type of animal would I have been? Did Redwall survive yet another calamity temporarily or permanently? I couldn’t wait to get back to the library to get the next one! Then it hit… The sudden realization that I was all caught up. What the heck was I supposed to do now? It was a low dull feeling in the pit of my stomach that raced all the way to my heart; it was the sudden feeling of losing someone. I felt like I had lost someone close to me, and that I would never experience the joy of Redwall again. It seemed that closing that last page had ended all their lives and I was the one responsible for it. How could I have done this?!?!? I sat there for the next hour going over this new feeling and what I should do next, and then decided to do what any obsessed illogical 12 year old would do. I picked the first book back up and started reading again…

Any who, this feeling would came back to me over the years and still visits me every once in a while; The sense of loss you feel after diving so deep into a world that subconsciously your mind can’t tell the difference between reality and fiction. Today, I am ok with this feeling and quite enjoy it. It says to me that the creator did exactly what they meant the subject matter to do. I applaud these artist for their talent and ultimately for my beneficial pleasure. Below are a few titles from movies, video games, and books that have instilled this feeling. I ask you to comment on yours below.

Star wars

Final Fantasy series

Pokemon

The Dark Tower Series

Redwall

Hank the Cow dog

LOTR

Bleach

Naruto