Comments | catalina_voice: Worse than Bad Chocolate

catalina_voice

Worse than Bad Chocolate

Jan 02, 2004 17:13

I just finished reading possibly the worst science fiction book I've ever read. I say "possibly" because I find bad science fiction so forgettable (and therefore may have forgotten something worse), not because this book had anything to redeem it. Called "Freedom's Ransom," it's apparently the fourth in a popular series. Consider yourself lucky to ( Read more... )

Comments 7

elnigma January 2 2004, 18:07:09 UTC

I loved some of Anne McCaffrey's earlier books (written pre-1984, last tolerable book I found by her was "Moreta's ride" - I guess I was sad or desperate to even like that.) A friend of mine insisted in the early 90's I had to give her another chance cause he loved the author Elizabeth Moon. Anne McCaffrey and Elizabeth Moon wrote probably the worst edited book I've ever read - "Sassinak". They'd arranged that one author write one half, the other the other half.. and not label who gets first and second, and make one book of it. Well, halfway through a smarmy badly-written book (with obvious McCaffrey touches) the plot line stops, book returns to a previous situation - the style different- and then for several chapters what had already happened repeats , then the book drudged on until it ended. A single reading of the book by ANYONE at any time would have meant someone could see that several chapters would have to be eliminated.. but nobody had apparently done that. I wonder if the later publishing of Sassinak being combined with ( ... )

catalina_voice January 2 2004, 21:15:50 UTC

Well, it's a relief to hear that someone else who liked the dragon stories found her intolerable later. (I remember the Moreta one, too. I didn't think it was very deep and didn't like her cheap reliance on the martyrdom theme, but I could read it without putting the book down in exasperation. I could still enjoy it.) What was getting me about this Freedom series was the assertion that these are popular best-sellers. Are people buying them just to buy them? Can people really enjoy reading that crap? (I tried to enjoy this, I really did. I had no choice, because I was sick. But it simply wasn't possible, because the book was stupid.) One explanation for the dreadfulness of the Freedom's Ransom book may be something found in the credits: she thanks the people of her chat room for essentially helping her to write it. Yeah, that's about how it comes across -- chat room dialogue ( ... )

ninevolt January 4 2004, 20:38:48 UTC

If you like dragons you could try reading some Patricia C. Wrede, I read "Dealing with Dragons", "Dancing with Dragons", etc. a long time ago and they were very positive about dragons, the books also included your typical runaway princess and ordinary enchanted forest (givens). I liked them enough to write the author a letter back then.

I once watched a movie that I found was completely full of logic/plot holes like that, I think it was "league of extroardinary gentlemen" or whatever it was called. I came to the conclusion that since it was all about people with "magical powers" that I suppose that invalidated rational criticism through analyzing physical impossibilities in the first place, plus it was pointless :) Well I haven't even read that book you did but I agree, it sucks.

If you like science fiction, I also suggest William Gibson if you haven't read any of his books :)

Next time you're completely ridden with beds, why not write your own book?

dragons catalina_voice January 5 2004, 12:48:29 UTC

Thanks for the recommendations. I'll write them down. I haven't read either of them before.

I came to the conclusion that since it was all about people with "magical powers" that I suppose that invalidated rational criticism through analyzing physical impossibilities in the first place, plus it was pointless :)[chuckle] I agree that it's pointless, but most likely because a bad writer isn't going to listen. I love a lot of stories that include magical powers. But, as with what are called "magical powers" in our world, there is always a context for those powers -- a set of principles, by which those powers can be used or misused, and a set of consequences or feedback loops when use or misuse trespasses one of these principles. Although I don't consider it the most masterful example of her work, LeGuin's Earthsea series presented magical powers in this kind of context -- one very different to our own reality and yet one consistent and coherent and therefore convincing. Her subtlety and insight into the context and principles of her ( ... )

Re: dragons ninevolt January 5 2004, 16:01:27 UTC

What kind of book are you writing? :)

I also was wondering how could I possibly train myself to use the ability in an on-demand and reliable way? Is there a book I could read or something?

a set of principles, by which those powers can be used or misused, and a set of consequences or feedback loops when use or misuse trespasses one of these principles

Do you think that when you do use some power then it positively or negatively comes back to you in the same amount?

part 1, book catalina_voice January 5 2004, 19:38:17 UTC

What kind of book are you writing?(Oh, boy, did you ask for it. hehe) Fiction. I guess a novel, but it's kind of weird. I think it might come out a bit like the Golden Notebook or House of Leaves or something like that -- a bit too far from the usual structure to call "a novel" in the classic sense. At this point, it's a drawer full of scraps of paper with scribbles on them, but it is all connected energetically or thematically, and I really want to assemble it before I die ( ... )

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