Looking Under the Hood

[linthornhill]

UberGeek, the boys and I have instituted our own book-of-the-month club, and this month it was Apoc's turn to choose. We browsed one of the the big-name bookstores for a couple of hours and he was finally drawn to the cover art (it really is vital) of the third in a series of fantasies(Twilight ReignThe Stormcaller is. It's been fascinating to

Comments

[linthornhill]

I laughed aloud at the quote, this dense and involved! It also could read 'difficult' and 'obtuse'. Please don't misunderstand, some of his prose is gorgeous; there's just too much of it!

Oh, I absolutely think the fact he knows people helped his position.

[vashka_kat]

If that adage is correct, how the heck did Twilight slip through? There isn't much of a story besides Bella gazing, entranced by Edward, for about 300 pages, a baseball game, and a surprisingly boring climax!

Sounds like that clunker of a beginning could have used a serious editing session if the story was sound!

[linthornhill]

I'm laughing aloud! You're so right. The Twilight series wasn't very good, but that first book was perfect for its target audience.

I couldn't agree more with you about the editor. What is it with authors who don't listen to their editors? When they don't we end up with books like Deathly Hallows which desperately needed a second set of revisions.

[linthornhill]

It's been really fun so far, and I'm looking forward to dinner on Sunday, which will be our weekly book discussion.

I haven't read the Kage Baker books, but the idea that you two get to talk them over at length sounds a bit like heaven. When I was a teenager, my family did this with films, but my film choices are very different than my sons' or UberGeek's, so we're sticking with books (it's easier to find common ground there.)

Did I mention to you that when last at my local Barnes & Noble (a huge store in a very upscale neighborhood) one entire shelf in the scifi/fantasy section was devoted to Lili's books? They'd spread them out so you could see the covers as well as the spines. I was thrilled for her, and I hope her sales go up as a result.

[scatteredlogic]

In this case, you can't see the gleam of the glass!

Hee! A bald statement can work, and in the case you've described, it certainly grabs the reader's attention, but I'm also presuming that the author is going to reveal that gleam sooner or later. Unless the very lack, like the one used in "Rebecca" where the narrator is never named is the gimmick. ;)

[linthornhill]

I'm not sure this guy is up to duMaurier's standards in that regard, and Hat says he doesn't give more detail to the gimmick in the second book. Hat is an artist so he's been doodling with concept art for the characters, and on this point he's stumped. I've thoroughly enjoyed his various attempts to capture the physical trait, though.

Perhaps in the third book it will all be revealed.

[lillithj]

A sky can only be delicious if the clouds look like whipped cream. ~nods~ It is a known fact.

His only comment, because he didn't want to give anything away to his brother and dad, was, 'It's a very good ending. Need the next book ... now!'

Ooooh! I love books like that.

[linthornhill]

Nope. No whipped cream to be found anywhere, just swooping swallows, and they don't the sky at all, delicious or otherwise.

[lillithj]

Well, then the sky can't be delicious. I refuse to believe in the metaphor without the simile. I am stubborn that way.

;)

[linthornhill]

::gigglesnort::

I couldn't agree with you more. If one is going to leap into the pond feet first, then one should be suitably attired. Bathing suits or nothing at all!

Of course, I'm just looking for an excuse to show you eye candy!

Nope. Wait. That was SFW, but borderline ... so you get the plain, boring ol' icon. A healthy one too.