February 25, 2007 | reading
Because I have so much reading time while I’m feeding the baby, I’ve been trying out some new authors. So far this has worked quite well–I really enjoyed the children’s fantasy/adventure/comedy Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer, and fell in love with the hero of chick lit novel Making Mischief by fellow London RNA member Liz Young. I’m halfway through another children’s book, The Wind Singer by William Nicholson, which like Artemis Fowl is also fantasy, but of a very different sort, much more epic and serious.
I’ve also read a thriller by a mega-bestselling American author, and it was CRAP. Really, really awful. The characters were wooden with little motivation, and I saw the plot twists coming a million miles away–despite the fact that they made little logical sense. The writing was at about a fourth-grade level, only both clumsy and stupid; the children’s books I’ve been reading have had more sophisticated writing. There were continuity errors (people suddenly changing rooms, or what they looked like)–and yet despite this the author felt the need to repeat information over and over, in case you might have forgotten a major plot point over the course of ten pages.
What could have been potentially interesting plot or emotional development was skimmed over. At the risk of giving the identity of the book away, an example of this was when one of the main characters, a priest, is the only survivor of a plane crash. This should be an exciting, harrowing, thrilling incident, right? The entire scene takes about a page to recount; there are no details, and the priest sort of staggers off when it’s done without seeming to have really noticed what’s happened, or trying to help anybody else.
I only read to the end because a) I couldn’t move as had baby attached to me, and b) I wanted to know if I really had guessed the ending about fifty pages in. I had.
Yet this guy sells millions of books. It truly makes no sense.
Julie says:
I thought I would keep the thriller writer anonymous in the interests of not blasting a former author. Forget it.
It was Cradle and All by James Patterson. It truly sucked.
Phillipa says:
Julie - I haven’t read any of JP’s books but he is one of um… a leading publisher’s best selling authors. I guess you have tons to read but can I recommend the brilliant, complex books of the (charming and sexy) Ian Rankin? I love his sparse prose style and the emotional insights into his characters, however minor. I am always horrified by the prose of one of the world’s best-selling glam-romance writers and no, I’m not saying who it is!
Julie says:
Hmm. We do share a publisher. Perhaps I should retract my statement.
But no, I won’t. It was bad, and nearly everyone on Amazon.co.uk agrees with me.
However, I have enjoyed the films based on his books, which leads me to believe that at other times he has created excellent plots and characterisation. Maybe I will pick up another one of his with a better reputation and it will change my mind about him.
I’ll try some Ian Rankin, Pip, thank you!
Jessica Raymond says:
I’ve never read any of his books, but my sister likes him. Doesn’t he actually co-write all of his books, even though he gets all the credit? I’m sure I read an online article recently about the JP “publishing machine” and it all sounded rather engineered. Maybe that’s why you struggled with it?
For fab American thrillers written by a man, I v. v. highly recommend Michael Connelly if you haven’t already read him. His Harry Bosch novels are the best.
And regarding clunky/bad writing from bestselling authors, I’ve come across a couple of instances with this in category romance. One M&B Tender I read a couple of years ago was SO BAD (in both general terms and in how it was written) that I have kept it to read when I feel like MY writing is rubbish. I’m actually reading another romance by another bestselling author at the moment which, well… I’m finding a struggle. The most difficult bits are the long speech tags that are attached to every piece of dialogue. As an example:
-
“So, will you help me?” He tipped up his head and looked her square in the eyes.
She appraised him. Licked her lips before responding in what she hoped was an even voice. “I’m not sure why I should.”
He blinked and nodded. “Maybe because you’re the only one who can.” She had to understand.
“All right, then,” she replied after a few seconds’ pause. “I’ll help you.” She took a deep breath and hoped she’d done the right thing.
-
I have never been left wanting to see white space on the page so badly!
Jess x
Michelle Styles says:
Ah JP. I have read his first romance book and it made me cry despite the fact that I could see the twists. He is someone I have read to learn the bare bones.
The Wind Singer trilogy is really enjoyable. I thought they got better.
There is a lot of fantastic YA fantasy out there. We keep buying it for the children…Have you discovered Philip Reeve or Mary Hoffman?
I will agree about Ian Rankin — a much better writer by far than JP.
Ehle says:
I can see the cover of Patterson’s next book now:
“It was…really, really…sophisticated…and…interesting. [The] main characters…[are]…exciting, harrowing, thrilling. I…read to the end! It truly makes…sense.” - Julie Cohen
Julie says:
Ehle, it’s good to see you back, and on form.
Haven’t read Michael Connelly, Jess, nor Philip Reeve or Mary Hoffman, Michelle. This all gives me a lot to look for on my library visit tomorrow.
Apparently (according to a comment on Amazon) this particular novel by JP was one written before he became a bestseller, and was rereleased once he became a phenomenon. So that could explain it.
Mary says:
I interviewed Alexander McCall Smith today and read the latest in his No1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series.
It was fab! I’d thoroughly recommend it and he was absolutely gorgeous too.
Mary
xx
Mary says:
I interviewed Alexander McCall Smith today and read the latest in his No1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series.
It was fab! I’d thoroughly recommend it and he was absolutely gorgeous too.
Mary
xx
Biddy says:
Yes JP is a publishing machine. His first few books I loved but then went off, it seems to have been around the time other people started writing them.
Can I recommend a great book called ‘Driving Him Wild’ which I read on the plane… had me crying and laughing… hold on maybe you already know about it?