Into the Fire

5 responses to “The Reading Blahs . . .”

1. 

   BK Jackson (@BKJacksonAZ)

   October 24, 2013

   I’ve got 146 novels in my Kindle TBR pile. With the exception of one novel I bought in paper recently, I don’t have a physical stack.
   But the TBR pile rarely makes it to my “exert energy to do” list. Because they aren’t knockouts.
   Last week, for example, I finished reading a novel I downloaded–was interested because the subject matter looked interesting, it was written by a man (my preference) & while there was a romance, it was very much the side show and not done in mushy gushy style.
   However…it was just an average read. The writing definitely not literary, the action sometimes over the top (but explainable by testosterone), and the main character lived in a coastal community so the frequent reference to sea & sailing almost put me to sleep with disinterest. The good news is it didn’t tie things up nice & tidy, b/c life is rarely nice & tidy, & ended w/hope mixed with a good dash of realism.
   It was a nice average book. And that typifies the fiction reading realm. I’ve already got plenty of average in my life. No need to hurry to add more.

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2. 

   BK Jackson (@BKJacksonAZ)

   October 24, 2013

   This book brings up another piece of writing advice that I don’t agree with. The idea of not using back story at the opening of a book.
   In the book I referenced above, the main character’s best friend is killed while witnessing in a dangerous part of the city. So we DO get a good intro to the catalyst character.
   What we never DID get in the book is a look in on main character & martyr character as friends. So I had to rely on the author reminding me they were best friends throughout the book. But because there was never a first hand glimpse into their lives together as best friends, the story felt lacking somehow.
   I understand WHY an author wouldn’t want to get carried away with backstory, but too little can have just as much negative consequence.

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3. 

   Nicole

   October 24, 2013

   I totally am with you on backstory, Brenda. It’s necessary, useful, fascinating – all if done well. Like most of the so-called rules, the absolutes don’t fly. Everything can be done well if not often.
   And, yeah, sick of the “average”, although I understand. Most people like the average novel. Otherwise they’d quit buying them. It’s easy to load up on Kindle books because some of them come cheap or free, even quality stories.

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4. 

   Brenda Anderson

   October 24, 2013

   My Kindle TBR pile is about as big as Brenda J’s, but most of those are freebies that I’ll get around to reading someday … maybe.
   But my bedside TBR pile actually has some intriguing books in it: Pamela Binnings Ewen’s latest, An Accidental Life and Julie Cantrell’s 2nd novel, When Mountains Move. I just finished Steven James’ Singularity and loved it. I thought it was far better than the first book in his new series, Placebo.
   I do have other books on my bedside table, but they don’t excite me as much–they strike me as average.

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5. 

   Nicole

   October 24, 2013

   On your recommendation, maybe I’ll run down and get Singularity. Maybe that’s the spark book I need. I’d planned on reading it, but maybe the time is now. 😉

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