And for some reason, once again...
...I find myself perusing the StarDoc series. And in looking around to see if anyone else has read them and might want to talk about them, I find myself disgusted with what they've got for a fanbase.
Lemme get this right out front: Cherijo is a Mary Sue. She's an overwhelming Pity Sue, something of a Jerk Sue, and (considering her healing factor, super-intelligence, and functional Type 3 immortality) a borderline Godmode Sue to boot. Despite her Sue-ishness, she does possess actual character flaws; those character flaws, however, do not include disregard for or neglect of her husband or daughter. But yet, those are exactly the accusations that readers seem to level against her.
And since we're on the subject of Duncan: he's awful. Yes, I know, Freudian excuse, raised by space orcs, and all that; he's still awful. If anyone comes off as self-absorbed, or as "not caring about" their spouse, in that series, it's Duncan. After reading the "seduction" (to use the word very loosely) scene in the first book, I honestly finished it hoping that he would die in the next; and none of what passed for his character development, throughout the series, did anything to change my mind on that count. (This includes a novella from his viewpoint: He primarily comes off as possessive; his supposed moments of genuine affection for her-including his declaration of love at the end-manage only to seem jarringly out-of-character and artificial.)
All-in-all: a love interest I wouldn't wish on a far worse Sue than Cherijo. But yet, Viehl insisted on red-stringing them-even if she had to tie that red string in some improbable knots to make it happen-and giving him an "out" for every douchey goddamn thing that he did. (What happened between them in the last book? There are no words.) And a certain contingent of fans still have the nerve to say that she doesn't deserve him.
Finally: I can't decide if draehmi Jorenians are an insult to Tall Blues everywhere, or straight-up awesome.
Lemme get this right out front: Cherijo is a Mary Sue. She's an overwhelming Pity Sue, something of a Jerk Sue, and (considering her healing factor, super-intelligence, and functional Type 3 immortality) a borderline Godmode Sue to boot. Despite her Sue-ishness, she does possess actual character flaws; those character flaws, however, do not include disregard for or neglect of her husband or daughter. But yet, those are exactly the accusations that readers seem to level against her.
And since we're on the subject of Duncan: he's awful. Yes, I know, Freudian excuse, raised by space orcs, and all that; he's still awful. If anyone comes off as self-absorbed, or as "not caring about" their spouse, in that series, it's Duncan. After reading the "seduction" (to use the word very loosely) scene in the first book, I honestly finished it hoping that he would die in the next; and none of what passed for his character development, throughout the series, did anything to change my mind on that count. (This includes a novella from his viewpoint: He primarily comes off as possessive; his supposed moments of genuine affection for her-including his declaration of love at the end-manage only to seem jarringly out-of-character and artificial.)
All-in-all: a love interest I wouldn't wish on a far worse Sue than Cherijo. But yet, Viehl insisted on red-stringing them-even if she had to tie that red string in some improbable knots to make it happen-and giving him an "out" for every douchey goddamn thing that he did. (What happened between them in the last book? There are no words.) And a certain contingent of fans still have the nerve to say that she doesn't deserve him.
Finally: I can't decide if draehmi Jorenians are an insult to Tall Blues everywhere, or straight-up awesome.