a thought or two
I really don't like to put down (to this degree) a series on the web, but........
I am almost-so very close- done with reading either of Laurell K Hamilton's books. I have them all from the first to Blood Noir. I am ashamed to admit that I was one of those that actually couldn't wait for the paperback of Incubus Dreams to come out, so I paid for the hardback; and thought, when I finished reading it...".....uh.....wha.....what just happened?" Then, after reading her blog, I was convinced that the next book would have more action (police, zombie, detective, mystery action, not body action) in it so I bought the next book (Danse Macabre) in hardback. Oh. my. goodness.gracious. Not a wise choice. I was angry by this point. Disgusted. I decided not to buy anymore hardbacks from LKH. But then, I kept hearing about how wonderful The Harlequin would be. So, optimistic fool that I can be...I bought that one in hardback. While it was a teeny bit better, it wasn't enough. I waited a very long time until the next book (Blood Noir) came out in paperback before I broke down one day and bought it. I'm still not sure why. I guess I just had to torture myself. There was about 24 pages of good reading in it. That is not worth $7.99. Not for me.
I know that LKH has lots of fans, indeed some very rabid fans. But the thing is, I started out reading an urban fantasy/horror type series and it turned into one long drawn out therapy by discussion series. Therapy by discussion for the CHARACTERS. Not even good therapeutic discussions, just endless talk. But NOTHING ever gets solved for the poor characters. Not cases, not relationships, hell, Anita hasn't even joined the 21st century yet. That's okay, if LKH wants her characters to be in 1980 forever. okay then, why age Anita, even by a few years? According to the latest review of Skin Trade, not much has changed. LKH still has her character doing the chest bump with men to prove her worthiness, Anita is still giving cop eyes to people (that's got to be pissing off the cops- why do they keep letting her take their eyes from them to give away? Why don't they just shoot arrest her?)
I personally don't enjoy endless discussions of angst in a book. Or repetitive arguements between the SAME characters throughout EVERY DAMN BOOK. If I want to hear all about angst and arguements, I can pick a fight with my spouse, or find a 13 year old and pick an arguement with them. The dialogue would be much edgier and actually really push past everyone's comfort-zone. More REAL. The books have become a chore to read. I was going to put up links to her negative reader post, (regarding the terms "Edgy" and "push past comfort zone" but really, it's not worth it. I really don't feel like doing it)
NOTHING EVER CHANGES, instead of her characters growing throughout the books, they are just all blending together into one whiney, love slave to Anita, Vampire Humper (among other things). In the midst of writing this post, I've realized that I'm really done with this series, and Ms Hamilton would have to write an astounding book that doesn't take place in either of her established worlds for me to even consider reading her book in the bookstore. (Not something That I think is fair to other shoppers) Her book would have to be BETTER than say ----- (I wrote some of my favorite authors down, but that's just not right for me to do. It could be awkward for them so I deleted the names)....get my drift? It would have to Shine and Glow and be the very best book ever. It would have to actually read itself out loud to me....but I don't think that's going to happen.
So now I'm wondering, should I keep them (the books) for research, look up stuff for fun about the series? and why? which means I've just answered my own question.
The other question. If I kept only the first 10 or whatever books that I thought were entertaining enough, would anyone even want the later books?
If I offered them up on the web, would anyone want them?
Maybe I should sell them. To a rabid fan. I'm going to get rid of Incubus Dreams, Danse Macabre, The Harlequin, and I might just donate the Blood Noir paperback to a thrift shop. I kind of thought that Narcissus in Chains and Cerulean Sins were okay, but it did start to get angsty in those books, so I'm considering getting rid of them also.
Any takers?
Any recommendations on what to do with the books? (besides the garbage can)
I am almost-so very close- done with reading either of Laurell K Hamilton's books. I have them all from the first to Blood Noir. I am ashamed to admit that I was one of those that actually couldn't wait for the paperback of Incubus Dreams to come out, so I paid for the hardback; and thought, when I finished reading it...".....uh.....wha.....what just happened?" Then, after reading her blog, I was convinced that the next book would have more action (police, zombie, detective, mystery action, not body action) in it so I bought the next book (Danse Macabre) in hardback. Oh. my. goodness.gracious. Not a wise choice. I was angry by this point. Disgusted. I decided not to buy anymore hardbacks from LKH. But then, I kept hearing about how wonderful The Harlequin would be. So, optimistic fool that I can be...I bought that one in hardback. While it was a teeny bit better, it wasn't enough. I waited a very long time until the next book (Blood Noir) came out in paperback before I broke down one day and bought it. I'm still not sure why. I guess I just had to torture myself. There was about 24 pages of good reading in it. That is not worth $7.99. Not for me.
I know that LKH has lots of fans, indeed some very rabid fans. But the thing is, I started out reading an urban fantasy/horror type series and it turned into one long drawn out therapy by discussion series. Therapy by discussion for the CHARACTERS. Not even good therapeutic discussions, just endless talk. But NOTHING ever gets solved for the poor characters. Not cases, not relationships, hell, Anita hasn't even joined the 21st century yet. That's okay, if LKH wants her characters to be in 1980 forever. okay then, why age Anita, even by a few years? According to the latest review of Skin Trade, not much has changed. LKH still has her character doing the chest bump with men to prove her worthiness, Anita is still giving cop eyes to people (that's got to be pissing off the cops- why do they keep letting her take their eyes from them to give away? Why don't they just shoot arrest her?)
I personally don't enjoy endless discussions of angst in a book. Or repetitive arguements between the SAME characters throughout EVERY DAMN BOOK. If I want to hear all about angst and arguements, I can pick a fight with my spouse, or find a 13 year old and pick an arguement with them. The dialogue would be much edgier and actually really push past everyone's comfort-zone. More REAL. The books have become a chore to read. I was going to put up links to her negative reader post, (regarding the terms "Edgy" and "push past comfort zone" but really, it's not worth it. I really don't feel like doing it)
NOTHING EVER CHANGES, instead of her characters growing throughout the books, they are just all blending together into one whiney, love slave to Anita, Vampire Humper (among other things). In the midst of writing this post, I've realized that I'm really done with this series, and Ms Hamilton would have to write an astounding book that doesn't take place in either of her established worlds for me to even consider reading her book in the bookstore. (Not something That I think is fair to other shoppers) Her book would have to be BETTER than say ----- (I wrote some of my favorite authors down, but that's just not right for me to do. It could be awkward for them so I deleted the names)....get my drift? It would have to Shine and Glow and be the very best book ever. It would have to actually read itself out loud to me....but I don't think that's going to happen.
So now I'm wondering, should I keep them (the books) for research, look up stuff for fun about the series? and why? which means I've just answered my own question.
The other question. If I kept only the first 10 or whatever books that I thought were entertaining enough, would anyone even want the later books?
If I offered them up on the web, would anyone want them?
Maybe I should sell them. To a rabid fan. I'm going to get rid of Incubus Dreams, Danse Macabre, The Harlequin, and I might just donate the Blood Noir paperback to a thrift shop. I kind of thought that Narcissus in Chains and Cerulean Sins were okay, but it did start to get angsty in those books, so I'm considering getting rid of them also.
Any takers?
Any recommendations on what to do with the books? (besides the garbage can)