Re: here via friendsfriendshamsterwomanSeptember 14 2007, 05:12:29 UTC
Oooh, I didn't know you were a GGK fan, too!
Jehane was exactly the character I was thinking of when I was reading these cardboard females and shaking my head "GGK, you can do so much better." I'm glad he learned how to do it properly as he went on. :)
For me, "Tithe" felt more formulaic, probably because of the romance. The drug sequences from "Valiant" had more of a kick, I guess, because it's something I'd never do and therefore find very icky/fascinating. I didn't buy either romance. Guess I need to check the FB library to see what other YAs they have. Can't see paying actual money for this sort of thing, but I'm also curious as to what makes the genre.
Have you read the Garth Nix Sabriel/Lirial/Abhorsen series?
I liked the changeling aspect in Tithe (and again in Ironside the sequel that brings characters from Tithe and Valiant together), which for me transcended the formula. The aspect of the romance that I liked in Tithe was not so much the romance itself (although, to be perfectly shallow, I find it a lot easier to buy falling for a hot Elven knight than for an ogre), but the built-in power imbalance -- the absolute power Kaye has over Roiben by knowing his true name. Not sure what it says about me that I find those kind of power dynamics fascinating, but I do, and I never expected to encounter them in a YA novel... The drug sequences were definitely my favorite part of Valiant, and I think the most powerful aspect of the book. Both icky and fascinating, as you say.
I started Sabriel at one point but didn't get very far into it. It was just so very bleak, and I've been told since then that there's some kind of eucatastophic payoff even in the first book, so I'll probably try it again, but it didn't grab me plot or chracter-wise, and if I
( ... )
I like bleak. Feels more "real" to me than most fantasy does, but then I guess that's why they call it "fantasy," no?
I tried googling this and failed. Dictionary.com failed me, too. What is "eucatastophic?"
See, I've never been a sucker for pretty men. I like them flawed and less than perfect in all ways. Roiben had his moments, and I can see how Kaye would have fallen for him, but I also could have seen the tragic hero aspects in the Ogre (whose name I've already forgotten) that would hook Val. Don't we all want to show inner beauty to those who feel lacking?
I tried googling this and failed. Dictionary.com failed me, too. What is "eucatastophic?"
That would be because I misspelled it... *facepalm* I meant "eucatastrophic", which I'm forming from eucatastophe (possibly incorrectly...)
I actually like pretty men whose good looks hide/mask their flaws at first glance, but who are still (or more) interesting once the flaws are revealed (all examples which are occurring to me at the moment are from fandoms that we do not share, not very helpfully...)
The ogre (I think his name is Ravus?) worked for me as a hero OK on his own, but I think there needs to be more than that for the "beauty and the beast" storyline to be believable... he felt like a rebound fling for Val, to me, not a suddenly discovered love of her life...
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Like Jehane from Lions, and most of the female characters in A Song for Arbonne. Maybe he just needed the practice?
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Jehane was exactly the character I was thinking of when I was reading these cardboard females and shaking my head "GGK, you can do so much better." I'm glad he learned how to do it properly as he went on. :)
Oh, and happy vacation!
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Jehane rox my sox. In fact, all the characters in Lions were well-drawn
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Have you read the Garth Nix Sabriel/Lirial/Abhorsen series?
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I started Sabriel at one point but didn't get very far into it. It was just so very bleak, and I've been told since then that there's some kind of eucatastophic payoff even in the first book, so I'll probably try it again, but it didn't grab me plot or chracter-wise, and if I ( ... )
Reply
I tried googling this and failed. Dictionary.com failed me, too. What is "eucatastophic?"
See, I've never been a sucker for pretty men. I like them flawed and less than perfect in all ways. Roiben had his moments, and I can see how Kaye would have fallen for him, but I also could have seen the tragic hero aspects in the Ogre (whose name I've already forgotten) that would hook Val. Don't we all want to show inner beauty to those who feel lacking?
Reply
That would be because I misspelled it... *facepalm* I meant "eucatastrophic", which I'm forming from eucatastophe (possibly incorrectly...)
I actually like pretty men whose good looks hide/mask their flaws at first glance, but who are still (or more) interesting once the flaws are revealed (all examples which are occurring to me at the moment are from fandoms that we do not share, not very helpfully...)
The ogre (I think his name is Ravus?) worked for me as a hero OK on his own, but I think there needs to be more than that for the "beauty and the beast" storyline to be believable... he felt like a rebound fling for Val, to me, not a suddenly discovered love of her life...
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