I just finished LKH’s Seduced By Moonlight and am strangely awed by her ability to seduce ME.
To be honest, I picked up Caress of Twilight a while back simply because it was on sale real cheap, and I’d heard that The Anita Blake Stories were good. I read it, and thought it was okay, but not something I was going to seek out the sequel to. And I didn’t seek it out, but it (magically??) jumped into my hands at the bookstore the other day, so I brought it home.
I started it yesterday, and the whole time I was reading it, the vague thought in the back of my mind was that I didn’t like it, that I was disappointed. How could I be disappointed when I hadn’t really enjoyed the first one I’d read, and didn’t expect to enjoy the second?
Yet, I just finished SBM (the 3rd book in the series, the 2nd I read) and I find that I’m bereft that there isn’t more of it. I don’t understand how I can be hooked on a series when I don’t really enjoy reading it.
I think that I LOVE the story, but I’m not a fan of LKH’s actual writing.
She’s very descriptive, and there’s a lot of narrative. These are things that, to me, slow the story down a lot. I find that I skim a lot, but when I get to the action, the actual story instead of just the descriptions of what every Sidhe looks like, I am engrossed.
I realize that world building requires a lot of description, but to me personally, there can be TOO much. What do you think? Can too much description, no matter how well written be a flaw in a novel like this?
Will I buy the next one, due out in April? Who knows, I guess it depends on if it goes on sale, or jumps off the shelves when I walk by.
I don’t like a lot of filler in a story, sometimes it seems like they are trying to make word count. I am going to read my first Boomshell next, I am interested to see how this Desire authour makes out with a book double in size.
It’s a pet peeve of mine, too much dialogue/description, anything that reads like filler and slows the pace.
I’m not sure it was meant as filler though. To me, it was sort of like Lord Of The Rings. I couldn’t get into reading it all, too wordy, but I LOVED the story, and the movies.
Another thing, there are so many quotes about how erotic LKH’s writing is, but I didn’t find it so. There’s a lot of sex, and nudity, but for ME, it just wasn’t erotic. I’m sure that can go back to our previous discions on here about "What is erotic?" It’s different things to different people.
I’ve bought one LKH book, but haven’t read it yet. Now I’m curious to see what I think of her writing….
Too much description drives me nuts. I prefer a lot of dialog and action.
Sasha, I read one of LHK’s novella’s–can’t remember which one now, but I had the same impression as you–lots of sex with no rhyme or reason (except for her audeur.gg). It didn’t read ‘erotic’ to me either. There are movies? Anything that slows the pacing of the story drives me nuts. Not that i’m saying something has to be fast paced, because there are times and places in a story when the pacing *must* slow, to be effective. Pacing is just that–mode, rate, regulation–in which th story unfolds, but when something is *draggy* I start skimming. :confused:
Heya, Sasha!
When I write, I like to write clean and not have a lot of description and too much narrative. I like action and for every page to have tension. I’m doing a rewrite of Forbidden Magic for SMP and I’m afraid I’m going to have to do more narrative to better explain the world. I hope I can do it in a way that won’t slow down the story. Argh. It’s a fine line!
Chey
I started reading one of the Anita Blake series, but had to quit. I think LKH is a good writer, but I just don’t like her style or at least I think that’s what it is.
I did pick up the first book in her faery series. I haven’t read it yet, but I’m going to just to give her one more chance. If I don’t like it, then I’ll know for sure it’s the writing style and not just the character.
Suzanne~ Let me know what you think. 🙂
Larissa~ I’m like you . I prefer action and dialouge. Maybe someday I’ll give screenwriting a try. (and No, that isn’t said casually.) It’s somethign I’ve always wanted to do, but TBH, I’m scared to try. LOL But with you around, at least I know I have someone I can go to with questions. 🙂
Jaq~ I understand what you mean perfectly! 😉
Chey~ If you need ‘fresh eyes’ to take a look after your re-write. I’d be happy to help you out!
😀
Jordan~ I never read the first Merry Gentry one…but the the second and third…So be sure to tell me what yout hink. I must say, each story CAN stand on it’s own as well, so that’s a big plus.
I think it’s just a style preference for me. But I do like the story line…or maybe I just like the fact that this h gets to have a bunch of hot men for bodygaurds…and lovers. 😛