On 3/19/2016 12:04 PM, Bob Whitmire wrote:
. . . I used
to be an internet friend of the woman who wrote the books. When we finally
met in person at a signing for her second book, I found her to be a bit
rude and arrogant. She might just have been overcompensating, though. <g>
. . . I read the
first one and couldn't go any farther. Joan, I think, made it halfway
through the second.
I started the first book . . . She's good at describing the surroundings, actions, straight dialog, etc. But the
plotting, YUK.
Trouble, or potential trouble.
Hero, who actually knows the times, people of them in general and many specific ones, tells heroine what to do and/or
not to do.
Hero has to go off on important business, often to insure her/their survival.
The instant he is gone, she does exactly what he said not to do, and/or the
exact opposite of what he told her to do.
DIRE CONSEQUENCES!!
Hero barely manages to get them out alive and un-imprisoned, although often
injured, sometimes seriously, particularly him.
Repeat, apparently endlessly.
I got bored, and a bit pissed off.
I really dislike protagonists who learn not even the simplest of lessons from their experiences. She isn't self-aware
enough even to think, "Hmmm, it's probably a bad idea, but I can't help myself." He isn't smart enough to tell her the
opposite of what he want's her to do, or tie her up, or brick her into a closet, or something.
Yes, I know, then there would be no story. But there's no story, really, anyway. And there are authors who manage
enjoyable, engaging stories without such idiocy.
On Sat, Mar 19, 2016 at 7:49 AM, ChrisB <ftog@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Thanks, Bob. I avoided Outlander because I knew it would be utter rubbish
;-)
I avoided the video versions because I already knew it was rubbish.
Moose D'Opinion
PS: Tell 'em how you really feel, Moose. ;-)
--
What if the Hokey Pokey *IS* what it's all about?
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