Still a bit sweaty - Brethren, First Impressions

[erastes]

Went into work this morning, then started to sweat like a mad thing with the temperature so came home after an hour and half. Yuk. Will try again tommorrow.

Dear HMV:  When you send me an email at 1530hrs saying you have a problem processing my order and that you will try again in 24 hours I do not expect TWO HOURS LATER to get another email saying that you've cancelled siad order because you've been trying to process it for 48hours or more, when I only placed the damned order at 830 in the bloody morning!  LIARS!!  Do NOT expect another order from me. (Goes back to Amazon)

I've started Brethren Raised by Wolves Volume 1. And although I will continue to the end and will review it, I have to say I'm a little underwhelmed. After all the squee I had from people I was expecting more.  I think it COULD be a very good book; it's not badly written, it's obviously well researched although there are silly slip ups here and there, like "pants", sayings like "that's a given" and people riding about 30 miles in tropical heat through untamed jungle in a day but ... well, I think the word bloated is what I'm looking for. Hoffman self published it and while that's not such a terrible thing, it could have done with a harsh editor. It needs a decent pair of scissors and a red pen to cut it down from the 550 or so pages.  There's a hell of a lot of repetition - if he goes on about wolves and sheep any more (and I'm betting he WILL because I'm only on page 150) I'm going to go mad.  He tells everyone he meets his life story and this is just annoying and unnecessary and can be handled with "I told him my life story" - a rare case when a little more telling rather than showing could come in handy.  And he says "I am not a Protestant" Then he makes it clear he's not a Catholic - so what is he? Muslim?  He may not consider himself a protestant (although he celebrated Mass - what was THAT about?)(apart from being fucking unlikely in 1666) but he'd still be one.

Oh and cutesy little lines referring to the Gods at the end of EVERY chapter?  Got annoying after four chapters. Now it's just like a dripping tap. (And that's not to mention the OKHOMO, and the interminable conversations.....)  So yes. Underwhelmed.  More when I finish.

Dwarf Index 3: Grumpy, Sweaty, Bitchy

Comments

[mylodon.livejournal.com]

I'm reading A Room with a View and finding that I'm enjoying Forster much more than I expected. This is the fourth of his books I;ve tried; Maurice was touching and sweet. But am tempted to put it on back burner as picked up a nice copy of The Line of Beauty at Oxfam today and might have to succumb to that first.

Those slip ups you quote would have made me put that book down after about ten pages; you must have more perseverance than I have.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

I think that Forster is a lot more accessible than people think he is, specially the two you mention. I don't like Passage to India at all, though.

Let me know about Line of Beauty, I'd like to try it.

I have to have the perseverence I fear - "read your own genre" they say, although I wish they blinking didn't at times.

[mylodon.livejournal.com]

First impressions of the Line of Beauty (which I've decided to read in tandem with 'Room', which is interesting) is that it's beautifully written and much better than the TV version.

Reading one's own genre - I guess because my primary interest are these St Bride's stories, reading Forster (who was writing at about the time my lads were larking about) feels like doing very enjoyable research.

[bittermint.livejournal.com]

I agree with you re: Hoffman needing a stronger editor. I did read and enjoy the book, but I'm dreading getting started on the next one, because I know it'll be just as horribly overwritten.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

I think that self publishing is OK - the book has done as well as Standish as far as I can tell - but self-editing (which I assume is what she did, judging by the dedication and , well, the book...) isn't, really. Better to have paid someone to get out the red pen and cut out a LOT of that dead wood and endless YAK.

I don't think I'll be bothering with Book 2

[annebrooke.livejournal.com]

Hope you feel better soon, babe - hugs

A
xxx

[erastes.livejournal.com]

I feel better this morning (but then I often DO in the mornings) so will go in again and see what happens!
Thanks, Anne!

xxx

[nagasvoice.livejournal.com]

You need a Dalek icon!!

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Heh, perhaps! Although I have to laugh at the Spartan Exterminate!