tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7119990365479009764.post3069622411558221877..comments2024-03-14T18:09:09.667-05:00Comments on Do Some Damage: Complicated ReadingUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7119990365479009764.post-45513467378637062009-12-02T19:28:55.408-05:002009-12-02T19:28:55.408-05:00Good one, Dave! {:>)Good one, Dave! {:>)Mike Dennishttp://mikedennisnoir.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7119990365479009764.post-18300309536298930322009-12-02T18:20:14.621-05:002009-12-02T18:20:14.621-05:00Hey! I'm from the MTV generation and I don...Hey! I'm from the MTV generation and I don't have a short att-- <br /><br />Hey a shiny thing!!Dave Whitehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10185814518997114591noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7119990365479009764.post-58585542700850744122009-12-02T13:02:52.523-05:002009-12-02T13:02:52.523-05:00I'm just now finding that the multi-character ...I'm just now finding that the multi-character multi-viewpoint style is the way I write best so I sympathize. It's also the kind of book I like to read the most and I can't wait to read this one. <br /><br />And for every one they say doesn't work or doesn't sell there's an Elmore Leonard or Tim Dorsey or any number of others who suceed with it.Bryon Quertermoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18142740189973184854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7119990365479009764.post-36043748892966716252009-12-02T12:55:03.649-05:002009-12-02T12:55:03.649-05:00Mike, I have no idea if this is the MTV generation...Mike, I have no idea if this is the MTV generation, lack of attention span, but that's certainly possible.<br /><br />I am happy to see that the TV shows I mentioned were all very well-received and are all quite complicated with lots of characters and thematic subtleties.<br /><br />And there are quite a few novelists like Richard Price, James Ellroy and Elmore Leonard writing very successful, complicated, multiple character, multiple-POV books.<br /><br />I think this is just a case that my book isn't in that category (well, duh). If it was, I don't think the reviewer would have this complaint.<br /><br />But like I said, I'm just going to keep going and trying to get better.John McFetridgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09442198820998606682noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7119990365479009764.post-64528183545786168122009-12-02T12:35:23.386-05:002009-12-02T12:35:23.386-05:00Sounds great to me. Bet I like it. Bet I like Dana...Sounds great to me. Bet I like it. Bet I like Dana's book too.Multiple POV have worked well in the past. Can keep things fresh. What's wrong with complicated?! If Dickens were alive today he'd be spinning in his grave!Paul D Brazillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12881642426845398389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7119990365479009764.post-18329134801201192542009-12-02T12:09:26.191-05:002009-12-02T12:09:26.191-05:00Do you suppose all this complaining about too many...Do you suppose all this complaining about too many darned characters and, oh, all that other confusing stuff, is coming from the now-grown-up MTVers with short attention span?Mike Dennishttp://mikedennisnoir.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7119990365479009764.post-30860716025934206962009-12-02T12:02:18.950-05:002009-12-02T12:02:18.950-05:00My writing group complains if I use two POVs-one f...My writing group complains if I use two POVs-one first person and one third with big splashes of white between. I don't get it unless it's hard to figure out who's talking. From what I read of this book, it wasn't hard to follow the action at all.pattinase (abbott)https://www.blogger.com/profile/02916037185235335846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7119990365479009764.post-41245093251996407472009-12-02T10:29:33.348-05:002009-12-02T10:29:33.348-05:00Cheques are in the mail, thanks guys.
The thing i...Cheques are in the mail, thanks guys.<br /><br />The thing is Jay, I'm not sure there are, "just as many" people who want every kind of book, but I hope there are enough.<br /><br />And Dana, I hope when the dust settles publishers return to their "core business" and do what books can do best.John McFetridgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09442198820998606682noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7119990365479009764.post-92223259683753719172009-12-02T10:19:55.116-05:002009-12-02T10:19:55.116-05:00I think Dana makes a good point. For every person ...I think Dana makes a good point. For every person who wants something new, something challenging, moving or bar-raising, there are just as many people who want that normal linear story that theyve seen/read before.<br /><br />Which is fine, there's room enough for all tastes. It gets my back up when reviewers seem to forget that.<br /><br />I havent read SWAP yet, but if its continuing the smooth progression from DS and EKTIN, then i wouldnt trade that for a hundred simple thrillers. I'd rather see how far you can push this ensemble approach.Jay Stringerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08764183157841848163noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7119990365479009764.post-85627497586339427232009-12-02T10:11:39.683-05:002009-12-02T10:11:39.683-05:00I loved SWAP. Fantastic stories running through th...I loved SWAP. Fantastic stories running through there. Tons of movies -- CRASH, MAGNOLIA -- get all fancy with stories colliding. I think seeing this in books is great. You can always page back and see who did what if you get lost.<br /><br />While I enjoy following a character through a series of episodes that leads to finding the missing MacGuffin, the McFet books with all these whackos, er, interesting people trying to do their best with what they got are great reads. (Nominee for the ugliest sentence award. Sorry.)<br /><br />Why does everyone have to write the same book?Steve Weddlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03876211586767139613noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7119990365479009764.post-29713303641251914102009-12-02T10:02:19.422-05:002009-12-02T10:02:19.422-05:00Too many characters. I heard the same thing about ...Too many characters. I heard the same thing about my multi-POV FBI/Mafia story no one will touch. <br /><br />Sometimes I get the feeling that for all the talk about nuanced characters and ensembles, what people really want is a man and a woman passing through multiple two-dimensional figures to get to the story's resolution, then have sex. Maybe a funny sidekick. Nothing more complicated than that.Dana Kinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01350344882342624735noreply@blogger.com