BellaOnline Forums Career Fiction Writing The Mad Hatter's Tea Party

Yes! I, too, have heard that The Sea is a big snore. And after The Inheritance of Loss, I have gotten scared away from the Booker Prizes (though this year's one, The Gathering, was involving, if a downer).

I think that sometimes a certain type of prize just starts attracting a certain type of weird novel as in the case of the U.S. National Book Award. Here's an example of two weird-sounding winners from 2005 and 2004 (taken off my National Bk Award list on my Impatient Reader website):

2005 Europe Central by William T. Vollmann. The German army's advance into Russia in 1941 and its defeat at Stalingrad wreaks havoc upon the lives of a huge cast of historical and mythological characters.

2004 The News from Paraguay by Lily Tuck. A 19th century Irish courtesan keeps a diary of her exploits as the mistress of the dictator of Paraguay who wants to transform his country into a place exactly like France.

I'm reluctant to read either one of them! Especially since they've both gotten bad reviews on Amazon. I've found the Pulitzer prize winners to be a little less peculiar ...

Speaking of enjoy, I saw your post elsewhere on the forum about Robin Hobb's Farseer series and her Liveship Trader series, and I agree with you. I just loved those series! I felt sad that they had to come to an end. Have you tried her new Soldier Son series? I've read the first two books, and they're catching some flak on Amazon for not being traditional enough. I think they're good but not as good as Farseer or LiveShip (they kinda read like a cross between a western and a military academy coming-of-age story!).

I have to admit that I was deeply disappointed with the first Soldier Son book. What marked the Assassin and Liveship books as so brilliant for me was the great depth of character and intricate detail that Hobb goes into. I know what's "gone wrong" with her Soldier Son series - her publisher has rushed her into publication.

By comparing the two, I could tell that Assassin went through many drafts and that Hobb added layer upon layer most likely in retrospect. The first Soldier Son book read like a second draft to me. I found many errors still - continuity, typographical, "draft" writing style that had been allowed to stay, far too much telling over showing... it really felt rushed and unedited. There was only one character who interested me (Spink) - the protagonist felt flat to me, even as the narrator.

I also wasn't really fond of the western/military style approach, but that's by-the-by.

You may have a point that I hadn't considered! I know that the Soldier Son books were drastically different from the other two series, and I just kind of assumed she was trying to write something unusual (different from what she'd done in the past) and maybe not quite bringing it off.

But you're right. The books didn't have the characterization or the world-building as the other two series. (I'm leaving aside the Tawny Man series because I thought it was weaker than the Farseer and LiveShip Traders -- maybe because of the Fool? He functioned best for me as a mysterious minor character.)

What is it with these book contracts that force authors to crank out books too soon? It seems like Dean Koontz has been doing that lately: like a book every 8 months, and not as good a book as those in the past. I think Laurell K. Hamilton started doing this with her paranormal series as well, and the quality really suffered. You would think that publishers would realize that sales will suffer over the long-run. You should see some of the reviews on Amazon for Laurell K. Hamilton's latest books: like 1000 ratings with an average of 2 stars!

Elle- I loved Inheritance of Loss! I met the author at Cape Town Book Fair and she was so lovely- AND I met a really sexy ANC guy in the queue for getting my book signed (I know I'm married and too old for him- it was just fun. Though it might have impacted on the whole experience- the only reason I mention it).

I'm surprised you say that about the Booker since I find the books much to my liking. Wasn't We Need To Talk About Kevin one of the winners? I read that book earlier this year and it is still haunting me, even Inheritance of Loss. And , of course, I love Ian McKuen (but can never spell his name....) I think we have very different reading tastes.

Hi, LoloK. You might be thinking about the Orange Prize in regards to We Need to Talk About Kevin. That won the Orange Prize in 2005, but not the Booker. Like Elle, I don't much like the Booker Prize winners, but I've run across a lot of good reads with the Orange Prize including Half of a Yellow Sun, On Beauty, Property, and Bel Canto.

The Orange Prize is funded by a British telecommunications company and awards �30,000 every year to a novel by a woman of any nationality that is published in English and in Britain.

Well, considering you met Kiran Desai, Lolo, I might have to consider giving it a try. I'm probably just feeling grumpy at the moment. Actually I am still keen to read Coetzee's Disgrace one day as I have heard good and bad comments about it, but somewhere along the line one of the good comments has swayed me (can't remember what was said, though). We need to talk about Kevin does sound interesting too.

Karm, I never did manage to get into Laurell Hamilton's books. I don't like the way she writes. Funnily enough, I picked up one of her books at the library and put it down after about the first page. Then I forgot all about her and read here someone saying how wonderful her Anita Blake books were and included a link to an extract. So I blithely followed it, and I swear it must have been the same book! I recognised the style even though I'd forgotten the author.

I totally agree about Dean Koontz. I haven't read many of his books, but Forever Odd was not nearly as good quality as Odd Thomas. And some of his recent stuff is co-written, which I always find dubious. I actually think it is ghostwritten using his idea and his name to sell the book. The Frankenstein books are badly written.

I really enjoyed the first 10 books in Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake series, and then the books got really bad after that. It's a total mystery as to why. Maybe it's that book contract thing you were mentioning. The pressure to turn out a book faster. Except with Hamilton, it seems like there is more to it. As if she's stubbornly out of touch with the legions of fans imploring her to return to what used to work so well and not to publish novels that read like total porn.

All I can say about The Inheritance of Loss is to advise you to get it at the library! Believe me, the novel stinks. It truly stinks. The only thing I've read recently that I felt was even worse was Jonathan Franzen's The Corrections.

It's really funny how different people feel about books. I actually got Inheritance of Loss signed for my writing partner and she just finished it and loved it too. Elle, Disgraced will make you feel really sad about South Africa though I liked it.
I understand Half of a Yellow Sun is great, I'm waiting to read it. I recently read her book Purple Hibiscus which I thought wasn't as wonderful as my writing partner thought it was.

I'm just about to enter a Graham Greene festival at my house- I found a book with 6 of his novels (unabridged) all in one heavy book. I bought it for R30 in Melville when I was in Joburg. I'm so excited, I'm trying to dampen it a bit and am re-reading The Bell Jar before the festival begins.

I don't know if anyone has read All We Have Left Unsaid by Maxine Case. It's another new book I read recently that I loved. Elle have you read the Spud books? I loved those too, but then I love Adrian Mole.

I had to look those up - no I haven't read Spud or All We have Left Unsaid. Sounds good though. I picked up Emily Rodda's latest children's book, The Key to Rondo, and I thoroughly enjoyed that. (I know, hardly high-brow literary brain food )

Lolo, have you read any of Salman Rushdie's work? I think you might like his writing - he has a very elegant style and a breathtaking way with words. I read Shalimar the Clown this year, which was nominated for the Booker last year. It is a very topical book, and helps to paint a picture of how young boys get swept up in the Islamic extremism in places like Pakistan. Very scary stuff.

The Ground Beneath Her Feet is his best work in my opinion, but Midnight's Children is also very good and was awarded the Booker of Bookers.

Elle I'll look for those books. I still have some money at Amazon. Thanks. I just bought a Bill Bryson I missed (I thought I'd read all)- The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid. I think he is the most hilarious writer. Do you read him? I've been snorting various liquids out my nose all weekend.