This morning my computer decided it was due for its weekly freeze-and-crash, so I just turned the thing off and did something else all day.
(this means everything I had open to read and/or comment on went away. This is not of the good. At all. But...)
I read 'Dead Beat' by Jim Butcher, a Harry Dresden novel.
I *love* it.
I love best the way all the elements weave together and nothing is wasted. Things that look like background color suddenly turn out to be essential to the plot. There's a moment where everything comes together in a moment of grand insanity, and from then on out its like a rollercoaster, you just ride the twists to the end. Is *great*.
I've tried to do similar things in my stories, but it turns out to be hard.
So is double great, for being tricky.
I like the characters, and the way everything has consequences.
I'm still vaguely dissatisfied with the series from a feminist standpoint though. The female characters have a tendency to turn out to be evil or victims, or sometimes both. Very Noir, but also annoying.
Of course most of the *male* characters are evil/victims/both as well, but they seem to get more chance to get redeemed. *shrugged* Not sure. Feels fairly minor. Too much fun with the plot to get annoyed.
I also love the funny. There were tons of lines that made me laugh. Though, okay, I have a slightly twisted sense of humour. I liked it when the zombie went splat so hard it hung there like a fridge magnet :-)
This was a Very Good Book.
(this means everything I had open to read and/or comment on went away. This is not of the good. At all. But...)
I read 'Dead Beat' by Jim Butcher, a Harry Dresden novel.
I *love* it.
I love best the way all the elements weave together and nothing is wasted. Things that look like background color suddenly turn out to be essential to the plot. There's a moment where everything comes together in a moment of grand insanity, and from then on out its like a rollercoaster, you just ride the twists to the end. Is *great*.
I've tried to do similar things in my stories, but it turns out to be hard.
So is double great, for being tricky.
I like the characters, and the way everything has consequences.
I'm still vaguely dissatisfied with the series from a feminist standpoint though. The female characters have a tendency to turn out to be evil or victims, or sometimes both. Very Noir, but also annoying.
Of course most of the *male* characters are evil/victims/both as well, but they seem to get more chance to get redeemed. *shrugged* Not sure. Feels fairly minor. Too much fun with the plot to get annoyed.
I also love the funny. There were tons of lines that made me laugh. Though, okay, I have a slightly twisted sense of humour. I liked it when the zombie went splat so hard it hung there like a fridge magnet :-)
This was a Very Good Book.