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Friday, November 29, 2013

The return of The Quantum of the Past...

Over the past few months I've become aware of how horrible I am at completing my monthly goals. I won't even include my November goals here just because I know they didn't get done. I binged this past month on reading. But at least I got some work done.

Consider that I've almost finished the full novel version of The Quantum of the Past: A Fantasy. It's almost done. Almost is the operative word there.

Here is what the artwork for the full novel will look like:



Thanks Ravven for the artwork!

I'm still taking shots at my Wizards. And to be sure, I had a glorious burst of creativity aimed at Ascension.

With two jobs on the side, I have to make sure to put one foot in front of the other as I move. It has been a long time since I've felt a sense of well-being like this.

So, I've found three really good artists to work with. And with the projects I will finish next year I'll have a body of work available. I think it's time to put money aside for advertising.

***
For December, my goals are: None; nathan; nada. No goals. I always get too ambitious. I'll likely finish the Wizard story I'm working on now and for sure get the Quantum book proof done. But who knows?



LC


PS: I'm desperately trying to finish Divergent. But I'm having a difficult time swallowing the basic premise of the book! I will review it since it reminds me so much of Pure.







Thursday, September 12, 2013

The Fractal Prince, a review

Here we are, at the end of the world. That was the feeling I had when I finished this book. I was pleasantly surprised by the climax and resolution, both showing innovations that I might later consider for my own work.

Of course, I am talking about The Fractal Prince by Hannu Rajaniemi, the second part of a planned trilogy. But more on this novel later.

So far this week, I've been duking it out with Quantum volume 3, and the wizard of Santa Monica. By Saturday I will know for sure if I'm still on schedule for an October 1st release. I may just go for mid October because I am also duking it out with that nagging need to just get The Quantum of the Past off of my plate already so I can move on to other things!!!!!


***



Overview

Author: Hannu Rajaniemi

Genre: Science Fiction

Premise: After failing to regain his memories in the previous installment of the trilogy, Jean le Flambeur, legendary thief, must return to the planet Earth to steal a valuable "artifact" that will help his employer, and secure his freedom.


What didn't work for me

The premise makes this seem like a one man show, but The Fractal Prince shares its wealth well. There are so many story arcs here, that it may be difficult for some to keep up. I had no problem with it except that the author has the habit of just going from one point of view character to the other, mostly within the same chapter. It really makes it a chore to keep up. And just wait until you get to the last few chapters where there are several twists... I had to go back to The Quantum Thief to make sense of one of those twists.

With that said, the main difficulty I had with this book was its aggressive use of made up words. Granted, the author explains more about them this time around, but it is still overwhelming. In the previous review, I showed an example of what Mr. Rajaniemi could do. The prose is denser this time.

The world-building of the Earth city Sirr would be more than enough for any novel, but here it is added on top of the previous novel's world building. It boggles the mind for a while, trying to figure out if the effects described are science or not, like the athar (which I think Jean calls the spimescape--a concept from the previous book).


What worked for me

The novel considers the role of identity in this post-human world in a very entertaining way. There is the All-Defector and Jean, and Jean and Sumanguru, and the multiple Mielis, and the Founders and the Aun. Without giving anything away, these characters are and are not each other. Their role in the story is unique in that identity can be flexible in a way that allows for two different entities to have, and be, the same identity.

It is more philosophical, without being obnoxiously so.

I also loved the way Mr. Rajaniemi plays with this old idea: What if we were all the dream of a greater being?

He bring to life a science fiction version of the idea. But I won't steer you the wrong way; the end is not some cop-out where all the events turned out to be someone's cryogenic dream or something.

It is well done, and allows for a few twists at the end.

I also enjoyed reading the development of the characters of the previous novels. Jean is less a cartoon character, showing multiple signs of being an A-hole. And Mieli is more than just the vessel of violence she was in the previous novel. She has to make some tough choices that brute strength cannot solve. Jean and Mieli cross a line that shows how desperate they are to accomplish the mission if only to get what the goddess they work for promised.

For Mieli it is a reunion with Sydan, her female lover. For Jean it is freedom, from himself and his obsession.

And yet, the novel concludes that it is impossible to run from yourself. When your "essence" is digital information that can be uploaded into bodies, there are few chances to become someone else.

Also, beyond the plot points, the novel is beautifully framed by stories. At the beginning, Jean meets the main antagonist of the trilogy, Matjek Chen in a dream. Of course, in this world, a dream isn't simply a dream, it is a vir (virtual reality scenario) where these digital people can interact--at least that's how I understood it. During the meeting, Jean begins to tell him a story, using the first lines of the next chapter. And that's how it goes. The novel is the story Jean is telling Matjek in his dream.

Along the way, stories take on a very important role. They are traded, used as currency, and as a way to steal your body! Ouch!

They tell me the structure used mimics an older story, The Arabian Nights (Thousand and One Nights). I haven't read that. But the framework of stories adds a dimension to this novel that makes it stand apart from other novels in this genre I've come across. So far at least.


Overall

The surprising nature of this novel made me want to buy it, if only to understand it later. At no point did I think that the author was lost in his own world. I am sure that the author knows this place in and out. It read that way, even when there were confusing elements.

Overall, The Quantum Thief and the Fractal Prince are challenging novels. They are dense with science and ideas that, when explained, arouse a world of questions. The author answers few of these, so if you keep going, like me, it is only because you love a good challenge.







LC






Saturday, September 7, 2013

The Quantum Thief, a review

Sooo, this was a short week thanks to the Labor Day holiday. It didn't mean I got much work done, however. Actually, I deleted content more than I added it to the stories I'm working on!

Fortunately, I finished (finally) these two novels, The Quantum Thief, and The Fractal Prince, both by Hannu Rajaniemi. I had already read The Quantum Thief and reviewed it on Amazon and Goodreads, but I gave it another go.

The experience was considerably different, much of the content making more sense the second time around. I enjoyed them so much that I returned them to the library and bought their ebook counterparts for my ipad.

***


Overview:

Author: Hannu Rajaniemi

Genre: Science Fiction

Premise: Part one of a trilogy in which the main character, a legendary thief named Jean le Flambeur, escapes from a Dilemma Prison to steal something for a goddess. Their first order of business, and the main plot of The Quantum Thief, is to go to Mars to get Jean's memories back, so he can become the Jean le Flambeur of legend.


What didn't work for me

Just look at the premise! One of the off-putting elements of this novel is its hardcore introduction to the science of its fictitious world. While reading the first few pages, you get hit with a paragraph like this one:

"They are in a q-dot bubble fourteen klicks above the Cleopatra Crater, a little pocket of humanity, sweat and sex on a rough precipice of Maxwell Montes. Sulphuric acid winds roar outside. The amber light of the cloud cover filtering through the adamantine pseudomatter shell makes Sydan's skin run copper. Her palm fits the contours of Mieli's mons Veneris exactly, resting just above her still moist sex. Soft wings flutter lazily in her belly."

Those wings in that last sentence are not metaphoric.

It is a strategy of Fantasy and Science Fiction to introduce fictitious elements in the author's world, terms, names, etc., in this way. There is enough action here mixed with unknown elements (either because of their fictitious nature or because they require an intimate knowledge of theoretical physics) to be able to cruise through it with a small amount of work.

The problem, for me, was that this happens page after page so that it slows your reading to a crawl. I was tempted throughout to look up some of the terms I knew to be science, like the q-dot. But I really wanted to appreciate this without having to do serious research. It made me quite envious of people who study physics.

The other element that gave me a hard time was the narration. The narrators flip between Jean's first person POV and a third person POV that follows the actions of other characters. Why we didn't just get a third person POV for everyone is beyond me. It wouldn't work if it was only Jean's first person POV since some of the action takes place super-fast time that he would be unable to perceive!

Honestly, having Jean's voice wasn't that much of an advantage. I think I could have appreciated the story just as well without it. Or at least if you're going to try to flip between a third person and first person POV, give us separate chapters. Sometimes, the changes happen within one chapter so that Jean's "I" suddenly is Mieli accessing her metacortex (don't ask me what that is right now).

Finally, this novel squanders many opportunities to do more than just tell a nice genre story. There is the post-human reality of multiple versions of the same being, replicas that are exact down to the quantum states of their minds, all of whom may or may not be linked to one another.

To fully appreciate what was going on, I had to read the novel twice. At last I figured out what happened at the end, with the memories. The story here is very complex and the author helps you very little.


What worked for me

Basically, the same things that worked for me last time.

The world building is magnificent. It is very well thought out, expertly mixing hard science with theoretical science and fiction. And although the information came at you very quickly and with little explanation, there was no doubt that the author had command of the subject matter.

Rajaniemi has an authorial voice that drips with confidence. You truly feel at all times that the world is air tight. Nothing feels impossible or far-fetched. That truly is an accomplishment with this kind of story.

One example of this magnificence is the Martian world of the Oubliette, their exomemory system, their Time economy, and Life/Quiet reincarnation cycles.

In Mars, Mr. Rajaniemi answers the question: What if there was a collective whole where the memories of everyone in society could be accessible to all, like the newsfeed off of any internet news website?

I can see that as the evolution of the world wide web. There are other innovations too, so many that I would need multiple blog posts about them.

Despite the missed opportunities to do more than tell a genre story, the author does include points that make the reader think.

For example, there is a form of immortality in Mars, different than the immortality of the god-like Founders who are in outerspace. But there is the burden of being yourself. The catch is you can't live forever as someone else. It is always you who wakes up after being reincarnated into a body (enhanced or not). This point is better explored in the more philosophical, The Fractal Prince.

And of course, there are the characters themselves. After reading The Quantum Thief and The Fractal Prince together, you gain an appreciation for the characters that I didn't get from just reading the first novel.

The climax was fuzzy the first time, but it was very well done. The split between Jean and Raymonde at the end adds a layer of complexity to this incarnation of Jean. Refusing to get his old memories and become the legendary thief is an unusual development, given that this is a post-human copy of a post-human copy, going far back to the time when there were actual flesh and blood people on Earth. It should be easier for the main character, but he never feels like a copy.

Overall:

Having a degree in physics and/or cosmology and/or (preferably) theoretical physics would sure enhance your experience with and possibly your understanding of The Quantum Thief.

But if you're willing to machete your way through scores of unfamiliar terms, exotic worlds filled with beings that are descendants of humans, then you can love this novel. It is lovable.

It's the kind of story that requires more than one reading. Just now, I looked at the first chapter again because something that didn't make sense before finally makes sense now that I read the second installment!

I have a feeling that when the third novel in the trilogy comes out, I will have to read all the books again. And one more time to understand them.

No regrets though, especially since I'm not a science fiction writer. Oh, boy, if I was, this would be one of those novels that you hate to read because the author does it so well.



LC


Friday, July 26, 2013

The Myth of "Show, don't tell," addition 1

It has been a looooooooong time since I wrote a post about writing. What with Miles Trevor keeping me busy, it has been hard to find any time to write. But as I begin to see the light at the end of that tunnel, I can begin work on my other (late) projects.

This one here is overdue. Since I wrote that post about "show, don't tell," I meant to add to it. The post was such an enormous one that I couldn't get everything I wanted into it. This is the first of many additions, where I will elaborate on some points I made earlier.

The first addition focuses on a subject I only hinted at in the first "show, don't tell" post: What does sensory information tell you?

Mind you, these are my thoughts. Whenever I present one of my preferences, I will say so and will make clear that there are other preferences and that there is no one "correct" or "best" preference.

And so, here are my thoughts on sensory information.



Sensory Information and Emotional States


I: A word on Description

I may have said this before, but I will say it again. What the writer of fiction does is manipulate the elements of fiction towards some end. So, what does that mean?

In laymen's terms, writers of fiction describe events that are of a fictional nature. Here, I won't go on a tangent about narration in fiction that does not describe events, but gives insights into the opinion of the character / narrator / author. 

The word "event" should not be confused with the word "scene" or "action." A scene is part of a play. Action, in fiction, involves many events.

An event is an occurrence or happening that may or may not involve characters, but always involves setting (characters and setting are elements of fiction). 

A description of a wedding includes characters and setting. A description of a storm in the desert may not include characters. 

Note: The description of an event involves more than just characters and setting; tone, pace, rhythm, diction, dialogue, etc. are equally important, but for the nature of this post, I will focus on characters and setting.


II: A word on Sensory Information

What is Sensory Information? It is data collected by sensory receptors in your body, which your brain interprets. This usually involves the five senses: Touch; sight; sound; smell; taste.

Note: In some fictions, there are more than five senses. My concern here lies with the five senses only. 

A common piece of advice given to writers is that they should evoke the senses. This seems like fair advice, but they never say why. It confused me for a long time. Why evoke the senses?

The answer is obvious now: We make sense of the world thanks to the information gathered by the senses. Except there is a hiccup to this. Whenever I read a book, I'm not tasting the food described, or smelling the flowers, or admiring the piece of art, or touching this or that...

When I read, I hold a book in my hands. The data my bran interprets is brought in by my eyes only.

How do writers evoke other senses then? Consider that whenever a sunset is described, my mind creates a picture aided in part by the description in the book and the images of sunsets that come from my experiences. It is the same when a writer describes the taste of food or the smell of flowers and other things or the feel of this or that or the way a voice sounds; my mind helps by summoning memories of similar foods I've consumed and flowers I've smelled and textures I've encountered and people I've heard. A skilled author may help you more by stimulating your imagination, but this can only go so far. 

Even when describing a futuristic world or a fantasy world or some item or phenomenon never experienced by the reader, the brain must use existing data gathered from experience to fill in the blanks. And this is always the case, regardless of what senses the author tries to evoke.


III: Perception and Sensory Information 

How do I make you understand that I am sad? Do I go up to you and tell you? Can you deduce it thanks to some clue(s)? 

One of the most disappointing aspects of being human is not knowing with 100% certainty what other humans feel or think. 

When you see a person in tears, do you automatically think they are upset? If you see someone laugh, do you automatically think they are happy? The sensory information gathered is very limited. Consider also that the emotions I just mentioned, happy, upset, are some of the simplest there are. What about complex conditions like depression? 

This poses a challenge to writers who want you to clearly understand the emotional states of their characters. Of course, emotions and emotional states have been around since the dawn of humanity. And since then, storytellers have sought ways to convey them.

My Preference: A fine way to gain ideas about describing emotional states is to look at stories from the past, which describe emotional states that now have clinical labels, like depression. Look at Melville's short story, Bartleby, the Scrivener. The word depression is absent from the text, but the titular character's mental state can easily fall under that category.


IV: The Myth of "Show, don't tell"

I have read countless blog posts and articles describing the "best" way to describe emotions. Many of these lean on the mantra, "show, don't tell." Or, that I should "show" the emotions the characters feel, not "tell" the reader about them. 

Many of these articles literally just told me to do this and that and this and that, and heaven help me if I did it this other way because that's the mark of an amateur. Many of these articles and blog posts gave reasons for why their way of doing things is correct. 

Of course, these are just preferences. I can argue for my own preferences, but why do it? I have my preferences, you should too. And, as I may have said before, in the battle of the preferences, yours should always win.

Let me give you examples of what I saw:

The room spun and Johnny gripped a table to keep steady; his heart thumped and thumped against his chest like a police officer trying to break down a door. He let out half giggles for no reasons except that the moment called for them. He noticed one of Mrs. Hammerstein's roses in the distance and he marveled at its beauty and glory. The sun had just emerged from the clouds and his mind was a sea of hope, guiding him towards a brighter future.


Mary dug in her pocket for her keys, but her fingers failed to grip them. "Why go in there?" she thought. She knew with all certainty what was waiting for her if she opened that door. Doug would want dinner right away and yell at her for it not being warm enough or because it was too warm. "I'll make some snide remark and he'll slam the plate down." And she would go to the bathroom and stay there and he would call out her name to come and give him another beer. And another beer. And another beer. "And then the world will end when he wraps his arms around me in bed and fucks me."


Christina quickly pulled the curtain to conceal her face.


Walt lingered at the entrance to the pitch black cave. His hands trembled and when he took an exploratory step into the darkness, he stumbled on something and yelped. It took a few seconds for him to steady his breathing and take another step. 

A car's tires squealed and the deafening clap and crunch of two cars colliding filled the office. Terry ran to the window, along with others. She did not take a breath when she noticed it was her husband, Ronald's car, split in half, its fluids coating the sidewalk surface. She gasped, as a diver reaching the surface, when Ronald stepped out of the mess, red, red with blood, and collapsed.


The theory in these examples is that if you use specific details, or "showing" instead of "telling," that the reader will be more engaged in the emotion. 

Examining these examples, one thing is clear: They use sensory information. In other words, if you or I were in the setting, looking at these individuals, we might gather the information given in the description. 

So, what are these people feeling? 

I wrote these, so I should know. But I don't. 

Is Johnny happy or has he lost his mind or does he suffer from bi-polar disorder and this is a manic episode?

And Mary's example does not count. Do you see why? Thoughts. The narration quotes her thoughts and describes them since it is a Close Third Person POV. Her thoughts "tell" you what she feels even while they never mention any emotion. They are not specific details we would be able to witness. 

Is Christina embarrassed or trying to hide that she's blushing or self-conscious about her looks? 

Is Walt afraid? Are you sure he is? What if I told you he was procrastinating because this was the first day on the job as a part of a rescue team and he was nervous? Nervous or afraid?

What specifically about Terry's actions tell you what emotion she is feeling? She could easily be ecstatic or shocked, depending on how she feels about Ronald. Maybe she had been plotting to kill him and Fate stepped in and did it for her. 

And so, here are a few lessons that I learned while researching:

1) Sensory Information tells you very little. Tears on someone's face "show" you nothing except tears on someone's face.

2) Without context, it is nearly impossible to tell what a character is undergoing emotionally.

3) Without a clear understanding of what the character is feeling, it is difficult for me to respond appropriately; should I feel sorry for Johnny or laugh with him? Should I feel pity for Terry or despise her for getting what she wanted?

4) Why are all of those examples in the Third Person voice? I have never come across one that is in the First Person. The answer is that First Person POV is vastly different than Third Person and so, "show, don't tell" would have to be modified extensively to work there (something nobody really wants to do).


V: On Emotional States

While Hemingway's A Clean, Well-Lighted Place is in my opinion a beautiful and important short-story (in my top ten list), his Hills Like White Elephants is painful to read.  

Part of the reason I dislike Hills so much is that it reads like a creative writing assignment: Write a story in which you describe every event without the benefit of thoughts or naming the emotional states of the characters. It is gimmicky. It screams that the writer is exploring a technique. 

And those examples I gave above read just like that (to me anyway). I kept thinking, "Why is the writer beating around the bush?" It also feels exaggerated, like you want me to know that you can definitely describe things. 

Would a simple, "Johnny began to have a manic episode," help me understand Johnny "better"? 

Who the hell knows! All that I have of Johnny's story is that one piece. Who knows what it's about or what the pace of the piece is or tone or intent? Without all of that, there is no way I can say what would be more appropriate. Maybe the first sentence of Johnny's story would be: Here was Johnny H., who suffered from bi-polar disorder. Maybe that would work. 

I don't know. 

I do know there are many ways to describe emotional states. Your preferences and story context will dictate which way is appropriate. 

I also know that anyone who says there is only one correct way to describe emotion is wrong. That, my friends, is a myth.



LC






Saturday, June 22, 2013

Goblin Secrets, a review...

When reading children's literature of today, I have to remember that it is very specialized; the author and publisher target an audience (a business market), which in this case is younger folk. Therefore, some aspects of these stories will appeal to me and others will not.

I had this in mind when reading Goblin Secrets and as I expected, some elements are for the amusement of children only. Whether this is a positive or negative thing is beyond me to conclude at this point (maybe in a hundred years?).

***
Overview:

Goblin Secrets by William Alexander
Genre: Fantasy / Steampunk(ish) / Coming of age

A boy named Rownie tries to find his missing brother, while evading a witch named Graba and the local authorities of the city of Zombay. Thanks to the help of some friendly goblins, he discovers the hidden power of masks, which in the end helps him grow as a person.

What didn't work for me:

I mentioned that some aspects of this novel are for children alone to enjoy. One of those is the world building. The city of Zombay reminded me so much of a theme park, that it convinced me that it was created to feel that way because kids love theme parks. And like a theme park, I just don't see it functioning as a real city in the world.

It is different than say, the Shire, which Tolkien wrote to feel like a place that was once there and you might find its ruins if you looked for them. Zombay is too much the typical fantasy town (a poor community segregated from an entitled community) for me to see it as more than that.

It was also tough for me to enjoy one of the book's central symbols: The mask. It's so overused that it's almost a cliche. Granted, Mr. Alexander adds a flair of originality to it, but it is piled on top of things we have seen before about masks; we all wear a mask; we hide behind masks; sometimes the mask becomes the person.

I was also surprised at how much I didn't empathize with the protagonist. Rownie just did not appeal to me; he is sooooooooo nondescript. Is he intentionally that way so kids could easily put themselves in his place (like wearing a mask)? I could not make up my mind about that.


What worked for me:

The climax was a little fast, but worthwhile. Mr. Alexander does a very interesting thing with his masks that was dramatic and touching.

He also follows through on his theater theme all the way to the end of the novel. That mask symbol I wasn't cool with works well in this sense. The theater element to the plot also adds to it (although it is limited to just the theater and not other performing arts or other arts in general). And the chapter headings as "scenes" and the book-part numbers as "acts" is clever, but mostly superficial. Still it's all thematically relevant.


Overall:

The book was given a National Book Award.

I would say it ranks as a decent, though simple, read. As far as juvenile fiction goes, I've seen more complex and rewarding, like The Hobbit and The Giver. To be fair though, this era hasn't produced the most complex books (The Hobbit is more complex than 99% of all the books published in the last ten years). And besides that, how many authors win when compared to Tolkien?

However, if I had children, I would give them this book to read. It's an excellent segue-way into more complex fiction. I also think the tone and feel of the novel would appeal to them more than it did me.




LC




What is life without pain?










Sunday, May 26, 2013

Vaempires: Zombie Rising, a review


So, with a little time on my hands I can go back to reading books for enjoyment. I decided to read this one first (though I probably shouldn't have since my library books have due dates!). I went ahead anyway since this one is very short.

***

Vaempires: Zombie Rising
Author: Thomas Winship
Genre: Science Fantasy w/a touch of Dystopian
Series: Evolutionary War

Overview:

Linq and Ray, mid-teen vampire friends, must fight their way to their other friends, Cassandra and Daniel (the stars of Vaempires: Revolution) as a horde of zombies attacks.




What didn't work for me:

The plot is supposed to follow the first novel, Vaempires: Revolution, but there is a very noticeable time-frame hiccup. 

At the end of Vaempires: Revolution, we get Daniel on the ground, Linq and Ray on their way, Vielyn making off with Cassandra. Chapter 4 of Zombie Rising has Linq and Ray charging into the place where Daniel is defeated. Chapter 5 takes place after that, when Cassandra comes to on Vielyn's shoulder wondering if Daniel is still alive. So far so good. 

Between Cassandra's first chapter (Chapter 5) in Zombie Rising and the next chapter we see her (Chapter 10) there is a ton of time elapsed where Linq and Ray kick ass and take no names. The amount of time that has passed for Cassandra since Chapter 5? Literally, a few seconds. Chapter 5 and Chapter 10 could easily have gone next to each other. And then in Chapter 11, I'm not sure if the action takes place after the events in Chapter 10 or before. This is not made clear.

There is a blur here and I am not sure where I am.  


Another thing was that while Cassandra is an enjoyable character to read, her chapters in this book distracted more than they added. I think it was because the focus of this story is Linq and Ray. Or maybe it was because her chapters add little to the overall plot of this novella, especially her second chapter. 


What worked for me:

There are some noticeable improvements in this installment. The characterization of Linq and Ray is excellent beyond the other two installments of this series. It is interesting that Mr. Winship develops both into very dynamic individuals with so few pages. 

The result is that I wish Linq and Ray had been the stars of the Evolutionary War series. This is sacrilege, I know. But these two young men seem eternally more human because they are so vulnerable. 

Why does Ray keep going after finding his family massacred? It is revenge that morphs into more. Why does Linq ignore his comlink, which might give him news about the fate of his family? Because he can't deal with knowing for sure that they are dead and denial is his best defense against that. And there is a beautiful place when Linq is before his dying friend and just doesn't know what to do because there is nothing he can do. 

Those two do seem like kids running around with big guns and muscles, trying to hold onto their principles during a day meant to test principles. The turmoil these two feel is realistic; they don't just tear apart their vaempire opponents, but actually question the carnage. 

Another improvement is the tone. This novella felt like a dystopian story in several places. One place was the way in which vampire culture, while full of beautiful people, is portrayed as dominated by their vanities. 

The vampire guards at the royal castle don't carry guns because they are seen as too formidable for them; assuming that humans are their only potential enemy. And while vampires are supposed to be the typical beautiful creatures, they have a disturbing need to indulge in human culture (like their old movies). Why would they have to do that if they are near perfect in appearance? Vanity. To humans, the vampires are the beautiful creatures of myth. To each other, vampires are just... normal. 

So, while we have this society of superhumans with complex technologies, they are just as unhappy as we are in our society. Linq and Ray are the perfect vessels of this unhappiness. 

Well done. 



Overall:

All criticism aside, this is the challenge of writing a long story in installments. It is not a negative thing. If you pick up the latest Jim Butcher / Dresden Files novel, I doubt you'll know what's going on (so much has happened). An author has to make choices and do the best that they can with what they have in front of them. There are some failures in this novella, but there are also many victories.

And I'm walking away from Vaempires: Zombie Rising with more good memories than not-so-good ones. Linq and Ray's adventures are worth more time than what they get here and I look forward to reading more of them in the future (hopefully in a book that's novel length!).

And now, as much as I want to read the books I bought so many months ago, I have to start reading library books before their due dates so others can enjoy them.


LC




Tuesday, January 15, 2013

The Pain Scale, a review

I haven't reviewed a book in a while and I think I'm rusty. The Pain Scale is the work of one of my instructors at CSULB, Tyler Dilts. It was a unique pleasure to read it, just to see a sample of the old gentleman's craft.

But I had other reasons for reading this book. It is a detective mystery, even if of a different sort. And I am working on a mystery myself, though I admit not at the pace I would like. Therefore, reading this book is a sort of preparation for writing my own work. Old Tyler still has some tricks to teach me and I picked out many of them in this book.

***

The Pain Scale (Long Beach Homicide series #2)
Genre: Detective, Mystery, Police Procedural











Overview: Long Beach Police Detective Danny Beckett must deal with chronic pain and the gritty nature of his existence while trying to solve the gruesome murders of an upper-class wife and her young children.



What didn't work for me:

There is a difference between what is possibleprobable, and plausible. In fiction, authors must work with all three. Depending on the tone and vision of the novel, the author may choose to rely on one of the three more than the others.

Fantasy novels use magic and creatures of myth and legend. These elements are in the far reaches of what is possible in our universe. The events depicted are therefore not probable. Yet, a skilled author may describe what happens in a Fantasy novel in such a way that the story seems plausible, which is also true of Science Fiction--just look at the way George Lucas made us believe in the awesome Sith, lightsabers, the Force, Jedis, etc.

I could argue that plausibility is the driving force behind the elements of fiction. But this is not a completely new concept. This is also known in another by another name: Suspension of disbelief. Or, if you bullshit me the right way, I'm liable to believe you. But this is an essay for a different day.

One of the most enjoyable qualities of A King of Infinite Space, the first novel in Dilts' series, was the level of realism that coated the procedures of the homicide detectives, the city, and the criminal element. As far as the plot went in A King of Infinite Space, it could have happened yesterday or perhaps might happen tomorrow with very few facts changed.

In The Pain Scale, Tyler Dilts again shows us a plot with a similar coating, but it scratches the borders of what is probable. Without giving too much away, my problem was with the spec ops and the Russian mob, both of which could easily find a home in any Patterson or Lee Child novel.

I won't beat him up too much for this though since the resolution satisfies.



What worked for me:

The characters are the most enjoyable aspect of the novel. Danny and Jen are two of the most authentic characters I have read. Their idiosyncrasies, passions, pains--all of it--come across as real. And this is so important in the digital age when literary production rivals the production of burgers at fast food restaurants--McLiterature reigns.  

Did I want to know that Danny loves a certain type of breakfast burrito? Did I want to know that Jen is looking for a new place to live and Danny wants to help? Did I want to know about the myriad of side notes about Long Beach Dilts throws in every page?

I don't have to know these things to understand the plot, but they are essential to understanding and liking the characters. Long Beach is a character in this novel, as much as Los Angeles is in any Chandler novel. All along, I felt as though I was sitting down and having a conversation with the protagonist and could call myself his friend. And though he didn't say it, I could understand why he hasn't made a romantic move on his partner, even though I could sense the attraction he has for her. There is no rush for a sex scene or a declaration of love or a wedding at the end of the novel. It just wouldn't make sense.

Many times while reading a novel, I get the sense that these are characters created for a novel. They are often predictable and their sentiments and reflections are, for a lack of a better expression, "garden variety." There is hardly any human growth, though there is tons of character development. Maybe I confused you just now. I don't see character development as human growth. Character development has become a cliche for novels, which hardly captures what human beings go through.

Character development has the taint of Hollywood films. In most movies, it is expected that whatever ailment the main character suffers from will be dealt with by the end of the film. That's character development, which is part of the traditional story arc, but it's not human growth. What I'm talking about is slow, sometimes circular, and with many failures that are never neatly dealt with.

Think about it: After you get that big promotion you worked so hard for, do the credits start playing, signaling the end of your life? Hopefully not. What happens is, you have new challenges riddled with the possibility for failure. Maybe you didn't get the promotion at all. Does your life then cut to a montage of scenes from the work you did to overcome that failure? No. You look for a new job or become grudgingly content with your current position.

Sometimes, life ends in failure.

In the novel, for example, Danny wants desperately to deal with the chronic pain he suffers from. He finds an outlet in immersing himself in police work, but it creates new perils. In the end, he never successfully deals with the chronic pain and in reality, someone in his situation never can. It is just something to deal with. But because we are human, we want to try different things that may alleviate the pain. This is what Danny does and he is more human because of it.

And that brings me to the other aspect of this novel that worked for me: The pain. It is called The Pain Scale for a reason. Beyond the chronic pain that festers the protagonist after an operation to reattach his severed hand, there is the pain of the cast around him and the city itself. Worthy of note was Harlan, that crusty old retiree suffering quietly, and the pain that Jen and other police officers go through when a partner is injured in their line of work--it is very similar to the pain soldiers go through when they lose a comrade in war.

Pain, pain, pain. Life is pain. Dilts showcases it well.



Overall:

Every work of literature, from the simplest work of genre to the greatest literary masterpiece, suffers from flaws. It is inevitable; the writer is only human. And by "flaw" I don't mean a misspelled word or a formatting error. There are flaws that can never be overcome. But it is a sign of greatness to see an author work onward despite these flaws. The author acknowledges that they do the best they can and can do no more.  

The Pain Scale is an excellent second addition to Tyler Dilts' series. It goes beyond the traditional Mystery by putting character dynamics right up there with the plot.

With this in mind, I would say that The Pain Scale is a fresh story of frustration and pain. It hurts to read it because it is so much like real life. It shouldn't stop you though.



LC