Hey!! Let's get some action going! What are we reading?

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Nyssa

Please explain, if you can. why? I hear this complaint (about novels written in 1st person perspective) quite a bit, but I don't understand why it bothers people so much.

I've nothing whatsoever against novels written in the first person. Some of my very favourite books (eg Dickens' "David Copperfield") are written in the first person.

What I dislike is the use of the present tense. It's just (to my mind) the wrong tense to write novels in. I know the arguments in favour of it - that it keeps the story moving along faster, and makes the reader identify more with the protagonist of the story - but the simple fact is that I don't like it. It always has the feel of "childishness" about it to me, rather than serious writing. I can't really explain why.

[Nyssa]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I've nothing whatsoever against novels written in the first person. Some of my very favourite books (eg Dickens' "David Copperfield") are written in the first person.

What I dislike is the use of the present tense. It's just (to my mind) the wrong tense to write novels in. I know the arguments in favour of it - that it keeps the story moving along faster, and makes the reader identify more with the protagonist of the story - but the simple fact is that I don't like it. It always has the feel of "childishness" about it to me, rather than serious writing. I can't really explain why.

Sorry. I misunderstood about the first person. Thank you for answering about your dislike of present tense.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Nyssa

Sorry. I misunderstood about the first person. Thank you for answering about your dislike of present tense.

No, it's I who should have been clearer about what was that I didn't like .

[orlok]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I've nothing whatsoever against novels written in the first person. Some of my very favourite books (eg Dickens' "David Copperfield") are written in the first person.

What I dislike is the use of the present tense. It's just (to my mind) the wrong tense to write novels in. I know the arguments in favour of it - that it keeps the story moving along faster, and makes the reader identify more with the protagonist of the story - but the simple fact is that I don't like it. It always has the feel of "childishness" about it to me, rather than serious writing. I can't really explain why.

I have to agree. As soon as I see present tense, I contemplate giving up on the book. It's akin to historians talking about past events in the present tense, which drives me to distraction. So much so that I can't concentrate on what they are saying, focusing instead on their irritating use of the present.

[DiapDealer]

I have no inherent dislike or preference for either past or present tense. A talented writer can make me enjoy just about any tense or person. I DO prefer a bit of narrative variety, though. Third person omniscient past narratives get a little monotonous after a while.

[Luffy]

Originally Posted by HarryT

What I dislike is the use of the present tense. It's just (to my mind) the wrong tense to write novels in. I know the arguments in favour of it - that it keeps the story moving along faster, and makes the reader identify more with the protagonist of the story - but the simple fact is that I don't like it. It always has the feel of "childishness" about it to me, rather than serious writing. I can't really explain why.

Originally Posted by orlok

I have to agree. As soon as I see present tense, I contemplate giving up on the book. It's akin to historians talking about past events in the present tense, which drives me to distraction. So much so that I can't concentrate on what they are saying, focusing instead on their irritating use of the present.

I thought I was one of the very few to have that problem. The beginning of The Lincoln Lawyer had a hint of the present tense and I decided to abandon the book ASAP. All of the books I used to read as a child used the past tense. It's something ingrained in most readers. Although I did make an exception for two YA books that WERE written in the present tense; Allie Condie's books Matched and Crossed. I liked the first book, even gave it 4/5. A big exception, that was.

[alansplace]

Originally Posted by alansplace

Before this past weekend I finished reading The Crazy Mixed-Up Corpse (it was as enjoyable and entertaining a read as have been all the previous Ed Noon Mysteries that I've read)!

I recently experienced a BBC/PBS/Masterpiece mini-series called Death comes to Pemberly and was impressed with it despite my slight lack of agreement with some of the casting! Found out it was a P.D. James mystery and went for the novel (Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James). I'm reading it now and so far I'm really enjoying the experience.

I'm just a little over 1/2 way through reading Death Comes to Pemberley and have slipped it onto my back burner so I can begin reading, Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro! So far so good at 13%!

[Rev. Bob]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Isn't that fairly inevitable if an author writes in the first person? One of my pet hates is books that are written in the first person present, which seems to be distressingly common in "YA" books. I tried reading "The Hunger Games", having seen many people recommend it, but that was one of the things about it that really annoyed me.

Present tense grates on me in general, but it has its uses. The indie author I'm currently working with is writing in past, but uses present for dream sequences. It's a neat approach, I think; the reader can tell something's off, even if they don't notice precisely what...

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by Rev. Bob

Present tense grates on me in general, but it has its uses. The indie author I'm currently working with is writing in past, but uses present for dream sequences. It's a neat approach, I think; the reader can tell something's off, even if they don't notice precisely what...

That does sound quite clever. I must admit to disliking first person present tense too. In current book of short stories I'm reading they're nearly all in first person present, even in flashbacks.

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Next up: The Ape's Wife by Caitlin R. Kiernan, another from the humble bundle.

I'm almost ready to abandon this one. I'm just not enjoying it very much, partly because of the first person present, and partly because the stories just don't grab me.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Next up: The Ape's Wife by Caitlin R. Kiernan, another from the humble bundle.

Well, I got to the end. Just no my cup of tea (or can of coke) at all. I can't say I read every word of the last half. Not bad, just not for me.

Next up: Something I know I'll enjoy. But I'm not sure what just yet - I have several series/authors waiting for me to open the next book.

[EDIT]
The Slice of No.1 Celebration Storybook by Alexander McCall Smith. Thanks to a coupon, I got this free from Sainsbury Ebooks earlier this year.

[Luffy]

Death of a Perfect Wife (Hamish Macbeth #4)
by M.C. Beaton - 4/5

Having seen the title of the book of today, it came to me that for once we'll be having a truly nice person as the deceased. I anticipated, and I sat back, began to read, and wondered how this change would be handled. But, maybe the author just wants to people her books with victims that are only getting their just dessert. I adjusted my expectations and was satiated from the moment the perfect wife keeled over to the end.

The story reminded me of another series starring a Scottish cop. That's the Inspector Rebus series. Apart from their nationality, they don't have much in common, and shouldn't. But both policemen's creators began their careers in the 80's, and surprisingly Hamish's village has a domesticity that reminded me of Edinburgh. Such as the presence of a carpet in one of the locals' house. Is a carpet indicative of the 80's? Does it belong to that decade? It certainly seem so to me, at least for the fiction I've read.

Not everyone is created equal. It's true for M.C. Beaton's writing style, and that's a good thing. Anonymous characters, such as the dentist, don't get fleshed out much. Even Towser, Hamish's pet mongrel, has an arc of its own. E.g we get to know that the dog is a coward, but hates to disappoints its master, for whom he lives to please. There's quite a lot of character work on the slim book that I read, and I found myself paying attention. There's also a mention of a book within the book. John Parker, the made up writer, is writing fantasy. His synopsis seems fine, but maybe M.C. Beaton finds the genre ridiculous. Such type of details rescued the book from other forgettable fare. But this book scores high because it made me care about a character driven story and also because there's a lot of minutiae in such a short book.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

The Slice of No.1 Celebration Storybook by Alexander McCall Smith. Thanks to a coupon, I got this free from Sainsbury Ebooks earlier this year.

Two pleasant short stories about Mma Ramotswe.

Next I read another short: Hell's Bells by M. C. Beaton
OK, but not really long enough to see whether I'll like Beaton's writing.

And now: Saturday The Rabbi Went Hungry by Harry Kemelman.

I have certainly read this before, in paper, but this series is excellent, and I shall enjoy reading this one in the series as an ebook. (I do have most of the rest too, waiting to be read.)

[WT Sharpe]

Just finished I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai with Christina Lamb, and it was a wonderful book. It is truly inspiring to know there are people in this world with as much nobility and compassion as Malala and her parents. Although Malala and her father were the outspoken ones and the major risk-takers, I was inspired as well by her mother's quiet grace and courage.

Malala's background is a world foreign to my own is so many respects, yet the virtues, dreams, fears, and longings of which she speaks so eloquently are universal. I don't believe I've ever recommended the biography of someone who's too young to vote, but this one I recommend with no reservations. This is an outstanding book by someone who has something of immense importance to say.

[Dngrsone]

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe

Just finished I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai with Christina Lamb, and it was a wonderful book. It is truly inspiring to know there are people in this world with as much nobility and compassion as Malala and her parents. Although Malala and her father were the outspoken ones and the major risk-takers, I was inspired as well by her mother's quiet grace and courage.

Malala's background is a world foreign to my own is so many respects, yet the virtues, dreams, fears, and longings of which she speaks so eloquently are universal. I don't believe I've ever recommended the biography of someone who's too young to vote, but this one I recommend with no reservations. This is an outstanding book by someone who has something of immense importance to say.

You might be interested in I am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced by Nujood Ali (Amazon)

Finished Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn... good Lord, that women can write some flawed characters... now working on a biography of J. R. R. Tolkein until I can get my Humble Bundle purchase straightened out.

[DrNefario]

Finished Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson last night. A good fun action adventure in a world with supervillains.

The only trouble is I have no idea what to read next. I'm not sure what I'm in the mood for. I'll have to hope something comes to me.