The Reading Vent & Rant Thread - Page 139

nabsltd · 10-06-2023, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hildea

That's an interesting point! Usually I prefer romances where none of the protagonists are assholes.

I was reading a mystery just yesterday and after 25% of the book, I wanted every character killed off...they were all completely unbearable. Even worse was that the response of every character to another character being a jerk was to brush it off as "they're a jerk, I'll just ignore them", even though this got the protagonist fired from his job (for ignoring a jerk boss), his son kicked out of school (for ignoring the fact that he was failing simply because the school administrator was a jerk about the way the messages were delivered), etc.

It did get better as characters grew a bit, and by the 60% mark it wasn't a bad book, but even the ending had the protagonist making a deal with somebody who had tried to kill him. And this big bad got enough epilogue to let us know he wasn't going to stop being evil, and the protagonist knew it, but just ignored it.

JSWolf · 10-06-2023, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hildea

I don't know about "more common kind" or what the average (female or not) reader wants - the vast majority of romances I've read are like that.

The romance field is vast, I don't think generalisations will fit well.

The kindle of romances I really dislike are the kind that disguise themselves as fantasy or science fiction.

I'm not talking fantasy or science fiction that has romance in them but the kind where you take the standard 1/2 naked man and paint him green.

hildea · 10-06-2023, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The kindle of romances I really dislike are the kind that disguise themselves as fantasy or science fiction.

I'm not talking fantasy or science fiction that has romance in them but the kind where you take the standard 1/2 naked man and paint him green.

I actually bought one of that kind -- the title was "The Alien Were-Dragon's Mail-Order Bride" or something like that, and it sounded so bananas that I wanted to try it

But after a few pages I couldn't stomach it -- the writing wasn't terrible, but it seemed that despite the scifi setting the gender roles were from the 1950s, and that was just too annoying

DNSB · 10-06-2023, 02:58 PM

My wife started to read one of those alien bride books and quit after the first couple of chapters. From her description, it reminded me of John Norman's Gor books specifically the Slaver's Caress featured in them.

HLS · 10-06-2023, 06:32 PM

I hate romance novels I know. I'm gonna get a lot of hate for saying this. But romance novels are for lonely people with no life.

Sirtel · 10-06-2023, 06:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HLS

But romance novels are for lonely people with no life.

That's certainly not true, whatever your personal preferences are. Like any other genre, romance novels are read by both lonely and socially active people.

I know happily married people with lots of friends who read mostly romances. OTOH, I'm basically the very definition of "a lonely person with no life"

, being an almost total recluse, and romance has never been my favorite genre at all.

Aleron Ives · 10-06-2023, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sirtel

I'm basically the very definition of "a lonely person with no life"

, being an almost total recluse

Ah, but are you also a cat lady? If not, you've still got some work to do towards polishing your image as a recluse.

Sirtel · 10-06-2023, 06:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aleron Ives

Ah, but are you also a cat lady? If not, you've still got some work to do towards polishing your image as a recluse.

Aren't cat ladies classical recluses? At least, that's more or less their image where I live.

Now if I had a dog, it might be more difficult to claim a reclusive lifestyle. Have to go out with the pooch several times a day and all. (I like dogs too, but I'm too lazy to have one myself.)

Edit: sorry, I misread your post the first time. Yep, I'm owned by several cats, so I don't think I have much left to do toward polishing.

Aleron Ives · 10-06-2023, 07:16 PM

I concur. I doff my hat to your impeccable recluse credentials.

DNSB · 10-06-2023, 08:48 PM

I would disagree. The impeccable recluse credential is only awarded after the cats nibble on your corpse.

Sirtel · 10-06-2023, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DNSB

I would disagree. The impeccable recluse credential is only awarded after the cats nibble on your corpse.

Do they ever? I know dogs might, but cats? Are they even attracted to corpses in the wild?

DNSB · 10-07-2023, 12:03 AM

See Will Your Cat Eat Your Corpse? and Would your cat eat you? Science says yes, but it’s nothing personal. There are quite a few other bits about cats nibbling on a deceased owner.

According to the numbers I found, dogs seem much less likely to nosh on your dead body but don't turn your dead back on any animal.

Sirtel · 10-07-2023, 12:09 AM

Heh. This creates some mental images I could have lived without.

But anyway, better that my undiscovered corpse will feed my cats than just rot there uselessly.

hildea · 10-07-2023, 03:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HLS

I hate romance novels I know. I'm gonna get a lot of hate for saying this. But romance novels are for lonely people with no life.

It seems like you are trying to fish for angry answers

I'm genuinely curious: Do you think that all readers' favourite genres are grounded in something they are desperately missing in their lives? Do readers of crime novels long for real life acquaintances to be killed so they can investigate the murder? Do readers of historical novels hate modern technology and democracy? Are readers of war novels deeply resentful that they never got to fight in a real war?

(In addition to romance, I also read fantasy, science fiction, and historical novels. I rarely read contemporary fiction. I guess that must mean that I really, really hate the life I live here and now

)

Quoth · 10-07-2023, 03:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HLS

I hate romance novels I know. I'm gonna get a lot of hate for saying this. But romance novels are for lonely people with no life.

Not true. It's not Daytime TV.

10-07-2023, 12:03 AM	#2082
DNSB Bibliophagist Posts: 46,630 Karma: 169712392 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Vancouver Device: Kobo Sage, Libra Colour, Lenovo M8 FHD, Paperwhite 4, Tolino epos	See Will Your Cat Eat Your Corpse? and Would your cat eat you? Science says yes, but it’s nothing personal. There are quite a few other bits about cats nibbling on a deceased owner. According to the numbers I found, dogs seem much less likely to nosh on your dead body but don't turn your dead back on any animal. Last edited by DNSB; 10-07-2023 at 12:05 AM.

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10-06-2023, 02:58 PM	#2074
DNSB Bibliophagist Posts: 46,630 Karma: 169712392 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Vancouver Device: Kobo Sage, Libra Colour, Lenovo M8 FHD, Paperwhite 4, Tolino epos	My wife started to read one of those alien bride books and quit after the first couple of chapters. From her description, it reminded me of John Norman's Gor books specifically the Slaver's Caress featured in them.

10-06-2023, 06:32 PM	#2075
HLS Wizard Posts: 2,133 Karma: 16342480 Join Date: May 2017 Device: Sage, Scribe, Boox Note 2 Plus, iPad Pros and Samsungs S6,S7,S8	I hate romance novels I know. I'm gonna get a lot of hate for saying this. But romance novels are for lonely people with no life.

10-06-2023, 07:16 PM	#2079
Aleron Ives Wizard Posts: 1,693 Karma: 16307824 Join Date: Sep 2022 Device: Kobo Libra 2	I concur. I doff my hat to your impeccable recluse credentials.

10-06-2023, 08:48 PM	#2080
DNSB Bibliophagist Posts: 46,630 Karma: 169712392 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Vancouver Device: Kobo Sage, Libra Colour, Lenovo M8 FHD, Paperwhite 4, Tolino epos	I would disagree. The impeccable recluse credential is only awarded after the cats nibble on your corpse.

10-07-2023, 12:09 AM	#2083
Sirtel Grand Sorcerer Posts: 13,571 Karma: 240526511 Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Estonia Device: Kobo Sage & Libra 2	Heh. This creates some mental images I could have lived without. But anyway, better that my undiscovered corpse will feed my cats than just rot there uselessly.