Comments for Jenny's Books http://jennysbooks.wordpress.com I read the end before I read the middle. Sat, 14 Nov 2009 09:24:02 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 Comment on The Beekeeper’s Apprentice, Laurie R. King by litlove http://jennysbooks.wordpress.com/2009/11/13/the-beekeepers-apprentice-laurie-r-king/#comment-2324 litlove Sat, 14 Nov 2009 09:24:02 +0000 http://jennysbooks.wordpress.com/?p=1891#comment-2324 I've heard the Laurie King series gets better, and that the first one is only so-so. I don't have sensibilities about borrowing characters so long as it's well done. If it's poorly done then naturally I get annoyed as the author had only done half the thinking in the first place and the marketing people had clearly come over hysterical. I do possess this book, but haven't yet found it necessary either. :) I’ve heard the Laurie King series gets better, and that the first one is only so-so. I don’t have sensibilities about borrowing characters so long as it’s well done. If it’s poorly done then naturally I get annoyed as the author had only done half the thinking in the first place and the marketing people had clearly come over hysterical. I do possess this book, but haven’t yet found it necessary either. :)

]]> Comment on The Beekeeper’s Apprentice, Laurie R. King by Katy http://jennysbooks.wordpress.com/2009/11/13/the-beekeepers-apprentice-laurie-r-king/#comment-2323 Katy Sat, 14 Nov 2009 01:26:08 +0000 http://jennysbooks.wordpress.com/?p=1891#comment-2323 You may be right. On the other hand, reading The Beekeeper's Apprentice without having read much Sherlock Holmes may be like watching New Who without having seen Old Who - you don't get all caught up in "But Daleks aren't supposed to have FEELINGS!"/"Sherlock Holmes would never take on a precocious fifteen-year-old girl as an apprentice!" I've never been a big Sherlock Holmes fan, so I liked Laurie King's series just fine until I got to The Game, where she rewrites Kipling's Kim. It's like - imagine that she takes your very favorite piece of writing by Oscar Wilde, ever, and instead of recognizing it as genuine literature she does a silly pastiche of it that basically treats it as throwaway pop-culture, and also she misinterprets a lot of it and changes the ending. Oddly, though, I've always thought of The Beekeeper's Apprentice in connection with Doctor Who, because to me Holmes and Russell look exactly like Tom Baker and Lalla Ward. You may be right. On the other hand, reading The Beekeeper’s Apprentice without having read much Sherlock Holmes may be like watching New Who without having seen Old Who – you don’t get all caught up in “But Daleks aren’t supposed to have FEELINGS!”/”Sherlock Holmes would never take on a precocious fifteen-year-old girl as an apprentice!” I’ve never been a big Sherlock Holmes fan, so I liked Laurie King’s series just fine until I got to The Game, where she rewrites Kipling’s Kim. It’s like – imagine that she takes your very favorite piece of writing by Oscar Wilde, ever, and instead of recognizing it as genuine literature she does a silly pastiche of it that basically treats it as throwaway pop-culture, and also she misinterprets a lot of it and changes the ending.

Oddly, though, I’ve always thought of The Beekeeper’s Apprentice in connection with Doctor Who, because to me Holmes and Russell look exactly like Tom Baker and Lalla Ward.

]]> Comment on The Beekeeper’s Apprentice, Laurie R. King by raidergirl3 http://jennysbooks.wordpress.com/2009/11/13/the-beekeepers-apprentice-laurie-r-king/#comment-2322 raidergirl3 Sat, 14 Nov 2009 01:21:30 +0000 http://jennysbooks.wordpress.com/?p=1891#comment-2322 I'd like to read this as I went through a spell of Holmes and Christie mysteries many years ago. I prefer Agatha and Poirot over Holmes. But what I really want to do is see the Holmes movie with Robert Downey Jr! I’d like to read this as I went through a spell of Holmes and Christie mysteries many years ago. I prefer Agatha and Poirot over Holmes.

But what I really want to do is see the Holmes movie with Robert Downey Jr!

]]> Comment on The Beekeeper’s Apprentice, Laurie R. King by Jeane http://jennysbooks.wordpress.com/2009/11/13/the-beekeepers-apprentice-laurie-r-king/#comment-2321 Jeane Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:41:44 +0000 http://jennysbooks.wordpress.com/?p=1891#comment-2321 I read the entire Sherlock Holmes, years and years ago. But I have nearly forgotten the stories, and I was never crazy about them. So for that, I might enjoy this with some recollections to clue me in, without being miffed at the liberties. Even though I've never been too keen on mysteries, I might try this one someday. There's been some good reviews about it! I read the entire Sherlock Holmes, years and years ago. But I have nearly forgotten the stories, and I was never crazy about them. So for that, I might enjoy this with some recollections to clue me in, without being miffed at the liberties. Even though I’ve never been too keen on mysteries, I might try this one someday. There’s been some good reviews about it!

]]> Comment on Twilight, by Stephenie Meyer by UMG http://jennysbooks.wordpress.com/2008/01/07/twilight-by-stephenie-meyer/#comment-2320 UMG Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:59:12 +0000 http://jennysbooks.wordpress.com/2008/01/07/twilight-by-stephenie-meyer/#comment-2320 I hate to beat a dead horse, but this is one worth beating, I think. And just so there is no confusion, I am a guy, and yes, I admit this problem willingly. But I wish to strike this horse at a slightly different angle. I'm currently writing with hopes of submission early 2010, and a recent article in Writer's Digest came out with some interest to me: their annual shortlist of agents actively seeking new writers. Like half of 'em wanted paranormal romance. I have no problem realizing the dangers of letting this dog which is Twilight loose upon the teenage girls of our morally and religiously ambiguous country. And I also have no problem realizing, that yes, Stephenie Meyer accomplished something. Personally, I think there is some (an itty bitty "some) literary merit to Twilight, even if that only amounted to say five out of five hundred pages. What I have a problem with is what it's doing to the market. Knockoffs and imitations and a flood of the reawakened genre have filled the shelves at my local Sam's Club and Walmart (the closest things to bookstores I have en route right now), and I want to know: Where is this going? Can a book being a self-capsulated fantasy adventure (that is, no connection with the real world) without romance of any kind, possibly set a new trend in the market? Can any sword cut the veins of this vampire artery? Is it a matter of originality or relate-ability? Just seems such a shame. I hate to beat a dead horse, but this is one worth beating, I think. And just so there is no confusion, I am a guy, and yes, I admit this problem willingly.

But I wish to strike this horse at a slightly different angle.

I’m currently writing with hopes of submission early 2010, and a recent article in Writer’s Digest came out with some interest to me: their annual shortlist of agents actively seeking new writers.

Like half of ‘em wanted paranormal romance.

I have no problem realizing the dangers of letting this dog which is Twilight loose upon the teenage girls of our morally and religiously ambiguous country. And I also have no problem realizing, that yes, Stephenie Meyer accomplished something. Personally, I think there is some (an itty bitty “some) literary merit to Twilight, even if that only amounted to say five out of five hundred pages.

What I have a problem with is what it’s doing to the market.

Knockoffs and imitations and a flood of the reawakened genre have filled the shelves at my local Sam’s Club and Walmart (the closest things to bookstores I have en route right now), and I want to know:

Where is this going?

Can a book being a self-capsulated fantasy adventure (that is, no connection with the real world) without romance of any kind, possibly set a new trend in the market? Can any sword cut the veins of this vampire artery? Is it a matter of originality or relate-ability?

Just seems such a shame.

]]> Comment on The Magicians, Lev Grossman by Jenny http://jennysbooks.wordpress.com/2009/11/07/the-magicians-lev-grossman/#comment-2319 Jenny Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:09:56 +0000 http://jennysbooks.wordpress.com/?p=1885#comment-2319 I know exactly what you mean. I hope I said enough nice things! :P I don't really have a rating like "Skim" - maybe I should rethink my system. I know exactly what you mean. I hope I said enough nice things! :P I don’t really have a rating like “Skim” – maybe I should rethink my system.

]]> Comment on The Magicians, Lev Grossman by Jenny http://jennysbooks.wordpress.com/2009/11/07/the-magicians-lev-grossman/#comment-2318 Jenny Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:09:21 +0000 http://jennysbooks.wordpress.com/?p=1885#comment-2318 Thanks! I hope you enjoy it (maybe more than I did). I do think Lev Grossman is a writer for me to watch. Thanks! I hope you enjoy it (maybe more than I did). I do think Lev Grossman is a writer for me to watch.

]]> Comment on The Dark Lord of Derkholm, Diana Wynne Jones by Jenny http://jennysbooks.wordpress.com/2009/01/13/the-dark-lord-of-derkholm-diana-wynne-jones/#comment-2317 Jenny Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:08:04 +0000 http://jennysbooks.wordpress.com/?p=432#comment-2317 Yes! I wish I'd appreciated it properly when I first started reading her books - it took me a little while to grow into really loving her, and I wasn't as excited about her vast quantities of books as I might otherwise have been! Yes! I wish I’d appreciated it properly when I first started reading her books – it took me a little while to grow into really loving her, and I wasn’t as excited about her vast quantities of books as I might otherwise have been!

]]> Comment on The Ordinary Princess, M.M. Kaye by Jenny http://jennysbooks.wordpress.com/2009/04/21/the-ordinary-princess-mm-kaye/#comment-2316 Jenny Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:07:16 +0000 http://jennysbooks.wordpress.com/?p=653#comment-2316 Aw, yay! I hate it when I can't think of a book properly, to track it down and read it again. I hope you're able to find it - it seems to be back in print in the UK, though I am not sure about the US. If not in the US, The Book Depository (www.thebookdepository.co.uk) ships free worldwide. Aw, yay! I hate it when I can’t think of a book properly, to track it down and read it again. I hope you’re able to find it – it seems to be back in print in the UK, though I am not sure about the US. If not in the US, The Book Depository (www.thebookdepository.co.uk) ships free worldwide.

]]> Comment on The Ordinary Princess, M.M. Kaye by Julia Rae http://jennysbooks.wordpress.com/2009/04/21/the-ordinary-princess-mm-kaye/#comment-2315 Julia Rae Fri, 13 Nov 2009 01:47:44 +0000 http://jennysbooks.wordpress.com/?p=653#comment-2315 Thank you for this review! I read this book when I was younger but had forgotten the title. I just remembered that her name was Amy and of course the book's content. Thanks to your description I can find and read it again! Thank you for this review! I read this book when I was younger but had forgotten the title. I just remembered that her name was Amy and of course the book’s content. Thanks to your description I can find and read it again!

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