The Labyrinth Effect?

[Russethouse]

What do you mean about Sebastian Faulkes. Birdsong was a great book ! (and have you seen him, Mmmmm)

Its like all these books written around real events, I suppose I like them because they make me curious to find out more .......

[weliveinhope]

[quote user="Clarkkent"] I know I'm sticking my neck out here, but I think that "The daVinci Code" is about the worst book I have ever read and constitutes a new form of experience I have called ChavLit.[/quote]

Before reading Labyrinth it was No 1 on my worst book of all time list.

Woeful. A triumph for hype.

[weliveinhope]

[quote user="Tresco"]

Star of the Sea is excellent. It's a proper book, not one of these awful Sebastien Foulkes  Dan Brown made up type books.

[/quote]

 

Star of the Sea is really good storytelling. I was suspicious of it because prior to that Joe O'Connor's best writing was non-fiction and he had one novel in particular, The Salesman, which was pretty poor fare. Star of the Sea has a few cringy moments too but it is a great yarn.

[Dotty0]

Oh guys, you are really putting me off now.  First you are 'dissing' the Davinci Code, I am half way through and enjoying, oh does that make me a chav?  and now you're rubbishing the next book I'm going to read.

Some people, Me, like pure escapism in a book sometimes.  So there[:P]

Dotty

[PossumGirl]

[quote user="weliveinhope"]

Before reading Labyrinth it was No 1 on my worst book of all time list.

Woeful. A triumph for hype.

[/quote]

Surely you haven't forgotten The Celestine Prophecies from a few years back???  Talk about bad.

PG

[Tresco]

[quote user="Russethouse"]

What do you mean about Sebastian Faulkes. Birdsong was a great book !  [/quote]

Buerk! He's dreadful. I can't stand him, that's what I mean[:D]

Did he write that truly grim Green Dolphin Street too? If anyone else turns up here with more books of that ilk, thinking they're doing me a favour,  I'll send them packing. [6]

[Russethouse]

I read Girl at the Lion D'Or and Charlotte Grey (actually it helped save my sanity when I had a spell in hospital) but like you I didn't like Green Dolphin Street - I think he may have 'peaked' [:)]

One thing I hate is when an author has a hit book and the publisher suddenly drags up and hypes up their back catalogue, like with Rosamund Pilcher after the Shell Seekers, which BTW I loved at the time, but not so sure I would enjoy it somuch now.

[Pip]

Can I also second Tresco's recommendation ! 'Star of the Sea' was a great read and one I will squirrel away to read again in the future.  I can also recommend 'Pillars of the Earth' by Ken Follett - it has pride of place on my 'library' shelves.  Now going straight to Amazon site to eye up 'The Labyrinth Effect' !

[Jonzjob]

Now you lot realy are pushing the bounds of reality. Next you will be telling me that my ALL TIME FAVORITE BOOK is not fact. Stuff the radio version and the film is so far away that it could be another story, except for Forodo and Samwise Gamgie and Forodo was to, to prettty in the film. Yes now tell me that The Lord of the Rings is not a true history book. I've read it 4 times now and intend to inmerse myself in it again this summer. IT'S TRUE I TELL YOU!!!

John ( god I need another French beer [not English, I'm in France now])

[Thibault]

[quote user="Russethouse"]

Rosie girl, I think she has taken a few 'bones' and put the flesh on them she wanted to make a story, but I'd be interested to know where you disagree with her twist on things? I actually thought she was a lot more generous to Anne Boleyn than my history teacher ! One theory is as good as the next regarding Amy Dudley - will we ever know?

[/quote]

I did not like her treatment of Anne Boleyn - there have been some very good biographies of Anne in recent years - the Ives book already mentioned and a more recent one by Joanna Denny.  There is a lot more to Anne than the usual sex and witchcraft angle.  For example she received a Burgundian education - with links going back to Anne of Beaujeu and her impact on the new religion has frequently been understated. 

I'll clamber down off my soapbox now!  I have to confess that Anne has been a "hero" of mine for many years!

I have no objection to interpretative history as part of writing a good "story".  The problem is that people often only read non-fiction and their view of people is coloured by the interpretations.  You see this now on TV with the so-called faction programmes ie the recent "The Lost Prince".   

 

[Russethouse]

>>The problem is that people often only read non-fiction and their view of people is coloured by the interpretations. <<<

Is this what you meant ?

My mother is 86,she only EVER reads non fiction, (tell a lie, the last fiction book she read was Lady Chatterley's Lover) I'm on a one woman mission to address the balance. [:)] I do read non fiction, in fact I have a fairly recent biography of Henry V111 which I have started, (and now can't put my hands on - drat!) and then I'm going to start The New East End, because I am researching my family history, and my Grandfather and his family lived in the 'old East End' and immigration interests me.

[Blanche Neige]

I read Girl at the Lion D'Or and Charlotte Grey (actually it helped save my sanity when I had a spell in hospital) but like you I didn't like Green Dolphin Street - I think he may have 'peaked'

I have enjoyed Sebastian Faulkes' books, Birdsong, Charlotte Grey and Green Dolphin St. but the girl at the Lion D'Or was probably my least favourite. I am off to the Somme next week for a quick visit, maybe I should revisit some of his books. Did anyone watch Charlotte Grey on TV last Saturday? I caught the end of it and wish I had watched the whole film (which I have seen before)  instead of the Nicole Kidman film which I did not enjoy.

I am currently reading "Suite Francaise" which was on Radio 4 recently, have only just started the book but it looks promising.

[weliveinhope]

[quote user="PossumGirl"][quote user="weliveinhope"]

Before reading Labyrinth it was No 1 on my worst book of all time list.

Woeful. A triumph for hype.

[/quote]

Surely you haven't forgotten The Celestine Prophecies from a few years back???  Talk about bad.

PG
[/quote]

Ah well, not having read it I couldn't possibly comment but if it's worse than either Labyrinth or The Da Vinci Code then it's unlikely I ever will!

[PossumGirl]

[quote user="weliveinhope"][

Ah well, not having read it I couldn't possibly comment but if it's worse than either Labyrinth or The Da Vinci Code then it's unlikely I ever will!

[/quote]

Oh, way, way worse!  My "inner editor" was screaming in agony with every sentence!  I don't think I was able to actually make it beyond the first chapter; it was far too painful.

PG

[Smiley]

I have just purchased Labyrinth to read while away at my house in  france. I felt I should at least buy it as Kate Mosse was good enough to allow me to use details on my web-site. Having communicated with her husband I know that they are passionate about the area and as a property owner I certainly hope the publicity will do the region a world of good. Did anyone see the recent Sunday Times article, predominantly about Ariege but also featuring Carcassonne. With unemployment as high as it is I think the regions could do with as much of an economic boost as possible. The times article can be viewed at  www.timesonline.co.uk/francetravel

 

 

[Tresco]

[quote user="PossumGirl"] 

 My "inner editor" was screaming in agony with every sentence! 
[/quote]

Sorry to lower the tone even further, (Sorry SF lovers) but PG, have you read the later Harry Potter Books. Does she even have an editor?

[PossumGirl]

[quote user="Tresco"]

Sorry to lower the tone even further, (Sorry SF lovers) but PG, have you read the later Harry Potter Books. Does she even have an editor?

[/quote]

Well, sorry to admit it, Tresco, but I'm a big fan of HP.  She manages to draw me into the world so thoroughly that I don't notice the flaws; that's a real skill, in my opinion.  As a writer, you really want to make people think your characters are real and "count" for something.  There, I think she succeeds; so the rest just doesn't matter as much.  Not to me, anyhow.

PG

[weliveinhope]

[quote user="Tresco"]

Sorry to lower the tone even further, (Sorry SF lovers) but PG, have you read the later Harry Potter Books. Does she even have an editor?

[/quote]

Having worked in that business for more than a decade I can tell you that when an author becomes as commercially succesful as shes has it becomes harder and harder to say 'no' or 'enough' to them. The last thing a publisher wants to do is risk losing a cash cow over a hundred thousand words here or there.

[Dotty0]

I'm sorry but the Harry Potter stories are complete crap.  JK Whatshername must be the worst author I've ever read a book by.  I have tried oh so many times, but her drivel is worse than mine, no honestly.  She has so many irreverencies in her stories, perhaps if she stuck to the plot instead of inventing some creature for the hell of it that has nothing to do with the story, then it wouldn't be a bad as it is.  Thank goodness there is only one left to go.

Dotty

[PossumGirl]

[quote user="Dotty0"]

I'm sorry but the Harry Potter stories are complete crap.  JK Whatshername must be the worst author I've ever read a book by.  I have tried oh so many times, but her drivel is worse than mine, no honestly.  She has so many irreverencies in her stories, perhaps if she stuck to the plot instead of inventing some creature for the hell of it that has nothing to do with the story, then it wouldn't be a bad as it is.  Thank goodness there is only one left to go.

Dotty

[/quote]

Dotty, I doubt there is any book ever written that has received universal acclaim; in most cases, it's really a question of taste.  Yes, certain things are badly written from a grammatical viewpoint, etc., but after that, it's thoroughly subjective.

I argue with one of my friends in the village about this all the time. He only reads historical novels, even ones that are relatively recent history.  He thinks it's odd that an adult would read fantasy, which he thinks is only for children.  I happen to like good fantasy and am often bored by straight historical novels.  I also really, really dislike any overly-mush romantic novels.  I like detective fiction, but steer away from most hard-boiled, which doesn't interest me. 

There are bound to be books out there that you like, which I don't and vice versa.  That's what makes life interesting and gives us writers a chance to see our words in print!  Otherwise, a lot of us would never sell a damned thing!

PG

[weliveinhope]

[quote user="Dotty0"]

 Thank goodness there is only one left to go.

[/quote]

Do you honestly think she'll stop there.......?[Www]

[Iceni]

[quote user="Dotty0"]

I'm sorry but the Harry Potter stories are complete crap.  JK Whatshername must be the worst author I've ever read a book by.  I have tried oh so many times, but her drivel is worse than mine, no honestly.  She has so many irreverencies in her stories, perhaps if she stuck to the plot instead of inventing some creature for the hell of it that has nothing to do with the story, then it wouldn't be a bad as it is.  Thank goodness there is only one left to go.

Dotty

[/quote]

Surely "taste/snobbery" is subjective whereas Ron Moody's words on money tell it as it really is. BTW Dotty how many of these dreadful books have you bought/read ?

John

 

[Dotty0]

[quote user="Iceni"][quote user="Dotty0"]

I'm sorry but the Harry Potter stories are complete crap.  JK Whatshername must be the worst author I've ever read a book by.  I have tried oh so many times, but her drivel is worse than mine, no honestly.  She has so many irreverencies in her stories, perhaps if she stuck to the plot instead of inventing some creature for the hell of it that has nothing to do with the story, then it wouldn't be a bad as it is.  Thank goodness there is only one left to go.

Dotty

[/quote]

Surely "taste/snobbery" is subjective whereas Ron Moody's words on money tell it as it really is. BTW Dotty how many of these dreadful books have you bought/read ?

John

 

[/quote]

 

I haven't bought any, but my kids have them all apart from the Goblet of Fire.  I read the first one, and found it very hard work.  Started the second and after 100 or so pages, couldn't cary on.  Missed out Prisoner of Azcaban and Goblet, then started to read Order of the Pheonix to my six year old, but I found it difficult to read aloud.  Have given up since then. 

Dotty

[Dotty0]

[quote user="PossumGirl"][quote user="Dotty0"]

I'm sorry but the Harry Potter stories are complete crap.  JK Whatshername must be the worst author I've ever read a book by.  I have tried oh so many times, but her drivel is worse than mine, no honestly.  She has so many irreverencies in her stories, perhaps if she stuck to the plot instead of inventing some creature for the hell of it that has nothing to do with the story, then it wouldn't be a bad as it is.  Thank goodness there is only one left to go.

Dotty

[/quote]

Dotty, I doubt there is any book ever written that has received universal acclaim; in most cases, it's really a question of taste.  Yes, certain things are badly written from a grammatical viewpoint, etc., but after that, it's thoroughly subjective.

I argue with one of my friends in the village about this all the time. He only reads historical novels, even ones that are relatively recent history.  He thinks it's odd that an adult would read fantasy, which he thinks is only for children.  I happen to like good fantasy and am often bored by straight historical novels.  I also really, really dislike any overly-mush romantic novels.  I like detective fiction, but steer away from most hard-boiled, which doesn't interest me. 

There are bound to be books out there that you like, which I don't and vice versa.  That's what makes life interesting and gives us writers a chance to see our words in print!  Otherwise, a lot of us would never sell a damned thing!

PG
[/quote]

PG

I'm sure I replied to this earler, but for some reason its not on the forum.  Either that or I'm going crazy.  Can't be a***d to write it all again, but basically I agree with you.

Dotty

[Tresco]

[quote user="Dotty0"]

Oh guys, you are really putting me off now.  First you are 'dissing' the Davinci Code, I am half way through and enjoying, oh does that make me a chav?  and now you're rubbishing the next book I'm going to read.

[/quote]

Dotty. 

I should have mentioned that I read the DaVinci code in one sitting. I like a rattling good yarn as much as anyone, I just think there are books that I would happily read again after a couple of years.  I know that isn't one of them.

If 'Star of the Sea' is the other book you were referring to, I'm reading it again now, and enjoying it again.