From: | "Fisher, Victor" <Victor-Fisher@******.COM> |
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Subject: | Re: Striper [the novel] and others of her ilk. |
Date: | Thu, 27 Mar 1997 13:03:34 -0500 |
Striper.
First, I don't have too much of a problem with Nyx Smith's writing
style. [Have you ever really wanted to like a book, but the writing
style seemed so...stilted, for lack of a better word, that it detracted
from your enjoyment? This very much varies from person to person. A had
a discussion with a gentleman in the bookstore I frequent the other day,
and he absolutely loved the Changeling trilogy done by the OTHER GUYS,
while I, who like the concept, just couldn't get thru her prose.]
His knowledge [or at least familiarity with] asian culture is very
evident in his books. I just don't like his central protagonists
[stictly a gut call].
With ONE exception, his Racoon Shaman. Odviously an initiate, who
did PULL quite a few tricks that an PC mage in the game would be hard
pressed to do, but he had a quirky, interesting character that made me
what to know more about him, to the exclusion of all the others. If Mr.
Smith ever decides to write another story based solely on him, I'd buy
it.
I'm not denying that the 'animalistic' mindset of Striper in a
realistic manner. I just could emphatize with such a two-dimensional
colsd blodded killer. I actually liked Castille [the were-wolf] fixer a
lot more, and would liked to have seen more of him. Even Ravan, the
were-tiger she meets and MEETS [wink, wink, nudge, nudge, say no more,
say no more:-] was more interresting.
I haven't finished Steel Rain yet, so can't really offer an opinion
on it [haven't run across the 'munchie' bullets and bracelets trick
yet]. I can see where some people like their characters to be more
'realistically' powered [I've always preferred Batman to Superman], but
that doesn't mean they can't TOUCH the sometimes fantastic sometime.
Characters don't have to be 'lily white' to make a good
protagonist. Some of the best are those who have been touched by the
'dark side' and emerged from it, [hopefully] better and wiser than they
were before.
Not to say the bad guys shouldn't have their day in the sun. Take
Mr. Bester, from Babylon 5, or Cancer Man, from the X-Files.
Mr. Bester is an out and out BASTARD. But he's a great character,
because you learn he's not just some stereotypical meglomaniac guy, but
does have a soft side the viewer can connect with [his love for the
woman in cryogenic stasis]. Which makes it all the worse when he does
something REALLY nasty. [Koenig does a great job fleshing him out].
Cancer Man is not a generic evil guy doing bad things for their own
sake, but one who truly believes he's doing what's best for everyone.
The fact that a guy who probably had a hand in a few major political
assassinations and keeping the Bills from ever winning the Superbowl, on
his time off, writes [abeit crappy] espionage novels :-] You want to
like him, but you realize what a reprenhensible character he is.
Charaters like this are fascinating, but I feel ultimately they
should get what's coming to them in the end. [Karma is a BITCH payback].
I admit it. I actually like a happy ending. I also enjoy the greek
tragedy, where the protagonist succeeds, but often at some great
personal cost. But that's just me.