From:	Merlin Montgomery <merlin.montgomery@********.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Subject:	Striper Assassin
Date:	Fri, 8 Sep 1995 19:43:37 +1200

I've just finished reading Striper Assassin, (I picked it up on
special at the local bookstore during the week I've just spent skiing -
gloat! gloat!), and while I enjoyed it enough to want to keep reading, Nyx
Smith's method of writing in the present tense really irritated me after a
while.

Maybe he does it to make the action seem more immediate, but I
like the good old-fashioned past tense style myself. He also did it in the
short story collection. Why is this? Is it just a gimmick? Does it annoy
anyone but me?

As for Striper herself, I really disliked her. Admittedly her
behaviour was due to extraordinary reasons, but her comtempt for humans
meant I could never relate to her as the lead character in the story.
I guess it shows she was a pretty well drawn out character
though, if I have such a strong reaction to her.

Just my thoughts,
Merlin.

---
merlin.montgomery@********.otago.ac.nz

**** STYLE OVER SUBSTANCE ****
**** ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING ****
**** TAKE IT TO THE EDGE ****
**** AIN'T NEVER GONNA DIE FOR WANT OF SHOOTING BACK ****