Re: RARA-AVIS: reviews

Peter Walker (pw@pw.cablenet.co.uk)
Fri, 9 Apr 1999 12:01:10 +0000 Charlie Shafer wrote:
> Peter: May I ask, do you run across books that aren't your particular
> taste, but feel still have merit? If so, how do you get through them? I
> mean, I'll sometimes throw a book down after a chapter or two simply because
> the plot isn't moving.
Unless its really realy bad I have a go at reading them right through
but sometimes I resort to skimming para's and/or reading the
opening/closing para of each chapter. Generally I manage to read
them. Sometimes you get luch though. I've just got the new Elvis Cole
- LA Requiem - from Tangled Web and a very interesting looking one
called "Solo Hand" by Bill Moody and is the first Evan Horne and it
looks good. As a rule however i agree with you that if a book hasn't
grabed you by the first two chapters them you're in trouble. Often
you can tell by the opening line: plot, character and drive, as
Russell James says. Have you come across his article in "Shots" on
the state of Brit crime writing? Says it all really.
Peter
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