I also read it not realizing it was the start of a series, so some of
these thoughts have come long after the fact, and made me take a
second look at the book. I am curious. I liked Chase. I hope it
doesn't falter on the motivations and unresolved revenge issues.
It is a balancing act to deal with series characters who are quite
messed up. It's something I've had to consider a lot recently, for my
new book, so it may also be affecting my thinking. I know I put a lot
of pressure on myself to make sure the motivations are believable, and
that the emotional issues are addressed and brought to a logical
resolution, or left unresolved if that's what's most likely in the
scenario, and it may be one of those things that has become such a
sticking point for me in my own work that it jumps out at me when I'm
reading. In the case of Chase, I'm not sure how I would pull it off,
so I'm quite curious to see how Pic will handle it.
Cheers,
Sandra
On Fri, Jan 9, 2009 at 2:10 PM, <DJ-Anonyme@webtv.net> wrote:
> Interesting post, Sandra. And I must admit that I didn't realize Cold
> Spot was part of a series until I finished it, so I read it as a
> standalone. As you note, that's a different reading experience. Still,
> I'm looking forward the next. It will be interesting to see if Chase's
> future motivations will be believeable. The unresolved revenge issue
> will only go so far, and will start seeming really contrived if it's
> raised but left hanging in book after book.
>
> You also raise interesting points about series in general. Those issues
> really come up in terms of Bruen's Jack Taylor series. How do you keep
> a character like that right on the edge, screwed but still functioning,
> book after book? It takes quite a balancing act.
>
> Series that revolve around jobs (or careers) don't have to get over this
> issue. A cop like Rebus will have another case, even a PI (though that
> adds some credibility issues when they get involved with murders,
> perhaps why fictional PIs seem more and more to specialize in missing
> persons cases, or bodyguarding, which often lead to murders they're
> supposed to butt out of, but never do). A career criminal like Parker
> will pull another caper.
>
-- THE FRAILTY OF FLESH Nov 08 Dorchester LULLABY FOR THE NAMELESS Dec 09 Dorchester http://www.sandraruttan.com/
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