bobothegoat

Is that an insult to my editing skills?

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Bobo the Goat

Anarkos

Well, uh, yeah, I guess so. Anyone who could edit a Dan Brown book without the aid of a chainsaw probably isn't any good at it...

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My latest work: Bags - The Hooker - Going Rogue - Flashing Out - The Problem with Being a Grifter
I always appreciate fair criticism, and will endeavor to reciprocate.

THE JESUS STRANGLER

What some of you stuck up little bastards need to realize is that this book is FICTION. Who gives a fuck if some of the facts are wrong, accept whatever truth the book holds, enjoy the action, and stop bitching. I mean seriously, who really gives a shit is this description wasn't 100% accurate, or if this wasn't 100% true?!?!? It's not an insult to anyone's intelligence unless you are the dolt who lets stupid shit ruin a great story, because even if you are the harsh critic lets admit it, aside from "mistakes" it was a good story. Story. I don't give a fuck how literate some of you are and how good you are with your punctuation and grammar, if you can't conceive a compelling story than NO ONE CARES!

And to Bobthegoat or whoever wrote that bullshit, you are an idiot. I'd just love to see you write a best seller, then we can all critique your petty "mistakes." You're the type who likes to critique because it gives you a sense of being high and mighty, like what you said was actually worthwhile to anyone other than your own ego anyway. Why don't you go ahead and give us an A+ physics review on your comment "peering down? From fifteen feet away?" detailing the approx. speed, position, impact and everything else it takes a bullet to travel down a hallway while you're at it? Then in the middle of the report you can remember that no one cares. No one cares because you're a moron. The type who would critisize his girlfriend for smelling like oranges instead of apples. Duuuhh

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Stewart

Yes, fans are always the worst.

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book reviews | world lit forum

bobothegoat

Fine with me, Jesus Strangler. I've got stuff posted here, and have no problem with people pointing out mistakes in my writing, or the writing of authors I enjoy. In fact, if I'm getting a book published, I'd hold my own work to much more severe standards. Glaring technical mistakes and inept writing saps the enjoyment out of a book. I mean, at least other main-stream, best-selling authors can manage to write stuff with some decent prose. To me, there's a huge difference between pedestrian and just plain old bad prose.

But whatever. Rather than trying to boost your ego by throwing insults at me (or any other member) why not instead give a stronger argument for why the book deserves merit. Your current reasons are weak.

I don't really care about false information driving a story. Most people don't mind it, in fact. But part of the problem is this:
Need I say more?

Aside from the inept writing and the lame characters, it'd be a good story. Unfortunately, the lame characters and inept writing are there, and therefor it's not a good story.

I pointed out one minor spelling issue. That's it. And I don't even care about that. A chimp can be taught how to use grammar (Dan Brown's proved it to me). But just like you said, if the author can't concieve [and communicate] a good story, nobody cares.

The rest of what I pointed out was just poor writing. It was correct grammar and spelling, but it was just poor writing.

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Bobo the Goat

TSMaloy

Dan Brown is awesome! If you like his work, then who gives a shit what any of these other people think. I wonder if half of them have even read the book, or if they are just going off of what is being said in the media.

If they don't appreciate talent then that is their loss. They need to shut up! I want to see their credential before I will even consider half of what they have to say. When was the last time any of you wrote a best seller? Hmmmm?

Just because his novel didn't have any space ships or wizards in it (which seems to be the favorite of the middle schoolers who dominate this forum), didn't mean it was bad book!

Has anyone read Angels and Demons? The Da Vinci Code is actually the sequel to Angels and Demons and it would probably help most people to have read that book to appreciate the characters in TDVC. Not only that, but I honestly think that it was the better book of the two. Try it!

DAN BROWN RULES!

Stewart

A good point, but is there any need to be so bratty about it?

Given that we are picking up on specific points within the book, with quotes, I would say we have read the book. I even took the time to write a lengthy review of it. What I don't see, however, is the Dan Brown fundamentalists quoting all the good bits to counter the naysayers.

If you can state, with examples, what talent Dan Brown has then I will be impressed. And if you think talent is selling a multitude of throwaway books, then you have a very sad understanding of literature.

I have a piece of writing available in the Workshop forum; go pick it apart.

Now, I would almost suspect you of being a self-publisher with a comment like that. They are usually the people who retaliate to their work being called poor and shoddy by asking the critic where their books are. But, as the old adage goes, you don't need to be a carpenter to test the comfort of a chair; and you don't need to be a chef to know food taste bad. The process of reading is much different from writing - why do you think they go hand in hand?

Oh dear. The lack of spaceships and wizards, for which I was thankful, has nothing to do with why people didn't like it. The fact that the guy doesn't know how to pick the right word and put it next to another right word is the problem. As a result, the reader is treated to about five hundred pages of turgid prose that comes in extremely short chapters; a small mercy for readers with attention deficit disorder.

I most certainly have not. One Dan Brown was enough to know I will never fritter money away on his careless outpourings ever again.

As far as I'm aware, the only consistent character between both books is Robert Langdon. Given that he had no personality and no redeeming features, I would doubt there is any depth to him from the previous novel. Afterall, writers improve with each book - so how bad must Angels & Demons be?

The first rule of Dan Brown Club is that there is no such thing as ability.
The second rule of Dan Brown Club: there is no such thing as ability.

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THE JESUS STRANGLER

Second (maybe third) sentence and I already see a mistake: "By naming the boys after myself my wife and I hoped that when I was no longer able they would assume my duties and look after their families"

Can you spot it?

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Beardedtroll

Hmm. Looks kosher to me. What do think is wrong with it?

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Ben

There should be a comma after myself, I think.

TSMaloy

Hey, how is this?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Brown

Now it says that as of 2005 Dan Brown sold more than 25 million hard cover copies and that it helped push the sales of his earlier novels. Hmmm. Must be an awful lot of people out there who "fritter" their money away like yon Mr. Conner Wolf (and yes, there should be a comma after myself, but even if you change that it doesn't save the sentence from being awkward. PLEASE do not rely solely on spell check!).

And if you like that bit, try going to danbrown.com and read some of the things people have said about his work.

"One of the most intelligent and dynamic authors in the genre" -- Library Journal.

I am sure they, of all people, do not know what they are talking about.

Beardedtroll

Hmm. Possible, but isn't that more a matter of style?

There is.

*blinks* You honestly think Connor Wolf's sentence was awkward? Next to such travesties as "He reached for a second clip, but then seemed to reconsider, smirking calmly at Saunière's gut" and "Only fifteen feet away, outside the sealed gate, the mountainous silhouette of his attacker stared through the iron bars"?

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TSMaloy

Coming from the person who thought Connor Wolf's sentence was "kosher"?

There is NOTHING wrong with either of those sentences. If you took the commas away, then yes, there would be some problems.

Good hell, I hope some of you don't have the intent to become editors.

Stewart

I would say it was style, if I can say that without being accused of defending my work. That piece, anyway, has been hacked and rewritten since, and sent off. I remember when I read John Banville's The Sea there were many occasions where I thought that a comma would be good but he didn't use one. John Banville is the literary editor of the Irish Times and winner of the 2005 MAN Booker Prize. I'll bow to his knowledge and learn from him over Dan Brown.


Of course, if you want to pick my writing apart then I would appreciate it if you did so in the thread I created for that.

Oh, those sentences aren't about the commas; they concern the logic of the subject.

If we did, I'm sure we would be on a forum for editors.

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TSMaloy

Then let me say this:

If some of you get anything published, your editors certainly have their work cut out for them.