GeekDavid
Auror
Since he's decided to bring the era of Pug to an end, I thought it was a good time to catch up on reading some Raymond Feist.
I must say, I am not impressed any more.
Maybe it's just my own increasing understanding of the art and craft of writing, but things are jumping out at me that even I know better than to do.
For example, consider this unwieldy passage:
I don't think I'm particularly dense, but it took me three readings to work out what he was saying. If it was me writing that, I'd have turned the phrase as "...for I make most of what I need." I'd probably have ended the sentence there and continued the thought in the second sentence, as well, though that's a secondary consideration.
Then we have a character surprised that a fairly important personage will be arriving soon, when this same character was present just a few (Kindle) pages earlier when it was revealed to another character that this personage would "be here shortly." Admittedly, the character expressing surprise had recently taken a hit to the jaw, but he was speaking coherently just a few paragraphs earlier.
I'm not sure what happened to a formerly great writer, but these are things I'd expect to find in unedited indy dreck, not stuff written by one of the best in the business and presumably edited by a large publishing house.
The only reasons I'm gonna finish these books are:
Edited to add: One more reason to continue reading... Feist's writing skills may have atrophied, but he still has wit, to wit:
I must say, I am not impressed any more.
Maybe it's just my own increasing understanding of the art and craft of writing, but things are jumping out at me that even I know better than to do.
For example, consider this unwieldy passage:
"This is less true in my own calling, for most of what I need I make, for wards, stones of power, and other items that over the years have proven useful in following my interest..."
I don't think I'm particularly dense, but it took me three readings to work out what he was saying. If it was me writing that, I'd have turned the phrase as "...for I make most of what I need." I'd probably have ended the sentence there and continued the thought in the second sentence, as well, though that's a secondary consideration.
Then we have a character surprised that a fairly important personage will be arriving soon, when this same character was present just a few (Kindle) pages earlier when it was revealed to another character that this personage would "be here shortly." Admittedly, the character expressing surprise had recently taken a hit to the jaw, but he was speaking coherently just a few paragraphs earlier.
I'm not sure what happened to a formerly great writer, but these are things I'd expect to find in unedited indy dreck, not stuff written by one of the best in the business and presumably edited by a large publishing house.
The only reasons I'm gonna finish these books are:
- So I have the full story of what happened to Pug, up to and including his passing.
- With an eye to reviewing them.
- So the money I spent on buying them isn't a total waste (I already consider it a partial waste, given the slips mentioned).
Edited to add: One more reason to continue reading... Feist's writing skills may have atrophied, but he still has wit, to wit:
"Actually," said Brandos, "I give a fair amount of thought to breathing, usually when something is trying to keep me from doing it."
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