Sorry baby, but I had to let you go.

[rogueslayer452]

Day 11 - A book that disappointed you

Run No More by Catherine Mulvany.

I'll be honest that I loved the story from the beginning, it was intriguing, the setup was interesting, and it had a mystical element mixed with crime and espionage that sparked my interest. I liked the relationships between the two main characters. However, almost towards the end at one of the pivotal moments of the story, there was a horribly written sex scene. I didn't even finish reading the book it was so awkward, it took me out of the story completely and I haven't picked it up since. That was a huge disappointment because I was really enjoying the story up until that point. This goes back to the discussion about contrived romances as a least favorite plot device, or rather in this case authors who simply cannot write romance scenes to save their lives and end up cheapening the story that actually had potential of going somewhere good. I find this happens a lot in certain cases, authors need to focus on their stronger points in writing, sometimes sex scenes shouldn't be written to say that hey, two characters are being intimate with one another.

Another one isn't much of a disappointment, but more something I just couldn't get into: the Kushiel series by Jacqueline Carey. They are a really good series, I am certainly not denying that at all, but the writing style just didn't pull me in. I guess I'm more disappointed in myself that I couldn't get into it like I thought I would, since it was recommended to me. Those kinds of fantasy-style books just aren't for me, I suppose.

Comments

[carlyinrome.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry. I'm sure it was a huge disappointment, but from an uninvolved standpoint, it's really kind of hilarious that someone wrote a sex scene so bad that you were unable to finish the book.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

Well it was. It was like reading badfic, which wasn't the right kind of fluidity the first half of the story had at all. So yeah, I didn't bother finishing it.

[love-jackianto.livejournal.com]

'I liked the relationships between the two main characters. However, almost towards the end at one of the pivotal moments of the story, there was a horribly written sex scene.'
I've read fanfic like that. The fic was great and IC up until the sex scene where it felt like it belonged to a completely different (much more badly OOC written) story. I never did finish it.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

There's nothing that gets me out of a story more like horribly written romance scenes. I mean the story may be great, but some authors just aren't cut out to write that kinda stuff and it makes the story lose whatever flow it had. It just irks me so much.

[love-jackianto.livejournal.com]

I know. I used to read one author who would always fade to black for the sex scene (she said she just wasn't good at writing those scenes) and there are quite a few writers (both fanfic and published) who I wish would do that, but sadly a lot people seem to think that if they don't have sex in their story no one will read it.

Kushiel Series

[aubade-saudade.livejournal.com]

i liked the first one a lot, though wow! i could have cut out about a hundred pages (or more) without blinking an eye. i've been told not to bother with the rest, and i'm thinking of not souring the pleasant (with reservations) experience i had with the first one.

Re: Kushiel Series

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

I know what you mean, there's definitely a lot of information that wasn't really needed. Granted I couldn't get passed the first few chapters of the first book. I mean, it's an interesting series and I did try, but I'll stick to reading the cliffnotes version. The writing style just isn't for me.