Last week on my day off I picked up a copy of E.E. Knight's book, Way of The Wolf. Overall, I am enjoying it. It's not normal for me to read authors that are published in the ''big press''. Why? well mainly because I just don't find anything that interests me any more. A lot of the same ideas are rehashed/repackaged. Seems like everyone out there and their brother is writing a clone of Anita Blake/Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Or the atypical ''ancient evil awoken in a small town."
The ''big press'' fantasy books aren't any better.
Of course, there are some exceptions, but it seems like I have to ''dig'' through the BS a lot more these days.
The same reason why I mainly watch independent movies, or B-movies more these days.
But, like I said there are exceptions and EE Knight's book is one of them. No, its not the greatest book I've ever read, but it is entertaining.
Yet, I can't help but notice something. Here's a guy that signed a major book deal, and ended up published four more books in the series - I believe he's gotta deal to write 3 or 4 more. And as I read through it I can't help but notice some mistakes that I've been led to believe are the cardinal sins of writing. Or at least ones editors like to get online and rant and rave about.
The one that sticks out in my mind the most is the fact that he'd have sentences that started with the first name of a character, and then the next sentence would start with the same name.
Also, instead of using ''he'' the author would insist on using the prorper noun, even though you'd be able to easily follow the writing without it.
I realize editing is a subjective thing, and that each editor is different, but it just surprises and rather disgusts me when I see things like this. Yes, the author has talent and has good things in his writing, but I really don't get how editors can whine about one thing and then publish something that violates these ''sacred'' rules.
I've seen it in the small press too, quite often.
Yes, no one's writing is perfect, but why harp about something if you aren't going to follow up on it?