Most short stories or novels are written in the third person for the simple reason that this allows the author to develop different characters and show how they react in different situations.  In other words, using the third person provides variety, complexity, and breadth.  Yet writing in the third person still requires conveying to the readers what each character thinks, at least to some extent, so the readers often find themselves in an omnipotent role that they feel uncomfortable with as they transition from character to character.

(more…)

At times I will include in the writing category of my blog a post corresponding to a review of a book I’m adding to my bookshelf.  While not every book in the bookshelf has a review, when they do, there is something special about the book-or, I just felt like reviewing it!

Elsewhere I have remarked that Koontz is a much better horror story writer than King.  His one consistent theme is that there is evil in the world and good people can stand up to it.  We only have to read recent headline stories to know the former is true: the killing of Hudson’s mother, brother, and nephew; the brutal murder of the anchor woman in Little Rock; the killing of a NJ woman by her husband; the beheading of tourists by the Taliban in Afghanistan; the threat by a pair of skinheads to kill a presidential candidate.  We have become insensitive to the evil because there is so much of it.  Some of the people in Hudson’s neighborhood heard the shots but did not react-they hear shots often in that neighborhood.  The tourist bus incident in Afghanistan went out of the news as fast as it went in-we expect horror stories from that part of the world now.

(more…)

My top 5 thrillers of all time:

Frederick Forsyth, The Day of the Jackal – Frederick mixes true events with fictional ones in a real page turner.  I often study this one!

Jeffery Deaver, Garden of Beasts – This didn’t seem to take off as well as the Lincoln Rhyme novels, but I think it’s Jeffery’s best work.  Again, it hooks you fast.  It’s in the historical context of World War II, though, so maybe a lot of young readers can’t relate to it.  Too bad.

Tom Clancy, The Hunt for Red October – Sorry, Tom, this is still your best!  And the movie was probably the best submarine movie since Das Boot.  Tom managed to make the boring life on a nuclear submarine adventurous and dangerous.  Quite a feat!

Dean Koontz, Odd Thomas – Dean has created a really memorable character in our friend Thomas.  And this is a great story too!  I’ll take Koontz over King any day.

David Baldacci, The Winner – David is at his best here.  While the Oliver Stone series is very entertaining, this is story is damn scary with a damn scary villain.  Great writing!