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Tuesday, August 30, 2005

Da Vinci Code

I have now read this book and I agree with you all that it is indeed a page-turner. I do feel though that the recent discussions about the importance of editors would be well illustrated by Dan Brown's book - it apparently not having had the benefit of one. Too many people "gunning down" their cars, etc.

posted by Irene Adler @ 5:05 pm  

5 Comments:

  • At 30 August, 2005 19:29, Blogger Nick said…

    Irene - well, it is a page-turner, but not short of faults in practically every other respect. The classic example of 'no-editing' is one of Pratchett's Discworld books - I forget which - in which a character's stream-of-consciousness 'Scots' dialect suddenly changes to perfect RP English in mid-sentence. Clearly what Pratchett does is right the stuff in 'proper' English first, then convert it into his Scots idiolect, and his 'editor' - if such a person exists - simply hadn't noticed it. If bestsellers like Pratchett aren't deemed worthy of the cost of editing by their publishers, what chance the rest of us?

     

  • At 05 September, 2005 15:47, Blogger Irene Adler said…

    Nick, I had not heard of this example before, thank you.

    I am sure there are plenty of authors who think their writing doesn't need an editor's righting, or are too proud to submit their work for criticism. I imagine artists would not expect their agent/dealer to suggest improvements to a painting, but maybe that's not the same thing.

     

  • At 09 September, 2005 14:53, Blogger Viking Longship said…

    Irene,

    Having too read the Da-Vinci Code, and subsequently 2 more of Dan Browns books, I would advise not getting carried away and reading more of his books.

    They are all page turners, but you can't help thinking that you have seen the plot before some place.

    Infact, I'll save you the trouble.

    Single man/woman, unexpectedly finds themselves in a dangerous situation due to some life changing discovery, people die in a bizarre series of events and the bad guy is always the one you least suspect. Oh, and of course, the hero's fall for each other......

    Dan Brown has some imagination, but it seems not all that much.......

     

  • At 10 September, 2005 22:23, Blogger Irene Adler said…

    Viking,

    I shall take your advice and not bother with the rest of the Dan Brown oeuvre. However, are you not like the fellow who eats his dinner and asks for seconds and then thirds before finally saying he didn't like his meal?

    I stopped reading the Harry Potters for the same reason - all the books appeared indistinguishable from each other. As for the DVC, I was surprised at what a prude Dan Brown seemed; I bet in the film the boy and girl heroes won't have to wait till the end of the story before they discover romance.

     

  • At 11 September, 2005 22:41, Blogger Nick said…

    I can certainly vouch for Mr Longship's penchant for seconds & thirds - though if they're of his own cooking, it's usually superlatively good. As to Dan Brown's prudery, that's a certain American habit I'm afraid . .

     

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