tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6475986173085468360.post3114658844554446824..comments2024-01-29T20:06:10.152-05:00Comments on cats & crime & rock & roll: The last days of Kay Scarpetta?Clea Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10810838253598050028noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6475986173085468360.post-29423356460178122612008-03-01T07:24:00.000-05:002008-03-01T07:24:00.000-05:00I love the Scarpetta novels. I wasn't crazy about ...I love the Scarpetta novels. I wasn't crazy about At Risk and The Book of the Dead is written a little differently, which I thought was ok but not great. I enjoy the way the characters grow in her books and therefore, enjoy the progression.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6475986173085468360.post-36427677632511197022007-11-17T21:46:00.000-05:002007-11-17T21:46:00.000-05:00I don't get tired of a series if it's well-written...I don't get tired of a series if it's well-written and believable.<BR/><BR/>I was a fan of Cornwell's in the early days, but she lost me about half way through. I tried again with Predator. Never again. I hate to say it, but that book was awful. What a shame.Lee Loflandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11784463794385210688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6475986173085468360.post-75351630475323496812007-11-16T16:10:00.000-05:002007-11-16T16:10:00.000-05:00Glad you made this post...i was looking for more o...Glad you made this post...i was looking for more opinions on Book of the Dead...i saw a trailer a few weeks ago (yeah i know a book trailer right), and it caught my eye...Any book that causes this much discussion is something im gonna get.Lab2Kinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13786037756247740438noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6475986173085468360.post-56334999764060677682007-11-16T11:55:00.000-05:002007-11-16T11:55:00.000-05:00oh just re-read your comment - yes, because of the...oh just re-read your comment - yes, because of the strain. It is true that having one character continuously stumble into crimes becomes a bit ridiculous. Recently picked up a very fun parody of Nancy Drew (the title escapes me) that deal with this. "Confessions of a Teen Sleuth" I think?Clea Simonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10810838253598050028noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6475986173085468360.post-57766851008363848752007-11-16T11:53:00.000-05:002007-11-16T11:53:00.000-05:00wow, I guess I missed the vampire. Thanks, Sandra....wow, I guess I missed the vampire. Thanks, Sandra. Do you think you'd get sick of a series if the characters stayed human? <BR/><BR/>I'm now thinking of the Elizabeth Peter's Amelia Peabody series. I don't love them like I used to, but I still read them and enjoy them.Clea Simonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10810838253598050028noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6475986173085468360.post-48532295163316697372007-11-15T20:37:00.000-05:002007-11-15T20:37:00.000-05:00I do get tired of a series after a few books, most...I do get tired of a series after a few books, mostly because the strain of coming up with fresh stories for the same characters begins to show and becomes more and more obvious with each book. Like you, Clea, I enjoyed Cornwell's first books, but Scarpetta became increasingly tortured and strange (while remaining the most beautiful and brilliant and sexually alluring woman on the planet, of Sandra Parshallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17403144248962124138noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6475986173085468360.post-47819599885595633212007-11-15T14:17:00.000-05:002007-11-15T14:17:00.000-05:00thank you, LF!thank you, LF!Clea Simonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10810838253598050028noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6475986173085468360.post-70122755159708520312007-11-15T14:00:00.000-05:002007-11-15T14:00:00.000-05:00I was quite the fan of Cornwell's Kay Scarpetta se...I was quite the fan of Cornwell's Kay Scarpetta series, but I gave up on the series about three years ago. That isn't something I do often, give up on a series. But I couldn't take it anymore. The characters, the writing . . . it wasn't getting better and it was time for me to move on.<BR/><BR/>Often times the characters in a series feel like old friends or even family after awhile. My Literary Felinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13079276242303738719noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6475986173085468360.post-59538546106401797152007-11-15T11:33:00.000-05:002007-11-15T11:33:00.000-05:00Thanks, all, for commenting. Kay - that's an inter...Thanks, all, for commenting. Kay - that's an interesting question. I haven't re-read those first Scarpetta books either. I wonder if I'd like them now? Hmmm....<BR/><BR/>and thank you, Caroline! Kirkus is known for being nasty, so I was VERY happy!Clea Simonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10810838253598050028noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6475986173085468360.post-4089232908565108972007-11-14T20:59:00.000-05:002007-11-14T20:59:00.000-05:00This is a really provocative question. What intere...This is a really provocative question. What interesting for me is that what I used to love was when characters I knew would reappear in novels. Larry McMurtry had the same characters in a whole series of books and I just loved it for a long time--and then I didn't, but I think that had more to do with what the characters were doing and with the writing than with the series idea itself.<BR/><BR/>Carolinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02724359857107668407noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6475986173085468360.post-15592326409864622772007-11-14T19:45:00.000-05:002007-11-14T19:45:00.000-05:00I used to be a big fan of Kay Scarpetta and Patric...I used to be a big fan of Kay Scarpetta and Patricia Cornwell. Thought her first book was just fabulous (wonder if it would be now as a reread?). But...she just lost me along the way when she got really successful actually. The books started being churned out too quickly and I think the character of Kay started acting in ways that seemed false and odd. I have gone off of several series that IAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6475986173085468360.post-82694600663819794002007-11-14T18:12:00.000-05:002007-11-14T18:12:00.000-05:00I'm one that has long ago given up on Cornwell. I ...I'm one that has long ago given up on Cornwell. I loved her books when the series started, but then they got so over the top I guess is the only way to describe it. And I got tired of her niece Lucy's role. And I got to the point that I didn't like Kay much anymore either.carynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06761365713102858135noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6475986173085468360.post-17204228658343978832007-11-14T09:55:00.000-05:002007-11-14T09:55:00.000-05:00I like your doctor. WIsh I felt the same way about...I like your doctor. WIsh I felt the same way about series. No matter how long I wait between them, if the character repeats the same stupid traits too often (usually, if it's a female character, something involving men) and doesn't learn, change, or grow, then I want to throw the book at the wall. In Scarpetta's case, she has grown and changed - but I just like her less, I guess. De gustibus non Clea Simonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10810838253598050028noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6475986173085468360.post-74043268094657141632007-11-14T00:26:00.000-05:002007-11-14T00:26:00.000-05:00Interesting post, Clea.The only thing that's ever ...Interesting post, Clea.<BR/><BR/>The only thing that's ever put me right off a series is reading them all in a row. And that will do it every time, no matter who it is. Read in that way, I start to see the ghost in the machine and I stop enjoying the journey. To resolve that, I no longer do it. (Reminds me of one visit to the doctor. The doctor said, "Does it hury when I do this?" I said, "Yes!" Linda L. Richardshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05868426000807302834noreply@blogger.com