Timewaster's Guide Archive

Some things to consider on Novik:

The release of her first 3 books at once is a strategy employed to prey upon the minds of readers.  Readers are more likely to buy books from a new author if they see serveral books out.  If the books are good, and accepted in the genre, this strategy works very well.

The cover quotes ARE what sold the first book.  It's Stephen Frickin King.  Novik's husband ressurrected an old genre of crime/noir short fiction.  He then sent the stuff to King (who is a fan of that genre) to ask for cover quotes.  King rejected the request...because he wanted to write a novel for Novik's husband instead.  You all know it as The Colorado Kid.  After Novik had finished her first novel, she sent it to King asking if he would cover quote for her Dragon series, and he said of course.  She also knows Todd McCaffery, therefore knowing Anne McCaffery. 

Since she informed me when i met her last summer that her main influences were Patrick O'Brien and McCaffery, her story makes complete sense.  In my opinion, it is a brilliant idea the she executed well.

To top this off, she was one of the most humble authors I met last summer.  She was just thrilled that so many people liked her novels. 

All in all, the quality of the stories, the cover quotes, and the marketing campaign won her this award.  I believe I will email her my congrats.

Brandon doesnt need to win an award to be successful - of course, he already is a success.  The more novels he churns out at a James Patterson pace, the increased market penetration he will get.  It's only a matter of time.  Simply being nomintaed twice is an award in itself.

Recently I have been listening to the new Smashing Pumpkins album.  Its pretty good.  Doomsday Clock is a sweet song.

Other than that, I have my mp3 disc of all the 311 albums, and a mp3 disc with all the Jamiroquai albums.  Other than that, I stick with Linkin Park...even though thier new album was kind iffy.

I must admit, I lowered my expectations going into this book.  I figured that there was no way it could live up to the hype.  I was right, but I'm sure glad I only paid $17 for it.  Holy Plot-Holes Batman!!

[hide]I was fine with the book until they go to Hogwarts.  The pacing was great, and the settings were well described.  Making the Horcruxes be like the One Ring was a little much for me, but whatever.  The battles were chaotic and involved.  Too bad that stopped happening at the end.  There was that line during the final battle where it says that hundreds stood watching the duels...Are you freakin' kidding me?  Never mind that thier whole future is at stake, and never mind that the people there stayed because they were old enough to fight.  Nah, no sense in fighting when you can just watch.  Lets have a 4-page scene of them circling like that rediculous "battle" in Pirates 3 while Harry tells us whats going on.  While this happens, lets have Voldy get dumber and dumber to the point where he whines that Harry is a liar.  And then lets have thier "duel" be one whole spell. 

Oh, and lets just forget the line that Mrs. Weasley stole from Aliens.  So glad he turned out to be an expert in dueling.  It would have been much more fitting had she just tackled the dumb Death Eater.

The thing that was the worst was that death didnt matter in this book.  In previous volumes, when death entered the picture, it was tragic, and it affected people.  The "bloodbath" at the end doent even matter.  The deaths of Dobby the house elf and Moody ended up being more important than the deaths of the main side characters.  Members of the only true family Harry had die, and he decides he will have time to talk to them later.    There was no major cost to Harrys victory.  Nobody important died.

Teachers - so, who actually should have been the teachers in this series?  The Death Eaters are continually getting pwned by students, only to then whup-up on the teachers at Hogwarts...the lesson?  Take dueling classes from Luke Skywalker-errr excuse me - Harry Potter.

There are dozens of other things that bugged me, but I'm done ranting.  To end on a more positive note, this series has done something remarkable - it got people reading.  The series on the whole was pretty decent, and I'm glad that millions of people decided to read.  I hope that this helps people continue to read in the future.[/hide]

If i didnt still have those recurring nightmares from working HP6, I would go.  I get a little twitchy just thinking about it...

On another point, if EUOL has Alcatraz samples to give away, this would be a good time.  Ride the tide baby!!!

Sounds good - Im usually good whenever

yo, EUOL!!!  I would like to take a look at this!  All this taunting is driving me MAD!!!

I ended up quitting the bookstore for a whole lot of reasons...EUOL knows most of the story.  Looks like it may have been a good thing since they are planning on closing like 300 waldenbooks in the US this year.  I basically only go in there now when there are big signings.  I will go to this release party though, and I'll do dinner after with whoever is going.

you look like one of the evil librarians...wait a minute!  I have disocvered the secret plot!!!!!