Suprise Greats

CBeasy · Oct 27, 2006

Surprise Greats

I was thinking that if I ever got a novel published, I want it to cross genres. Wouldn't it be great to write a fantasy book that whodunit readers could get into? Maybe a horror novel that romance readers like? Maybe even the greatest achievement of all, a novel that everyone likes. This got me to think of all the novels that have taken me by suprise. Ones that I was forced to read for school, or maybe picked up out of boredom that totally blew me away. The ones the come immediately to mind for me would be Wuthering Heights and Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone. The former was for a school project and the latter was just read in a desperate fit of boredom. Wuthering Heights turned out to be one of the best reads of my life, and I'm now an avid Harry Potter fan. I wanted to ask everyone, what books really surprised the crap out of you, and why didn't you want to read them in the first place?

icerose · Oct 27, 2006

Can't say I've ever been surprised like that as I am an avid reader and read books if the blurp on the back and the first few pages hook me, if they don't, they go back on the shelf, simple as that. I didn't have any school read projects that suprised me, the ones I thought would be dull and torture were and the ones that sounded interesting and exciting were.

PeeDee · Oct 27, 2006

I read some guy who wrote some book called "Salem's Lot" a bunch of years ago. That nice Stephen King boy, he did okay for himself, and I've followed him all the way through.

Otherwise, I would have to say Shakespear. Did not like "King Lear," stayed away from Shakespear, read "Midsummer Night's Dream" and came running back.

limitedtimeauthor · Oct 28, 2006

Linda Howard's Kiss Me While I Sleep. I had never heard of Linda Howard, and the cover of the book looked - I don't know, too hardcore, if ya know what I mean. <wink, wink> But it was a fantastic book, and now I'm finding that L. Howard writes all these different types of books.

The high school book I read that surprised me was Moby Dick. For some reason I liked it. But then again, it could've been because I wanted to feel smart and superior. I liked most of the books we read, once I got past the oh-so boring beginnings. Most of the classics are good. (Duh. Forgot I was preaching to the choir here.) I also really liked Wuthering Heights.

But what surprises me is when I read something that is supposed to be crap, by a hack, and discover that I really like it. Louis L'Amore, for example. I don't really read westerns - oh except I've always loved Shane - but I appreciate L'Amore's little books. They're just... fun, and enjoyable, and a quick read. I like them.

I remember the first fantasy I ever read. How it got into our house, I will never know, but I mean it completely blew my mind. I had never read any novels with made-up worlds and realistic characters. It was, to my 11 yr old mind, kind of like cartoons for grown-ups! That book really surprised me. It's not my favorite genre today, but it sure was fun to discover.

I like to get surprised by good books. I don't thnk I'm surprised anymore by bad fiction, though.

ltd.

Tracy · Oct 28, 2006

Crossing genres is tricky if you want to be published. Of course, once it's done everybody says, "Brilliant idea!" and lots of other authors do it too. But in my experience the publishing industry is wary of books they can't pigeonhole into an existing genre.

Just a small caution. If you think you can do it, go for it! Don't let me put you off, please. But you should know what you're up against.

Can't think - to answer your question - of any surprise books. We had to do Coriolanus for our Shakespeare play, and I hated it as much as I thought I would. Likewise Silas Marner by George Elliot. (George Elliot is the only author to make it into the top ten most boring books - TWICE!)

icerose · Oct 28, 2006

What I don't understand in the term Hack, especially when applied to authors like Louis L'amore.

My father was a huge fan and the books would be all over the house so I, a reader, couldn't help but read them, and I found each and every plot different from each other, the characters unique with their own driving forces and their own voices. I think he was a fantastic writer and he wrote well over a hundred books. I never once stopped and thought. "Hmm, I've read this before, in his other books."

What makes a hack a hack anyhow? Is it their success. Does someone not feel they are worthy of that success? Because the authors I have read that people generally call hacks, are best sellers who do one heck of a good job at what they do, write.

PeeDee · Oct 28, 2006

Theodore Sturgeon was a Hack
Raymond Chandler was a Hack
Stephen King's a hack.
Harlan Ellison's a hack.
Ray Bradbury was a hack early on.

......so. Near as I can tell, being a "hack" means you're a really good writer.

(it's a nothing term invented by high-brow literary writers for those who wrote things besides James Joycean type novels....and even then, I'm making more stereotypical terms that I don't necessarily agree with.)

icerose · Oct 28, 2006

PeeDee said:
(it's a nothing term invented by high-brow literary writers for those who wrote things besides James Joycean type novels....and even then, I'm making more stereotypical terms that I don't necessarily agree with.)

Thank you for the explanation! It's so frustrating to see authors who can tell a good tale being called hacks. To me hacks cut and slash other's work and frankenstein it to their own taking no real effort in writing it, also known as copy cat writers.

Then there are the poor unfortunate writers who write something only to find out that someone just published something so close to theirs that they have to write it all over again. ARG!!! (Happened to me, can you tell?)

janetbellinger · Oct 28, 2006

I just read a crossover novel by Peter Carey called Theft. It is a classic literary detective and love story as well as showing the complicated relationship between a mentally and emotionally different brother and that of the so called normal one. The author uses first person POV and uses the narration of both brothers in a very effective way. It is a real winner.

PeeDee · Oct 28, 2006

icerose said:
1)Thank you for the explanation! It's so frustrating to see authors who can tell a good tale being called hacks. To me hacks cut and slash other's work and frankenstein it to their own taking no real effort in writing it, also known as copy cat writers.

2)Then there are the poor unfortunate writers who write something only to find out that someone just published something so close to theirs that they have to write it all over again. ARG!!! (Happened to me, can you tell?)

1) Don't worry about it. If there's someone you like reading, read 'em with nor regard for what anyone else thinks of that author. Half the authors on my bookshelves were hacks. I guess there are worse things to be.
(Hacks used to be people who published in magazines like "Black Mask" - these days, what would the definition of a hack be?)

2) I've gotten close, but I haven't had it happen yet. I feel terribly sorry for you,though. I would probably scream.

icerose · Oct 28, 2006

PeeDee said:
1) Don't worry about it. If there's someone you like reading, read 'em with nor regard for what anyone else thinks of that author. Half the authors on my bookshelves were hacks. I guess there are worse things to be.
(Hacks used to be people who published in magazines like "Black Mask" - these days, what would the definition of a hack be?)

2) I've gotten close, but I haven't had it happen yet. I feel terribly sorry for you,though. I would probably scream.

1) That's what I do but I guess I was afraid of someday being considered one, but if the definition of a hack is different than I think of it, then it wouldn't be so bad.

2) It's actually my first four books that I have to rewrite. Two of which closely resemble Harry Potter, as the first two books in that series, that was really depressing when I finished them, then my sister came up and said, "Have you read these?" ....

The other two are simply because they need to be rewritten, one due to story growth, and two due to being published by PA. Of course it's going to be more of a sister book than a rewrite as I don't want to deal with the second rights.

aghast · Oct 28, 2006

many literary works cross genres but sooner or later someone will have to categorize it as one thing or another, i think its perfectly fine to write a story that is all of those things but when you query or when the book is put on a shelf they need to know what to call it, is it mystery or fantasy or romance or horror

Akuma · Oct 28, 2006

Freak the Mighty.

Didn't think it would be much, just another kid's book to pass time (this was back in middle school).

It was surprisingly emotional and I loved it. I'm planning on reading it again.

limitedtimeauthor · Oct 29, 2006

Yikes. Icerose, the discussion took off when I wasn't looking! Thought I better clarify, just in case....

icerose said:
What I don't understand in the term Hack, especially when applied to authors like Louis L'amore.

...Because the authors I have read that people generally call hacks, are best sellers who do one heck of a good job at what they do, write.

I hope it didn't sound like I was calling L'Amore (or anyone else) a hack. I was referring to what the self-appointed "literary elite" might call him. (...having just come from an infuriating thread where a clueless,egotistical someone hacked two bestselling authors to pieces.)

Like I said, looking back to why I liked Moby Dick - when normally I would never in a million years pick up that book - I believe at least half of it was that it was fashionable to be a litter-airy snob. (What can I say? It was high school.) OTOH, I did experience language and literary device that I was previously unexposed to, and so it was a valuable educational experience (I think).

Anyway, my point is that now that I'm a grownup, I like what I like and don't care what anyone calls it. Truly.

icerose · Oct 29, 2006

limitedtimeauthor said:
Yikes. Icerose, the discussion took off when I wasn't looking! Thought I better clarify, just in case....

I hope it didn't sound like I was calling L'Amore (or anyone else) a hack. I was referring to what the self-appointed "literary elite" might call him. (...having just come from an infuriating thread where a clueless,egotistical someone hacked two bestselling authors to pieces.)

Oh, no, not at all. It had nothing to do with you, I have just heard it from others and it brought to mind my own questions as to why they were referred as such.

And since you brought it up, I thought putting in my own question regarding it wouldn't be too off topic.

I did get your meaning though and I wasn't aiming at you. It's just you brought up a good example and I figured I would ask for clarification as to why some authors are called hacks and generally the ones called hacks are the most successful ones.

limitedtimeauthor · Oct 29, 2006

Oh, good!

Sometimes I double and triple preview my posts to make sure I actually said what I meant, but ya never know. Thanks for the reassurance. Wew! (Last thing I'da wanted is ta come off lookin' like some kinda hi-falutin' litterairy snob.)

ltd.

JohnB1988 · Oct 29, 2006

Way back when I was in high school all the literary snobs were reading a book called “The Prophet.” But when I went to the library there were no copies available. The librarian, perhaps guessing where I was at, handed me Moby Dick. Loved it, did a book report on it and carried a real whaling harpoon to class--(try that nowadays.)
Anyway, I eventually did get to read The Prophet and after a book where the guy shook his fist at God, found the books plotless platitudes completely boring.

limitedtimeauthor · Oct 29, 2006

Yeah, the book itself was as big as a whale, if I remember right.

ltd.

janetbellinger · Oct 29, 2006

I absolutely loved "The Prophet."

TrainofThought · Oct 29, 2006

CBeasy said:
Wuthering Heights turned out to be one of the best reads of my life, and I'm now an avid Harry Potter fan. I wanted to ask everyone, what books really surprised the crap out of you, and why didn't you want to read them in the first place?

Wuthering Heights is one of my favorites. I love Heathcliff and Catherine. I also am a big fan of the movie with Lawrence Olivier. A book that surprised the crap out of me was The Time Traveler’s Wife. My cousin suggested it and I didn't think it would become one of my top favorites.

icerose · Oct 29, 2006

I just remembered one of my surprise greats.

"A Wrinkle In Time."

The sub who introduced us to the book was highly inept and knew nothing about the book. She made it sound so utterly boring that we all let out a collective groan in our fourth grade class.

Once our teacher returned and we actually read it, it was amazing.

Sharon Adam · Oct 29, 2006

Shogun.

My wife bought it and I thought I should read it. I loved that book.

expatbrat · Oct 29, 2006

Baby books and Pregnancy books.

I really didn't expect to ENJOY reading all these baby and pregnancy books but I am finding that I can churn through one a week and still have time to read fiction. Who would'a thought?

MyFirstMystery · Oct 29, 2006

Jane Eyre. A reluctant read in my high school AP Lit class that became my favorite novel of all time. I have two copies, one always on my nightstand.

MFM

limitedtimeauthor · Oct 29, 2006

OMG! A Wrinkle in Time! I had forgotten all about it - I mean really have forgotten, since I can't even remember what happens in the book - but I remember that I loved it!

And Jane Eyre!

If only I had the time to go back and re-read... I'm so busy trying to catch up on all the good ones from this decade. :e2drown:

I have a toppling pile of books next to me - and here I am reading AW forums intstead!!!! Gah!

Is there an antidote for this place?

ltd.

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