Just finished reading a new novel by Jack Whyte. "lesson learned"

thismakecents · Sep 13, 2006

Hello everybody,

Wow, did I ever learn a valuable writing lesson about a serious character and story development mistake is the lastest novel titled "Knights of the black and white". By Jack Whyte.

Hahaha. I was intigued by reading the summary at borders monday night and then tuesday night I decided to buy the book. I intended to take my time and read some of the novel before I go to bed every night. Thinking I would be done with it in a week. Hahaha.

Well, I spent all day reading the book until I finished it tonight. The story gripped me and I did not want to put the book down. (That always happens to me). I read too darn fast...Hahaha.

Anyways, despite being blasphemous at times I was able to keep an open mind because the story was fast paced and well done. Beware of the erotic scenes in the middle on though. It was tastefully done but caught me by surprise. The writing mistake I caught was at the end of the story.

The main character "hugh" had a boyhood servant named "arlo". They were never separated growing up together and went everywhere together. At the end of the book, all of a sudden "arlo" is now called "st. clair's" man and is riding with him, as "hugh" goes back to france.

I had to read that part a few times before it hit me that nobody caught this mistake before being published. Hahaha. All said, the book was very good read. Did anyone else catch this?

Willowmound · Sep 13, 2006

What's the lesson you learned?

gp101 · Sep 13, 2006

thismakecents said:
Hello everybody,

Wow, did I ever learn a valuable writing lesson about a serious character and story development mistake is the lastest novel titled "Knights of the black and white". By Jack Whyte.

thismakecents said:
At the end of the book, all of a sudden "arlo" is now called "st. clair's" man and is riding with him, as "hugh" goes back to france.

I had to read that part a few times before it hit me that nobody caught this mistake before being published. Hahaha. All said, the book was very good read. Did anyone else catch this?

That's what you consider a valuable writing lesson and "story development" mistake??? Unless there's more to it, sounds more like a typo to me. Hahaha.

Garpy · Sep 14, 2006

You kind of lost me when you said the book was 'blasphemous'.

I'm a big believer in being allowed the freedom to criticize any belief system. No concept should be ring-fenced, granted immunity and protected with terms like 'blasphemy' or 'heresy'

Inkdaub · Sep 14, 2006

The book was blasphemous? Haha.

Anyway, what lesson did you learn?

PattiTheWicked · Sep 14, 2006

thismakecents said:
The main character "hugh" had a boyhood servant named "arlo". They were never separated growing up together and went everywhere together. At the end of the book, all of a sudden "arlo" is now called "st. clair's" man and is riding with him, as "hugh" goes back to france.

I had to read that part a few times before it hit me that nobody caught this mistake before being published. Hahaha. All said, the book was very good read. Did anyone else catch this?

So maybe I'm dense, but I'm not getting it. What was the mistake?

I've read Jack Whyte, and he's pretty darn meticulous.

Bufty · Sep 14, 2006

If the story gripped you and carried you through in a one-sit read, my guess is that you learned nothing about writing and probably simply didn't make a foreshadowed connection.

Nakhlasmoke · Sep 14, 2006

I still haven't worked out what this guy learned. Maybe I'm missing something?

thismakecents · Sep 14, 2006

Okay, okay,

First, it was blasphemous to my personal faith, but I can keep an open mind and that is not a problem. Just needed to note it if anybody shared my faith is all.....

Second, the writing lesson I learned is that in the first part of the book, the author was very detailed in establishing the relationships between the Main Character "hugh" and his servant. Bravo, good job, I loved it. But at the last 2 chapters, he got confused and the servant was with the wrong MC "st. clair"!!!!!!!! When you read the first part of the book, that never happens, the servants are part of the knights, FOREVER!!!!!

Someone needs to read this book to confirm or deny for me.

thismakecents · Sep 14, 2006

PattiTheWicked said:
I've read Jack Whyte, and he's pretty darn meticulous.

Well, this time he let one slip, big time. Maybe nobody else will notice, but I sure did.

thismakecents · Sep 14, 2006

Garpy said:
'm a big believer in being allowed the freedom to criticize any belief system.

As am I. Everything needs to be tested.

Garpy said:
No concept should be ring-fenced, granted immunity and protected with terms like 'blasphemy' or 'heresy'

But it is blashemy. I called it the way I see it. Different srokes for different folks!!!!!!!

We just have different belief systems, so let's respect that.

PattiTheWicked · Sep 14, 2006

thismakecents said:
Well, this time he let one slip, big time. Maybe nobody else will notice, but I sure did.

Is it possible that maybe you missed something? Is Hugh's title actually St. Clair, or did Aldo go running off with someone named St. Clair and abandon Hugh completely?

I've noticed, too, in Whyte's books there are quite a few flashbacks and jumps to things that take place decades ahead. Maybe that's what happened.

Haven't read this particular book, so I don't know. What I do know is that I generally disregard book reviews by people who open with "it was blasphemous." Nothing personal, just the way I see things.

davidthompson · Sep 14, 2006

thismakecents said:
First, it was blasphemous to my personal faith, but I can keep an open mind and that is not a problem. Just needed to note it if anybody shared my faith is all.

Not following the logic. Every book is surely blasphemous to someone's personal faith. I could see saying, "This book may be offensive to Orthodox Jews," or "It's very anti-Wiccan." But since you didn't say what your personal faith was, how did the disclaimer in your original post help?

PeeDee · Sep 14, 2006

Half the music I listen to (okay: ninety percent) is blasphemous to everyone's faith. In fact, I think that's probably a sign of a good band in the metal genre, honestly.

Jack Whyte's a good writer, I think you probably missed a connecting scene or something, and I haven't the faintest idea what the lesson you learned what, I'm afraid.

Willowmound · Sep 14, 2006

thismakecents said:
Second, the writing lesson I learned is that in the first part of the book, the author was very detailed in establishing the relationships between the Main Character "hugh" and his servant. Bravo, good job, I loved it. But at the last 2 chapters, he got confused and the servant was with the wrong MC "st. clair"!!!!!!!! When you read the first part of the book, that never happens, the servants are part of the knights, FOREVER!!!!!

That's not a lesson.

You think you spotted a mistake.

Learning a lesson means you take something away that you can apply to other things, like your own writing.

Just finished reading a new novel by Jack Whyte. "lesson learned"

thismakecents

Willowmound

Lightly salted

gp101

Garpy

keyboard monkey

Inkdaub

wrapped in plastic

PattiTheWicked

Unleashing Hell.

Bufty

Where have the last ten years gone?

Nakhlasmoke

yes

thismakecents

thismakecents

thismakecents

PattiTheWicked

Unleashing Hell.

davidthompson

PeeDee

Where's my tea, please...?

Willowmound

Lightly salted