Suspense (was Blue Sage by Anne Stuart)
Bernadette Cronk
> out in the second chapter), which is my only criticism.
>
>
I have all but given up reading "suspense plots" as sub plots in romgen
for this very reason, Karen. Most times, there seems only sufficient
room to explore a relationship of medium range complexity without
stretching the work to include a clever suspense as well...
Anne Stuart has talents other than suspense, tho', that make her, most
times, worth reading. RITUAL SINS, which someone was commenting about the
other day, was one of the exceptions for me. Here, AS seemed to be really
exploring 'darkness' in characters. Took a guy [there is NO way you could
call this lead a 'hero'] who had no redeaming features whatsoever and
proceeded to make him appear even less attractive, less human, less
likeable. No effort at redemption attempted. A bad seed who stayed a
bad seed, and cynically and laughingly got away with it. Escape and winning
over the good guys were the end products. Intriguing notion for a plot --
in a rather repugnant way... Odd, actually. I hated it.
BLUE SAGE I didn't mind. Just didn't love.
Occasionally, I think it doesn't hurt some writers to take six months to a
year off....Take stock. Do a bit of headcleaning. Work out what direction
it is that they *really* want to go...
Bernadette -- who is not yet too cynical to believe such a tactic is
occasionally effective...:)