----Original Message Follows---- From: "Howard Brazee" <howard at brazee.net> To: "Dragaera (E-mail)" <dragaera at dragaera.info> Subject: Kushiel's Dart Date: Sun, 12 Dec 2004 08:57:40 -0700 I read the following in Steve's Weblog: Sun Oct 3rd, 2004 6:25 PM I've just read _Kushiel's Dart_ by Jacqueline Carey. It's the first fantasy novel by someone I didn't know that has excited me in longer than I care to remember. There is a cultural and religious background that is wonderfully done--that in itself being pretty rare--and runs in and out of the plot bouncing off it in odd ways. The center of the story is palace intrigue, and I can't think of it ever being done better since Dumas. I could go on at some length, but skip that. Just read it. ========================================== So I am reading it. I read a couple of chapters and then get to masochism and sadism and have to stop. I just don't enjoy that stuff. I put the book aside and read something quick and easy such as _Life of Pi_, then read another chapter or two until I get uncomfortable again. I had to give up reading Diane Mott Davidson in the first book when I read how she would go back to her first husband who purposefully broke her knuckles with a hammer. I did read a review that in her latest book, her ex is the victim. My wife didn't have problems with either of these. Assassination is one thing. And even pain. I love the opening scene in the movie _Lawrence of Arabia_ where Lawrence explains the "trick" in letting a match go out against his fingers. (the trick is not to mind). But associating pain with love doesn't work with me and messes up my enjoyment of the books. I wonder what other turn-offs readers have similar to this, causing us to not like otherwise enjoyable books. **************************** I find I am unable to stop reading a book once started. I may put it down for a while, or start another and read it concurrently to offset the first, but I will eventually read the whole thing. I don't care for novels that fall to close to my occupation, or any of my former lines of work, as I tend to pick out the the errors the author made rather than enjoying the story. Stories that show extreme sadism or cruelty for no apparent reason leave me cold as well. Jeff G.