Musing: books - You have one chapter to capture me

[wilderthan]

Right now, it seems books have to be intriguing -- if not brilliant -- right from the outset to actually get me to pay attention to them. I knocked three books off my "read before you get more books" list today: not because I finished them, but because I read the first chapter of each and knew I wouldn't want to finish them. At the moment, my standards are skewed from usual (when I would give everything a good long chance) because I'm trying to read all these books before I buy new ones.

Thirty-two remain on my list. A load more might get knocked out after the first chapter: we'll see. I think this exercise in getting books knocked off my list might make me more selective about buying books. I bought two of Tad Williams' series on a whim, reading just the first couple of pages of the first book in each quartet. That gamble paid off: I love all those books. Same goes for Sarah Zettel.

On the other hand, Robert Newcomb's books turned out to be unbearable. So much telling, so little dialogue -- one line of dialogue, spoken to calm a horse, along with pages and pages of exposition covering years of history. Booooring.

For another example: Fiona McIntosh disappointed me. I bought two of her trilogies after a recommendation. I found the first book of one of her trilogies derivative in the extreme -- I was told she was like Robin Hobb. Well, she wasn't just like Robin Hobb. Some parts of it were lifted directly from Hobb. For example, a man is sentenced to death. He goes into someone else's mind and survives, only to be put back into his own body after he's supposed to have died. Hmmm. Sound familiar to any Hobb fans?

I wince to think how much money I've spent on books I didn't end up reading more than the first chapter of. Lesson for the future for me: read the first chapter sat on the bookshop floor, regardless of the looks you get.

Lesson to authors: that advice you hear about cutting the first chapter out? Consider it long and hard.

For my own future reference as much as anything else... Hooks are good. Begin in medias res. Introduce a mystery that the book will solve. Give me a character I instantly love or loathe so I have some kind of emotion about it all. The first chapter is not the place for minor characters. Feel free to introduce things in a way that will be turned on its head later on -- for example, I love the way, in A Sorcerer's Treason, Sarah Zettel introduces the characters of two main females completely skewed, and then proceeds to make you and the main character discover the reversal. But don't spend a chapter's loving description on a guy who'll be dead by chapter two.

(Of course, there are exceptions to that and valid reasons for doing it. But as a rule...)

Comments

[lil-1337.livejournal.com]

That's about what I give most books too. Life is too short to slog through something that has not caught my attention on some level by the end of chapter one. I used to be a lot more forgiving and patient but these days I have so many other things I'm doing I just don't want to waste the time.

The same is true of anime and games. Either grab me quick or I'm likely to go eh and wander off to do something else.

[wilderthan.livejournal.com]

I had a New Year's resolution to read all the books I have before I bought any new ones. This added up to about ninety-five books at that point (it went up to ninety-eight recently because someone bought me books). The first fifty or so I forced myself to read all the way through regardless, but now? Not so much! I'm so sick of reading books that don't really interest me. XD

Anime and tv shows... I'm even less patient with those. I have so much trouble sitting still and watching something.

[lil-1337.livejournal.com]

Damn! That's ambitious. I tend to go through the stacks at the library and grab what catches my eye. I usually end up reading about 1/2 to a 1/3 depending on how many of my favorite authors have new books out.

Watching is more social for me so if it's a series I want to discuss or am watching it with someone I'll slog through despite lack of interest. Though I'm usually multitasking too.

[wilderthan.livejournal.com]

I had sooo many books I hadn't read. XD

I don't have many people to watch stuff with, that's my problem.

[lil-1337.livejournal.com]

That makes it harder to stay interested I think. I usually watch with Anne. Even though she is in New Zealand and I'm in the states we watch on the computer and chat. It's worked unusually well.

[feywood.livejournal.com]

I do the same thing! Grab me or I'm out! (cf. the fact that I most likely won't finish Catch 22)

Also, OUCH. Plagiarism much?

[wilderthan.livejournal.com]

Catch 22 drove me maad. Mum said "oh, you really should read this", but it really didn't catch me.

And yeah. D: Worst thing? Hobb's read them and liked them, her reaction thing is on the cover. Sigh.

[feywood.livejournal.com]

lol punny

Maybe it's some standard 'this book is a-okay' response that she sends?

[wilderthan.livejournal.com]

>)

Well, it just says "Wow", so maybe? XD

[lil-1337.livejournal.com]

'Catch 22' was alternately depressing and boring. I forced myself to finish it, but like 'Catcher in the rye' when I was done I had a sense of wanting the hours I'd wasted back.

[wilderthan.livejournal.com]

Yep, I know that feeling.