tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7091756463128804432.post3323234907722600689..comments2024-03-17T10:22:40.961-07:00Comments on Irish Papist: Mystery Tour-- Chapter FiveMaolsheachlannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09406722311993627528noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7091756463128804432.post-82985828039093022312015-04-27T21:20:20.300-07:002015-04-27T21:20:20.300-07:00Though I must admit, I don't share a good deal...Though I must admit, I don't share a good deal of your distaste for description in the Lord of the Rings (one of my favourite pieces of writing in the world is the first half of the chapter "Of Herbs and Stewed Rabbit," which is pretty heavily descriptive, perhaps even gratuitously so), I am well aware that that is quite subjective taste. On the other hand, I enjoy a good swashbuckler, or a Western with a comfortable bar-room brawl--the idea of the thing--but I quickly run out of patience in those bits where a fight is being minutely described. I am left with the impression that it just took a man a couple of pages to write "He tried to punch the other guy in the nose, and was foiled." Though, quite possibly to those better trained in fencing or pugilism than I would appreciate these details. Any road, I think you kept the action in the tale above moving quite nicely, and it kept to the topic of the story rather than any incidental movement therein.Mollyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07922256237670687588noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7091756463128804432.post-16688575262773654692015-04-22T03:00:53.048-07:002015-04-22T03:00:53.048-07:00Thanks Molly. I'm happy you liked it. I probab...Thanks Molly. I'm happy you liked it. I probably won't get back to it in a while.<br /><br />This chapter actually exemplifies my biggest problem with fiction, both reading and writing it. I hate writing anything describing a physical action, such as my characters running to find the source of the screaming. I hate reading such passages too. I suffer with Frodo and Sam all the way to Mordor, and not in a good way. The Stand by Stephen King might be the best novel I've ever read, but the long account of the trek across the country-- though admirable in its ambition and scale-- is SO tedious. I mean, what do you do? You can't exactly say, "Ten minutes later" or "Ten days later" or "Ten months later", but it seems that you are just trying to give a sense of duration, of time passing.<br /><br />Well, maybe some people love such passages. People love descriptive writing, don't they? I hate them. But then, I'm a deeply indoorsy person. My ideal novel would be all ideas and dialogue.<br /><br />(But before anyone jumps to the conclusion that I'm a sluggard, I do love playing sports, and I am the fastest walker I know. I just hate reading about physical activity.)Maolsheachlannhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09406722311993627528noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7091756463128804432.post-14250656015408020302015-04-21T21:23:18.177-07:002015-04-21T21:23:18.177-07:00"Sooner rather than later" was rather an..."Sooner rather than later" was rather an understatement. And the twist things have taken! Thanks for another most enjoyable (and creepy) installment!Mollyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07922256237670687588noreply@blogger.com