Posted by Webmaven Maggie on June 19, 2006 at 00:30:28:
In Reply to: Re: this may be a bit Q & C centric but....... posted by Kurt Ramsey on June 15, 2006 at 20:25:02:
: While I agree with Maggie on Alena and Atticus being favs, I have to rate Bridgett and Natalie right with them. Bridgett really has it for Atticus (I'm a real sucker for that) and will do anything for him. Natalie stays with Atticus in Critical Space when no one else will.
: Bridie and Nat are incredibly likeable even though Bridgett can be a bi@#h on occasion.
I absolutely, positively LOVE Natalie. So far, she isn't the kind of character who takes over a novel (not that she couldn't handle her own story, for sure. But if I had to spend a couple of hours in anybody's company, Natalie would be my pick. I just LIKE her.
Bridie, well...during Shooting at Midnight, there were times I actually wanted to shoot her myself. Loved the book, but dang - that girl's exhausting. Am I alone in this?
As for Elizabeth George - I'm right with you. Some series characters never grow. Some grow so slowly that you kinda wish you could skip a book or two in the middle. Either the author isn't interested in aging/maturing their creations, or the publisher wants homogeny (hey, people say it sells :), or...well, it could be 1000 reasons. Me, I love the way Greg makes things happen - sometimes horrible things - to keep you guessing, to remind you that bad things happen to good people as well as nasty people, that life (and fiction) is unpredictable. Sh*t happens, you know? ;-) I appreciate that more than I can express sometimes. With Greg, you can be confident that you'll never be absolutely sure you know what's going to happen next...and how what happens will affect each character, in turn.
It's only my opinion, but I think that series where the characters don't grow end up with characters written into a corner, wrestling the same problems in every book. Take the "love interest", as an example. I think it's great to add a love interest but if an author chooses not to go the Travis McGee route (most dead girlfriends in a single series :) and, instead, chooses to give their character a solid relationship, can it please take a backseat...as far back as necessary so as not to take over the story? Robert B. Parker's Spenser and Susan Silverman...they're right there in the corner with Pearl, their dog. First book or two with Susan, great. I now skip over the scenes where either Susan is talking, or one of them is talking to the dog. The plot comes to a screeching halt when Susan is in the room. I love Crais' Cole series but when Elvis hooked up with Lucy, it got tired quickly...lots of scenes with "I really shouldn't be with you, but...." Really now, I'm not saying these aren't really talented writers and a bazillion people may disagree with my scanty opinion, but when the personal growth stagnates, I'm a bit bored....
Ooh, listen to me rant! Yikes!
Maggie
webmaven@gregrucka.com