Sunday Morning Book Thread - 08-27-2023 ["Perfessor" Squirrel]

(HT: tankascribe)

Welcome to the prestigious, internationally acclaimed, stately, and illustrious Sunday Morning Book Thread! The place where all readers are welcome, regardless of whatever guilty pleasure we feel like reading. Here is where we can discuss, argue, bicker, quibble, consider, debate, confabulate, converse, and jaw about our latest fancy in reading material. As always, pants are required, unless you are wearing these pants...

So relax, find yourself a warm kitty (or warm puppy--I won't judge) to curl up in your lap, and dive into a new book. What are YOU reading this fine morning?

PIC NOTE

Another contribution from the Horde. This little kitty enjoys reading the digital version...Gotta move with the times, yo!

"HOLLYWOOD" ENDINGS IN BOOKS

Today's little column is inspired by a couple of comments from naturalfake:

Welp, I need to give up writing book reviews of half-read novels on this here book thread.

Last week, I talked about the new novel, Whale Fall concerning a guy swallowed by a sperm whale, that is supposed be "scientifically accurate" in its depiction of his dilemma and efforts to find a way out.

So, to cut to the chase, the novel completely, and i mean absolutely, positively jumps off the reality rail in an effort to come up with a big, explosive, spectacular Hollywood ending that will not only get the protagonist out of the whale but will allow him to solve all his Daddy issues in one fell swoop.

It's really a stupid mess as the last quarter(?) or so of the book enters Hollyworld, the fantasy world were reality, physics, and consequence are all wiped away in an effort to give you the reader a big ole Hollywood ending.

Whale Fall is a book that would've and could've easily had a relatively quiet ending that kept the "realisticish" setting and given the character change that the author wanted, buuuuuut, he wasn't writing a book. He was writing a Hollywood movie of the cheesiest sort.

Sad.

Posted by: naturalfake at August 20, 2023 09:32 AM (QzZeQ)

And:

Maybe that would be an interesting topic.

Books that are actually written to be movies instead of books to be read.

There's nothing inherently wrong in trying to get the big bucks by having a movie-friendly story cuz that's where the big bucks are.

However, so many novels/stories are ruined by trying to give us a big crazy Hollywood ending instead of something more in character with their actual story.

Movies too, can be ruined in stretching for the HUGE eye-0melting climax. The Pope's Exorcist, I'm looking at you.

Posted by: naturalfake at August 20, 2023 09:44 AM (QzZeQ)

If you are writing a book with the intent of getting it made into a Hollywood movie, then you are probably writing for the wrong reasons. You might be better off spending the time and effort in crafting a screenplay. A novel intended for the screen would have to be adapted into a screenplay at some point anyway, so might as well do your best in writing in that genre instead of writing a novel. If the movie turns out well, then write a novelization afterwards or in conjunction with the movie.

Another risk in writing a story that is really intended for the big screen is that if Hollywood does come knocking on your door in order to turn your story into a movie, then they may decide to rewrite the story according to their vision and not yours. The result may not be at all what you intended. Or it might just be a huge mess. Look at what Peter Jackson did to J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit. It's just a complete disaster of a movie trilogy. Tolkien is rolling in grave over what was done to his beloved children's story.

As naturalfake points out, there is nothing inherently *wrong* in writing a novel with a Hollywood-style cinematic ending as long as it makes sense for the story. Throwing in a big spectacular ending just for the sake of spectacle may cause your audience to disengage from the story as they are not expecting that particular twist. Readers and audiences can be picky about sudden shifts in tone and style within a book or movie. An abrupt shift can cause a cognitive dissonance in the reader, removing them from the willing suspension of disbelief necessary for them to become invested in the story. On the other hand, when done well, the reader will go away with a positive reading experience, hopefully coming back and reading the story again and again because they enjoyed it so much the first time. Brandon Sanderson does a pretty good Hollywood-style ending in many of his books. Sometimes the ending is so crazy awesome there is no way Hollywood could ever capture it on screen.

What are some more examples of stories written with a "Hollywood" ending that doesn't work?

BOOKS BY MORONS

I've started reading your Sunday library thread and even dared to contribute to it last week (The Fall of the FBI.) I'm a 28-year US government analyst who seized upon my mandated covid sabbatical to write the novel that had been percolating in my mind for years. This is the sequel, The Deplorable Underground.

Would you consider sharing it with your readers? It's a pro-American, pro-MAGA adventure set in 2093 decades after a US civil war that divides the country into Blue and Red halves, and leads to an independent enlarged Texas Republic (sop to my relatives in Dallas) and four states seceding to join Canada.

My protagonists are lured back into the Diversity Justice Republic (blue) they thought they'd managed to escape for the still-red US. My male protagonist David goes astray while en route to rescue his wife Malia held captive in Anacosta (formerly Washington DC) and finds himself organizing a leading a band of downtrodden Deplorables against the Social Crediteers who rule the DJR. Yes, it helps to know something about UAVs and guerrilla warfare....

Thanks for your attention, and I look forward to joining the Sunday Library chat more regularly now that I know about it. Regards, Paula Weiss

Paula was kind enough to include a map of her re-imagined America:

MORON RECOMMENDATIONS

I read The Noticer by Andy Andrews. This little book is a self-help/personal growth book. An old man named Jones, who notices things that others miss, and who gives advice to people to help them gain a new perspective on their lives in Orange Beach, Alabama. The little stories are entertaining and informative.

It was weird how I came to read this book. I put two books on hold for my wife at our local library. A few days later when I went to pick them up, there were three books with the addition of The Noticer. I know I did not order it. I had never heard of the author or the book. I figured a librarian or the man upstairs wanted me to read it, so I did. Happy I did. It's an uplifting read.

Posted by: Zoltan at August 20, 2023 09:13 AM (SBhXX)

Comment: Hmmmm. Based on Zoltan's description and the description I found on Amazon, I do have to wonder if "Mr. Jones" may have been an angel walking among us, Michael Landon style. Also, the weird circumstances in which Zoltan came to read this book tends to point to a divine origin of sorts. I know "God works in mysterious ways" sounds like a cliché, but I'm a firm believer that He will give us a nudge in the right direction when we still our minds and listen. I've seen and experienced too many odd circumstances in recent years to discount that possibility.

For something completely different, thus week's recommendation is Candide by Voltaire. This. 1758 comedy focuses on suffering. How is a book on suffering funny? In this story Voltaire takes on the Optimists, who were very popular in the day. Candide is a man of simple mind, who meets up with his mentor Dr Pangloss and sets out on an adventure. Dr Pangloss believes that "All is for the best in this best of all possible worlds" no matter what tragedy befalls him, and many do. Essentially, Voltaire is ridiculing the Optimists of the day who misinterpreted Leibnitz to the point that they believed every incident in life was part of a greater benefit, refusing to see that man's free will means that evil can coexist with good. Candide and Pangloss experience the Lisbon earthquake, a shipwreck, and an auto-da-re, among other incidents, all the while with Pangloss repeating his "all is for the best" mantra, no matter how ridiculous he sounds. This is biting satire at its earliest, and quite funny.

Posted by: Thomas Paine at August 20, 2023 09:35 AM (rDw6A)

Comment: I have only heard about Voltaire, but have never read any of his works. Perhaps that is something that should be remedied. I do like a good satire. However, I may not be well-versed enough in contemporary events of his day to fully understand the humor.

This week, I read Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel. This was my daughter's selection for Family Book Club.

It is presented in interview style. An unnamed character of the shadowy, ultra-deep state variety interviews the scientist and military personnel who find and recover pieces of an ancient alien robot.

Of course, it all goes terribly wrong.

For sci-fi, it was really light reading, which is probably why I enjoyed it. Sci-fi is usually not my thing, but that ancient alien theme appeals to me.

Posted by: Dash my lace wigs! at August 20, 2023 09:42 AM (OX9vb)

Comment: I think it's a "Family Book Club" is a really cool idea and that everyone gets to choose a book to read. How do the logistics work? I'm guessing that you don't all go out and purchase your own copies of each book, though maybe you do. Or do you check them out digitally from on online library service?

I've also been reading Lost in the Middle: Midlife and the Grace of God by Paul Tripp. I have one of those birthdays ending in "0" coming up - yes, I'm turning 30, how did you know??! - and the losses, regrets, and consequences of my sins are adding up. I'm finding this book immensely helpful.

Posted by: screaming in digital at August 20, 2023 09:49 AM (aBJcM)

Comment: I, too, will be turning 30 years old in the not-too-distant future (next year about this time), give or take a couple of decades. As I grow older, I do find my perspective on life changing quite a bit. I've recently been undertaking a spiritual journey of sorts this year. It's been highly rewarding and I'm very glad I'm taking those steps. I try not to dwell too much on my past sins, but I do try to "do better" with the time I have left to me, perhaps atoning for them in some small way.

More Moron-recommended reading material can be found HERE! (940 Moron-recommended books so far!)

WHAT I'VE ACQUIRED THIS WEEK:

• Riverworld Book 3 - The Dark Design by Philip José Farmer -- I already have books 1, 2, and 4, so I might as well finish off the series (book 5 is on its way!)...
• Riverworld Book 5 - Gods of the Riverworld by Philip José Farmer -- And it's here!
• Mag Force 7 Book 2 - Robot Blues by Margaret Weis & Don Perrin
• Nora Kelly Book 4 - Dead Mountain by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child
• Dangerous Visions edited by Harlan Ellison -- A reliable source (YMMV) informed me that this would be an excellent science fiction anthology to add to my collection.

WHAT I'VE BEEN READING THIS PAST WEEK:

• Knights of the Black Earth by Margaret Weis and Don Perrin -- Xris Cyborg hunts his former friend who tried to kill him for unknown reasons...only to discover that his former friend went from a he to a she to avoid detection...
• The Ringworld Engineers by Larry Niven -- Louis Wu returns to the Ringworld to save it from destruction (based on incorrect calculations Larry Niven made in his first Ringworld story).
• Old Bones by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child -- The first book of their Nora Kelly series. What really happened to the Donner Party? Is there gold up in them thar hills?
• The Scorpion's Tail by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child -- Nora Kelly and Corrie Swanson unravel the mystery behind a mummified body found in an old ghost town in New Mexico

That's about all I have for this week. Thank you for all of your kind words regarding the Sunday Morning Book Thread. This is a very special place. You are very special people (in all the best ways!). The kindness, generosity, and wisdom of the Moron Horde knows no bounds. Let's keep reading!

If you have any suggestions for improvement, reading recommendations, or discussion topics that you'd like to see on the Sunday Morning Book Thread, you can send them to perfessor dot squirrel at-sign gmail dot com. Your feedback is always appreciated! You can also take a virtual tour of OUR library at libib.com/u/perfessorsquirrel. Since I added sections for AoSHQ, I now consider it OUR library, rather than my own personal fiefdom...

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