A Disappointment

[Ozarks Tom]

Just finished reading Survivors, by James Wesley Rawles.  Although it was entertaining in parts, overall it wasn't up to his previous standards.  Too many improbable situations, several unexplained appearances of timely resources, and a love story thrown into the middle.  Lots of references to obscure firearms, somewhat detailed information on things of no practical use for non-commando types.

I really enjoyed his first book, Patriots, but this one stretched credulity a bit too far.

I'll be reading his book Founders shortly, I hope he wasn't as apparently distracted writing it as he was in Survivors.

[Deleted]

Sept 1, 2017 21:36:58 GMT Ozarks Tom said:

  Lots of references to obscure firearms, somewhat detailed information on things of no practical use for non-commando types.

Info dumps are by far one of the most annoying things in books, which I'm guessing is what the author did. Michael Crichton info dumped. . .a lot! I couldn't stand his books. Dad read some of his work and the movies were better: Jurassic Park, Congo etc.

So was the love story one of those really ridiculous insta-love things? Those are terrible.

And I hate improbably situations. I especially hate it when the character does something no person in their right mind would ever do, but the author has to keep the plotting moving forward so (example) the character runs further into the haunted creepy building where s/he knows knife wielding dolls are lurking in the shadows ready to kill her/him. And instead of running out the back door s/he runs upstairs. Meanwhile the creepy dolls lock all the doors and windows and stab the supporting characters while the MC just screams and runs room to room. And when s/he finally gets the bright idea of calling 911 the phone lines have already been snipped or she drops her cell phone in the toilet. 

You know, that kind of stuff. Things no one would would actually do with half a brain. I don't know if the character(s) did really unrealistic things, but I can fully appreciate the disappointment you feel. Books have let me down too often.  

[Deleted]

It got quite a few bad reviews on Goodreads.

[fordy]

............In most western movies the main actors pancs..........are TOO short , like 4 to 6 inches above their boot . Looks absolutely , Stupid.........

............And , when their canteen runs out of water they just throw it into the dirt......

............When their rifle runs out of Blanks\bullets , they throw it into the dirt.......

............When they kill several outlaws , they don't keep the horses , which , obviously they could sell......., Drives me nuts.......fordy 

[themotherhen]

Ozarks Tom, the worst thing about a bad book is the time wasted. I hate that.
@toni, I agree that Crichton is really wordy. I did enjoy the Andrometa Strain though.

[Ozarks Tom]

He leaves two impending situations unresolved, after building their importance through half the book. One more chapter would have been enough to at least give a summary of their eventual outcome. Aggravating.

[Deleted]

Sept 2, 2017 2:03:40 GMT themotherhen said:

Ozarks Tom , the worst thing about a bad book is the time wasted. I hate that.
@toni , I agree that Crichton is really wordy. I did enjoy the Andrometa Strain though.

I, too, think Crichton was often wordy, but liked Andromeda Strain and also Terminal Man.

Jurassic Park got my son to start reading for fun, so I appreciate that one.

Ozarks Tom, we've not read JWR's Patriots, but mostly because (IIRC), it was out of print at the time, so it was prohibitively expensive. Nick said that it's basically a blueprint for how to handle SHTF situations, all wrapped up in a good story.

[Deleted]

I usually read non-fiction (sometimes fiction too, but not as much), mostly history and science, and have rarely been disappointed. Sure, some people write better than others and sometimes their sources could be better, or there could be more of them in the book, but that is simply another reason to read different books, to see the subject from a different angle or just change the subject altogether.

[Ozarks Tom]

@pony, Patriots is worth reading just for the information in it. JWR is the walking encyclopedia of prepping and survival, and he put a lot of that knowledge into Patriots, along with a believable story line. I think he may have been pushed into writing Survivors, as it seemed rushed and unlike his first book.

themotherhen, The love story was overlong, and gratuitous to the overall story. It was, however, one of the few places in the book he somewhat fleshed out the characters.

[themotherhen]

If an author has to make the story very long in order to flesh out romance, he probably should learn about storytelling.

[Jolly]

Sept 3, 2017 2:05:21 GMT @pony said:

Sept 2, 2017 2:03:40 GMT themotherhen said:

Ozarks Tom , the worst thing about a bad book is the time wasted. I hate that.
@toni , I agree that Crichton is really wordy. I did enjoy the Andrometa Strain though.

I, too, think Crichton was often wordy, but liked Andromeda Strain and also Terminal Man.

Jurassic Park got my son to start reading for fun, so I appreciate that one.

Ozarks Tom , we've not read JWR's Patriots, but mostly because (IIRC), it was out of print at the time, so it was prohibitively expensive. Nick said that it's basically a blueprint for how to handle SHTF situations, all wrapped up in a good story.

One of my favorite Crichtons and the book from which The 13th Warrior was made.

[Deleted]

Never read that one. Nick says he had a three-book set with this in it, but never got around to it.

Nick's favorite Crichton was Sphere.

[joebill]

Mine is "state of fear", about the fallacy of man made global warming....author's notes are even a good read. Claimed to have spent YEARS researching it....Joe