So first of all. Meh on this one. For me this is a solid 3 stars. I liked it well enough, but if it were a stand alone rather than the 4th book, I’d *probably* not read the sequel.
The thing I’ve been noticing lately is that many a book has a HUGE character. Someone like Sherlock Holmes or Bulldog Drummond or Tom Sawyer and the author uses someone a little more approachable to tell the story. For the Holmes books, I bet inside of Holmes’s head, he’s an ineffable ass. Same with that arrogant little Tom Sawyer.
But Bulldog, oh Bulldog.
The last two books have picked the most boring of the characters as the ones to tell the tale, and it’s driving me up the wall. When Bulldog shows up, it’s like the sky has been lit up with stars. The rest of the time, I’m blah, blah, blahing.
The reason this comes up with Tom Sawyer is that I have to wonder–do authors do this because its easier to write a more boring character? Because it makes these larger than life characters more human? In the case of Tom Sawyer, however, Huck’s voice is lovely, so it’s not ineptitude that made Twain tell the story that way. And in the case of Watson and Holmes, I’m not sure I disagree with that choice either. Pimpernel, however, does the same thing. Maybe it’s a style of earlier writers? Could be as simple as that I suppose. It’s not like I’m going to actually research it or anything. Just something I’ve noticed. My reading has been full of old school stuff lately, so maybe I just couldn’t help but notice it.
But a lesson for me as a writer? Don’t use boring-pants as the POV character. Also Bulldog, I love you–when you bother to show up in the book.
~Amanda
Amanda A. Allen 