3 ms·

What's wrong with light-hearted easy reading for adults?

• mundo 10y ago
  Nothing! But I was surprised that _Dresden Files_ was aimed at adults. I thought the first Harry Potter book was more complex, both in plot and writing style.
  • qwertyuiop924 10y ago
    How far in did you read? It get better as you go, although it's still simple fantasy at heart. The first few books were not all that good, and I'd say the series really hits its stride around Death Masks, and gets better from there. If you're looking for something a bit heavier and more complex, might I recommend Charles Stross's The Laundry Files? I'd say they're The Dresden Files' darker cousin. In fact, the protagonist of the former is a confirmed fan of the ladder.
    • mundo 10y ago
      Just the one book, I had heard the series improves, but there's too much other good stuff out there. Also, I really didn't like the protagonist, he seems too obviously to be a thinly-veiled idealized version of the author. He might as well have named the main character Bim Jutcher.
      • qwertyuiop924 10y ago
        Harry isn't perfect, but sometimes he could do with a few more flaws. I never saw him as an idealization of the author, but it's not an invalid idea. All of these issues are especially apparent in the early books. Once again, I recommend The Laundry Files, if you're looking for something a bit darker, and a bit stronger written (it still starts a bit weak, but not to the same degree...).
        • mundo 10y ago
          Well, it's not as bad as _The Cat Who Could Walk Through Walls_ by Heinlein. That book's protagonist is a gruff-yet-lovable aging sci-fi writer who, despite his advanced age, has hand-to-hand combat training, a hot young wife, and a huge dick. I kid you not, like with specific numbers, in centimeters. Thanks for the suggestion, I'll check out the Laundry Files. I have read one book by Stross (Accelerando) and liked it well enough.
          • qwertyuiop924 10y ago
            Huh, I'd have thought Heinlein would have known better. Writing yourself is a hard trick to pull off, as you can't be too perfect, nor too flawed. One of the few I think could have pullled it off was the late, great Terry Pratchett (I didn't reccomend his books to you already, as I assume you've already read him). He has the sense of humor to make it work. A slight warning: the first Laundry Files novel is kind of in-jokey. Not that the others aren't (it is about a programmer/magician (there isn't really much difference, in-universe) stuck inside a government bureau whose job is to fight Lovecraftian horrors from another dimension, after all), but the in the first book they can be kind of grating, even for us, the intended audience. So if the offhand references to Symbolics, Alan Turing formalizing magic, in part by disproving the Church-Turing thesis (but that may have been retconned?), Volume 4 of Knuth, and other geeky in-jokes sound like nails on a chalkboard to you, don't worry, it gets better (by the end of the book, actually. The jokes pretty much disappear once you reach The Archives).
            • mundo 10y ago
              Thanks, sounds like good fun and I will check it out! And in return, I presume you've probably read Diamond Age and Snowcrash, but if not, get thee hence, they're both great.
              • qwertyuiop924 10y ago
                Of course! Who do you take me for? Well, I haven't finished Diamond Age yet... But I will, really soon!