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Thread: What makes a good book to you?

  1. #16
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    Re: What makes a good book to you?

    Quote Originally Posted by MikeThierry View Post
    What makes a character compelling to you all? He he/she always good and is noble or can a flawed character be more intriguing? Can the character be a complete jerk and you would still find him/her engaging?

    EDIT: The reason why I'm asking that question is because the main character I'm formulating is the kind of character that is torn between doing what's right and doing the pragmatic thing. He has to do things that are unpleasant in a leadership role. However, I don't want to make him so cruel at times that he's unlikable to the reader. Where is that fine line at?
    IslandRed already touched on this but I also think backstory can be very important.

    Why does the main character do what they do? What motivates them? What makes them the kind of person they are? Including 1-2 things from their past can make it easier for the reader to relate to the kind of person they are and maintain interest.
    Last edited by redsfandan; 05-15-2013 at 04:46 AM.

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    MikeThierry (05-22-2013)


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  4. #17
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    Re: What makes a good book to you?

    Characters and story line. I cant put down Under the Dome right now. This book is just a great read

  5. #18
    Who wants a mustache ride Ohayou's Avatar
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    Re: What makes a good book to you?

    Pictures. Preferably of naked ladies.
    Arise and walk, come through. A world beyond that door is calling out for you. Arise and walk, come through. It's calling out for you.

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    MikeThierry (05-22-2013)

  7. #19
    Be the ball Roy Tucker's Avatar
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    Re: What makes a good book to you?

    Great prose. I'm a sucker for a well-turned paragraph that sweeps my mind away from the corporeal world and into the book where everything else fades away and its just me and the story and people and the language.
    She used to wake me up with coffee ever morning

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    MikeThierry (05-22-2013)

  9. #20
    Member foxfire123's Avatar
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    Re: What makes a good book to you?

    Not killing off every one of the heroes, which it seems George RR Martin is hell bent on doing in the Game Of Thrones series...

  10. #21
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    Re: What makes a good book to you?

    Quote Originally Posted by foxfire123 View Post
    Not killing off every one of the heroes, which it seems George RR Martin is hell bent on doing in the Game Of Thrones series...
    He does it in a way which makes sense and doesn't alienate the reader, in my opinion.

  11. #22
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    Re: What makes a good book to you?

    Quote Originally Posted by medford View Post
    http://ken-follett.com/masterclass/

    That page may be useful to you. I don't know if you've ever read any of Follett's work, but he does an excelant job with pacing. Pillars of the Earth is a huge book, but a very easy read, how often do you get both George Bush and Oprah to agree that a book is amongst their favorites? Both have mentioned Pillars of the Earth as one of their favorites. Code to Zero is not particularly long, about 300-400 pages IIRC, and is broken up in a fashion that I found myself flying thru it unlike any other book I've ever read. The story itself is ok, not great by any means, but if I was heading to the beach, I may be able to finish that book in 2 days, not sure I can say that w/ any other 300-400 page books.
    Thank you very much for that link. That seems like a very good template or understanding into the thought process of developing a story.

  12. #23
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    Re: What makes a good book to you?

    Quote Originally Posted by MikeThierry View Post
    He does it in a way which makes sense and doesn't alienate the reader, in my opinion.
    Potential spoiler!




    I dunno, that Red Wedding was pretty alienating to me! and Clegane clonking Arya in the head? Cheese and rice! If she's gone too the only ones I've got left to root for are Dani, Jon and Tyrion! and the hope that the little snot nosed inbred scumbag Joffrey dies a very creatively cruel death.

  13. #24
    Be the ball Roy Tucker's Avatar
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    Re: What makes a good book to you?

    Quote Originally Posted by Roy Tucker View Post
    Great prose. I'm a sucker for a well-turned paragraph that sweeps my mind away from the corporeal world and into the book where everything else fades away and its just me and the story and people and the language.
    e.g. from Barbara Kingsolver's "Lacuna":

    The bones of the ancient city radiated heat, but the little river ran a cool thread through its belly. A lizard moved in the grass of the bank, running into the shade of a ledge, coming to rest near a stone that seemed rounded and glossy, even in shadow. That stone was smooth to the touch, and when turned over, revealed itself not as an ordinary pebble but a small, carved figurine. A little man made of jade or obsidian, something ancient, small enough to hide inside a closed hand. A remarkable artifact. It should be turned over to the professor. Obviously it would be wrong to take it from its place.

    Every detail of the little figure was perfect: his rounded belly with indented navel, his short legs and fierce face. A headdress that resembled a neat pile of biscuits. Eyes deeply indented under arched brows. And inside his rounded lips, a hole for a mouth, like a tunnel from another time, speaking. I am looking for the door to another world. I’ve waited thousands of years. Take me.
    She used to wake me up with coffee ever morning


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