One Third is Not Enough!

          As much as this site is virtually only about Reviews for Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Novels with some Graphic Novels thrown in for good measure.  I have to say something about a growing trend in the books I’m reviewing.  This is happening more and more; surprisingly it’s not the mid-listers that are guilty of it.  It’s the old timers…  That the majority of the book is crap except for the last fourth or third.  It’s like they actually decide to show up for work; except they were late.  The reader must slog through, some times hundreds of pages to get to a part of the book we will call “PART 3” because that’s what the authors usually call it.  I call it, where the novel should have started!  I’m a budding author myself(as so many people are who tend to read too many books).  And I’m continuously hearing how important it is to have a strong beginning that will carry your reader through to the epic climax.  Well folks, people who have been published for YEARS and who have won awards don’t seem to be able to do this; so don’t feel too bad.

           I was convinced that this was some kind of isolated occurrence that only a few authors had this problem and they were just being lazy.  But it is ACTUALLY a trend.  I’ve seen SO MANY books do it now, that when I begin reading the first few chapters and the pace is slow and there are too many characters I start to think, “Oh no, this again!”

            If only I wasn’t right most of the time.  There are certainly incidents where the last third of the book, “makes up for.”  The first two thirds or even some cases where it puts it into perspective so that it “seems” better.  But my god, if these folks were trying to get published today and didn’t all ready have big names, they would never make it off the slush pile.  There is no agent or publisher in the world that is going to read over 200 pages to get to “the good parts.”

            Please editors!  If you are reading this, which you probably aren’t, but I can dream.  Stop letting these people turn in this garbage.  Tell your authors that ONE THIRD of a good book is NOT ENOUGH!