Just read The Lightning Thief, and I realized why literature often frustrates me. (minor spoilers) - Edit 1
Before modification by beetnemesis at 27/05/2010 08:49:20 PM
Ok, here's the thing. The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson is the son of a Greek God, meets up with others, goes on a quest filled with Greek myth-type obstacles in a modern setting) was good, for a children's book.
By that I mean it was exciting, interesting and had a cool premise, but was written at a 5th grade reading level.
And that's fine. That's cool- 5th graders need books too.
But how many adult series are really willing to take a ridiculous concept, and just RUN with it?
There's a few, of course, but I realized when I finished Lightning Thief that I really, really, really wished there was an "adult" version of the series. Same basic concepts, same cool "demigods in the real world" plot, but... you know, less obvious foreshadowing, deeper characters, more complicated plot.
It's one of the reasons I used to love Animorphs- it just had a really great concept, and just went for it. Had some great themes and characters- and I always wondered what the series would have been like if you couldn't finish a book in 45 minutes.
Eh, I'm just ranting, I guess. It just bugs me to see 50 different sword-and-sorcery fantasy books for adults, and then casually pick up a crazy YA book.
By that I mean it was exciting, interesting and had a cool premise, but was written at a 5th grade reading level.
And that's fine. That's cool- 5th graders need books too.
But how many adult series are really willing to take a ridiculous concept, and just RUN with it?
There's a few, of course, but I realized when I finished Lightning Thief that I really, really, really wished there was an "adult" version of the series. Same basic concepts, same cool "demigods in the real world" plot, but... you know, less obvious foreshadowing, deeper characters, more complicated plot.
It's one of the reasons I used to love Animorphs- it just had a really great concept, and just went for it. Had some great themes and characters- and I always wondered what the series would have been like if you couldn't finish a book in 45 minutes.
Eh, I'm just ranting, I guess. It just bugs me to see 50 different sword-and-sorcery fantasy books for adults, and then casually pick up a crazy YA book.