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Wicked Enchantment (Dark Magick, #1)
by Anya Bast (Goodreads Author)
by Anya Bast (Goodreads Author)
I dunno, lots of people have recommended this author to me and I thought I'd give it a try with her new series. This is definitely a romance-oriented novel with some interesting fairy-lore world building. I kinda enjoyed it, but I had to get over a few hurdles early on namely...
WHY if they're in a fairy world with Unseelie and Seelie court dress and towers made of Quartz and crap (NOT interacting with the "real world" we know!!!) does the author describe the hot hero striding through the hall on the first page as wearing "DOC MARTENS?!"
AND LATER SHE DOES IT AGAIN, the heroine is standing before the queen and is wearing "ROCK AND REPUBLIC JEANS!"
I mean, unless she's getting money for product placement, it was SO INCREDIBLY DISTRACTING. I get that maybe she's trying to make it casual, but then they could wear just plain COMBAT BOOTS or JEANS. RAGE RAGE /rage.
Otherwise this was pretty good ROMANCE paranormal comfort food. I'll try the next one, but if on the first page the heroine is wearing "a GAP sleeveless t-shirt" I might throw the Kindle across the room.
WHY if they're in a fairy world with Unseelie and Seelie court dress and towers made of Quartz and crap (NOT interacting with the "real world" we know!!!) does the author describe the hot hero striding through the hall on the first page as wearing "DOC MARTENS?!"
AND LATER SHE DOES IT AGAIN, the heroine is standing before the queen and is wearing "ROCK AND REPUBLIC JEANS!"
I mean, unless she's getting money for product placement, it was SO INCREDIBLY DISTRACTING. I get that maybe she's trying to make it casual, but then they could wear just plain COMBAT BOOTS or JEANS. RAGE RAGE /rage.
Otherwise this was pretty good ROMANCE paranormal comfort food. I'll try the next one, but if on the first page the heroine is wearing "a GAP sleeveless t-shirt" I might throw the Kindle across the room.
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Sep 10, 2010 10:15am
HA! Dont ever read JR Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood series then- shameless brand namedropping all over the place.
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Ugh, I hate it when authors product-drop like that. My belief can only be suspended so far, and any mention of specific brands just makes the book feel cheesy.
I understand that mentioning particular products (much like mentioning particular monuments, streets, etc.) can help establish setting. But if it's taking place outside or away from the real world, why bother mentioning specifics if they aren't relevant to the plot or characterization?
I was uncomfortable lately with Dead in the Family and the mention of a character wearing MTV clothes. I'm afraid I haven't watched MTV since they played music videos.
Oh, I go nuts when authors do that. The most egregious examples I've seen are when some barbarian priestess is clad in a "bikini." At least once, I've even seen it described as a "chain mail bikini," which gives me hives on about seven levels.Actually, now that I think of it, I remember someone describing a sword-swinging barbarian woman as wearing "bra and panties." But I think that might have been fanfic.
Instead of throwing the kindle across the room, could you mail it across the country? Because I would like one... :3
Not to mention it dates the piece. Ever read something form the past that does that - it adds camp and cheese all up and down the storyline - and makes it very hard to get into because I am like - this was all 30 years ago he was peeling her Underalls off ;-)
What's even worse is when urban fantasy authors are constantly dropping current pop culture references. Like anyone is going to know who Paris Hilton is in twenty years...
I think it's a combination of factors:-Some authors find it convenient short-hand.
-Some are overly brand conscious themselves.
-Some just haven't matured enough as writers.
There are a few authors who have done it well, but they are judicious in their usage. Harry Dresden likes a nice cold can of Coke but you aren't being assaulted by other references everywhere. It's part of the character and doesn't jar you out of the story.
I agree that name brand dropping is annoying however with one exception... The Undead series with Betsy the Vampire Queen by Marie Janice Davidson. Betsy is addicted to designer footware and it makes for hilarious reading.
The Undead & Un-blank / Betsy Vampire queen books were funny for awhile, then they just got stale for me. It seemed like she lost her train of thought in the middle of chapters more than once - in say books 4-8. I stopped after 8, did she do more?
I am on 6 and it seems better than 4 and 5. I was hoping it would ramp up a bit in action but...maybe not. Too bad, really enjoyed the humor.
