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Cormoran Strike (Rowling's Richard Bachman series)

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DomaDoma Three-Puppet Saluter Since: Jan, 2001
Three-Puppet Saluter
#1: Aug 5th 2013 at 7:03:38 AM

Come on, folks. There was a thread for The Casual Vacancy, but now that we find out JKR has written a good book for adults, there's nary a peep? The Cuckoo's Calling was incredible, folks. In fact, it may entail the best characterization she's ever done. Prisoner Of Azkaban is still probably the best thing she's written in terms of misdirection and Chekhov's Gun, but this comes in a close second.

The characters of Harry Potter tend to resonate as people you know: the teacher who kicked your butt but you eventually thanked her for it; that member of upper management who gets a kick out of suppressing you; the guy with a horrible sense of proportion when it comes to sports - with Harry himself as a fairly generic reluctant hero who provides the viewpoint without jarring you much, except in the fifth book where he's thoroughly unreasonable even from his own perspective. The characters of The Casual Vacancy are mere sociological stereotypes. The misunderstood slut is the best by default, as the only one with a motive that rises above the petty.

But when you see the thought processes of Cormoran and Robin, you say to yourself: Yes. I think that way. And I've never read anything that pointed that out before. It's a rare gift. I've only ever read one other author (Michael Flynn) who did the same.

As far as the plotting goes, it is downright eerie how often she anticipates your "hey wait a second"s within two or three pages of your coming up with them, and if for whatever reason you have to put the book down, you'll be mentally wrangling the latest questions until you return.

It's fantastic. Read it. Seriously.

edited 5th Aug '13 7:04:20 AM by DomaDoma

Hail Martin Septim!
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