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alternating chapters
Feb. 26th, 2007 04:20 pmOkay, back to writing (and reading)!
I just finished a book called Blutiges Pergament (bloody parchment), by Guenther Bentele. It's a YA double mystery, with the two mysteries narrated in alternating chapters, both about a book supposedly written by Friedrich II, a intellectual Holy Roman emperor. One storyline is contemporary, one medieval. So, a little like Endymion Spring, without being a fantasy. I must say, however, that the characters were much more fully realized as complete people in Bentele's book. Ditto the historical details. Since my husband is a medievalist and deals specifically with books, I admit I'm rather critical when it comes to such details. This one worked for me. Also, the story pulled me in quickly, and I wanted to know what was happening next.
That said, I still have reservations on this narrative style (that of alternating disparate story lines). The connection between the two (in Pergament, and, I supposed in Endymion, too) was that each mystery had something to do with the same book. But in both Endymion and Pergament, there was still a wide disconnect between the characters from one story to those of the other. In Pergament the switch was strictly chapter-to-chapter changes. In Endymion, it was looser--a few chapters in one time, a few in another. For me, it worked better to have less time between switches. Still, no matter how smoothly you do it, you still have an in-your-face place to set the book down--numerous times during the story. Too many times. Also, I think it's hard to divide your loyalties over the course of one book. I found myself skipping ahead to follow the contemporary storyline in both of these books. It was simply more interesting. Also, the medieval storyline sort of petered out to me in Endymion. And I must admit that the ending was rather abrupt in Pergament, with the medieval storyline also being the weaker, less-resolved of the two. I'd like to read a book that succeeds in this technique, because after two of them now, I'm feeling a bit skeptical.
Still, Pergament was good enough that it only took me a weekend to read it! Next on my list is Der Letzte Magier (the last magician), which looks to be an urban fantasy or alternate universe YA. I like this genre, although I admit it's easier to read contemporary stories in a foreign language. There are only so many out-of-the-ordinary elements a person can deal with for the course of one book. I hope you are all enjoying your easy access to books in a language you are fluent in!
I just finished a book called Blutiges Pergament (bloody parchment), by Guenther Bentele. It's a YA double mystery, with the two mysteries narrated in alternating chapters, both about a book supposedly written by Friedrich II, a intellectual Holy Roman emperor. One storyline is contemporary, one medieval. So, a little like Endymion Spring, without being a fantasy. I must say, however, that the characters were much more fully realized as complete people in Bentele's book. Ditto the historical details. Since my husband is a medievalist and deals specifically with books, I admit I'm rather critical when it comes to such details. This one worked for me. Also, the story pulled me in quickly, and I wanted to know what was happening next.
That said, I still have reservations on this narrative style (that of alternating disparate story lines). The connection between the two (in Pergament, and, I supposed in Endymion, too) was that each mystery had something to do with the same book. But in both Endymion and Pergament, there was still a wide disconnect between the characters from one story to those of the other. In Pergament the switch was strictly chapter-to-chapter changes. In Endymion, it was looser--a few chapters in one time, a few in another. For me, it worked better to have less time between switches. Still, no matter how smoothly you do it, you still have an in-your-face place to set the book down--numerous times during the story. Too many times. Also, I think it's hard to divide your loyalties over the course of one book. I found myself skipping ahead to follow the contemporary storyline in both of these books. It was simply more interesting. Also, the medieval storyline sort of petered out to me in Endymion. And I must admit that the ending was rather abrupt in Pergament, with the medieval storyline also being the weaker, less-resolved of the two. I'd like to read a book that succeeds in this technique, because after two of them now, I'm feeling a bit skeptical.
Still, Pergament was good enough that it only took me a weekend to read it! Next on my list is Der Letzte Magier (the last magician), which looks to be an urban fantasy or alternate universe YA. I like this genre, although I admit it's easier to read contemporary stories in a foreign language. There are only so many out-of-the-ordinary elements a person can deal with for the course of one book. I hope you are all enjoying your easy access to books in a language you are fluent in!
