Would anyone recommend a book or author that they feel illustrates exceptional writing style (and if they tell a good story, even better). Not an experimental or extreme stylist, just someone that does a good job with basic prose. I realize it's a subjective call, but I want to read something I would not have picked out myself. Just one of my occasional tangents.
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Mark Helprin. "Winter's Tale" and "Memoirs from Antproof Case" are both extraordinary. "Soldier of the Great War" is also incredible, but very dense. His short stories are exceptional, too.
Posts: 230 | Registered: Feb 2005
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Probably a little off topic, I tried having a read of that Italo Calvino book that was recommended just recently. "If on a winters night" or something like that. I couldn't get on with it at all.
Another one that started promising for me was 'The Alchemist' by Paulo someone or other. I read the blurb & it told me that 35 million folks had read his books & were supposed to be life changing. Apparantly he has exceptional style too. But I found it to be written for somebody with a reading age of about eight, and lots of repeated information and summing up of what was going on every other paragraph. Grrrr. Even though it's only 180ish pages of large text, I never made it to the end.
It is a particular story done in the style of any writer except Rowling. As far as I understand, all works were done by amatures. Also, this was done BEFORE the book was released.
NOTE: Avoid the Douglas Adams one, it's just a bad quote replacement from the original book.
Don't know if that's a spoiler or not at the top of that website (I'm only about 200 pages in), but if you're spoiler-shy don't take the chance. At least not till you read it..
(I shoulda known better than to click that - it's too early in the morning for me. I'll try again when I finish..)
Lisa
[This message has been edited by Dandelion (edited July 22, 2005).]
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Again - as I mentioned in the post with the link - the flash writing listed was done *BEFORE* the last book came out. All enteries were made, the contest compeleted and the resultes posted *PRIOR* to the release of the actual book. There are NO spoilers, because every one who submitted was just guessing. The goal point was set by The Guardian as based by running bets from people in various parts of the the world as for who was most likely to be knocked off in the lastest book.
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That's too bad, benskia. It's one of the most amazing books I've ever read, with a fantastic study of hooks and what they can do to a reader. I'm sorry you couldn't get into it; maybe metafiction just isn't your thing.
Posts: 1041 | Registered: Aug 2004
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I'd suggest looking at China Mieville. I recently read _Perdido Street Station_ and the first few pages just about made me cry. It was beautiful.
Also, I'd suggest checking out Ellisons' _Dangerous Visions_. There's some fabulous writing there.
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The woman who wrote "The Secret Life of Bees" was pretty darned good. Sorry... I can't remember her name. She has another book out that I've had two people tell me is equally good. "Bees" had a first person POV that reminded me to some degree of "To Kill A Mockingbird" which was also well done.
Further recommendations depend on your genre of choice, however.
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Tom Piccirilli's horror/crime-noir novel "November Mourns."
That man has such a way with words that I wanted to throw the book across the room every few pages because I KNOW I'll never be able to write like that...
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For me, it's Orson Scott Card "Ender's Game". I first read this in High School in my Science Fiction Lit elective, and fell in love with it so much, I've read it three more times. I remember, when I was first finished reading it, I cried because the book was done (something I've never done before or since), and that these amazing characters wouldn't still be around to turn to for inspiration as my own artist. Little did I know there were sequals, :-D
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