Comments on: “The Abandoned,” Douglas Clegg http://www.errantdreams.com/reviews/2007/08/14/the-abandoned-douglas-clegg/ 650+ book reviews, kitchenware reviews, and more. We may be insane, but we're on your side! Fri, 04 Jul 2008 22:59:43 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.2 By: Errant Dreams Reviews » Blog Archive » “Blood Brothers,” Nora Roberts http://www.errantdreams.com/reviews/2007/08/14/the-abandoned-douglas-clegg/#comment-20323 Errant Dreams Reviews » Blog Archive » “Blood Brothers,” Nora Roberts Tue, 27 May 2008 14:50:48 +0000 http://www.errantdreams.com/reviews/2007/08/14/the-abandoned-douglas-clegg/#comment-20323 [...] the focus of the book. After all, that’s been done before (I can’t help thinking of Douglas Clegg’s The Abandoned, which wasn’t even half as good). Instead, Blood Brothers is as much a mystery as it is a [...] […] the focus of the book. After all, that’s been done before (I can’t help thinking of Douglas Clegg’s The Abandoned, which wasn’t even half as good). Instead, Blood Brothers is as much a mystery as it is a […]

]]> By: heather http://www.errantdreams.com/reviews/2007/08/14/the-abandoned-douglas-clegg/#comment-6750 heather Wed, 28 Nov 2007 06:11:49 +0000 http://www.errantdreams.com/reviews/2007/08/14/the-abandoned-douglas-clegg/#comment-6750 <b>DoaJ:</b> It just seemed like a lot of the events in the book served no real purpose, and that's a pet peeve of mine. Violence that serves a plot can be a perfectly valid part of a good story; violence that's tossed in for no apparent purpose feels prurient or "look at me! I'm a baaaad author!" It sounds like I might like the other books more, so thank you for detailing the differences. I'll keep an eye out for them at the library! DoaJ: It just seemed like a lot of the events in the book served no real purpose, and that’s a pet peeve of mine. Violence that serves a plot can be a perfectly valid part of a good story; violence that’s tossed in for no apparent purpose feels prurient or “look at me! I’m a baaaad author!”

It sounds like I might like the other books more, so thank you for detailing the differences. I’ll keep an eye out for them at the library!

]]> By: DoaJ http://www.errantdreams.com/reviews/2007/08/14/the-abandoned-douglas-clegg/#comment-6736 DoaJ Tue, 27 Nov 2007 21:16:46 +0000 http://www.errantdreams.com/reviews/2007/08/14/the-abandoned-douglas-clegg/#comment-6736 I personally loved this book. I've read it several times and I do know it was hard to keep up the first time. The second, third, and beyond it got easier and easier, though. I have since bought Nightmare House and The Infinite from this series. Nightmare House had a lot less violence and focused an enormous amount on the house itself, with a nice plot. Also, many less characters. The Infinite has only six or seven main characters that are briefly mentioned (Never by name) in The Abandoned. Personally, The Infinite was much better than The Abandoned with a very similar method of destruction. The plotline is much more focused and the characters get much more detail and distinction. If the only disliked aspects of The Abandoned were keeping up with the characters and delayed plot, then read The Infinite. It should feel reminiscent, having the same house, but should solve the aforementioned disruptions. I personally loved this book. I’ve read it several times and I do know it was hard to keep up the first time. The second, third, and beyond it got easier and easier, though. I have since bought Nightmare House and The Infinite from this series. Nightmare House had a lot less violence and focused an enormous amount on the house itself, with a nice plot. Also, many less characters. The Infinite has only six or seven main characters that are briefly mentioned (Never by name) in The Abandoned. Personally, The Infinite was much better than The Abandoned with a very similar method of destruction. The plotline is much more focused and the characters get much more detail and distinction. If the only disliked aspects of The Abandoned were keeping up with the characters and delayed plot, then read The Infinite. It should feel reminiscent, having the same house, but should solve the aforementioned disruptions.

]]> By: SciFiChick http://www.errantdreams.com/reviews/2007/08/14/the-abandoned-douglas-clegg/#comment-2848 SciFiChick Tue, 14 Aug 2007 16:56:49 +0000 http://www.errantdreams.com/reviews/2007/08/14/the-abandoned-douglas-clegg/#comment-2848 I have trouble with Agatha Christie books sometimes.. even when there aren't a lot of characters! lol Those lists are great for me. When I was a kid, I'd sometimes have to write down characters, myself, on a piece of paper with descriptives. Guess I've never had a good memory! I have trouble with Agatha Christie books sometimes.. even when there aren’t a lot of characters! lol
Those lists are great for me. When I was a kid, I’d sometimes have to write down characters, myself, on a piece of paper with descriptives. Guess I’ve never had a good memory!

]]> By: heather http://www.errantdreams.com/reviews/2007/08/14/the-abandoned-douglas-clegg/#comment-2846 heather Tue, 14 Aug 2007 16:48:01 +0000 http://www.errantdreams.com/reviews/2007/08/14/the-abandoned-douglas-clegg/#comment-2846 <b>SciFiChick:</b> There are definitely some books with lots of characters where I don't find it difficult to keep track of them. Rollins's books are a good example of how to do this; he makes his characters so distinctive in such a short span of words that I have no trouble remembering who's who. In this book, though, it'll mention "Mr. so-and-so" offhandedly in such a way as to make it clear I should remember who that is from an earlier chapter, and I'm just scratching my head going, "umm, who? Nope, doesn't ring a bell." SciFiChick: There are definitely some books with lots of characters where I don’t find it difficult to keep track of them. Rollins’s books are a good example of how to do this; he makes his characters so distinctive in such a short span of words that I have no trouble remembering who’s who. In this book, though, it’ll mention “Mr. so-and-so” offhandedly in such a way as to make it clear I should remember who that is from an earlier chapter, and I’m just scratching my head going, “umm, who? Nope, doesn’t ring a bell.”

]]> By: SciFiChick http://www.errantdreams.com/reviews/2007/08/14/the-abandoned-douglas-clegg/#comment-2844 SciFiChick Tue, 14 Aug 2007 16:40:10 +0000 http://www.errantdreams.com/reviews/2007/08/14/the-abandoned-douglas-clegg/#comment-2844 Books with a large cast of characters like this needs to have a handy Cast of Characters with descriptions at the end, so you can keep flipping back to keep track. That was nice with the novel Bitterwood by James Maxey, since it had many characters both human and dragon. Books with a large cast of characters like this needs to have a handy Cast of Characters with descriptions at the end, so you can keep flipping back to keep track. That was nice with the novel Bitterwood by James Maxey, since it had many characters both human and dragon.

]]> By: Errant Thoughts » Blog Archive » Bourne Ultimatum Parody http://www.errantdreams.com/reviews/2007/08/14/the-abandoned-douglas-clegg/#comment-2840 Errant Thoughts » Blog Archive » Bourne Ultimatum Parody Tue, 14 Aug 2007 16:32:19 +0000 http://www.errantdreams.com/reviews/2007/08/14/the-abandoned-douglas-clegg/#comment-2840 [...] other news, today’s review is of Douglas Clegg’s The Abandoned. I know people have said lots of good things about Clegg, but honestly, I didn’t really like [...] […] other news, today’s review is of Douglas Clegg’s The Abandoned. I know people have said lots of good things about Clegg, but honestly, I didn’t really like […]

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