[LMB] OT: Laurell K. Hamilton Series Comments (was Fantasy crushes)

[Elizabeth Holden]

--- Elizabeth McCoy <arcangel at io.com> wrote, in reference to my question about "Mistral's Kiss":

> That series is, far as I can tell, an excuse to wallow in the pretty
> people and sex. It's a decent excuse, really -- there's a nature goddess
> meme running through it -- but when an entire book is about maaaaybe
> 6 hours of personal time in the story? 

I'm not sure about time. I've read maybe 80 pages so far, and so far we have a short dream
sequence at the beginning, followed by an orgy scene that has been briefly (very briefly)
interrupted by a conversation. So, basically, 60 to 70 pages of ongoing sex.

> We're not here for the plot. We're here for the smut. 

I just wish the smut was *better*.  I'm finding it rather ... unsexy.  Disappointing. My problems:
(1) Meredith is entirely passive throughout this whole ongoing orgy; it's all people (and magic)
doing things to her while she reports on it.  And (2) no one has sexual body parts, they all have
euphemisms instead.  These euphemisms always strike me as risibly silly, and they ruin the mood.

Maybe Hamilton just isn't a good enough writer to pull it off. Or maybe ... just not to my taste.
I may try one of the Anita Blake stories, to see how it compares.

I haven't quite decided whether I will finish the book, but having come this far, I probably will.


> ...if you ask me how I know all this, you will see that I am in no
> position to throw stones regarding reading a book with a lack of plot.

I don't fault it for that, though I suppose a stronger plot would compensate for the weakness of
the rest.  I'd like more characterization, but the plot is fine.  So far the only one of
Meredith's men I've found intriguing is one who was mentioned at the beginning, but hasn't been
taking part in the sex at all. Whether he is still in the room, I'm not sure; characters seem to
magically fade in and out and we aren't always told who is there at any given time.  Come to think
of it, without even moving, they aren't always in a room at all.... Time itself is vague, but
that's very suitable to a story about faerie.

> >Yes. I noticed. It's like a book full of Heather Bruton paintings, only in prose.
> 
> Heather Bruton and Nene Thomas. Mmmmm, the pretty.

Yes, exactly.  Too bad the book isn't illustrated by one of them.

> I know where you can find more Bruton art -- drop me an email. It 
> is perfectly legit, but involves her blog URL.

Okay.

namaste,
Elizabeth