[LMB] trashy books for guys - what's the difference?

[alayne at twobikes.ottawa.on.ca]

On Sat, 2 Feb 2008, Tzivia Adler wrote:
> trashy books for guys - an important part seems to be pinup girls who can't 
> keep their clothes fastened, yet don't have any emotional expectations to 
> slow 'action-man' down in his pursuit of the bad guy.  also, the pin-up girl 
> (or occasionally, wife-girlfriend-daughter) should be murdered to give 
> 'action-man' an excuse to rampage. (or is that only in movies?)  otherwise, 
> the bad guy must be a caricature of extreme awfulness, because otherwise 
> 'action-man' would not notice him.  organized crime or serial killers are 
> good. nukes should make an appearnce. world destruction is preferred.

Well, according to that definition, Dick Francis *definitely* doesn't 
qualify. Think of _Forfeit_, for example.

Actually, as others have said, I don't think Francis really is men's 
trashy adventures. His appeal is to both sexes, and his books are both 
readable and interesting. More than trash IMHO.

(Ditto Nevil Shute -- altho I will agree with Little Egret that the "gun 
porn" style is much more common now than 40 years ago.)

-- 
Alayne McGregor
alayne at twobikes.ottawa.on.ca

"I propose a new standard by which to judge mainstream literature. The
more often a fantasy reader thinks, 'Oh, just forget all that and go save
the world, will you?' the lower the quality of the book." -- Janni Lee Simner