![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Once again I find myself wishing I could discuss one of Connie Willis' books in detail, but I can't because I don't know anyone who has read it. For those who don't know, she has written several books about a history program at Oxford in the year 2060 which sends historians back in time to do research. I've only read Doomsday Book and Blackout/All Clear. As I mentioned awhile back the latter is one book despite being published under two titles. Blackout ends with an annoying cliffhanger and many dangling story lines. All Clear starts up immediately where Blackout left off without the slightest recap to aid anyone who might have picked up the second book first. So we have a single novel (henceforth B/C) of about 1150 pages.
First of all, I ought to start out by saying that B/C like Doomsday Book ends in a very pleasing manner. Both books take a lonnnnnnng time getting to their ends. In the case of Doomsday Book I'd really prefer if Willis had left out much of the secondary line and shortened the book by a third to a half. The story line in question does produce the rationale for the rest of the story, but it just wasn't necessary to go into the detail she did. On the other hand there are significant parallels in the two main story lines, so I cannot gripe about how well it was all integrated into one book. I found the secondary story line tedious to read and the primary story line engrossing. B/C is somewhat the opposite. I frequently felt the main story line was over told and the secondary lines were the ones with the more engrossing writing. B/C has two characters from Doomsday back again in minor roles. As much as I'd like to say one or both of them should have been left out, I think I'd have to say that instead, one of the three main characters should have been left out. There are perfectly defensible reasons why Willis' told the story with three main characters. But her style is such that she can't seem to avoid telling you absolutely everything about all of them. Imagine Harry Potter in which we not only follow Harry everywhere, but Hermione everywhere and Dumbledore as well.
Generally if you've read and enjoyed Doomsday Book you will probably enjoy reading B/C. But be aware that it is a long journey to the finish.
First of all, I ought to start out by saying that B/C like Doomsday Book ends in a very pleasing manner. Both books take a lonnnnnnng time getting to their ends. In the case of Doomsday Book I'd really prefer if Willis had left out much of the secondary line and shortened the book by a third to a half. The story line in question does produce the rationale for the rest of the story, but it just wasn't necessary to go into the detail she did. On the other hand there are significant parallels in the two main story lines, so I cannot gripe about how well it was all integrated into one book. I found the secondary story line tedious to read and the primary story line engrossing. B/C is somewhat the opposite. I frequently felt the main story line was over told and the secondary lines were the ones with the more engrossing writing. B/C has two characters from Doomsday back again in minor roles. As much as I'd like to say one or both of them should have been left out, I think I'd have to say that instead, one of the three main characters should have been left out. There are perfectly defensible reasons why Willis' told the story with three main characters. But her style is such that she can't seem to avoid telling you absolutely everything about all of them. Imagine Harry Potter in which we not only follow Harry everywhere, but Hermione everywhere and Dumbledore as well.
Generally if you've read and enjoyed Doomsday Book you will probably enjoy reading B/C. But be aware that it is a long journey to the finish.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
From:
no subject
True fan! Was so glad to hear about these books. And if it's well-done, I don't mind long (with some exceptions--I'm sure that Infinite Jest will be excellent if I can ever get past the 20 pages of a guy debating whether or not to have a smoke.)
From:
no subject