http://www.theawl.com/ Be Less Stupid Fri, 25 Sep 2009 21:33:13 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.2 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-25155 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-25155#comments Fri, 25 Sep 2009 21:33:13 +0000 el fay http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-25155 The Rose Labyrinth by Titania Hardie? (Or, as I like to call it: Mary Sue and the Super Friends v. the Ugly Americans.) It's been compared to The Da Vinci Code for marketing purposes, since they're both a part of that "religious conspiracy" genre. Here is a sample passage; "Simon, and Grace, and Calvin, I now realize, [that] you and I, and everyone like us, should shout from the rooftops about these people's terrifying influence on politics, and laws, and the freedom of our choices. No single religion has a monopoly on bigoted fundamentalism. In Revelation, Jesus is the hero with a 'sword in his mouth' - and I hope we can mount a very effective counteroffensive with our own words." The best part is when the main villain, an American ultra-conservative clearly based on Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell (I guess no one told Hardie that one is dead and the other largely irrelevant), is standing somewhere in the Middle East, making a grandiose speech about valleys being three-feet deep in blood when Armageddon comes and Jesus returns to wreak havoc on non-believers. This "rich Texan" stereotype then makes a really awkward, tacked-on comment about not having to worry about global warming then! Christ Almighty, it's like the most hyperbolic satire of the Republican party ever written. And it's a shame, really, because The Rose Labyrinth had the potential to be so much better than anything Dan Brown could ever come out with. Hardie's dialogue and characterization need some work (the protagonist in particular was way too perfect) but she's great at setting the scene and evoking mood and atmosphere. There's also an extremely well-done death scene towards the beginning. Publishing companies have editors, folks. USE THEM.]]> The Rose Labyrinth by Titania Hardie? (Or, as I like to call it: Mary Sue and the Super Friends v. the Ugly Americans.) It's been compared to The Da Vinci Code for marketing purposes, since they're both a part of that "religious conspiracy" genre. Here is a sample passage; "Simon, and Grace, and Calvin, I now realize, [that] you and I, and everyone like us, should shout from the rooftops about these people's terrifying influence on politics, and laws, and the freedom of our choices. No single religion has a monopoly on bigoted fundamentalism. In Revelation, Jesus is the hero with a 'sword in his mouth' - and I hope we can mount a very effective counteroffensive with our own words." The best part is when the main villain, an American ultra-conservative clearly based on Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell (I guess no one told Hardie that one is dead and the other largely irrelevant), is standing somewhere in the Middle East, making a grandiose speech about valleys being three-feet deep in blood when Armageddon comes and Jesus returns to wreak havoc on non-believers. This "rich Texan" stereotype then makes a really awkward, tacked-on comment about not having to worry about global warming then! Christ Almighty, it's like the most hyperbolic satire of the Republican party ever written. And it's a shame, really, because The Rose Labyrinth had the potential to be so much better than anything Dan Brown could ever come out with. Hardie's dialogue and characterization need some work (the protagonist in particular was way too perfect) but she's great at setting the scene and evoking mood and atmosphere. There's also an extremely well-done death scene towards the beginning. Publishing companies have editors, folks. USE THEM.]]> http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-25155/feed 0 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-25038 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-25038#comments Fri, 25 Sep 2009 16:54:56 +0000 DorothyMantooth http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-25038 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-25038/feed 0 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24817 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24817#comments Fri, 25 Sep 2009 07:29:44 +0000 Kataphraktos http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24817 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24817/feed 0 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24785 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24785#comments Thu, 24 Sep 2009 21:34:11 +0000 sfauthor http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24785 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24785/feed 0 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24778 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24778#comments Thu, 24 Sep 2009 20:40:08 +0000 Rw http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24778 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24778/feed 0 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24764 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24764#comments Thu, 24 Sep 2009 19:14:50 +0000 Lionel Mandrake http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24764 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24764/feed 0 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24755 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24755#comments Thu, 24 Sep 2009 18:44:38 +0000 Abe Sauer http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24755 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24755/feed 0 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24754 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24754#comments Thu, 24 Sep 2009 18:40:49 +0000 Abe Sauer http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24754 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24754/feed 0 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24749 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24749#comments Thu, 24 Sep 2009 18:33:06 +0000 Abe Sauer http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24749 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24749/feed 0 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24745 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24745#comments Thu, 24 Sep 2009 18:26:18 +0000 Meeg http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24745 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24745/feed 0 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24737 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24737#comments Thu, 24 Sep 2009 18:04:06 +0000 KenWheaton http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24737 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24737/feed 0 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24710 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24710#comments Thu, 24 Sep 2009 17:01:35 +0000 Ronit http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24710 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24710/feed 0 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24703 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24703#comments Thu, 24 Sep 2009 16:55:59 +0000 Mindpowered http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24703 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24703/feed 0 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24695 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24695#comments Thu, 24 Sep 2009 16:46:40 +0000 HiredGoons http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24695 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24695/feed 0 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24694 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24694#comments Thu, 24 Sep 2009 16:46:03 +0000 HiredGoons http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24694 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24694/feed 0 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24690 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24690#comments Thu, 24 Sep 2009 16:40:33 +0000 ejcsanfran http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24690 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24690/feed 0 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24689 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24689#comments Thu, 24 Sep 2009 16:39:52 +0000 Mindpowered http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24689 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24689/feed 0 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24687 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24687#comments Thu, 24 Sep 2009 16:39:16 +0000 JaguarPaw http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24687 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24687/feed 0 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24681 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24681#comments Thu, 24 Sep 2009 16:30:01 +0000 LondonLee http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24681 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24681/feed 0 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24676 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24676#comments Thu, 24 Sep 2009 16:26:51 +0000 JaguarPaw http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24676 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24676/feed 0 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24675 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24675#comments Thu, 24 Sep 2009 16:25:10 +0000 JaguarPaw http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24675 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24675/feed 0 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24666 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24666#comments Thu, 24 Sep 2009 16:13:37 +0000 Rod T http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24666 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24666/feed 0 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24665 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24665#comments Thu, 24 Sep 2009 16:12:09 +0000 HiredGoons http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24665 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24665/feed 0 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24664 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24664#comments Thu, 24 Sep 2009 16:10:54 +0000 HiredGoons http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24664 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24664/feed 0 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24660 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24660#comments Thu, 24 Sep 2009 16:02:11 +0000 Rod T http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24660 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24660/feed 0 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24651 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24651#comments Thu, 24 Sep 2009 15:55:42 +0000 GiovanniGF http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24651 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24651/feed 0 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24648 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24648#comments Thu, 24 Sep 2009 15:54:48 +0000 Baboleen http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24648 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24648/feed 0 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24638 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24638#comments Thu, 24 Sep 2009 15:44:54 +0000 formerly it takes a lot etc. http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24638 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24638/feed 0 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24636 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24636#comments Thu, 24 Sep 2009 15:43:45 +0000 formerly it takes a lot etc. http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24636 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24636/feed 0 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24612 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24612#comments Thu, 24 Sep 2009 15:24:02 +0000 johnpseudonym http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24612 http://www.theawl.com/2009/09/booked-up-dan-browns-the-lost-symbol#comment-24612/feed 0