I am a masochist

[kelliem]

No, I'm not confessing to secretly being into BDSM, (apologies to anyone who was about to call me a hypocrite since I've always maintained I dislike BDSM fic) but rather I am confessing to the fact that once I start a series of books, I have a hard time stopping before I get to the end, even if in some ways they annoy the snot out of me.

Case in point. I was out of things to read, having just finished my newly-delivered copy of matociquala's New Amsterdam, (which I loved!) and my housemate handed me a stack of three books, a series basically in the Supernatural Romance/Mystery genre by someone Kelley Armstrong, which have a female werewolf for a protagonist.

Now, I've read two of the books, and am only halfway through the third (and have just come to realize that the housemate apparently didn't realize there are two other books loosely related to this series that I probably should read if I want to have the complete picture) but still, on the basis of two-and-a-half books out of five I can definitely say that I would like the whole series a LOT better if the protagonist would STOP DOING STUPID THINGS THAT GET HER IN TROUBLE. The book cover blurb says "Smart, sexy and supernatural" but I'm finding she's definitely NOT smart.

And yanno, I could probably handle the occasional foray into stupidity without too much bitching, but the aspect that makes the whole series absolutely maddening to me is is that nine times out of ten the person who warned her not to do the stupid thing is male. The books are virtually paens to patriarchalism (though I suspect the author would be shocked to find someone saying that since the protagonist usually manages to get herself out of the fix she got herself into) but every single time, it seems like if she'd just listened to The Male tm (who is apparently all-seeing and wise) she wouldn't have gotten into the fix to start with. Gah.

I am also very not fond of the fact that in Book One she's living with a human guy, practically engaged to him, yet goes back to sleeping with her supposedly much-loathed werewolf ex BF at the drop of a hat without, apparently, feeling much guilt over it. Other than at sleeping with someone she ostensibly hates. No thought spared to the infidelity aspect.

Yes, I have issues about infidelity.

However, despite all of the above, I will probably finish the third book. And that makes me a masochist.

Comments

[elynross.livejournal.com]

I started the first couple books in this series a few years back with high hopes, because in concept it's the kind of thing I like, but really not. I've skimmed some of the later ones, and they're no better. I can't say I articulated what bugged me in any real degree, but they just felt... mushy, somehow, and histrionic and kludgy, and yeah, like I'm supposed to see the female protagonists as these strong women, but they seemed to succeed as much by sheer luck as any actual competence.

If you haven't read them, I'd recommend Patricia Briggs's Moon Called and Blood Bound, about a coyote shapeshifting woman and her dealings with the fae and vampires and werewolves -- I found her a much more satisfying heroine.

Ditto

[cattraine.livejournal.com]

Brigg's books are much better. Armstrong's books remind me way too much of regency romances--only with more fur.

Re: Ditto

[kelliem.livejournal.com]

Now see, I like a good Regency romance (emphasis on good) now and then, in part because the women in them usually really are competent and strong. The women in the Armstrong books... aren't.

Re: Ditto

[aukestrel.livejournal.com]

Georgette Heyer, anyone?

[kelliem.livejournal.com]

they seemed to succeed as much by sheer luck as any actual competence.

Yes! Exactly! So frustrating and annoying.

I'll look for the Briggs' books next time I'm bookshopping, thanks.

[imkalena.livejournal.com]

Ick. The first two KA witch ones were better than that. [Industrial Magic and Dime Store Magic] I just fucking HATE it when the protagonists are dirt-stupid. And yeah, stupid protagonists tend to be women.

otoh, I REALLY enjoyed Patricia Briggs' Moon Called and Blood Bound, if you want something a little better. I never thought I'd be rillyrilly happy about a heroine who is NOT getting laid. Leaves more room for plot.

[kelliem.livejournal.com]

That's three votes for Briggs. I will definitely need to check her out. :)

[raine-wynd.livejournal.com]

I agree, Briggs is better. Kelley Armstrong reads like you can cut the middle third out of the book entirely, and still be able to have read the entire story. It reads like it's supposed to be all GrrrlPower! and Go Witchy! but it's not worth it. Really. Don't bother. (And at last count, I think she's up to book eight, but that last one's back cover blurb only made me want to read how it ended.)

You might also like C.E. Murphy's Urban Shaman series.

[kelliem.livejournal.com]

I've read two of the Murphy books and enjoyed them. I did finish 'Broken' last night, but it had the same problems as the other two, so I think I'm going to skip the other Armstrong books.

[clarentine]

Carrie Vaughn's Kitty series (starts with Kitty and the Midnight Hour) is werewolves and vampires, and at least the first one manages to avoid the worst of the failures of Armstrong's books--or of the LKH Anita Blake books, which remain my watermark for a series that could have been so much better than the author let it be. My spouse is holding the second two Kitty books hostage to his much slower reading habits, so I am not as far along in the series as I'd like to be. Nevertheless, I'd recommend it.

[kelliem.livejournal.com]

I've read Vaughn's books, as well. I thought they were well done. Also several of Kim Harrison's Rachel Morgan books, which I enjoyed. And of course quite a few of Tanya Huff's in her various series. They were all better than Armstrong.

[thisisbone.livejournal.com]

I tried the Kelley Armstrong books, too, but bailed very quickly. They bored me!

I still really like Charlaine Harris' Southern Vampire series, featuring Sookie Stackhouse as a telepath who becomes involved with both vamps and shapeshifters. It's going to be an HBO series in the fall with Anna Paquin as Sookie.

I'm still reading the Anita Blake books, too -- The Harlequin, the latest one, was a return to what I think of LKH at her best -- less Anita fucking ten men at once and more vamp politics and maneuvering.

Kim Harrison has a witch series which I sort of enjoyed, but have since realized that witchy stuff isn't really my thing.

[kelliem.livejournal.com]

I'll have to check out Harris, too, though I don't get HBO so I won't be checking out the series. I gave up on LKH a while back, though.

[grey-bard.livejournal.com]

Laurie Gilman's series is pretty good, too. No werewolves or vampires, just a lot of magic and strange magical creatures in an urban setting, but it does the romance/supernatural thriller thing pretty well, and the guy is no more all knowing than the girl is.

[kelliem.livejournal.com]

I'll check her books out, too. That's someone I haven't read yet. Isn't she on LJ? Her name sounds awfully familiar...