grumbles and a half-assed book review

[edenfalling]

I spent much of yesterday beating my head against the second fight scene in "Apartment Manager" 15 -- you know, the one with Shinkan and whoever won the Yukiko vs. Iruka match. (Not telling!) I wrote it, and the stuff around it, but it was like pulling teeth. Something just wouldn't click, even though everything followed in a logical progression.

I figured it out at about 4am this morning. Woke up from a dream and thought, "Oh, of course. The mist jutsu doesn't extend that far," and it all made sense.

So tonight I'm going to rework the fight and then move on to the final match. :-)

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I also read A Fine and Private Place, by Peter S. Beagle, which is a beautiful, understated book, about a man who's spent 20 years living in a cemetary, two ghosts, and a widow, and about choices and philosophy and love. On the surface it's all about death and endings, and then one level down it's about beginnings, but really it's about middles and muddling on through.

Also, it has talking animals with no explanation, and somehow you never think to ask for an explanation because it's perfectly obvious why some people can understand them and others can't.

That takes skill to write.

Comments

[cellia.livejournal.com]

It's funny to read such a glowing review because I really didn't care for A Fine and Private Place. The talking bird, older woman and the cemetery worker were definite high points and cool, but not enough to save it from the dreary younger "couple" for me. Obviously written with skill, and had some good points but... ultimately an unrewarding slog (for me).

There's also something about it that marks it as obviously 1960s-ish somehow, but in a way that kind of bothers me. I don't know if it's the style or the treatment of female characters or some kind of zeitgeist or even the Jewish character. (I kept being reminded of Kemelman's Rabbi Small series while I was reading, which has a similar 60s feel to me. And some Bradbury things.)

[edenfalling]

I liked it for the peaceful feeling, I think, and because nothing much happens. I can see how that could easily become a slog.

Yesterday I read The Last Unicorn, which was good, but... I dunno... a little offbalance, a little bit hollow. Beagle has a definite sensibility to his writing, but he seems a little hit-and-miss in his execution.