Tracy: Well-- That call -- That call means you just murdered me. Mal: No, son. You murdered yourself. I just carried the bullet a while.

'The Message'


Literary Buffistas 3: Don't Parse the Blurb, Dear.

There's more to life than watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer! No. Really, there is! Honestly! Here's a place for Buffistas to come and discuss what it is they're reading, their favorite authors and poets. "Geez. Crack a book sometime."


-t - Sep 02, 2021 11:22:35 am PDT #26983 of 28078
I am a woman of various inclinations and only some of the time are they to burn everything down in frustration

Exactly, Toddson. Like they don't understand what was good about the original.

Sometimes authors do that with their own creations, too, but it's so damn common with the baton-passing projects.

I feel like it happens less with fannish creations? Or maybe it just doesn't bother me because it's not officially endorsed.


bennett - Sep 02, 2021 2:44:22 pm PDT #26984 of 28078

I've been thinking about this. I tend not to like authorized extensions. The last Amelia Peabody, which was apparently finished by a writer and close friend of Elizabeth Peters was beyond awful. The characters were stereotypes of themselves and there was no humor.

I don't know whether I'll give new Miss Marple stories a chance. Short stories may work better, but I think I just have a very specific vision of certain characters and it's like fingernails on the chalkboard when the new version doesn't match up to the original.

On the other hand, I enjoy re-envisioned versions of classics - the Cumberbatch Sherlock, the Laurie King Mary Russell books, "Clueless", "10 Things I Hate About You", etc. They're more creative and I don't have the same expectations of the characters - they're new versions, they shouldn't match up exactly.


-t - Sep 02, 2021 3:17:44 pm PDT #26985 of 28078
I am a woman of various inclinations and only some of the time are they to burn everything down in frustration

I seem to be assuming that with multiple authors writing for the same collection they'll want to put their own spin on Miss Marple and not actually try to produce more Agatha Christie. That may not be warranted.


Toddson - Sep 03, 2021 6:14:43 am PDT #26986 of 28078
Friends don't let friends read "Atlas Shrugged"

I was browsing through Amazon and it turns out that there's a collection of mystery stories by Elizabeth Peters (aka Barbara Michaels, real name Barbara Merz? Mertz?).

edited to close the tag ... sorry ....


bennett - Sep 03, 2021 6:50:21 am PDT #26987 of 28078

Thank you, Toddson. I must investigate.


Beverly - Sep 05, 2021 1:23:55 pm PDT #26988 of 28078
Days shrink and grow cold, sunlight through leaves is my song. Winter is long.

Mertz, yes. As in EtheI, and I confess I snicker every time. I love Barbara Michaels, supernatural mysteries. Some are better than others, of course, but they're all entertaining. Coming from that whole Holt/Plaidy/Carr and others of that ilk, the all the Mertz books were lovely.

This author has probably come up before, but I'd like to ask a question about KJ Charles. The books have been rec'd, but there are approximately nine hundred of them, apparently. Anybody know a good title to start with?


Kate P. - Sep 05, 2021 3:09:00 pm PDT #26989 of 28078
That's the pain / That cuts a straight line down through the heart / We call it love

I just read Charles' Will Darling series and enjoyed them thoroughly! Haven't read anything else by her yet, but I'd say you can't go wrong starting there.


Beverly - Sep 05, 2021 8:04:20 pm PDT #26990 of 28078
Days shrink and grow cold, sunlight through leaves is my song. Winter is long.

(makes note) Thanks!


Jessica - Sep 06, 2021 7:43:08 am PDT #26991 of 28078
If I want to become a cloud of bats, does each bat need a separate vaccination?

Which KJ Charles book should I start with? (Flow chart).

Proper English / Think of England are not among my personal faves, but they do share continuity with the Will Darling books (set about 20 years earlier, 2-3 characters appear in both series) if that appeals.


Sophia Brooks - Sep 06, 2021 7:51:16 am PDT #26992 of 28078
Cats to become a rabbit should gather immediately now here

I have read them all. They are all good.I also really didn’t read them in order, more likely when they were available in the library. My personal favorite is An Unseen Attraction. I also read the supernatural stuff last, because that is not always my cup of tea, but I liked it. I feel like that does probably need to be read in order, at least for someone not like me (I read many, many things out of order, including actual books sometimes). I truly think they are some of the best, if not the absolute best, gay romances I have read. For awhile, I thought she might be fayjay!