Monday, June 18, 2012

So what makes me an expert?

Well I can't claim to quality of reading, as a matter of fact I probably read a lot of books who will never win awards and get frankly bored with books that win awards.  I enjoy story.  I also enjoy characters who make me feel something for them.  However I've read a lot, at this date in time I've written 3,667 reviews on my librarything account since I joined some of which are short and some longer, most of them are books I read from the library.  I'm behind by a fair few that I own and some may need a re-read before reviewing (they lose at least a half-star if I don't find them all that memorable).

However, I've averaged between 1-2 books per day for many years, I've read pretty widely in Fantasy and romance, somewhat in Science Fiction and crime.  About 10 years ago I was desperately seeking Urban Fantasy novels because I had tapped out the genre at the time (and find it funny when I hear about newer writers who "invented" the genre).

Why do I call myself an expert?  Because I've heard people talk about their expertise and honestly they don't impress me, they haven't read widely enough and don't see the flaws in their favourite writers.  Yes, several people I have enjoyed hugely and I cheer when I see a new book but I also can find myself despairing of a book, as a matter of fact one of my stumbling blocks for a number of years is Household Gods by Judith Tarr and Harry Turtledove, both authors I have enjoyed, where, frankly, the main character is annoying me, and not in a good way, every now and again I take it down from a shelf and I read another few pages and remind myself why I hate it.  I should let it go, but I hate to be defeated by books!

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