Still thinking about it
Aug. 22nd, 2006 05:34 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jmc_bksI'm still thinking about Into the Storm, which I finished on Sunday. I liked it, although I wouldn't say that it is my favorite of Brockmann's Troubleshooter books.
Initial impressions:
1. It works well as an ensemble book. All the parts fit together, and there is no single subplot that stands out as better or worse [unlike Hot Target, which was a keeper for me solely because of Jules' subplot].
2. When I think about individual characters, I find that several of them are still enigmas to me (even Lindsey and Mark, the heroine and hero) and a couple of others I dislike. Well, maybe not dislike, but I think I'm supposed to empathize, and all I want to do is deliver a headslap.
3. The character who intrigued me most is one that other people really disliked: Zanella. He's skanky and sex-obsessed, but he's also perceptive. And he was the regular babysitter for the Paolettis. Guys who babysit don't make me mushy (seriously, there is no excuse for men not to babysit or know how to deal with children; having a uterus does not automatically endow one with the ability to competently care for children), but I think it is interesting that he's trusted with Charlie and deals with him easily.
4. The slang and vocabulary was cute at first but the constant repetition became irritating. "Prolly" is one of my pet peeves when I see it in print (even online) -- because no one I know actually says "prolly", they say "probly".
5. Sophia and Decker. Has Brockmann indicated that they will have an HEA together? Or just that they would each have an HEA? Because I found Dave to be much the more interesting character than Decker in this book.
ETA:
6. SPOILERS: I like the mirror opposite results after the no-strings sex. Mark wants more, Lindsey freaks out. Tracy wants more, Izzy freaks out.
7. It fascinates me how all of the characters lie to themselves. Well, maybe not lie exactly, but aren't honest with themselves in some way, either by refusing to see or refusing to change. Mark does it with Tracy. Lindsey with Mark. Tracy with Lyle. Decker with Sophia. Even Sophia and Dave do it in a way, by failing to say important things.
Initial impressions:
1. It works well as an ensemble book. All the parts fit together, and there is no single subplot that stands out as better or worse [unlike Hot Target, which was a keeper for me solely because of Jules' subplot].
2. When I think about individual characters, I find that several of them are still enigmas to me (even Lindsey and Mark, the heroine and hero) and a couple of others I dislike. Well, maybe not dislike, but I think I'm supposed to empathize, and all I want to do is deliver a headslap.
3. The character who intrigued me most is one that other people really disliked: Zanella. He's skanky and sex-obsessed, but he's also perceptive. And he was the regular babysitter for the Paolettis. Guys who babysit don't make me mushy (seriously, there is no excuse for men not to babysit or know how to deal with children; having a uterus does not automatically endow one with the ability to competently care for children), but I think it is interesting that he's trusted with Charlie and deals with him easily.
4. The slang and vocabulary was cute at first but the constant repetition became irritating. "Prolly" is one of my pet peeves when I see it in print (even online) -- because no one I know actually says "prolly", they say "probly".
5. Sophia and Decker. Has Brockmann indicated that they will have an HEA together? Or just that they would each have an HEA? Because I found Dave to be much the more interesting character than Decker in this book.
ETA:
6. SPOILERS: I like the mirror opposite results after the no-strings sex. Mark wants more, Lindsey freaks out. Tracy wants more, Izzy freaks out.
7. It fascinates me how all of the characters lie to themselves. Well, maybe not lie exactly, but aren't honest with themselves in some way, either by refusing to see or refusing to change. Mark does it with Tracy. Lindsey with Mark. Tracy with Lyle. Decker with Sophia. Even Sophia and Dave do it in a way, by failing to say important things.
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no subject
Date: 2006-08-22 11:51 pm (UTC)2. Yes, I felt this way about Tess and Nash and I'm not surprised to see that they're having relationship issues. I wonder if the same will happen to Mark and Lindsey.
3. I am stunned at how many people actually did like Izzy and how many completely dislike Tracy. I think b/c we're seeing Izzy from the inside, we don't mind that he boinked Tracy without any hope of relationship, like, say, a real guy. If we'd seen that from the outside, we would hate him. I really hope Tracy isn't his intended heroine. She's a little too stupid for me.
5. That's b/c you were seeing everything from his perspective and not Decker's. Sam was an asshole when seen solely from Mary Lou's perspective. Or even Alyssa's. I still think Sophia and Decker will end up together, but Decker better have some real deep and dark explanations for his stupidity, IMO.
I really thought it was one of her better ones--better at least than the last few. It'll be interesting to see what happens with the next one--will Jules take over again? Or will Ric actually hold his own (I'm thinking yes and no).
Izzy
Date: 2006-08-23 12:48 am (UTC)Surely seeing Izzy's POV is why a lot of readers aren't offended by the sex with Tracy. It didn't offend me -- because it seemed like a pretty straight-forward, sex-without-strings situation. What bothered me was the way Tracy didn't (couldn't?) distinguish between role playing and reality, especially after she started the whole encounter by saying it was just going to be revenge sex. I got the feeling that I was supposed to cheer for her and appreciate her transformation, but I wasn't all that convinced by it. I didn't dislike Tracy; I felt sorry for her and frustrated by her. She's another character who would require a massive amount of rehabilitation in order for me to be interested in reading her story.
After thought
Date: 2006-08-23 12:13 pm (UTC)Re: After thought
Date: 2006-08-23 01:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-23 04:55 am (UTC)Also, it took me a long time to figure out what 'prolly' was because I could have sworn people were miss typing a word. I think it means probably but sometimes even that word doesn't fit how 'prolly' works. Do you think it is indicative of accent? Like in Canada roof is pronounced rue-f (like the slang for ruffies (drug)) whereas on TV I hear the contractors call it a ruff. Anyways, I find 'prolly' to be very annoying because I'm not sure why it's so hard to type 'probably'. HEA I get ;)
Also, the only names I recognized in your post were Decker/Sophia and Dave so I know I'm on the right track to wait for a few years.
CindyS
Roof
Date: 2006-08-23 11:57 am (UTC)Here in Maryland, roof is both "ruff" and "rue-f". I haven't been able to figure out what divides the two pronunciations -- it isn't geography or education as far as I can tell, since I hear both versions used by a variety of people.
Of course, Maryland (Baltimore in particular) has its own system of pronunciation. Wooder for water. Downee oshun for down at the ocean. There's even a neighborhood called Highlandtown, pronounced Hollandtown. My first boss (a native Baltimoron) told me once that he didn't realize that Hollandtown was spelled Highlandtown until he was a teenager driving, and paid attention to the street sign.
no subject
Date: 2006-08-23 06:20 pm (UTC)I still haven't read a brockman but I want to.
no subject
Date: 2006-08-23 07:12 pm (UTC)