Re: I thought the books were generally awful...

Posted by Ultraman Tiga from ts006d41.las-nv.concentric.net on March 26, 2000 at 16:51:21:

In Reply to: I thought the books were generally awful... posted by Salisbury on March 26, 2000 at 09:17:54:

: Mostly they were just boring - hardly any action at all.

: I got to the end of every one and just thought 'what a waste of time.'

: The movies generally have something exciting happen every twenty minutes - but the novels seemed to ignore the fact that Indiana Jones is all about adventure and excitement.

: The magical elements went just too far. In the films you get a bit of magic and thats OK - a bit weird. But the books (and computer games) just went nuts. The films set out a sort of world which was familiar with a little magic thrown in. Interior world, seven veils all that merlin crap was just rubbish.

: I just managed to stomach seven veils till the end, but the ending just kicked me in the teeth. I mean there was a much better way to end that but Indy dies and gets saved by Merlin (or whatever). Come on!

: I've read all the books and must say none of them were good novels, stories or good Indy lore.

: I'm reading my first Clive Cussler book (Inca Gold) and thats got more action in the first 100 pages than any of the Indy books put together!

You're certainly entitled to your opinion, but if you expect anyone to take your opinion for any value you simply must excercise smarter expression and valid criticism. Your claim that they are not good novels (Indy or not) is just plain insane! The MacGregor books are especially unique. I've never read an author who can put so much description into a location that you can practically smell the surroundings. McCOy isn't bad at that either. McCoy's first three books (I haven't read Sphinx yet) were quite action packed, so have no idea what you think 'action' means. A chase scene? Sorry pal, those just don't go down very well in a novel (except in the hands of an extremely talented author, but then Ian FLeming wasn't even very good at it). As for the magical elements, I sort-of agree. I think there just happened to have been one too many books on the subject, as opposed to a single book taking it to far - the exception maybe being Interior World, but remove that element and you have no story at all, so we must accept it, along with the Indy-on-crack theory that maybe none of what he was seeing was actually there (if you've read the the ToD adaption, this wouldn't be the first time this sort of thing has happened to Indy). Again, this is why something like 'Sky Pirates' would excite me - take a break away from the usual, and you won't have to deal with that sort of thing enough to be bothered by much of it. I've been in this group for four years now, and these were the first threads that had any negative reaction to the novels at all, so keep in mind you are in a very, very slim minority, and probably with reason. After all, if you don't enjoy the novels for the stories they contain, then what about the dozens of other Indy materials telling far less interesting tales, Last Crusade included?

TIGA

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: : Mostly they were just boring - hardly any action at all.

: : I got to the end of every one and just thought 'what a waste of time.'

: : The movies generally have something exciting happen every twenty minutes - but the novels seemed to ignore the fact that Indiana Jones is all about adventure and excitement.

: : The magical elements went just too far.  In the films you get a bit of magic and thats OK - a bit weird.  But the books (and computer games) just went nuts.  The films set out a sort of world which was familiar with a little magic thrown in.  Interior world, seven veils all that merlin crap was just rubbish.

: : I just managed to stomach seven veils till the end, but the ending just kicked me in the teeth.  I mean there was a much better way to end that but Indy dies and gets saved by Merlin (or whatever).  Come on!

: : I've read all the books and must say none of them were good novels, stories or good Indy lore.

: : I'm reading my first Clive Cussler book (Inca Gold) and thats got more action in the first 100 pages than any of the Indy books put together!

: You're certainly entitled to your opinion, but if you expect anyone to take your opinion for any value you simply must excercise smarter expression and valid criticism.  Your claim that they are not good novels (Indy or not) is just plain insane!  The MacGregor books are especially unique.  I've never read an author who can put so much description into a location that you can practically smell the surroundings.  McCOy isn't bad at that either.  McCoy's first three books (I haven't read Sphinx yet) were quite action packed, so have no idea what you think 'action' means.  A chase scene?  Sorry pal, those just don't go down very well in a novel (except in the hands of an extremely talented author, but then Ian FLeming wasn't even very good at it).  As for the magical elements, I sort-of agree.  I think there just happened to have been one too many books on the subject, as opposed to a single book taking it to far - the exception maybe being Interior World, but remove that element and you have no story at all, so we must accept it, along with the Indy-on-crack theory that maybe none of what he was seeing was actually there (if you've read the the ToD adaption, this wouldn't be the first time this sort of thing has happened to Indy).  Again, this is why something like 'Sky Pirates' would excite me - take a break away from the usual, and you won't have to deal with that sort of thing enough to be bothered by much of it.  I've been in this group for four years now, and these were the first threads that had any negative reaction to the novels at all, so keep in mind you are in a very, very slim minority, and probably with reason.  After all, if you don't enjoy the novels for the stories they contain, then what about the dozens of other Indy materials telling far less interesting tales, Last Crusade included?

: TIGA

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