The Nameless Evil pt 2 by Mizu Ash

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kailhofer
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The Nameless Evil pt 2 by Mizu Ash

Post by kailhofer »

I've been mulling this one over for a week now, trying to figure out what I was going to say about it.<br><br><br>I still don't know.<br><br><br>I'd like to think I have a little skill in critiquing, but I'm coming up empty. It's a story about characters created and trying to exist in an extremely rough first draft, so the rating system I use goes out the window. <br><br>The tale as written is obscure & jerky--but on purpose, which implies a level of professionalism I was surprised at, and is opposite of what it appears.<br><br>The setting is in constant flux, so it's not real to me--but, again, it isn't meant to be. It does get more concrete in spots and as it progresses, but not enough that it ever becomes real or coherent in my head.<br><br>Trying to figure out the character arcs here gives me a headache. Obviously, Nat struggled with his love for Kate, and chose to do use his gift of understanding to defeat the nameless evil, but this is not really the main storyline, or is it? The characters have to adapt and change as their reality keeps changing during their forced march to the Nameless Evil, and I think that is what this story is really about. But the characters keep changing who they are! I can't figure them out!<br><br>Kate going on strike was brilliant... and ridiculous at the same time. [Ow! My head!] Stu throwing himself into the well was a beautiful example of the creative process and how authors are often surprised at what pours out of their subconscious minds--but in terms of the storyline was pointless and counterproductive--and fabulous for character development at the same time. <br><br>[For Original Star Trek fans: Illogical. Illogical. Norman, please co-ordinate.]<br><br>The author crosses over into the text of the book and becomes a character. Suddenly, a god who has ultimate control of his universe is put in his place by a mere figment of his imagination. Is this a representation of the conflict in the author's own mind? Is it some sort of statement about the creative process, especially in inexperienced authors? Is it something about the level of cognizance in youth--a lot of teenage authors will do this sort of thing, without realizing it will never, ever, sell. (I did it myself, when I was 14. My book was all over the place in plot and characterization, and I put myself in it at one point. AND IT DIDN'T SELL!)<br><br>On the point of whether or not does this plot hold together and ring true, of course not--but it doesn't seem to be supposed to.<br><br>Finally, I'm left with the ultimate measure: did I like it?<br><br>No.<br><br>Why? I don't know! <br><br>There were very, very good bits next to terrible ones. There was good commentary about character and the creative process married with examples of how not to do it.<br><br>Maybe it's that the story within the story is just... not very good. These characters march through a series of oddly jumbled together challenges before facing off against a villain so undefined its the Nameless Evil. In that story, we're shown glimpses of what it would be like for characters to exist in such a universe, as if it were real (or as real as it gets).<br><br>Maybe it's because I don't write like this. I don't fit in a loose outline of scenes and then go back and fill in the story later. I start with a more or less finished scene, full descriptives and dialogue in place (even if I don't know who these characters are yet), and then progress from there as if it's a finished story up to the point that there there aren't any more words written. I have an idea of a goal, and will wind up somewhere close to that goal, but it flows wherever the story takes it. Many authors, however, do write like this, and there's nothing wrong with that--but it seems alien and strange to me.<br><br>Maybe it's literary, and I'm just hopelessly a genre writer. Beats me, or maybe mocks me. I don't know which.<br><br><br>Anyhow, I don't know if any of this was useful as a critique, but I felt I had to say something after commenting on the 1st half last month. Perhaps another can put a better finger on it.<br><br>Nate
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