tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661047310983728922.post7215769005938596963..comments2023-11-03T07:23:25.433-05:00Comments on Bodice Ripper Reviews: Marjorie Liu 'Soul Song'Heloisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03792162189480854469noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661047310983728922.post-54988451035439436772007-08-13T20:57:00.000-05:002007-08-13T20:57:00.000-05:00Hi back, Kristi (j). So glad you found me. I lik...Hi back, Kristi (j). So glad you found me. I like your picture.Heloisehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03792162189480854469noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661047310983728922.post-46744108428858273642007-08-13T17:31:00.000-05:002007-08-13T17:31:00.000-05:00I haven't read this one - though I have it. I did...I haven't read this one - though I have it. I did like her first book quite a bit.<BR/>The main reason I stopped by was to say howdy!! And Yippee - another reader blog. I love finding new reader blogs!Kristie (J)https://www.blogger.com/profile/15743921647882733738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661047310983728922.post-22508512396999654312007-08-13T09:37:00.000-05:002007-08-13T09:37:00.000-05:00Canoodle, hee, hee.I was thinking "Never Marginali...Canoodle, hee, hee.<BR/>I was thinking "Never Marginalize a Marquise" myself.Heloisehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03792162189480854469noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661047310983728922.post-50552594286286747742007-08-13T09:33:00.000-05:002007-08-13T09:33:00.000-05:00First, the series thing. Surprisingly, given my 2...First, the series thing. Surprisingly, given my 2007 rule, I haven't had to jump into the middle of too many series. Safe Harbor by Christine Feehan being the biggest exception. It's certainly possible that Safe Harbor would have been better if I had read the other books first. I doubt it, but possible. This book is a 'series add-on' so to speak. These characters are peripheral to the Dirk and Steele private detective agency so I don't think you miss much by starting here. I have jumped into series in years past and felt out of water, but I'm guessing now that it's almost a requirement that every book have three or four (or twelve) related books, authors are more conscience of making them stand on their own.<BR/><BR/>There are romance novels with African American protagonists but usually they are marketed as such to (presumably) African American readers. Kitala is the daughter of a 'black singer from Louisiana and a white fiddler from the Great Smokey Mountains.' I especially appreciate the bi-racial thing. And considering she ends up fighting an evil demon-possessed witch, I think we can excuse the stereotypical portrayal of her voodoo priestess grandmother. :) <BR/><BR/>As I mentioned, these characters have a lot of potential, and the first five chapters of the book are very good. I think this made it even more annoying when the plot kept going off in starts and fits like a jerky hand held camera in a movie. I for one, got a nasty headache from it!Heloisehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03792162189480854469noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661047310983728922.post-51597050529184698132007-08-12T23:00:00.000-05:002007-08-12T23:00:00.000-05:00Hmmm, having not read the book, I'll still weigh i...Hmmm, having not read the book, I'll still weigh in. I can understand that having an African American heroine is a nice change of pace from what I assume is a predominantly white genre, but is it really that progressive (wrong word, perhaps?) if her grandma is, uh, a voodoo priestess-type?<BR/><BR/>Okay, I must confess that you inspired me to check out this author on Amazon.com. (I was intrigued since she's evidently an Asian American author....) I noticed that the book is part of a series--Dirk & Steele. Do you feel you should know a series before reading a particular book or do you find that it doesn't really matter if you jump into a series and read the third book rather than starting with the first? <BR/><BR/>By the way, I finally finished "Never Lie to a Lady" and have to give props to the author for wrapping up various plot points nicely. The whole series question came about since I noticed there will be a sequel, "Never Deceive a Duke." What's next, "Never Canoodle with a Count"?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com