Ice by Linda Howard
This is not a review. This is a commentary. I feel compelled to comment on how disappointed I am by this book not only for the lukewarm quality of the story and the characters, the pathetic lack of pages and content, but also my self disgust because I should have known better.
I'm beginning to believe I will never again finish an LH book and clasp it to my breast with a happy and bliss filled sigh.
Thank God I have those happy memories of her highly entertaining speech at RWA, and I got a signed book, AND SL Wendy got a picture of the moment. Otherwise, I'd be pretty inconsolable right now. Oh, and I have all those wonderful early books right there on my shelves to re-read. Maybe I can survive this disappointment after all.
Barely.
Labels: Linda Howard, On Reading
Posted by Rosie at 12:01 AM
17 Comments:
Don't you hate being disappointed by a book? I ordered two from Amazon last month, waited impatiently, and absolutely hated both of them *sob*.
Oh, and I loved the post about Beanie below - lol!!
NNNOOOOOOO!! It can't be, say it ain't so.
I'm expecting the UPS man to deliver this one today. I'm going to read it tonight and I'm going to LOVE it, maybe?? Probably not, but it's LINDA HOWARD how can it be bad.
The FANGIRL in me is heartbroken, I've not been to RWA and I don't have a magic picture.
Drama over ;)
It's 7:30 in the morning and the USPS delivered my order by mail truck. Giving the size of the book, I may be blogging about this one this afternoon.
Thank goodness Wendy blogged about the size of this book before I hit send on my last Chapters order so I had time to take it out of the cart. I would have been furious if I had paid the big bucks and then saw the size.
I don't know what's happened to her - writing-wise. She was an author I happily followed when she went hard cover and although I'm still finishing and somewhat enjoying her books, I don't get nearly the same zing from them anymore. I want the old Linda Howard back and with each new book I hope I get her - but alas, no.
And like you - I have the memory of laughing so hard my stomach hurt listening to her last year.
Damn! I hate that!
I was re-reading Shades of Twilight just the other night and thinking how brilliant and earthy it was, and how sad I am that she writes such...well, crap lately. I don't understand what happened.
But I'm not dishing out HC prices for her anymore. The last one of her HC's that I loved was Dying to Please. And that was in like 2005! Ugh!
Sorry you hated the book though, Rosie. That sucks out loud.
Ditto Rosie.
Awful, just awful.
Sam, I don't have adequate words to convey my disappointment.
TM, I'll be checking your blog to see if you post about the book today. It's readable, just not the caliber of book I've come to expect from this author.
Kristie, I think the last books I enjoyed were the two Blair Mallory books, TO DIE FOR and DROP DEAD GORGEOUS. This could easily have been a story in an anthology and I probably, maybe, wouldn't be so bummed.
Kati, SHADES OF TWILIGHT is the LH I've re-read the most. Love that book.
Jennifer B. you've read already too? Man, I had an open mind and high expectations. Do you remember those Raintree books she did? Yeah, it was like that...
I just got my copy yesterday. Luckily I only paid like $9 for it. Still it's disappointing to hear it's not up to classic LH par. Le sigh.
I'm surprised I haven't seen more readers offering to swap this book - especially given the hard cover status and lack of page count.
Last I checked the wait list was fairly healthy at work. Not off the charts - but pretty decent. Will have to remember to check when I get back on Monday.....
You know I adore LH just as much as you do, but I flat out refused to buy this book. The price for the page count just makes my blood pressure soar.
I'm trying to reevaluate where I stand with her, hoping I can find a nice balance with her new style of writing. Unfortunately it isn't working. I want the old LH back.
Molly, oh man, let me know what you think.
Lori, ugh, that's one word for it...
Wendy, I'm sure the wait list will be decent because no sane person would buy it. Der.
Holly, I think her best books are behind her. I've been thinking that there would be a hue and outcry because her heroes aren't PC by a long shot.
Okay, I finished it this afternoon. Didn't think it was bad at all. Giving the size I decided I couldn't compare it to any of her full size novels.
The price was obscene, but I thought for the page count the story wasn't bad. I'll try to blog about it sometime tonight or tomorrow.
TM, you were disappointed? It wasn't totally predictable? She's not a bad writer, but like I said earlier, I guess I've just come to expect more from her.
Awww Rosie, so sad to hear to hear you were disappointed. I had this on my maybe list. I haven't bought her last 2 books... although i did read Burn and thought it wasn't bad. I was going to cave for this one, but I guess not.
Like everything, writing changes and evolves with time... unfortunately, it's not always to your liking. I have a few authors that I have to say, as time goes, their books are meh :( It hurts because you don't want to give up on them... :(
Oh it's so disappointing when that happens with a favorite author. :(
I just read Burn (got it from my local library). I was very luke warm about it, which has not been my LH experience in the past, AT ALL! She's one of my "go to" rereads when I'm in a slump...so sad this book was such a bummer for you! At least you give people like me a heads-up for not purchasing it!
I'm actually looking up LH right now and that's how I found your blog. She used to be one of my Absolutely FAVORITE authors. I don't know what's happened to her books or her writing... I'm glad I saw these reviews for her books.
I've been reading other comments and it looks like a ton of readers are disappointed.
It's so sad because she has such an amazing talent. *sad sigh*
Thanks for the commentary.
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