Thursday, February 15, 2007

Unconsumed: Karavans

When I was in high school I thoroughly enjoyed Jennifer Roberson's Cheysuli series about shapechangers and how the story unfolded over generations. Roberson did a heck of a job building those characters and making them feel distinct as they lived as much for themselves while knowing there was some sort of prophecy occurring tying their lives to something greater. But, all the Cheysuli wanted was a chance to survive. I never did read her Tiger and Del novels.

When Karavans was published I was interested. Roberson was an author I previously enjoyed reading. So, when I checked Karavans out from the library and started reading I was disappointed by how little I cared about the story being told.

20 pages. I made it 20 pages. I know agents and editors may decide whether to take a chance on a book in 10-20 pages, but as a reader I tend to give an author more of a chance than that. More so if I like the author, as I do with Roberson. But I read 20 pages and gave up. I know I didn't give Karavans a fair shake and perhaps I'll give it another shot someday, but when I have The Atrocity Archives at home from the library, the final volume of Xenogenesis on its way, and an abundance of goodness on my bookshelf that I haven't read, I just don’t have patience for something that doesn’t even twinge a little bit of interest in me early on. And that may be my failing as a reader, but make me care! Why should I keep reading if the prologue and first chapter really contain little to interest me in what story might be coming next?

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