Is This Really Fantasy Today? OH NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

"Characters that are not believable can easily annoy readers."

When I saw this sentence in an article I was reading this morning, I realized that annoyance was exactly what I had been feeling last night as I started and quickly discarded about five ebooks.

One, highly recommended, started out very bloody, but I stuck with it. But then, in the middle of the first chapter, the author threw in so many ideas, so many characters, so much stuff that made no sense, that I just wanted to throw the book against. the wall. Can't do that with an ebook, but I did quit reading it. I kind of figured out that the first few pages had been a throwback...I think...but it was way, way too much work for me. And I like complex books. That make sense.

Another started out OK on the first page but by the third, suddenly, hordes of zombies and vampires were overrunning the place. No thanks. 



I mean, I love fantasy and science fiction. But, please. Another one was so gamer that I just had to put it down (virtually). I can handle a little gamer, but not a totally gamer book. Not me.

The last touted itself as in the vein of Tolkien, R.R. Martian and other writers I adore. I was ready for that one! Bring it on!  But, no, no. Those great writers understood sentence structure. And didn't bring down several dozen giant intelligent wolves in the first few pages, then skin them all to sell their hides in the next town. I mean....

So....I decided to work with Goodreads again to try to find some good books. Maybe, hopefully, that will solve the "What to read" problem.

But, I have to wonder...if I attempt to write fantasy, and I do want to....am I too old fashioned? I cut my teeth on Heinlein and Asimov. I am not a gamer. I really don't like zombies. Some vampires are interesting (Anne Rice). I even have a story idea that might edge around a zombie. But it's about someone who grew up in the Caribbean with Voodoo. And that element would just be color, kind of in the shadows, so to speak.

So what is going on with Fantasy right now? Can this mature woman still write stuff that will sell? That's the question that's bugging me today as I search for a good read.

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