Not all is bad in the world of paperback fiction though. However the death of Sidney Sheldon whom I curiously mentioned a few days ago, will leave a void in many ways. A work of fiction generally involves telling a story. The story need not be true in any way. And while there are several people who can perhaps describe scenes or events really well, the fact is - a work of fiction cannot wholly succeed without a good underlying story that connects all the peices (well described or not) really well. Sidney Sheldon, in that regard, was a master at telling a good story.
When I first picked up his books in my adolescent years, it was mainly to get to the lurid sex scenes several of his books seemed to be filled with. I know I wasn't alone in doing that. But like others, I also realized little by little that the stories he told were very captivating. It was the essence (believe it or not!) of the characters that came through those aforementioned scenes that made me track back to pages before these scenes and continue reading far after they were over. His classics like If Tomorrow Comes, The Other Side of Midnight, and The Doomsday Conspiracy are superb examples of stories with great appeal and solid content.
Youngsters these days may have internet pron to educate themselves. But I seriously doubt if it's ever going to lead them to great stories like those Sheldon once wrote. Whatever. It'll be their loss. Sidney's probably living it up wherever he is right now.
4 comments:
hahahahahahahaha.
You remember James Hadley Chase? His books were really gripping but he would, for some strange reason, always have a girl in a really, really skimpy outfit adorn the cover of his book. Though the girl never had anything to do with the story. He must've known the mind of the youth, eh.
Btw you remember what you once told me about Sheldon? :p
Ok. Ok. You got me there. :) Sometimes, in moments of extreme pomposity, I tend to dish out a whole lot more crap than I usually do anyways.
Never really read much Chase though. But I do remember that about his books - the covers I mean - since that's all I probably absorbed from them. :D
You weren't alone in doing that...
I've read ALL his stories. First one being The Rage of Angels followed by The Naked Face and so on.
James Hadley Chase..aren't his stories the kind that inspired movies like Derailed (Jennifer Aniston)?
Ketaki: Glad to know I wasn't the only one who did that. ;) All those others who maintain silence - we know, even though you won't admit to it!
I haven't seen "Derailed". According to imdb.com though, the writer of the novel is some guy called James Siegel, who seems to be much more recent. James Hadley Chase was prolific during our parents' times I think. And... I just discovered this - there's a wiki entry on him here.
In fact, you'd probably still find his books being displayed at the second hand street shops around Flora Fountain.
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