Subj : Brain Fog Fix: an excerpt.
To   : August Abolins
From : George Pope
Date : Fri Apr 15 2022 10:53:08

> Yes.. the traditional expectation would be to tackle a series
> in publication order. But a successful series won't make too
> many references to the earlier releases.  Except for "The
> Killing Floor" which is the 1st book one should probably read
> when starting out in the Jack Reacher series, the other books
> can stand on their own reasonably well.

I agree on this -- I read the first, first, & it perfectly laid everything out 
& his detailed basis for creating Reacher hooked me right there on the 
series/character.

Another mut read #1 first is "A Spell for Chemeleon"; the first in Piers  Anthony's epically long "Xanth" series (they can be read in sets of three after you'veread that one, or sets of nine -- he wrote them in trilogies containing  three trilogies each. Publisghuing, of course, one novel at a time!

I like Piers -- he personally connects with the reasder in most of his novels -
& I love puns -- got hoked with the "Incarnations of Immortality" series I only
began reading cuz a girl I liked was doing so & recommended it highly (&  mentioned his penchant for punnery); his puns in Xanth gets lame & expected  after awhile,. but his attachment & 4th wall usage in using them is funny.

>> Iguess if a customer wanted publication order, you'd just
>> Google up that list  for them, eh?
> I keep a small printed list of titles sorted by pubdate.

Most of your customers just ask for recommendations & you can point out when  the stories are stand-alone?

> It was simply one of those "necessity is the mother of
> invention" moments. I got tired of "looking" across two shelves
> for a Jack Reacher title.  But when laid out in title order, I
> know which one's I've got or not.

You don't have a computerized index/db of your stock?

>>> The Cruise versions?  I hear there's a "series" featuring a
>>> new actor to play Reacher.
>> Yeah, plural? I've only sen the one, yup, with Cruise --
>> why is he made out to  be the all-in-one actor -- that's
>> not as bad as recasting Bruce Willis as an  action hero --
>> I'm still stuck on him in Mnonlighting
> Yes.. Cruise did two Jack Reacher films: 2012 and 2016
> Cruise's role of Reacher and the Mission Impossible guy tended
> to blend as one character for me.

I've not seen MI, & maybe never will; now I gotta go find the 2nd Reacher  movie.  He's not terribleas Reacher in the first one, but doesn't fit the  character I pictured in reading "Killing Floor."

Hollywood really ought to start reading more than just comic books!

The movie based on "One for the Money" by Janet Evanovich really missed on the  characters & castying -- none looked right except Joe Morelli, maybe.

Ditto "50 Shads of Grey" -- none looked like they do in the novels, IMO.

But maybe today's gen of movie watchers would recognize them just fine, or  don't care as they don't read. (had an adult lady friend once tell me "I don't  read" (that was the beginning of the end for me)

>> I'd've missed so much with screaming 'kids' in the
>> theatre! Kids defined as those acting like such.
> Just the overpowering stench of popcorn is enough to make me
> want to never set foot in one ever again.

Oh yes, I forgot about that -- ick!

& the stench of spilled pop (& that stickiness as you walk, & the fear of 
sitting in something you didn't see in the dark--miss when an usher led you to  your seat & shined the flashlight beam on it to direct you to a clean seat.)

--- BBBS/Li6 v4.10 Toy-6
 * Origin: The Rusty MailBox - Penticton, BC Canada (1:153/757)

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