Fighting annoyed?

      I’ve been reading the occasional Clive Cussler book, and while I find them nice pieces of escapism wrapped in colourful detail and adventure, today I wrapped up “Trojan Odyssey” and nearly threw the book against the wall. The story itself was lacking compared to the others I have read but that’s not what made me want to throw the book and Clive off a roof. The book wraps up with the author putting himself into the story. I hated it when Stephen King did it in his Dark Tower series and I am not very pleased with Cussler doing it either. At least Cussler had the decency to only put himself in for one scene.

      Why does this annoy me so much? I really cannot explain it. Why does the author want to meet his creation? Doesn’t he already know everything there is to know about his creation? Granted, Cussler puts himself into the story as an admirer and not as an integral character. King, on the other hand, is very important to Roland and the ka-tet of the Dark Tower saga. It just seems like such an arrogant choice. Maybe King just found it cathartic because he wrote it around the time of his car accident. Isn’t writing a cathartic act? And if you can make some money out of your catharsis, go for it.

       I’m just saying that I did not enjoy it when King put himself into the book and it just annoyed me when Cussler did it. The story itself was a little lacking as well. I have no opinion about the Trojan War and I like the Amazon angle a little – too darn late in making an appearance, mind you. The environmental angle got on my nerves a little. Nothing like a bit of climate change (but in the other direction) to hit all the right buttons. By the way, the human species has damned the ecosystem for (possibly) all time. Such light-hearted discourse!

    Now for something a little cheerier. 

BYE.