Reviewing "Body Counts" a good trend - CrimeSpace2024-03-28T14:26:37Zhttp://crimespace.ning.com/forum/topics/537324:Topic:31298?commentId=537324%3AComment%3A31323&feed=yes&xn_auth=noYes. Absolutely. Mainly it's…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-05-07:537324:Comment:325382007-05-07T21:48:12.142ZI. J. Parkerhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/Ingpark
Yes. Absolutely. Mainly it's about making each body count. I don't much like books that take a detached attitude toward murder or plots with expendable characters, i.e. people nobody cares about or even enjoys seeing done away with. I recall, Christie did this frequently. The victim ought to matter, and the fall-out from the crime should involve more than a puzzle to be solved by the reader.
Yes. Absolutely. Mainly it's about making each body count. I don't much like books that take a detached attitude toward murder or plots with expendable characters, i.e. people nobody cares about or even enjoys seeing done away with. I recall, Christie did this frequently. The victim ought to matter, and the fall-out from the crime should involve more than a puzzle to be solved by the reader. For one of the books, and one…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-05-07:537324:Comment:324952007-05-07T19:47:12.755ZHeirloom Bookstorehttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/hbkstore
For one of the books, and one only, they got quite specific and broke down how the "body counts" were accrued. The book did have by far the highest total but what an odd thing to detail out. In another they actually tell you how a person is killed. But this same review also included a "Hollywood Pitch" so you have to consider the source...
For one of the books, and one only, they got quite specific and broke down how the "body counts" were accrued. The book did have by far the highest total but what an odd thing to detail out. In another they actually tell you how a person is killed. But this same review also included a "Hollywood Pitch" so you have to consider the source... A body count doesn't really s…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-05-07:537324:Comment:321532007-05-07T01:07:19.006ZSunnie Gillhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/sunniefromoz
A body count doesn't really signify very much does it.<br />
I mean, you could have a plot where a bomb planted by a terrorist kills many and the plot follows the ensuing investigation.<br />
Or it could be a mad, sick-puppy blood-soaked romp of a comedy (ala Charlie Williams' Deadfolk)<br />
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Equally a body count of one doesn't mean a cozy. It could be a serial killer with graphic descriptions of the violence done to one individual.<br />
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It's never going to be a criteria by which I pick my books.
A body count doesn't really signify very much does it.<br />
I mean, you could have a plot where a bomb planted by a terrorist kills many and the plot follows the ensuing investigation.<br />
Or it could be a mad, sick-puppy blood-soaked romp of a comedy (ala Charlie Williams' Deadfolk)<br />
<br />
Equally a body count of one doesn't mean a cozy. It could be a serial killer with graphic descriptions of the violence done to one individual.<br />
<br />
It's never going to be a criteria by which I pick my books. Ah yes, with Joe one always k…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-05-06:537324:Comment:319522007-05-06T15:53:35.193ZHeirloom Bookstorehttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/hbkstore
Ah yes, with Joe one always knew what to expect! Anybody read his book, "Profoundly Erotic: Sexy Movies that Changed History?"
Ah yes, with Joe one always knew what to expect! Anybody read his book, "Profoundly Erotic: Sexy Movies that Changed History?" Who knows what draws readers…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-05-05:537324:Comment:316772007-05-05T19:59:06.104ZJackBludishttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/JackBludis
Who knows what draws readers to a work. Some may like the high body count; some may not. There are far more things to consider with a read than body count.
Who knows what draws readers to a work. Some may like the high body count; some may not. There are far more things to consider with a read than body count. Masturbation? In lit-fic? I g…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-05-05:537324:Comment:314612007-05-05T03:19:09.925ZSteven Torreshttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/StevenT
Masturbation? In lit-fic? I guess that would be angsty.
Masturbation? In lit-fic? I guess that would be angsty. It's a trivial and stupid mea…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-05-04:537324:Comment:313942007-05-04T23:43:48.180ZDavid J. Montgomeryhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/davidjmontgomery
It's a trivial and stupid measure to base coverage of a book on, reflective of a lack of respect for crime fiction. Would they rate the latest crop of angst-filled bildungsromans based on how many times the protagonist masturbated?
It's a trivial and stupid measure to base coverage of a book on, reflective of a lack of respect for crime fiction. Would they rate the latest crop of angst-filled bildungsromans based on how many times the protagonist masturbated? Learning about the "Body Coun…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-05-04:537324:Comment:313702007-05-04T22:26:19.633ZAlan Cranishttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/Alanreads
Learning about the "Body Count" inclusion reminded me of when Joe Bob Briggs used to rate the movies he hosted on his Drive-In Theatre cable show (Movie Channel) by the Three Bs -- breasts (naked, that is), beasts (monsters, zombies, etc.) and blood (exploding heads, dismemberment, etc.).<br />
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Seriously, the amount of bodies in a story would never influence my decision to read the story or not. I'm much more interested in how the bodies got that way and what's being done about it.
Learning about the "Body Count" inclusion reminded me of when Joe Bob Briggs used to rate the movies he hosted on his Drive-In Theatre cable show (Movie Channel) by the Three Bs -- breasts (naked, that is), beasts (monsters, zombies, etc.) and blood (exploding heads, dismemberment, etc.).<br />
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Seriously, the amount of bodies in a story would never influence my decision to read the story or not. I'm much more interested in how the bodies got that way and what's being done about it. I think Entertainment Weekly…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-05-04:537324:Comment:313522007-05-04T21:26:06.456ZDavid Magaynahttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/MugsyNoir
I think Entertainment Weekly has done this a few times too.<br />
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I doubt I would buy a book based on a single review. However, if it was a good enough book for me to continue reading past the DNF point, I doubt I would remember much about the review anyway. However if I did remember the review and I'm not any more involved in the story that when the final fatality thudded to the carpet, I said "Oh well, might as well stop reading", then it wasn't much of a book.<br />
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I think counting bodies could…
I think Entertainment Weekly has done this a few times too.<br />
<br />
I doubt I would buy a book based on a single review. However, if it was a good enough book for me to continue reading past the DNF point, I doubt I would remember much about the review anyway. However if I did remember the review and I'm not any more involved in the story that when the final fatality thudded to the carpet, I said "Oh well, might as well stop reading", then it wasn't much of a book.<br />
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I think counting bodies could become just as subjective too. If a story has a murder in it, and then they discover this person has killed twice before, is the body count one or three?<br />
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Dave Hmmm.... I don't know that it…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-05-04:537324:Comment:313442007-05-04T21:03:23.492ZBarbara Fisterhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/Bfister
Hmmm.... I don't know that it really tells you much about the book. I've read traditional/cozy books that rack up a huge body count - those titled house guests keep dropping like flies. But, as King Lear said (unless it was someone else in that play) "like flies to wanton boys are we to the gods - they kill us for their sport." All in good fun and good taste. No nastiness, please. Then I've read some deeply gruesome, disturbing dark books with far fewer dead folk.<br />
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Hmm... I just realized I have…
Hmmm.... I don't know that it really tells you much about the book. I've read traditional/cozy books that rack up a huge body count - those titled house guests keep dropping like flies. But, as King Lear said (unless it was someone else in that play) "like flies to wanton boys are we to the gods - they kill us for their sport." All in good fun and good taste. No nastiness, please. Then I've read some deeply gruesome, disturbing dark books with far fewer dead folk.<br />
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Hmm... I just realized I have that PW issue on my desk. Body counts range from 2 to 250. Seems to average around 30. I would say adding body count is a turn-off for me since (as Sandra says) it's a spoiler when the numbers are low and frankly a turnoff when they're ridiculous.<br />
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So I'm not sure what it gets you, unless there's a "body to plausibility" ratio - which, come to think of it, there may well be.