Intensity

[Angela Wilson]

I keep receiving thrillers for review that lack intensity. You know, that spark, flare, flash, heart-stopping, nail-biting, can't-stop-turning-the-pages feel of a great thriller novel.

It's not that the books aren't good. They are. (Well, for the most part.) But they lack that fundamental element that makes a thriller, well, thrilling.

I'm seeing a lot of POV shifts - too many within a scene that causes confusion. I'm seeing stabs at omniscient POV. Unfortunately, the fly-on-the-wall perspective keeps emotional distance between the reader and the characters. I recently read a book labeled a legal thriller where you knew from the get-go who was behind what and where. It was kind of disappointing.

What's up with publishers and editors? I know there are great thrillers out there. Koontz is (for the most part) a home run in that department. Stephen White, Ridley Pearson... Even Janet Evanovich creates suspense with Stephanie Plum's will-she-or-won't-she romances and hilarious plots.

It's possible to create suspense and tension and intensity. But I'm just not seeing it in the majority of books sent my way. Has there been a fundamental shift in the thriller genre of which I'm not aware? (OMG. Is that proper English in a blog?!?!?!?!?!?!?!)