A Book Is Not a Child

Interesting post on Smart Bitches Who Love Trashy Books about authors who mess with their characters and the fans who become angry. I know the author this made me think of first was Laurell K. Hamilton, which the post mentions. I started reading the Anita Blake series a couple of years ago, after a number of the books were already out. I fell in love with Anita and her quirkiness, the zombie raisings, the vampire hunting, and the great supporting cast of characters. The books were an amazing mashup of mystery, fantasy, science fiction, and romance.

Then it all changed. Anita was no longer the fun, quirky character. Instead it was all about SEX. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind sex in books, but sheesh, this was ridiculous. In one of the most recent books, there was really no plot, it was just about Anita having sex.

In Candy's post, she has several things to think about:

• What was the last book you got angry about?
• Why were you angry?
• Were you mad at the book, or at the author--or both?
• Who do you think the characters truly belong to: the author? The readers? Both? Neither?

I don't know that I can say I'm mad, I'm more disappointed and maybe feel betrayed. It kind of feels like the author has taken a character who was awesome and done a 180 on the character's personality. I've read Laurell K. Hamilton's blog where at times she has defended the change in Anita and while I can understand that this is her character and as the author it has to come from her, I still think author's have a responsibility to their readers.