Under the Lake
Looking for something to read, I noticed this in the online sale section, a Stuart Woods’ book I hadn’t read, and cheap digital price, I think it was $1.99. Perfect price for a quick read.
“It was the first time in his working life that he had not been able to convince himself that what he was doing was worthwhile, the first time he had tried to write something just for the money. He didn’t like it.” Page 74.
Struck a chord as I haven’t had to “write just for the money” in some years.
But this is about the book, not about me. There is a totally competent, workmanlike, almost prosaic prose that Stuart Woods offers. Even in an older novel, and the question, always in my mind, good editor? Or merely a wonderful writer? After something like 50 novels, I would suppose he has the art form down, as an exercise.
Why the (American) South is always target for corruption? I can’t answer. Couple of engaging plot elements that tie the author to the land itself, that much is obvious.
Under the Lake
After reading so much of the author’s serial work, a one-off, even if it is a little older, seemed a nice romp. Best of all? Fiction, unlike real life, tends to make sense by the end of the narrative.
I was trying to get a sense of what it was like, maybe a total of five or six hours to read the book, maybe much less, I’m not sure, but the elements, the twists, and gentle foreshadowing, puzzle pieces all getting revealed at the perfect time? More so in this example, but as a whole, the author’s canon? Each novel is like a 40-minute episode of some thriller TV series. All the action, the plot devices, betrayal, dramatic irony, and ultimately, reconciliation plus a denouement, all of it? Good hour-long time-slot TV show.
Of course, the book is better. Yeah, I’m one of those guys — I almost always think the book is better.
Under the Lake
Under the Lake
