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potted_music at 08:25am on 24/05/2009 under books
potted_music at 08:25am on 24/05/2009 under booksI wanted to like Shadow Unit, I really did. It's written by a whole host of supposedly good writers (so far, I've read only occasional short stories by most of them, so I cannot really tell); and the format is made of awesome. I mean, novels stylized as TV series, written in monthly episode-like installments complete with DVD extras (cut scenes, etc.) & character blogs? This is just the sort of mixed-media interactive awesomness I like. Moreover, I' m suffering from Criminal Minds withdrawal, and it's common knowledge that Shadow Unit is strongly based on it. Nothing could go wrong, right?
Well, apart from characterization, which is mostly notable in it's non-existence (by the end of the first 50 pages-long installment I still had to rely on profiles to tell the characters apart), it's that "strongly based on Criminal Minds" part I had a problem with. Taking the general premise and twisting it is fine; taking everything, complete with character's style & speech patterns, is never fine, except in fanfic AU land, and Shadow Unit is purported to be original writing, not fic? That might be just a case of mixed expectations (though the writing itself didn't grab me either), but - so not my poison of choice :( Which I'm sorry about, because hello, Criminal Minds withdrawal. Why it cannot be September yet?
Well, apart from characterization, which is mostly notable in it's non-existence (by the end of the first 50 pages-long installment I still had to rely on profiles to tell the characters apart), it's that "strongly based on Criminal Minds" part I had a problem with. Taking the general premise and twisting it is fine; taking everything, complete with character's style & speech patterns, is never fine, except in fanfic AU land, and Shadow Unit is purported to be original writing, not fic? That might be just a case of mixed expectations (though the writing itself didn't grab me either), but - so not my poison of choice :( Which I'm sorry about, because hello, Criminal Minds withdrawal. Why it cannot be September yet?