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Nada The Lily Q5 - Writing
The novel is written in the first person past for the most part, though sometimes action is related in present tense. What did you think about the writing? Would you read any more by Haggard? Haggard was very influential on both Kipling and Tolkien, among others. Does he deserve this?
Comments
I will definitely read more Haggard - I've collected a bunch of his books, some of which sound very intriguing, and I like Victorian fiction in general. Eric Brighteyes is supposed to be very good. The People of the Mist and Morning Star both intrigue me, though they aren't listed among his best books (Nada is). And I've never read She, yet, so I want to read that. There's also The World's Desire written with Andrew Lang, which is supposed to be a classic of something, and When the World Shook (an early story of aliens landing) which I did once on audio but would like to read again in print.
But that said, I do think both Tolkien and Kipling were better writers. And more imaginative.
As mentioned in another thread, I have been reading several of his books over the last few months and am enjoying them. I suspect that I'll want a rest from them after a while, and will then revisit at some stage - I don't think he's the kind of author I can just go on reading indefinitely! But having not read anything of his before it has been a real discovery.
I didn't like the writing. It seemed both dull and laboured. There were big chunks of exposition that didn't seem to serve much purpose in either moving the story or setting the scene. If the book had been edited down to something like half the length, it would have been better.
I'm surprised I didn't like this. I've read King Solomon's Mine and I recall I enjoyed that. I don't know what's different about this book.