[Update] New novel featuring SC2 available now! - Page 11

On June 24 2011 04:43 KeksX wrote:
Even though it's now smaller, the OP is way better now.
Great reaction! That alone will make the decision easier

On June 24 2011 05:02 ErikaMitchell wrote:


Thanks! I tried to take my cue from the posts here

Now where are the links to Amazon etc.?

On June 22 2011 04:26 ErikaMitchell wrote:

Why should I buy this book?
Three things come to mind:

• It's a good way to help promote eSports

Excuse me if this seems like I'm heckling, but can you please explain how this works?

On June 24 2011 08:49 bulldyke wrote:
female + bad writing + appealing badly to a nerdy niche dominated by men = female with the cluster b narcissistic disorder; characterized by low self esteem but conflicting excessive egocentrism and little empathy, which motivates bursts of intensive study on a male's priority interest, in order to gain an esteem boost from being seen as better or equal than men in that field and as such perceives herself to be far ahead of other women on the desirable-o-meter. if you need more proof than this book, you can confirm this with just a few seconds of research on her person.

I wouldn't care so much about an author's motivations, but this distinct personality disorder often enrages me with their ego-blinded unperceptive attempts at things that their heart isn't in to begin with.


a paste about the disorder:

This personality disorder is characterized by feelings of envy, fragile self-esteem, and behavior that is often seeking approval or admiration. The person usually has little empathy (identification with and understanding of another's situation, feelings or motives) [etc]

Symptoms:
Grandiose sense of self-importance (e.g., exaggerates achievements and talents, expects to be recognized as superior without commensurate achievements)
Preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love.
Believes that they are "special" and unique and can only be understoody by, or should associate with, other special or high-status people (or institutions).
Requires excessive admiration.
Has a sense of entitlement i.e., unreasonable expectations of especially favorable treatment or automatic compliance with their expectations.
Is interpersonally exploitative, i.e., takes advantage of others to achieve their own needs.
Lacks empathy: is unwilling to recognize or identify with the feelings and needs of others. [such as how this book is percieved by veterans of starcraft]

awaiting ban because no mod on tl.net likes an informative post. even when everyone here clearly needs to l2psychology.

On June 24 2011 03:04 PantsB wrote:
I'm having trouble giving an honest response to this without coming off as a dick. Its not that the writing is terrible - there are published works with a similar level of prose. Its not that the concept is too pulpish or seems intended to capitalize on a particular sub-culture, as you can have a good book without great depth or breadth.

Its just that it comes across as... masturbatory. From the first chapter, the main character is a world class Starcraft II player (at least according to the plot summary), a famous novelist and turns down beautiful women as they throw themselves at him. All he needs is a huge dick, a degree from Harvard and MIT and billions of dollars from the inventions he designed while recovering from the wounds that earned him the Medal of Honor.

And "The professionally apathetic barista who slouched behind the register took his money before shuffling over to begin her alchemy on the beans and milk that were her ply and trade" or "People emerged from the void that existed behind his closed eyelids, their conflicts and characteristics wrapped around each of them like cauls" or "Her smooth face, faux-vintage clothes, and haphazardly knitted scarf broadcasted her age well enough that Sean felt confident it would be illegal to serve her alcohol".... that's not good writing, that's what people imagine good writing to be when they are not the ones being subjected to it.

Its like a singer who believes herself to be a diva doing runs and variations demonstrating her great vocal gifts when simply singing the song correctly would create a much better work. You don't have to show off.

Take: "He took atavistic pleasure in imagining her pouting toward his turned back as he left the coffee shop..." You better have a damn good reason for using a word like "atavistic" if you're going to do it. There's few worse habits a writer can fall into than trying to show of vocabulary and not using the word quite right. Perhaps the use was appropriate here... maybe you wanted to emphasize the protagonists sophistication by framing the appeal of the co-ed as primitive and beneath him. But there are enough other examples - "modulated", "defunct", "forthcoming" - of questionably used words that it becomes very distracting.

One more critique is the repetitive sentence construction. "Xing ----, he y'ed" was overused. Its especially questionable in a thriller - past is OK but you're getting into real passive territory here even when your verbs are actually pretty active.

"Turning around, he yanked on the cord that dangled from his window blinds, sending them shooting up to the top of the window in a screaming hurry. ...Grabbing a trashcan from the kitchen, he hefted its bulging bag out of it and replacing it with an empty one. Carrying the can over to his desk, he shot out his arm and swept everything but his laptop into the trash.... After shaking his head like a dog to rid his floppy hair of the rain, he shuffled to the counter and ordered....Sipping the hot coffee, he closed his eyes and slipped backward into the parallel universe he’d begun creating a week ago....She sat backward in her chair, facing him with her arms folded across the top of the backrest. ...She modulated the remainder of her response, striving for the happy medium....He glanced at his watch and leaned down to pack up his laptop, replying as he did,....Tipping her a wink, he said...caught up to him, looking ....lay back and closed his eyes he couldn’t stop his mind from racing through the night’s matches, replaying the mistakes..."

On June 23 2011 03:44 MaestroSC wrote:



... amazing.

"Buy this book, cause it says Starcraft 2 and esports."

Which it looks like some people are willing to buy simply because of your gimmicks, but honestly it is kind of amazing that people are willing to exploit something they love.

Some people say this is promoting esports, I would love to hear how a terribly written, horrendously false, and incredibly misleading book about esports is "good for the scene."

(Honestly I don't see this doing anything to actually affect the scene as the only people who are going to buy it are the 4-5 people who just see "esports!!!!" and buy it simply for that. Anyone without those blinders on will not even make it past the preview pages.)

But at least you are smart enough to say now "Buy it for esports and buy it for team liquid!" increasing your gimmick level in hopes to trick people into buying this.