Minor Rant

A while ago I believe I reviewed the book 8th Confession by James Patterson. I was grateful for the fact that the rather pointless side plot that has been going on through several of the books and involves Lindsay fancying two men at once was finally at a close. Having looked at the blurb for the ninth book, it appears this side show surfaces again. I can all but promise I won't be reading the newest one if that's what's going to happen. It's almost as annoying as the side plot in the otherwise brilliant (or at least, the three that I've read are otherwise brilliant) Steven Dunbar thrillers by Ken McClure (more on that later) which have a different and rather pathetic female character showing up in the side lines for the main character to talk to and express his frustration at the case with etc. Why is it that writers seem to think they need to throw in such an extensive side plot, which has nothing to do with the main thriller plot line? I can understand it, I suppose, in the Ken McClure ones. It really is just a side plot, and it's not too bad. But the James Patterson side plot is growing to ridiculous proportions. Enough already, just let Lindsay marry the man of her dreams and get on with life. Or stop wasting space on the romance side altogether. There does not have to be a love interest in every single story. I acknowledge freely that most books do have some sort of romantic thing going on in the sidelines, but do they really have to start leaping into bed with people at every turn?! Thinking about it, I will confess that I've only written one story which has absolutely no love interest for the main character. However, in the vast majority of my own books it does not take centre stage (except for the historical romance, for obvious reasons...).

I'm sick to death of James Patterson's obsession with sex. You find it in the vast majority of thriller books to be honest. And I can't even get away with just reading older books, because then you end up with really really pathetic women characters. So there we go. My rant about the state of thriller books is now over. But you can (I hope) see why I'm annoyed. When I started reading adult books--ran out of children's ones--I discovered that some of these books were in the adult section for a very good reason, and actually found it quite embarrassing. One thriller writer who has not used sex or even much romance (worries me that I can only think of one off hand... oh, no, I can think of two): Matthew Reilly, and David Gibbins. There we go. I said the rant was over... It is. Promise :)