(no subject)

[nightmer.livejournal.com]

Hello! My name is Meredith (sad but true). I’ve been an AB fan for about a year, I just reread the series, and my opinion is pretty much the same as everyone else’s regarding new vs old AB. So, a question for you long-term fans:

Even though Danse Macabre is a horrible book and only has two and a half stars on Amazon, and the latest books are ranked similarly, DM seems to be selling well. For a fantasy series, the AB books seem fairly well known. I’ve noticed people saying LKH is only popular now because of the quality of the earlier books, but most people I know identify this series for the porn.

Were LKH’s books selling well before the shift to plotless, repetitive sex? Or did her fanbase only grow in the NiC etc. years? I just worry that she has no incentive to try to recapture the story of the original books if there really are more people who enjoy the current crap. So, thoughts?

Comments

[mneiai.livejournal.com]

I think that the growth in the fanbase was slow, like a wave...the reasons for it started early on, then it built and built, and by the time it was very noticeable the reason it started was already gone. A lot of people have read the early ones and were trying to wait this current trend of really bad, sex oriented stories out, but I think Danse Macabre has disappointed enough people that that's not going to be the case after this.

Also, some of the building fanbase are hardcore romance/erotica readers, I think, who are reading the books simply because they are now being pushed as erotic fiction, too. Which would all be well and good except that, well, I'm a big erotica fan and this is really bad erotica for the published market.

I'm hoping enough people won't bother buying the next books that they'll be a definite, noticeable drop and she'll have to start re-evaluating her writing if she wants to continue living off of it. Wishful thinking, yeah, but I'm crossing my fingers and saying my prayers.

[ladyravana.livejournal.com]

You're not the only one. I'm keeping my fingers crossed too.

And I don't think it looks promising, what with commercials for Dense Macabre being circulated on TV. I get the feeling that will only make things worse. I'm really not an erotica reader, though I do love vampire novels, and really don't mind the odd sex scene sprinkled in what I read.

But LKH...BLEH! Way too much, and not even well-executed. Her sex scenes seriously squick me. I don't even want to pirate a copy of Danse Macabre, I'll stick to Draco's snarked summaries, thank you very much.

Although admittedly, Kim Harrison has restored my faith in the genre. She gives me hope. If you haven't read her, she's good. You should check her out.

And if we're lucky, LKH will come to her senses. Though I'm highly doubtful.

[mneiai.livejournal.com]

See, the thing about the commercials is...in all honesty...have you ever seen any other really popular books pimp themselves out like this? I mean, the authors going on tv shows is normal, but the commercials? Who cares? In my mind it's a case of anyone who wants to read the book would either already know about it or see it during their regular trip to the bookstore and those who they're trying to appeal to through a commercial won't care. Books aren't toys or video games, most people have to physically go and pick them up, read at least a blurb and maybe skim through a chapter. At least, where the longer books in hardcover are concerned.

Also, most erotica fans? Will probably read one or two, get disgusted by the fact LKH writes worse sex scenes than some thirteen year old virgins I know writing fanfics, and go back to their Romance novels.

Still haven't read Kim Harrison, despite the HUGE amount of people I've had rec them. Two reasons...one I'm bored with books, nowadays (I feel like nothing is new anymore), but mainly I'm terrified of giving myself over to another books series that will eventually become a disaster....It's happened too many times, now.

[klmorgan.livejournal.com]

See, the thing about the commercials is...in all honesty...have you ever seen any other really popular books pimp themselves out like this? I mean, the authors going on tv shows is normal, but the commercials?

James Patterson's The Honeymoon, for some reason.

[nightmer.livejournal.com]

I've never seen any books appear in commercial, and it seem very strange. While it probably won't influence many major readers, I wonder if it will get the attention of people outside the genre. I suppose that's the publisher's intent.

mainly I'm terrified of giving myself over to another books series that will eventually become a disaster
I couldn't agree more.

[nightmer.livejournal.com]

I agree there's some good new series in the genre (probably even more due to AB's popularity) but it's sad to give up on a series that was once so great.

[ladymina.livejournal.com]

uhm her bestseller was Obsidian Butterfly - at least I think it was
so that would mean before the fall
might have also been Narcissus in chains, which partially fell into the new abyss but which still had lots of firefights and mystery and dead, and only a handfull of sex scenes

[dwg.livejournal.com]

About the only way that I can explain the way the books are selling of late is this:

When NiC came out, the fans either loved it or were shellshocked and wondered WTF?

When CS came out, there were still people who loved it, but there were others that realised that NiC wasn't a fluke and that OMG NO the series was turning to crap.

Then ID came out, and it had a car-crash effect with the disillusioned ones reading it for the badness, new people realising, WTF? OMG NO, and of course, the x_core group that LOVE EVERYTHING.

And now, DM, driving away even more of the faithful, but suckering in people who just want to read how incredibly bad it is. Oh, and the "hey, the character growth and sex was AWESOME!" set.

Sales won't go down, there's too much of a weird obession to see how bad things can get. But new fans? I don't think LKH is earning many.

Eternal optimist that I am...

[theotherbaldwin.livejournal.com]

..her next book involves Edward, supposedly.

I'm waiting for my wife to finish DM, though I don't have high hopes. If LKH manages to deliver nonsensical-Edward-character-assassination after DM, then forget it, I'm DONE.

[dwg.livejournal.com]

Have you heard about how LKH wanted to bring Edward back? With him calling up Anita for sex ed advice for Peter?

And oh, let's not forget about the Edward "novellite" where Jason and Nathanial come along for the party. *shudder*

[nightmer.livejournal.com]

LKH actually said that's how Edward was going to come back? And I had actually been hoping to look forward to the "novellite" about Edward. I can't believe LKH is even attempting to pass these off as the same characters from earlier in the series.

[rinkori.livejournal.com]

Who wants to bet that Anita decides to teach Peter with a practical hands-on session? *shudder*

It's horrifying, but I don't think I'd put anything past LKH now.

Re: Eternal optimist that I am...

[nightmer.livejournal.com]

Ditto about Edward. He's my favorite character, and though I don't have too much hope, there's always a chance he'll be the same. Though after the way the rest of the characters have been warped, I somehow doubt it.

[darksongtrilogy.livejournal.com]

From the sales info, the New York Times, USA Today, Amazon, et al., Danse Macabre isn't doing as well as ID. ID was the high water mark for LKH's sales (definitely not for quality) and DM hasn't come anywhere near it. DM entered the NYT list at #2, where ID was #1, and DM is falling more rapidly. LKH has gained some fans since NiC, and lost many since ID. ID was the book that pretty much convinced the old fans that the pre-NiC Anita was not coming back. DM got some of the train-wreck readers and most if not all of the "Hurrah for p0rn!" readers, but as others have said--this isn't particularly well-written erotica, and LKH is a fool to try to base her career on it. It's all downhill from here.

[sinonada.livejournal.com]

ID never made number 1. It was 2 then 6 and then off the top 10.

Locus Mag Info (http://www.locusmag.com/2004/Monitor/Bestsellers1011.html)

DM actually seems to be doing better when looking at the numbers, although this stuff can't be completely trusted because of relativity to other books released at the same time. Entering at 2 and staying at 4. Same with USA today. ID debuted at 6 then 22. DM debuted at 3 then 18.

I have a feeling that LKH has found a new audience that loves the "sex" and all hope is lost, unless DM is the book that breaks the camel's back. It is on its second print though, so that isn't helpful either.