[CT] Books to learn from

[Daniel Moran]

John D. MacDonald, of course -- "The Green Ripper" in particular. Though I 
don't know if it's a good place to start reading the Travis McGee series -- 
the problem with it is that it only has one real action scene, near the end 
-- an astonishing one. One of the reasons it works so well is that, over 
the course of the 17 McGee novels preceding it, MacDonald had done a very 
good job of establishing what action looked like in a Travis McGee novel -- 
a desperate fight between two guys, usually ... and there'd be one or two 
or three of those in the course of a novel.

"The Green Ripper" renders McGee as Rambo ... except with an emotional 
weight that's simply devastating.

"I got all the records out of there I could find," I said. "And I looked 
everywhere for that goddamn missing arm. I looked high and low. I can't 
imagine how it hid itself so well." My voice was getting high and thin but 
I couldn't seem to stop. "Somehow we've got to find that damn arm!"

That's as good as it gets ... but you really ought to read 4 or 5 other 
(earlier) books in the series before tackling it. (Including the book 
immediately prior, The Empty Copper Sea -- don't read "Green Ripper" 
without reading "Copper Sea," preferably one right after the other.)

Others whose action work I've admired? The first chapter of Starship 
Troopers works very well. David Gerrold's Chtorran series has some really 
beautiful action sequences -- the Chtorran invasion of a camp full of 
orphans, and its immediate aftermath, is just wrenching stuff. (In A Rage 
for Revenge, Book 3 of the Chtorran series.)

Hell, I just mentioned John Rambo -- how can I forget First Blood? David 
Morrell's novel is a screamer from end to end.

That's off the top of my head a good place to start. Good action writing is 
scarce -- I can name 10 people who do good characterization for every one 
who can write a good chase scene.

At 09:20 AM 7/17/2002 +1000, Tong, Simon wrote:
>Dan, what novels would you recommend for learning to write good action scenes?
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