Mouse and Dragon Poll: May Contain Spoilers!
Thursday, October 27th, 2011 11:58 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rolanniThis poll asks you to read something and then answer some questions. Please feel free to leave opinions and observations in comments.
Part One:
Aelliana Caylon has escaped her abusive family. She's found love in her starship co-pilot--a man who turns out to be the leader of Korval, the most powerful clan of the Liaden Universe®. But destiny never intended an easy life for Aelliana. Insidious forces within the empire are determined that a new line of Korval heirs be destroyed and that Clan Korval itself be blasted to interplanetary dust. The fight for the future of the Liaden Universe® is on, and one heroine is determined to protect her family and her soulmate at all costs!
Part Two:
[Poll #1790197]
Part One:
Aelliana Caylon has escaped her abusive family. She's found love in her starship co-pilot--a man who turns out to be the leader of Korval, the most powerful clan of the Liaden Universe®. But destiny never intended an easy life for Aelliana. Insidious forces within the empire are determined that a new line of Korval heirs be destroyed and that Clan Korval itself be blasted to interplanetary dust. The fight for the future of the Liaden Universe® is on, and one heroine is determined to protect her family and her soulmate at all costs!
Part Two:
[Poll #1790197]
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Directing annoyance
Date: 2011-10-27 04:20 pm (UTC)I would direct my comments to the writer, because I would expect they would be more likely to get the publisher to fix the synopsis than I would be, were I to try to figure out who at the publisher to inquire of.
Of course, I would not be surprised or offended if the author said, "Yes, I've been trying to get this fixed too! Please help me out by emailing bigshot@corporate.com."
That would be fine, too. Somehow we went from "direct annoyance" to "direct comments." So it goes.
Would I subconsciously be annoyed by the writer and associate them in my head with inconsistent synopses possibly at the subconcious level? Well, probably to some extent, but what can you do?
no subject
Date: 2011-10-27 04:29 pm (UTC)Also, this is an established series. The first readers of htis book will more than likely be fans, which means they know the basic story. Synopsis writers need to acknowledge this level of familarity. Case in point here, where did the synopsis writer get "the Empire" from? Established readers are going to look at that and cry. Yes, I know its hook to draw in new readers, but how do you suppose they'd feel when they get to the end of the book and ask "Wait, what Empire? You guys lied to me! I'm not going to read another one of these lies."
Possibility of missing a great story
Date: 2011-10-27 04:32 pm (UTC)I tend to think the problem arises because the publishing industry has less folks working in the "trenches" as it were and thus less checks and balances. Maybe I'm naive, but I used to believe that author's once had a chance to review blurbs!
Of course there is the opposite problem: the individual who buys Mouse and Dragon because of the plot synopsis and then is vastly disappointed that it isn't this huge adventure about fighting the forces of evil!
Re: Possibility of missing a great story
Date: 2011-10-27 05:52 pm (UTC)My problem with this synopsis is that it dismisses a major part of the story and approaches significant plot developments as a done deal.
Re: Possibility of missing a great story
Date: 2011-10-27 06:07 pm (UTC)If the synopsis is inaccurate and appeals, then I'll usually fall in the "who cares if it's a good story" camp. If the synopsis leaves out something major that I turn out to hate, annoyance gets directed at publisher for being misleading.
In some ways, I guess it's like cover art. As I understand it, the point is not to be a precise rendition of something from the book. The point is to carry the flavor of the book sufficiently well to attract the people who would like to read it.
Empire, what Empire?
Date: 2011-10-27 04:41 pm (UTC)Anne in Virginia
no subject
Date: 2011-10-27 04:47 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-10-27 04:48 pm (UTC)My opinion of the synopsis included here falls into the 50% correct range -- only because they got the background info correct. But clearly the synopsis writer did NOT read or understand this book -- at least that's my opinion.
I never hold the author responsible -- I know that authors don't get approval rights (usually) to blurbs or cover art.
no subject
Date: 2011-10-27 04:50 pm (UTC)As a fan I probably wouldn't have even read the synopsis but for new readers having this actually reflect the book without giving spoilers is a must.
SPOILERS
Date: 2011-10-27 05:38 pm (UTC)--mf
I distrust the synopsis in general
Date: 2011-10-27 06:01 pm (UTC)Now in this case I got the e-Arc so a synopsis wasn't relevant.
I never blame the writer for cover art or the blurbs about the book.
no subject
Date: 2011-10-27 06:18 pm (UTC)It's backstory, enjoyable for me backstory, but backstory, into a series I've been following for decades, and things blur out.
Theo, on the other hand, did not even have a name until relatively recently, the first time she was mentioned, was her father-who was not definitely identified as her biological father, but as the onagata of her mother--she was identified as the daughter of the woman that Daav was a sort of consort to, with the paternity not a consideration-- thinking thankful thoughts that she was "safely" offplanet from Delgado embarked on a career of piloting. Years later, she showed up live for the first time directly in a scene, at the very tail end of I Dare not long before Meisha Merlin collapsed, and reappeared, as protagonist and in her own right, months later when the authors appealed to the readers saying "~We need your assistance/support if we are to go forward from the cliffhangar all of us have been stuck at, we need your help and funding for us to explore the character, find out who she is and what the drivers behind her arriving breathless at the end of I Dare are~"
Then there were the TWO serialized novels, reading a new chapter almost each week, for most of two years, was it? That majorly reinforced knowing what happened with Theo, and then too, the published editions, which had changes, came out, and then the next book, which built of the -recent- deep deep delving into Theo and her life... Daav was one of the supporting characters list, but his backstory was that--back story. Mouse and Dragon filled out the back story and brought various plot lines forward, that tied into Theo's stories and other stories in the rest of the Liaden books--but Daav's role had retreated for me into the backstory rather than prime forestage-for-the-current-character-list cast, of support characters and as it were character actors, rather than leads to remember....
To me, then, Mouse and Dragon are infrasture, and part of a backstory gestalt--a solid book in its own right, but for -me-, it merged into all that -other- pre-existing structure and became part of the gestalt as opposed to something that I cam remember as a distinct entity--there was too much of it that as with a section of a jigsaw puzzle assembled into a section outside the enclosure of the edges of the puzzle, taking that assembled section and after attending to it for assembly, installing it into the empty section of the puzzle where it fits, is not longer distinguishable separately from the rest of the assembly of the puzzle you installed it into--its become a seamless part of the whole and not distinguishable as an assembly installed into the gestalt.
The Theo stories are more like a diptrych or triptych, where the pieces are distinguisable as individual panels, which are part of an assembled screen of commonality.... set against an associated large tapestry which the screen complements and has obvious content and visual continuity etc. with.
no subject
Date: 2011-10-27 06:19 pm (UTC)As for annoyance with inaccurate/misleading synposes, my irritation involved at least three areas:
a) I dislike false advertising which makes me waste my time on a book which fails to deliver the plot and experiences promised by the synopsis
b) I dislike false advertising which caused me to reject a story as "setting/themes/plots/characters/styles I am NOT interested in and which story I therefore pass by which I would have enjoyed
c) I dislike misleading advertising in general which drives off people who would appreciate the story, and grabs people who are disappointed that what they expected is NOT what the story is--and which they therefore eschew anything else by that author or multiple authors authoring, because they feel cheated due to a bad/inaccurate synopsis which caused them to expect something which was not delivered and which majorly disappointed and annoyed them.
no subject
Date: 2011-10-27 06:19 pm (UTC)I voted that this is about 50% accurate. I mean, Aelli does (eventually) escape her abusive family. Destiny does not intend an easy life for her. She would protect her soulmate and Korval with everything.
The rest of it isn't exactly accurate in terms of the language of the Universe, but.. I guess the empire is Liad, insidious forces are the Agents. On the other hand, the Liaden Universe(r) is not exactly under attack (not in this book anyway) AND I wouldn't know/assume/make the connection to any of these things without having read the main Val Con/Miri line.
no subject
Date: 2011-10-27 07:33 pm (UTC)I therefore expect the synopsis to be only vaguely in line with the actual contents of the story. I passed "annoyed" and into "cynical" a long time ago. With a series book, the synopsis's purpose is to sell the book to people who are new or newer to the series. (The fans probably know all about it already, especially these days.) So I assume that the synopsis will contain the phrases deemed most likely to draw in new readers. The oversimplification required, combined with the overexcited tone of a sales pitch, usually makes me cringe. But if it does bring in new readers, I'm not going to carp too much.
In the case of this particular synopsis, though, I think that it's awfully wide of the mark. I can see writing a summary that plays up an unusual angle to get into a different niche of readers, but I wouldn't use it on the book itself.
Marketing
Date: 2011-10-27 08:53 pm (UTC)Also, a publisher may do well to write synopses that induce readers to buy the book (the publisher's measure of success) rather than enjoy the book.
Like many things in life, some actual data would be interesting. I have no connection to the publishing industry, so can't speak to their practices. In a web based sales environment, it would be quite common to put up two synopses, randomly present them and see which did better. Book jackets are less easy to change than web pages.
Bob
no subject
Date: 2011-10-27 08:34 pm (UTC)If I've never run into the author before, the synopsis is more important. But for the most part, I'm only checking the synopsis when I can't trust the author to tell me a story without putting hedges around what kind of story is ok. In some cases, that's a very friendly thing on both sides, and usually the publisher will make it very easy for me to figure out whether I want a particular book or not before I even get to the synopsis. In others, it isn't friendly at all, and chances are I will stop reading the author sooner or later.
no subject
Date: 2011-10-27 08:41 pm (UTC)As for the content of this synopsis - funny, but while being wrong about all the details, it relays the essence of the book quite accurately: there is determination, desperation, forces and all costs, definitely. Since a synopsis cannot and should not disclose any details anyway, but rather give us the mood and the lexicon of a book - I have that this synopsis does its job. Also we won't thank it for that.
I prefer anime-style synopses, anyway. Those comma-separated lists of keywords like "sci-fantasy, intrigue, drama, get, Liad, Daav/Aelianna". That gives enough of the idea.
:-)
no subject
Date: 2011-10-28 09:19 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-10-27 09:59 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-10-27 10:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-10-27 10:51 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-10-27 10:53 pm (UTC)I'm so grateful to the authors/publishers who provide sample chapters.
I voted WTF
Date: 2011-10-28 12:35 am (UTC)I read synopses (is that the plural?) to determine if I'm interested in reading a book as there are plot lines and types of books I'm just not interested in spending my time on. This one describes a heroine andf situations I'm not much interested in reading more about.
As others have mentioned, I know the authors' work is much richer than the POV expressed in the synopsis; otherwise I'm not sure I'd have bought the book.
no subject
Date: 2011-10-28 06:44 am (UTC)If I'm familiar with an author, I will often deliberately avoid reading a synopsis, to avoid spoilers and to avoid getting a drastically wrong impression of the book.
If I'm not familiar with an author, I might read a synopsis to get a feeling for whether I want to read the book. However, for me the more important test is to open up the book in the middle and read a few paragraphs and see if I like the style. Sometimes I'll read the opening too.
This synopsis of Mouse and Dragon, while somewhat recognizable, fails to convey the tone and themes of the book, in my opinion. Reading that synopsis would not indicate to me that I would want to read the book. It's sort of cheesy and over the top and hints of melodrama about the abusive family. It focuses on Aelliana only, where I think of the book as more of a duet between Aelliana and Daav. It talks about the new line of Korval heirs that must be destroyed, which isn't actually something that is figured out in the book (although certainly Daav's life is in danger, and Aelliana's too.)
The determination to protect her family part is pretty good though. It shows her motivation and subtly prepares the reader for her decision to step in front of Daav.
But I think what I dislike the most about the synopsis is that it makes the story seem more generic than it is, and would make me more likely to dismiss the book if I didn't know anything about it. It fails to capture a sense of any of the many things I like about the book.
no subject
Date: 2011-10-28 09:12 am (UTC)I was oscillating between "annoyed" and "I never read synopses", because my real answer is "On the rare occasions I read a plot synopsis, if it is different from the book then I get annoyed". Also, it depends on the synopsis and when I see it. If it's an outline for a book being written (as pre-publicity from the author, for instance) then no, I won't be annoyed if the book doesn't match it well when it finally comes out. You showed me with Fledgling and Saltation how much that can vary (and thank you for that exercise, I found it and your other posts about writing a very good insight into the process and I'm now a lot less likely to complain about such things). However, if it's "about the book" blurb eithe on the back of the book or on a promotional or sales website (like the Amazon book descriptions) then I may get annoyed if the book turns out to be very different.
To whom would I address such annoyance? The person who wrote the incorrect summary, if that is obvious, otherwise to the place which published it. And, if I am in touch with the author (for instance here) I would probably direct the author's attention to the incorrect blurb in case they want to do something about it (a correction from you to your publisher will probably carry more weight than mine, for instance, and your publisher may then carry more weight with Amazonor whoever). I hope I would suppress the annoyance in such a missive, however, because I know that it's not the author's fault (and even if they wrote it originally they can make mistakes as well as I can).
In general, much the same as a book cover it's a vehicle for advertising, not aimed at the person who already has the book, and my annoyance will usually be that people are being put off by the incorrectness (is that a word? It should be).
I put 100% for the accuracy above, on the basis that as I recall everything in the blurb describes something in the book. Obviously it doesn't describe 100% of the things in the book.
synopses
Date: 2011-10-28 11:17 am (UTC)And cover art is another thing. I don't rely on it, but it might make a difference if I am unsure about the book. Some covers are downright ugly and give a negative impression. Some covers seem to have nothing at all to do with the book.
I was with you until "empire" and then the last 2 sentences went "wait, what?"
Date: 2011-10-28 05:54 pm (UTC)I don't have an LJ account so I can't take the poll.
OK - if it's an author I know, I don't much care about the back of the book. If it's a brand new author, yeah I rely on it a lot.
If it's bad, I blame the publisher - who I assume wrote the blurb. I often don't have
access to the publisher but in this day and age,
I can get their website and email quite easily.
I in fact whined to an editor last Sunday that
it was THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO, not MONTE CRISCO. Fortunately, it was an Review Copy and
can be saved before final publication. I hope.
A bad blurb prevents new readers from buying
and/or reading. The old readers are already hooked.
Lauretta@ConstellationBooks
PS Is this the same person who screwed up Cantra's name?? (I'm waaay suspicious)