It’s not often that I read a book I don’t really care for, but for some reason want to write a good review about it—sounds a bit counter-productive, I know. However, Scott Meek’s Dying Light was that kind of book.
Although it was well-written, I just couldn’t get my head into the game and I couldn’t put my finger on the reason why. So in an effort to give Dying Light a fair shake, I decided to go straight to the source and see if he could help me figure things out:
Scott, I read Dying Light a while ago and I have to admit that I just can’t figure out how to write the review. Although it was really well-written, I just couldn’t get myself engaged. Maybe it’s because it wasn’t what I was expecting… It seemed less paranormal and more futuristic? Having said that, I thought it was creative and different and for that I applaud you.
It's all good, Renee. It is vampires but I think that might have been a little misleading. I have had a few people say they couldn't review it or they did not know what to say because it just wasn't their thing or what they were expecting, so that is ok.
It’s interesting that you're getting this feedback from others. I think when people see “vampires” they just assume it’s going to be the usual.
It's interesting because I just read a book that I thought was terrific called The Windup Girl, and I realized after I was done with it that it was very much like my book -- lots of characters, lots of storylines that converge towards the end, some language and terms that the reader just had to get used to and delayed development of both characters and stories.
It was a little frustrating at first—I laughed at myself for that –but once I got going (and I have to admit I read 3-4 books at a time, so I didn't stay with it from the beginning), I really liked it a lot. It was slow to start, but once there was momentum, I got hooked. I can't wait to read the next one because just like Dying Light, The Windup Girl was obviously only the beginning of the story.
Your experience with Wind Up Girl sounds EXACTLY like what I was feeling while reading Dying Light. So, how would you classify this book and who do you see as the audience for it?
Who's my audience? I think it's for people who are looking for a complex story and who are looking to have to work a little at understanding everything that's happening. I did go out of my way to not just tell everything, but I did work really hard to make sure that the puzzle pieces fit together.
Is it a mystery? Not really…but kinda. A thriller? Could be. A spy novel? Maybe. Slightly sci-fi. Suspenseful. Some romance. Some horror. If anything, it's 'social science fiction', but I'm putting it out as a sci-fi vampire thriller, or Blade Runner meets Underworld meets Se7en.
I totally agree. I think you just clarified what was bothering me. It was very sci-fi and my mind wasn't expecting that when I started reading... It could be Blade Runner and maybe a hint of Underworld, but that didn't occur to me—Aeon Flux kept popping into my head.
I think that's one of the two issues that have cropped up: people not expecting what they are getting (my fault), and also not getting the whole story (my fault). I really do think it would have been better to put the whole thing out at once, but there were a few things that led to that decision.
I'm learning, though. When part two comes out, I'll have a few hard lessons under my belt and I think I'll be really ready to approach how to market it and the two books (not coming out in parts – ha ha) afterward. I learn by doing, so once I have this all figured out, I will be good to go.
What is the title of the second book and when will it be available?
Part two of Dying Light is scheduled for January 2011. The next book is going to be called Midnight Sun. There will probably be a third book too, depending on what happens in the story -- I'm not that much of a planner and I let my characters kinda go do what they must, so we'll have to see what happens. Plus, I have a prequel planned, which let's us see more of Emily, who is my favorite, and how and why things turned out as they did for her.
Scott, thank you so much for taking the time to discuss this with me. I really think people should read Dying Light and perhaps now they’ll know what to expect and can judge the book on its own merits.
Thanks for talking it out. I am all open to the good and the bad, review-wise—no worries. It's all just lessons to me about how I can tell my story better and how I can have it received.
If you'd like to know more about Scott and Dying Light, you can find them here:
http://www.dyinglightnovel.com
Twitter: @dyinglightnovel
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DyingLight
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Paperback: 236 pages
Publisher: Canonbridge LLC (July 1, 2010)
ISBN-13: 978-1935705079