Track of the Cat discussion

Ok, I see a lot of comment son here that focus on the integrity and writing of a book as opposed to the story line and entertainment. So I was wondering what do you read for? Personally I read for the entertainment factor, I don't care how well written it is or if the story line is believeable. I read to escape life and use my imagination so to me a "good book" is one that grabs me and I can't put down!

I am looking for more of these books by Nevada Barr...have read this one and one other...do you have any to trade? Was entertaining without too much blood and gore...

Track of the Cat is an excellent book with well developed characters, solid dialog and a decent plot. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys mystery novels, outdoors adventures and strong women in lead characters. If you like the Tony Hillerman novels, you'll enjoy Nevada Barr's work.

I like many different kinds of books. I enjoy the Anna Pigeon series very much because I like murder mysteries, and you can count on Nevada Barr to do a lot of research on the park setting for each book, too.

I started reading Nevada Barr because we love the National Parks. I've only read the first one so far, but I have the whole series. I like the real settings. I also like murder mysteries and her style of writing definitely suits me.

Entertainment!!! Characters!!!!! Plot!!
Most of the reviews I see that focus on the style, grammar,and punctuation are reviewing indie e-books authors who do not have the advantage of quality editing. In some otherwise pretty good books, the mechanical weaknesses can be severe enough to interrupt the flow and have an impact on the overall enjoyment of the book.

I love most of the Anna Pigeon books, but I wish Nevada Barr would include Anna's husband. I liked his character, and I cannot imagine spending that much time away from my husband. I am behind because our little library does not carry them, so maybe she has included him the some of the more recent books.

I saw yesterday that the newest book is a prequel.

@Jeanie, Too many reviews focus exclusively on grammar, style and punctuation. I think this focus explains why so many dreadful books win book awards. The books are technically well written but are lacking in entertainment values such as well constructed plots or crisp, believable dialog. Some recent Edgar winners, for instance, were simply dreadful novels.

I like to feel challenged when I read a book of ficton.
I also enjoy believable characters and story line.
I read as much for entertainment as I do for what would I do in that situation. I also like the moral and ethics that go with the plot. Good versus Evil.

Some of the Nevada Barr books are a little too gritty for my wife and I, but overall we like the series. I haven't read as many as my wife - I think she has only not read one in the series (Burn).

Regarding comments in reviews about grammar and style, when those elements are terrible I simply cannot enjoy a book. So I do like to know if those problems exist in a work. For example, the style used in Steve Berry's recent "Jefferson Key" ruined any enjoyment I may have had in the story, so much so that I'm not planning on continuing to read books by him.

I admit I gave this one a mixed review. I read for entertainment and this book was entertaining and the stuff about the park was great. Still, i stand by my comment that if you write a murder mystery and you're writing about the person trying to solve the murder mystery, that person should at some point give at least momentary consideration to a logical resolution to that mystery. The main character spent the whole book thinking about who seemed suspicious, which is not an investigation. Means, Motive and Opportunity never crossed her mind or the plot.

To me..a good book is one where I feel like I'm there. I love the characters and feel like I know them. I'm involved in the story...I'm transported to that setting. I've recently started reading Amanda Kyle Williams...and she describes Atlanta so well...I feel like I've lived there. I liked Barr's descriptions of the parks..although as a girl from Ohio I don't know what some of those descriptions are and had to look them up.
As far as grammar and punctuation...I'm a writer too. And I'd never submit something unless I went over every single word and made sure every t was crossed and i dotted. So, maybe that's the author's fault?
The books I don't like to read anymore...are ones that are so gory and graphic that I'm just disturbed while reading it. It's no longer an escape..it's a nightmare.

To me, a good book is one that draws me into the story and holds my interest. Plot & character development,writing style, grammar and punctuation can either play into or detract from the experience, which makees them important only for what they bring to the reading of the story. I can overlook poor editing if the plot and/or characters are intriguing enough.

From writing myself, I know editing is crucial. And even then, there are oversights in well-known publishing companies. Some you can live with. A suspense/mystery is to keep you guessing all of the time. A page-turner is what they call them. You don't want to stop reading until you find out the missing piece of the puzzle. Personally, I agree with not reading the "nightmare" type book. But, we all write differently, and read differently. I was not happy with another of her books, although liked this one very much. I am pretty much a "squeaky clean" and Christian reader.

Editing *is* important. In the "olden days" you sometimes came across a sentence that had been inserted in the wrong place or repeated, left out, that sort of thing. I guess it had to do with typesetting. Now, you find incorrect word choices and know the instant you spot them that a spell/grammar checker was in use and whoever was supposed to be editing the thing didn't catch the errors introduced by the checker. It can be very annoying. That said, you can usually still enjoy the book by sort of turning off your critical eye. Sometimes the book is wonderful--it's just the editing that was poor. I suspect this happens a lot with newer authors--perhaps they're not given the top tier editor...Hopefully on the next go round they get someone who's more attentive.

So, editing is important but it doesn't define the book as good or bad. In my mind, a good book, regardless of the subject, regardless of fiction or non-fiction, has a sort of organic feel to it, a sense that it could not have been written any other way. There is a sense of "rightness" to the work. You simply can't imagine it happening otherwise.

This is what the author aims for-the sense that it *had* to happen this way. The reader doesn't pick holes in the fabric of the text. She or he doesn't mutter "really?" in tones of utter disbelief or worse, "give me a break!" He or she just reads on steadily, never once thinking it could all have happened a different way. Disbelief is happily suspended not reluctantly put slightly aside. And when she or he is done reading there is a sense of satisfaction.

And "that" is what defines a good book regardless of type or genre.