Dan Brown lawsuit over plagiarism claims.

[Teresa Edgerton]

Mine, too.

[jackokent]

What have you got against Dan Brown appart from the fact that he writes rubbish books? To take an earlier analagy I doubt anyone writing about vampires directly references Bram Stoker now.

[Marky Lazer]

But the use of vampires isn't the same as using whole 'scientific' theories...

[jackokent]

That's a fair point. But is he really an "an awful human being" as others have suggested, or is he just being maligned for rather cleverly cashing in and making himself and others a lot of money. I don't really know the details so maybe I should shut up, but it makes me uncomfortable to think that a published theory cannot then be borrowed and absorbed into an obviously fictional work without fear of legal action. I guess I also think there is too much legal action of every sort generally anyway.

I could understand better if it was direct plagarism from one fictional work to another.

[Marky Lazer]

Well, I haven't read the Da Vince Code, or they books of the writers who have this lawsuit against the publisher. But, what I hear is that their theory is pretty much what Brown is using, and therefore he should've refered to them. At least that's what the prosecutors are saying.

[jackokent]

You're probably right, he should have referenced them, and I wouldn't bother reading the Da vince Code, not that you were probably going to.

[Marky Lazer]

I'll probably watch the movie somewhere in March

[Lacedaemonian]

I can only judge the man by his actions. I dont read a book thinking this book is so great because it is markeable to the idiot on the street. I see literature as an art form, an art form that suffers from sleazy hacks like Brown who steal ideas from other people. I despair of this whole saga. Anybody who has read Brown knows that he hacks other people's works, creates a thriller template, throws in a myriad of twists then collects his huge pay cheque. He is Bram Stokers vampyre.

[jackokent]

So you're not a fan?

[Marky Lazer]

Originally Posted by jackokent

So you're not a fan?

What makes you think that

I do, however, have to agree. I also refuse to read books because everyone says it's so great. When a book sells over 30 million copies, I bet my ass that people say they like because it has sold over 30 million copies. All of a sudden people who never buy books, buy the Da Vinci Code, because it already sold 30 million copies. I don't do hypes.

[Lacedaemonian]

The book itself is okay. It is not deserving of any acclaim, however.

[Teresa Edgerton]

It's the kind of book that keeps you turning the pages eager to find out what happens next -- but at least for me, once you put it down and start thinking about it, plot and characterization tend to crumble around the edges. Also, the ending is a bit of a let-down, since once you reach the big revelation there is no place for anyone but a fantasy or science fiction writer (which Brown isn't) to go with it.

[kyektulu]

I saw something about this on the new channel last night, apparently as they are both published by the same company they are effectivly sueing themselves...

A pure publicity stunt.

[jackokent]

Wouldn't it be the writing sueing thier own thier publishers so it's not them sueing themselves... I think.

I didn't rate the book much. The storey was interesting to a point but I found it impossible to care one way or another whether the characters lived or died. I also thought it was full of ridiculous coincidences.

PS my fingers are crossed re your cat. I am sure she will come home. I'd be desperate if my dog went missing so I really feel for you. A cat moved in with me once and stayed for over a month. No one claimed it so I'd sort of assumed it was staying for ever. Then it just up and moved out again. There is always hope that Paprika has done the same thing.

[Lacedaemonian]

Has Dan Brown lost his cat?