A review by scherzo
The Guild of Xenolinguists, by Sheila Finch
1.0
If you catch an inspired idea, you're supposed to help it grow and glow not stomp all over it with your muddy cliches.
Yes, after the first story, I too wanted to fling this book across the room. I could only manage to read one story a day and often had to set the book aside for several days before trying again. There is little evidence in these stories that Sheila Finch has studied linguistics or is capable of teaching creative writing.
According to the acknowledgments, she got help "...to rub off the rough edges and think the next thought." YEAH, RIGHT!
Every story is full of irritating rough edges: Confusing overuse of pronouns; weird non-sequitors; blatant ignorance of scientific facts; on and on.
Instead of a "next thought" all the stories re-tread the same ground.
Yes, after the first story, I too wanted to fling this book across the room. I could only manage to read one story a day and often had to set the book aside for several days before trying again. There is little evidence in these stories that Sheila Finch has studied linguistics or is capable of teaching creative writing.
According to the acknowledgments, she got help "...to rub off the rough edges and think the next thought." YEAH, RIGHT!
Every story is full of irritating rough edges: Confusing overuse of pronouns; weird non-sequitors; blatant ignorance of scientific facts; on and on.
Instead of a "next thought" all the stories re-tread the same ground.