The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley

[Misfit]

I still love really long novels - if they're tightly constructed, which seems to be a rarity these days. Even short novels can be too long, if they meander.

I still love a good fat book as well, but it definitely has to have some *meat* on its bones. I believe it's been mentioned elsewhere here that today's publishers have a pretty tight word count and force most authors to stick to it and for the most part that's a good thing. Just so they never do that to Sharon

[Divia]

I loved Mists for the same reason Ash. Women were getting a say. I also enjoyed the Pagan Vs Christianity aspect. I know others hate it, and feel offended, but I loved it.

[Ash]

It was the first novel I remember reading that even touched on early Christian history, whether it made the Christians look bad or not. It made me start doing some searching and reading the likes of Karen Armstrong and Elaine Pagels, and many other novels of the time. So for that alone I am grateful for the book!

[Miss Moppet]

That's a viewpoint that's come up quite often on these older books when *big* was in (just like big hair ). I've been diving a lot into the 70's and 80's books (marked as romance, but there's usually so much more) and it's a common complaint of mine as well.

It's the same whenever long books are in fashion. With books from the Victorian period when publishers wanted every novel to have three volumes because that was what the circulating libraries wanted (because they could rent each volume individually and make more money) you can definitely tell that some writers were padding out their books to make three volumes.

[Misfit]

It's the same whenever long books are in fashion. With books from the Victorian period when publishers wanted every novel to have three volumes because that was what the circulating libraries wanted (because they could rent each volume individually and make more money) you can definitely tell that some writers were padding out their books to make three volumes.

Although I've heard Dumas was paid by the word and I've yet to find him wasting any of them, big as some of his books were.

[fljustice]

It made me start doing some searching and reading the likes of Karen Armstrong and Elaine Pagels, and many other novels of the time.

The "freelance monotheist" -- a former nun who wrote biographies of Mohamed and Buddha! I really enjoy Karen Armstrong's stuff. I've had the opportunity to interview her twice over the years (once, in person, in the famous Algonquin hotel) -- a smart, erudite lady. Ash, if you want to read the interviews, they are available at my website and excerpts on my blog.

[Ash]

Oh thanks for that! I have listened to some interviews of her before (she was even on Jon Stewart's Daily Show) and I found her fascinating (she has a Jewish background as well, which makes the Buddha/Christian/Islam thing all the more interesting). Have you read her bio?

[Michy]

Although I've heard Dumas was paid by the word

I've heard the same thing about Victor Hugo. Which would explain why he digresses so much in his books.

[Ash]

Faith, I went to your website, where do I find the interview?

[annis]

Posted by Misfit

Although I've heard Dumas was paid by the word

Dumas also used "ghostwriters", other authors who would supply him with plot lines, and there's some controversy over how just much they contributed to his work. It seems to have almost been along the franchise model lines used by some series writers today, with the "name author" taking the billing. Don't know how much the ghosts received from Dumas' per word payments--

See this article published earlier this year