Re: RARA-AVIS: Re: Definition of Thriller

From: Allan Guthrie (allan@allanguthrie.co.uk)
Date: 09 Feb 2009

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    ----- Original Message ----- From: "JIM DOHERTY" <jimdohertyjr@yahoo.com> To: <rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Monday, February 09, 2009 9:00 AM Subject: RARA-AVIS: Re: Definition of Thriller

    > Al.
    >
    > Re your comments below:
    >
    > "A definition of 'thriller' that excludes vast numbers of recognised
    > thriller writers (Michael Crichton, Alastair McLean, Peter Benchley)
    > seems seriously flawed to me."
    >
    > Who said the correct definition exlcudes them?
    >
    > Didn't Crichton write ODDS ON, SCRATCH ONE, EASY GO, ZERO COOL, THE VENOM
    > BUSINESS, the Edgar-winning A CASE OF NEED, the Edgar-nominated GRAVE
    > DESCEND (recently reprinted by Hard Case), the
    > adapted-into-an-Edgar-winning movie GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY, BINARY, RISING
    > SUN, and STATE OF FEAR?
    >
    > Didn't MacLean write THE SECRET WAYS (aka THE LAST FRONTIER), NIGHT
    > WITHOUT END, FEAR IS THE KEY, THE GOLDEN RENDEVOUS, THE SATAN BUG, WHEN
    > EGIHT BELLS TOLL, PUPPET ON A CHAIN, etc?
    >
    > Didn't Benchely write THE DEEP, THE ISLAND, Q CLEARANCE, and RUMMIES? I'd
    > even count JAWS, since it's essentially a police procedural, though the
    > murderer is an animal rather than a human.
    >
    > "The term 'thriller' can be applied to just about any genre as
    > far as I can see . . ."
    >
    > So can the term "romance," "western," "fantasy," "swords-and-sorcery,"
    > etc. The question is, is a given term being applied CORRECTLY.
    >
    > ". . . and is not the exclusive domain of crime fiction. As long
    > as somebody's trying to prevent something unpleasant -- such as being
    > eaten by a shark in JAWS -- it's a thriller."
    >
    > I've already said that JAWS might just qualify based on its police
    > procedural credentials. But as for "trying to prevent something
    > unpleasant," that's just way too broad. For crying out loud, Lizzie and
    > Mr. Darcy try to prevent something unpleasant in PRIDE AND PREJUDICE (the
    > public disgrace of the Bennets by Lizzie's ne'er-do-well kid sister). Are
    > you seriously suggesting that P&P is a thriller, because , given a strict
    > application of your definition, it qualfies.
    >
    > Given a strict application of the correct definition (which is to say, MY
    > definition) it doesn't.
    >
    > JIM DOHERTY



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