People who write fiction should do more reaearch.

Joe Bob · Joe Bob's Garage

Just finished the book, "the Hunt Club", by John Lescroart.

OK as an adventure, crime, whodunit....but made a few mistakes.

The hero seems to be able to get a CCW in SF County despite never being an LEO. Um yeah.... they have issued 10 CCWs in 20 years in that county...

The same hero gets popped for not having his new automatic listed on his CCW...is let out w/o with a warning AND gets to keep the gun....sure...like that would ever happen in REAL life....

The anti-hero forgets to "rack a new round" after expending all rounds in the previous clip and inserting a new clip...OK.....

Most autos rack open after the last shot and it's an automatic reflex to slip the release feeding one into the tube....

Sue Grafton...lives in my hometown....she said her hero cocked the hammer back on his Glock....Glock's don't have hammers.....

pwd72s · 01-14-2007, 06:52 PM

It's all in the details. But what do I know? I'm still waiting for a 2.4 '73 S Targa to go 165 mph....

red-beard · red-beard's Garage

I'd be satisfied with non-fiction writers getting the facts correct...but this isn't happening either.

Sonic dB · Sonic dB's Garage

It always impressed me the level of research that a novelist such as Tom Clancy or the late Robert Ludlum put into their novels. It makes the reading so much more of a complete experience...

HardDrive · 01-14-2007, 10:51 PM

A hammer on a Glock......now THERE is a guy who knows his guns.

Try a Sig next time Mr. Lescroart

Hugh R · 11:05 PM

Agreed, but isn't that partly why its called "Fiction"? I say this as I sit down and enjoy my single malt "blended" scotch.

ZOO · 01-15-2007, 02:09 AM

I emailed him about the protagonist enjoying the turbocharged power of his Cooper S. . .

oldE · 01-15-2007, 03:01 AM

I get a few "Huh?" moments from some novels, too. Like the one in (IIRC) a Ludlum book, setting in Italy , Post WW II, somebody is driving a Lamborgini at high speed through the hills! What, a tractor!?? I think this might have been a case where origionally it was written Lancia, but some copy editor 'fixed it'.

Les

Tim Walsh · Tim Walsh's Garage

when it comes to fiction, the one that impresses me the most about accuracy is Neal Stevenson, he must know everything about everything in the geek world.

Isabo · 01-15-2007, 03:39 AM

I hate that kind of error so much that I write to publishers and authors about it. Very few replies.

on-ramp · 01-15-2007, 04:05 AM

that's why it's called fiction.

CJFusco · CJFusco's Garage

Even the most meticulous of authors messes up sometimes. Thomas Pynchon, generally regarded as the most encyclopedic, detailed, prepared novelist of the twentieth century, had ONE flub in his massive GRAVITY'S RAINBOW, as far as I can tell:

At the end of WWII, in Germany, the book's protagonist had to dodge a silver Porsche as he attempted to cross the Autobahn.

Jims5543 · 01-15-2007, 06:56 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by ZOOMiata
I emailed him about the protagonist enjoying the turbocharged power of his Cooper S. . .

Maybe it was a brand new 2007 CooperS? He bought it before anyone else could get one.

Dottore · 01-15-2007, 07:05 AM

And then there's that guy in Ben Hur (the film) who's wearing a wristwatch!

ZOO · 01-16-2007, 03:54 PM

Go figure. I sent an email (see above post) and he emailed back acknowledging his mistake and saying that he loved his Cooper S, and he should have known better.

LakeCleElum · 01-16-2007, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mikez

The anti-hero forgets to "rack a new round" after expending all rounds in the previous clip and inserting a new clip...OK.....

Sue Grafton...lives in my hometown....she said her hero cocked the hammer back on his Glock....Glock's don't have hammers.....

Be tolerant, Glocks don't have clips either....It's called a magazine.