Alpo Posted April 11, 2020 Share Posted April 11, 2020 There's a novel. Historical fiction. And I'm reading the little blurb where they are telling you enough interesting stuff about the book to make you want to read it. The protagonist was "a member of Elizabeth I's court". Except in 1570 there was no Elizabeth I. There was simply Elizabeth. And she stayed Elizabeth until 1952 when we got Elizabeth II. I was reading something the other day where it said that Wild Bill Hickok was killed in Deadwood, South Dakota. Except that he wasn't. South Dakota did not exist. He was killed in Deadwood, Dakota Territory. I just wish people could be a little more - correct in what they're writing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yellowhouse Sam # 25171 Posted April 11, 2020 Share Posted April 11, 2020 Yep, Indian Territory and Oklahoma Territory are often used erroneously. There is a difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdeacon Joe Posted April 11, 2020 Share Posted April 11, 2020 If I'm feeling grumpy when I read it, yes. On the other hand, if it is just a teaser, sort of like the abstract of a review, then having it specify which QE's court could be helpful. Heck, if it is an "alternative history" novel, it is possible that someone is time hopping between both courts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpo Posted April 11, 2020 Author Share Posted April 11, 2020 >The author of The Flashman Papers delivers a novel “that’ll stick in the memory for long afterwards” (The Spectator). Margaret is raised as a lady of Queen Elizabeth I’s court. After her father’s murder, she inherits his estate — along with a world of chaos and violence< Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Gauntlet , SASS 60619 Posted April 11, 2020 Share Posted April 11, 2020 Don't see much problem if it's the blurb. If it's in the book, I'm with you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdeacon Joe Posted April 11, 2020 Share Posted April 11, 2020 18 minutes ago, Alpo said: (The Spectator). Margaret is raised as a lady of Queen Elizabeth I’s court. After her father’s murder, she inherits his estate — along with a world of chaos and violence< OK, so that tells me that it is set in the 1500s. If it had read "Raised as a lady of Queen Elizabeth's court" I would be wondering which Queen Elizabeth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpo Posted April 11, 2020 Author Share Posted April 11, 2020 Based on the book cover I don't think I would have thought it was taking place in the latter half of the 20th century. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tascosa, SASS# 24838 Posted April 11, 2020 Share Posted April 11, 2020 Yeah it gets me to not finish a book when an FBI agent gets her Glock out of the glove box in her car and jacks a round in the chamber. Or when some one draws their S&W revolver and takes the safety off. Ive got about 4 half finished books that I refuse to read to the finish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Gauntlet , SASS 60619 Posted April 11, 2020 Share Posted April 11, 2020 I read a good Brit mystery a year or so back that had a big flaw toward the end that messed it up a bit for me. The bad guy holds the girl at gunpoint, with a revolver, for a long time, say a half-hour, while the good guy desperately searches. The lass gazes at the revolver in horrid anticipation as the bad guy pours out all of his malice in a long disquisition. Good guy breaks into the hideout, just as the gunman pulls the trigger. Click! The revolver was empty! You could just- barely- pull that scenario off with a semi-auto pistol. (The bad guy was a toff who didn't know a whole lot about firearms, but he got this one from the uncle's estate, or something like that.) But how do you not know whether a revolver is loaded? And the gal could have saved herself a lot of anxiety. She did look at it for a half-hour, after all. Should have been able to see that it was empty-- at least that several chambers were..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Hombre Sin Nombre Posted April 11, 2020 Share Posted April 11, 2020 I’m guessing 10,000 BC annoys you then Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perro Del Diablo Posted April 11, 2020 Share Posted April 11, 2020 At least Hollywood always portrays firearms in accurate time period Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Lizard Posted April 11, 2020 Share Posted April 11, 2020 3 hours ago, Subdeacon Joe said: OK, so that tells me that it is set in the 1500s. If it had read "Raised as a lady of Queen Elizabeth's court" I would be wondering which Queen Elizabeth. The one that took her head off.... Texas Lizard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Lizard Posted April 11, 2020 Share Posted April 11, 2020 Just now, Perro Del Diablo said: At least Hollywood always portrays firearms in accurate time period If I believe this one then I have some sea shore land for sale in Los Vegas....Want to buy some???? Texas Lizard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawg Hair, SASS #29557 Posted April 11, 2020 Share Posted April 11, 2020 Picky, picky, picky! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Gauntlet , SASS 60619 Posted April 11, 2020 Share Posted April 11, 2020 When movies get gun stuff wrong it's annoying, but it's to be expected. But when Western writers and crime writers do, it's inexcusable. Firearms are an integral part of those kinds of writing, and it's not complicated to get it right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 Posted April 12, 2020 Share Posted April 12, 2020 Many, many things annoy me, the subject of your topic included, but it is not in the top ten. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramblin Gambler Posted April 12, 2020 Share Posted April 12, 2020 The only time this happened to me and made me put the book down, the author claimed that when you breath through your mouth the air goes to your stomach instead of your lungs. This wasn't even a fiction book, it was supposed to be informative. I have had numerous times with mystery type stories where I assumed they had an inaccuracy like this and it turned out to be a clue that was supposed to help you solve the case. I wish I could think of an example, it happens so often that they're not memorable after a few days. I got burned a few times when I was young by over-analyzing mistakes in stories. Got embarrassed in front of the class and missed questions on quizzes. That trained me to ignore things that look like ignorant errors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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