Re: Dan Brown helps us play HeroQuest 2

From: L C <lightcastle_at_...>
Date: Thu, 24 Sep 2009 09:45:15 -0400

While I enjoy bashing Dan Brown as much as the next guy (if not more), I'm going to partially defend him here. One can make the argument that they are there to add character and colour to the people. Of course, since this is Dan Brown... not so much. ^_^

(And if that's the Professor Pullum I think it is, from Language Log, I am sure he has even more to say on the subject.)

Now, as examples of problematic HQ2 augments, I'd certainly agree they are a fine example of details that add nothing to the action at hand and therefore should not get any bonus.

LC

Matthew Cole wrote:

>No. 7 and No. 6.
>The Da Vinci Code, chapter 33:
>"Pulling back the sleeve of his jacket, he checked his watch - a vintage,
>collector's- edition Mickey Mouse wristwatch that had been a gift from
his parents on his tenth birthday."

>The Da Vinci Code, chapter 6:
>"His last correspondence from Vittoria had been in December - a postcard
>saying she was headed to the Java Sea to continue her research in
>entanglement physics... something about using satellites to track
manta ray
>migrations."
>
>The Telegraph journalist points out why the augments are bad:
>
>In the words of Professor Pullum: "It has the ring of utter
ineptitude. The
>details have no relevance to what is being narrated."