This blog addresses a common problem caused by contemporary authors: Character Bloat. That is, far too many characters than necessary to grasp and enjoy the book.
Let's face it, most of us want to read fiction for the plot and the relaxation. Not get into a headache remembering dozens or more character names, most of which are not central to the story line. The following is a list of books and their characters. These are recent novels I've read, and I am a fan of spy and murder mystery themes.
Anyone is invited to contribute, however, this blog is not just the usual list of characters, most of which can be found by reading book reviews of the publication in question. Those type of lists are tediously sterile and can often detract from chronological order necessary to understanding fast moving scenery by authors with an eye on movie rights. This list is also designed to flag books which have annoying large numbers of characters, and to indicate where in the book the character is first mentioned.
Since the same book can be published in different formats (hardcover, paperback, etc.), I publish the total number of pages, the page on which a character is first mentioned, and the percentage into the book where that name appears. Thus, with a little arithmetic, the reader can locate the general appearance of the name and place it in the proper context.
I have not yet decided on the best format to present this material. I would like it to be alphabetical by book title, but blog programmers don't much like that format.
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