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book also has nine chapters:
Fictive dream
Suspense
Characters
Premise
More about premise
Narrative voice
Author-reader contract
Seven deadly mistakes
Writing with passion

Throughout both of these books, Frey provides great examples from films and well-known novels. Frey is obviously a serious student of fiction and craft, but he doesn't pretend that he invented all the concepts he promotes. He peppers his narrative with quotes from authors who came before him.

I'm not a particular fan of writing exercises or chapter summaries, but I do appreciate glossaries and indexes. In Frey's books each chapter ends with a recap paragraph that also serves as springboard to the topic of the next chapter. Readers who appreciate exercises at the end of each chapter may be disappointed, as Frey provides none. The second book provides a helpful index, but the first one does not. Neither book provides a glossary or appendix; however, each book offers a useful bibliography of books about fiction.

In a five-star rating system, these two deserve four stars each. The material covered was well addressed, but the author rambled somewhat on the subject of premise. Critics of the books may note that neither adequately addresses scene and sequel, fiction-writing modes, or setting. Of course, no single how-to book seems to have it all; that's why it's important to read more than just one.

Even though these books are getting to be more than a few years old, much of the information is timeless. Maybe someday the author and publisher will combine the books, update the material, and add topics not previously addressed.

In both of these books, Frey shares his passion for fiction-writing. For example: "To attempt to write a truly damn good novel is to try your damnedest to write a masterpiece." But Frey also puts this challenge in perspective: "Anyone with a passionate desire will succeed if he gives himself to it fully, knuckles down and masters the craft, works hard, has good teachers and reliable readers, learns how to re-dream the dream and rewrite in answer to criticism, and actively pursues the selling of the script in a businesslike manner."

Students of fiction-writing will appreciate both volumes of How to Write a Damn Good Novel for years to come.

To find other useful books about writing fiction, see "Best books about writing fiction"
http://www.helium.com/ tm/233722/books-about-writing- fiction

Learn more about this author, Mike Klaassen.
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