QR Markham

One blog post (at least) talks about the quality of Markham's book, trying to step beyond the now famous plagiarism issue. BOINGBOING says the book didn't stop being good when the plagiarism was discovered, but the site makes a mistake in attributing the book to Markham. The quality (and I read the first dozen pages and found it very put downable a few weeks ago) didn't change, but this phrase, "Debutante plagiarist Q.R. Markham's temporarily-lauded spy thriller, Assassin of Secrets, is in fact a string of passages lifted from other books" nesses things up royally. The problem is with the use of the possessive. The problem is this isn't Markham's spy thriller. The book isn't his at all really. Not the ideas, not the words and phrases, and, not to be too snarky, even the author photo looks suspiciously like Roy Orbison.

Reluctant Habits has a good review of the cut and paste job Markham carried out. Frankly, I've written novels. I know how difficult it is. I'd rather write one that try to piece one together like this. Can't imagine how it was done. Seems like so much work. Actually, I'd rather write a novel than read all the info gathered on this site on the matter.