Why do I write fantasy and sci-fi? Easy, there isn't that much that I need to research in order to make a compelling story. No one can say that a certain alien doesn't look like that or a world can't be like this. Oh sure, there are scientists and people who spend too many hours in the basement of a forgotten building wasting their lives theorizing what aliens might look like or what another planet might be like, but guess what...they're just guessing too.
Here's the reason for my rant. I picked up a book at Barnes and Noble a week ago or so. It looked good. It's called the Sword of the Templars by Paul Christopher. He writes a more tame version of Robert Ludlum or Dan Brown. It's not the best, certainly not the most engaging, but its entertaining I guess. My problem is that within the first 20 pages I found 3 significant errors, no make that 4, that should have been researched better.
The first was he claims that the 3 Infantry Division captured Hitler's home in the Alps, Berchesgarten. Ummm nope. Anyone who doesn't know history and actually watched Band of Brothers should know this one. The 101st Airborne did the deed. 3 ID was nowhere near there.
The next 3 revovle around everyday life at West Point (I know right? Just when I think I break free of that place it sucks me back in.) He has the cadets wearing blue shirts, TAPS is at 10 PM and when the professor steps out of Bartlet Hall he is immediately facing the bleachers on the Plain.
This is why I stick to fantasy. This guy, who the cover claims is a NY Times bestselling author, did not do his research and made too many mistakes. I suppose the common person reading it won't know any better but for those of us who it is a major turn off. If you can't get the facts right, what makes me want to read more??????
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