| Researcher | Author: Title | |
| Kate Caples | Sheldon, Sidney: Rage of Angels | |
| Assignment 1: Bibliographic Description | ||
| 1. First Edition Publication Information | Sidney Sheldon. Rage of Angels. New York:
William Morrow and Company, Inc., 1980 (hard back) Published simultaneously in London: Harper Collins, 1980. (hard back) | |
| 2. First Edition in Cloth, Paper, or Both? | First edition published in cloth in both US and UK
by William Morrow and Harper Collins. Additional staggered publication of paperbacks by Harper Collins, Fontana, Warner Books, and William Morrow and Company, Inc. | |
| 4. Pagination | 252 leaves: [1-8] 9 [10-14] 15-329 [330-332] 333-504 | |
| 5. Edited and/or Introduced? | Not edited or introduced | |
| 6. Illustrated? | Not illustrated. | |
| 8. General Appearance | The print is medium sized and clear, with no smudges.
Quite easy to read. The ivory cardboard cover is very sturdy and seems to have held up well. However, the binding did not do as well and has been reinforced with clear packing tape. It appears that there used to be a dust-cover which is no longer available. The current hard cover is extremely dirty and the spine is covered with a cream colored cloth. The title is only printed on the spine and is laid on and not imprinted in silver type, title over author. | |
| 10. Description of Paper | Uniform paper stock used without. The paper itself
is not particularly thick, but relatively smooth. The pages themselves are yellow in color and appear to have held up well. They have aged by turning more yellow at the edges. | |
| 11. Description of Binding | There is no longer a dust-jacket, only a very thick,
cardboard cover with a sand grain muslin spine. The title is only printed on the spine, leaving the front and back completely blank. There are no stampings or illustrations on this edition. The pages have been gathered together by a thick band of glue and then attached by sewing tapes and black end papers. The glue has broken in two in this copy, splitting the book in two. | |
| 12. Title Page Transcription | Front:
RAGE/OF/ANGELS By/Sidney Sheldon WILLIAM MORROW AND COMPANY, INC. New York 1980 Back: Copyright : 1980 by Sidney Sheldon All rights reserved. Library of Congress Cataloguing in Publication Data Sheldon, Sidney. Rage of angels. I. Title PZ4.S5439Rag [PS3569.H3927] 813'.54 80-13328 ISBN 0-688-03687-2 Printed in the United States of America First Edition 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 | |
| 14. Manuscript Holdings | Don't know. | |
| 15. Other | Dedication [7]:
This book is dedicated with love to Mary The Eighth Wonder of the World Introduction and Thanks by Sheldon, page 9. Quote from Dialogues of Chios, from which the title came. "ÖTell us of the secret host of evil, O CimonÖ" "Their names may not be spake aloud lest they profane mortal lips, for they came out of unholy darknesses and attacked the heavens, but they were driven away by the rage of angelsÖ" Book separated into Book I and Book II. Sixty-four chapters/35 lines per page. | |
| Assignment 2: Publication History | ||
| 1. Other Editions: | London: Harper Collins,1980. Paperback Edition. 504p.; 22cm
New York: William Morrow, 1980. Book Club Edition. 362p.;22cm New York: William Morrow, 1980. 6th Edition, Hardback. London: Harper Collins, 1980. Large Print Edition.504p.;18cm. | |
| 4. First Edition printings or impressions? | London: Harper Collins, 1990. Paperback Edition.
London: Harper Collins, 1993. Paperback Edition. New York: William Morrow, 1990. 4th Print, Hardback. New York: William Morrow, 1980. 3rd Print, Hardback. | |
| 5. Editions from other publishers? | New York: Warner Books, 1980, 1983. Paperback. 504p.;18cm.
London: Fontana, 1980, 1990. Paperback. 512p.;18cm. Leicester: F.A. Thorpe, 1980, 1981. Large Type. 596p.;23cm. Leicester: Charnwood, 1980, 1981. 596p.;23cm. London: Pan Books, Ltd., 1980. Paperback. 383p.;18cm. Leicestershire, Eng.: F.A. Thorpe, 1981. Large Print Ed. 596,(1)p.;22cm Leicester, Eng.: Charnwood, 1980, 1981. Large Print Ed. 596p.;23cm. New York: Warner Books, 1980, 1981. 504p.;18cm. Oxford: Compass, 1999. Large Print Ed. 1v. | |
| 6. Last date in print? | Oxford: Compass, 1999. | |
| 7. Total copies sold? | According the the January 27, 1981 issue of Publisher's
Weekly, more than 350,000 copies were sold in hardcover, though neither the year nor the publisher are identified. According to the June 27, 1980 issue of Publisher's Weekly, there were more than 150,000 copies in print after three printings, though the publisher was not identified. These were the only statistics that I was able to find regarding copies sold. | |
| 8. Sales by year? | Don't know. | |
| 9. Advertising copy: | Rage of Angels was first mentioned in Publisher's
Weekly in June of 1980, one month prior to its set publication date, July 8. This was the first time that this book was mentioned on the Bestsellers List. No other ads were found prior to this date. The first and only ad I was able to find was January 27, 1981 issue of Publisher's Weekly. There was a full three- page spread; the first page was a photo of the cover art, the second included reviews from The Washington Post, New York Daily News, Boston Herald American, Washington Star, John Barkham Reviews, The Los Angeles Time Book Review, as well as a brief plot synopsis and character descriptions. The third page details the $200,000 Advertising Campaign behind this book's success. The review from The Los Angeles Time Book Review appeared as follows. "RAGE OF ANGELES is a chilling consid- eration of the price a person pays for power-outside and inside the law." - The Los Angeles Time Book Review The following is a portion of the third page in the January 27, 1981 issue of Publisher's Weekly: SIDNEY SHELDON RAGE OF ANGELS A Number 1 Bestseller! Six Months on all National Bestseller Lists An International Bestseller in 20 Countries! 350,000 Copies Sold in Hardcover! Warner's Inital Printing: 2.5 Million Copies! A Literary Guild Main Selection Backed by a $200,000 Advertising Campaign | |
| 11. Other promotion? | According to the January 27, 1981 issue of Publisher's
Weekly other promotion for this book included CBS, NBC, and ABC Network radio which reached an audience of 80 million listeners. In addition, the ad mentions that Major Market radio was used in such cities as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Fransisco, to name a few. Transit Advertising was also used in New York, Los Angeles, Washington, Boston, and Chicago. A "special book bag for retail giveaways" is mentioned, though what it is is unclear. Posters and streamers, special shipping cartons, and a special Perma-Display (36 copy floor unit) which is shown in the ad, are also mentioned. | |
| 12. Performances in other media? | Venganza de angeles. Studio City, CA: Dove/Morrow Books,
on Tape, 1993. 2 cassettes in Spanish (166min.) Venganza de angeles. Mexico, D.F.:Distribuido por Productora de Teleprogramas, S.A. de C.V., 1993. 2 cassettes in Spanish. (166min.) Rage of Angels. Eatontown, N.J.: StarMaker Entertainment, Inc., 1992. 1 video (187min.) Video release of 1983 motion picture by National Broadcasting Co., Inc. Original TV miniseries "1111". Writer, Robert L. Joseph. Producers, John Furia Jr., Barry Oringer. Exec. Producer, Sidney Sheldon. Director, Buzz Kulik. Starring: Jaclyn Smith, Ken Howard, Armand Assante. Rage of Angels. Eatontown, N.J.: StarMaker Entertainment, Inc., 1992. 2 videos (187min.)Same writer, producer, executive producer, director and stars as above. Rage of Angels. Studio City, CA: Dove/Morrow Books on Tape, 1986. 2 audio cassettes. (144min.) Rage of Angels. Burbank, CA: RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video, 1986. 2 Beta videos. (192min.) Rage of Angels. Beverly Hills, CA: Dove/Morrow Books on Tape, 1986. 2 audio cassettes. (144min.) Rage of Angels. Albuquerque, N.M.: Newman Communications, 1986. 2 audio cassettes. (144min.) Rage of Angels. Burbank, CA.: RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video, 1983, 1986. 2 VHS videos. (192min.) Rage of Angels, the story continues. Eatontown, N.J.: StarMaker Entertainment, Inc., 1992. 2 videos. (190min.) "Original TV miniseries" "1112". Not rated. Writer, Robert L. Joseph. Producer, Ron Roth. Director, Paul Wendkos. Starring: Jaclyn Smith, Angela Lansbury, Ken Howard, Susan Sullivan, Michael Nouri. - Six years have passes since the conclusion of Rage of Angels. Jennifer Parker has become a high- powered New York attorney and the still-married Adam Warner has been elected Vice President. Although separated, they are still united by their love, an illegitimate child, and vengance from Michael Morretti's brother. Rage of Angels, the story continues. Eatontown, N.J.: StarMaker Entertainment, Inc., 1986, 1992. 1 video. (187min.) Televised in 1986. Not rated by the MPAA. Writer, Robert L. Joseph. Producer, Ron Roth. Director, Paul Wendkos. Starring: Jaclyn Smith, Angela Lansbury, Ken Howard, Susan Sullivan, Michael Nouri. | |
| 13. Translations? | Jennifer, ou, La fureur des anges. Paris: Denoel, 1981.
611p.; 18cm. [French] Tenshi no ikari. Tokyo: Hayakawa Shobo, 1987. 2v., 15cm. [Japanese] Thien than noi gian. Ha Noi: Lao Dong, 1997. 2v., (318, 334p.); 19cm. [Vietnamese] Tenshi no jritsu. Tokyo: Akademi Shuppan, 1996. 2v., 20cm. [Japanese] Gnev angelov; Mel?nitsy bogov. Moskva: AST: Novosti, 1998. 587p.; 21cm. [Russian] La rabbia degli angeli. Milano: Sperling Paperback, 1989. 1st and 7th edition Sperling Paperback. 459p.; 20cm. [Italian] Khashmi-i firishtigan. Tihran?: Intisharat-i Kushish, 1997. 511p.; 22cm. [Persian] Ch'onsa ui punno. Soul: Ch'ongmok, 1988. 477p.;23cm. [Korean] Angyalok duhe. Hungary?: I.P.C. Konyvek, 1989. 507p.; 19cm. [Hungarian] A furia dos anjos. Portugal: Publicacoes Europa- America, 1992. 432p.;22cm. [Portuguese] Venganza de angeles. Barcelona: Emece Editores, 1980. 449p.;18cm. [Spanish] Gniew aniolow. Gdansk: Phantom Press Int., 1993. 414p.; 20cm. [Polish] Ch'onsa ui punno. Soul: Pomusa, 1994. 528p.;23cm. [Korean] Gnev angelov. Moskva: Novosti, 1994. 367p.;21cm. [Russian] Tenshi no jiritsu. Tokyo: Akademi Shuppan, 1994. 2v.; 20cm. Venganza de angeles. Barcelona: Emece Editores, 1980, 1993. 449p.;18cm. [Spanish] Venganza de angeles. Barcelona: Emece Editores, 1980, 1994. 449p.;18cm. [Spanish] Zorn der Engel: Roman. Munchen: Blanvalet, 1989. 440p.;21cm. [German] Enkelten raivo. Helsingissa: Otava, 1981. 319p.;22cm. [Finnish] Hellig vrede. Oslo: Hjemmets, 1981. 383p.;23cm. [Norwegian] Ch'onsa ui punno. Soul: Ch'ongmok, 1991. 414p.;23cm. [Korean] Gnev angelov: Mel?nitsy bogov. Moskva: AO"Tsitsero, 1993. 635p.;ill.;21cm. [Russian] Bes angelov. Opatija: Otokar Kerlovani-Rijeka, 1983. 419p.;21cm. [Serbo-Croatian] La rabbia degli angeli. Milano: Edizione Club, 1982. 459p.;20cm. [Italian] Tenshi no ikari. Tokyo: Hayakawa Shobo, 1982. 409p.; 20cm. [Japanese] Gnev angelov. Moskva: Novosti, 1993. [Russian] Sarang ui ch'onguk. Soul-si: Onul, 1991. 582p.;23cm. [Korean] T'ien shih chih nu. T'ai-pei: K'ochushu fang, 1991. 496p.;21cm. [Chinese] Ch'onsa ui punno. Soul: Ch'ongmok, 1990. 414p.;23cm. [Korean] Zorn der Engel: Roman. Munchen: W. Goldmann, 1980. 414p.;19cm. Paperback. [German] Sarang ui chongmal: [Ch'onsa ui punno]. Soul: Chiwonkihoek, 1990. 487p.;23cm. [Korean] Ch'onsa ui punno. Soul: Munhwa Kwangjang, 1988. 426p.;23cm. [Korean] A ira dos anjos. Rio de Janeiro: Editora Record, 1980. 418p.;21cm. [Portuguese] Rage of Angels Korean. Seoul: Jeon Yae Won, 1981. 456p. T'ien shih chih nu. Tai-pei shih: Hao Shih nien ch'u-pan-she: Ts'ai Lang-ya fa hsing, 1980. 538p.;19cm. [Chinese] La rabbia degli angeli. Milano: Sperling and Kupfer, 1981, 1984. 459p.;20cm. [Italian] Jennifer, ou, La fureur des anges: roman. Paris: Donoel, 1981. 440p.;23cm. [French] Zorn der Engel: Roman. Munchen: Gruenwald, 1980. 504p.;18cm. [German] Venganza de angeles. Buenos Aires: Emece Editores, 1980. 415p.;20cm. [Spanish] | |
| 14. Serialization? | N/A | |
| 15. Sequels or Prequels? | Sequel in film only:
Rage of Angels, the story continues. Eatontown, N.J.: StarMaker Entertainment, Inc., 1986, 1992. 1 and 2 videos. | |
| Assignment 3: Brief Biography | ||
| Sidney Sheldon's successful career as screenwriter, producer,
playwright, and author is a very well known one. From his humble beginnings in Chicago, Illinois as bookworm and one-time poet to his Oscar,Tony, and 16 bestsellers over the age of 50, Sidney Sheldon has not let up (ss.com). Though his success was not a garauntee from the beginning, being turned away from the gates of all the major film studios in his early yearnings of being a screenwriter to seven different publishers turning down his first novel, The Naked Face, Sheldon has perservered (lycos). Sheldon has been given the dubious distinction of being one of the only authors to "appeal to ordinary people in all parts of the globe" with his works being translated into over 51 different languages (suntimes). He once recounted a visit to a Morrocan square where he witnessed the power of the village story- teller. Sheldon says of him, "That's great, that's exactly what I'm doing, but on a much larger scale" (suntimes). Sheldon always writes with the reader in mind and an authenticity that even some of his critics find hard to deny. "I will not write about a meal in a restaurant anywhere in the world...unless I've had that meal" (lycos). For example, his fourth bestselling novel, Rage of Angels, involves a young, female attorney in Manhattan whose career is foiled by the Mafia (ss.com). Sheldon states on the opening pages of the book that he recieved invaluable help from people like the Honorable Wm. Matthew Byrne, of the United States District Court, Mary de Bourbon of the New York District Attorney's office, Phil Leshin, former Assistant Commissioner for Public Affairs of the New York City Department of Correction, etc (roa). His research is vast and real. Some critics, like Joseph McLellan of the Washington Post, for example said of Rage of Angels, "Craftmanship is the keynote, as a matter of fact, in this novel that ticks along like an intricate, beautifully designed piece of clockwork, full of characters and incidents that are usually interesting even if they are slightly unreal" (galenet). Though some critcs state, "Being Sidney Sheldon means never having to say you're writing" (galenet). One mistake made in a previous entry on Sidney Sheldon is that only two of his books, Bloodlines and The Other Side of Midnight, are based on true events/people. While this may be true for these two books, Rage of Angels, while its "characters and events... are fictional. The background...is real" (roa). Based on a fictional courtcase, the information about the interworkings of the criminal justice system of New York are real. Sheldon's power as a consistent blockbuster writer was evidenced most clearly in his ability to give his publishers, William Morrow and Company, a three word idea, female criminal attorney, and get a large advance to begin work (universal). Without a doubt, Sheldon is a winner with the public. Rage of Angels spent 18 weeks at number one in 1980-81 and 42 weeks on the lists (ss.com). In his 25 years as a bestselling author, Sheldon's books have been banned, burned, and branded as "immoral" by people such as Jerry Falwell and Reverend Tom Williams(ss.com). It wasn't Rage of Angels's controversial implicaitons about the Mafia or the New York Criminal Justice System that gained criticism by the fans, but the death of a young boy. For example, Sheldon recounts in an interview that a woman wrote him saying,"Call me, how could you do this? I can't sleep" (universal,lycos). Sheldon said that it got so bad that, in the miniseries that he produced, he had to let the boy live (universal)! His choice to be the executive producer of the miniseries version of Rage of Angels was not for the money, but rather "because [he] want[ed] to finally see one of [his] works become a quality film" (cb), though his role is generally confined to overall script approval (galenet). The affect that Rage of Angelshas had on the public is amazing. Sheldon recounted another story of a woman approaching him in the Russian Tea Room while he was having lunch to tell him that she had become a lawyer because she had read Rage of Angels (universal). For Sheldon, these personal connections with his readers are the most rewarding (universal). Even his critics had to agree. New York Daily News, "Sheldon's novel is first-rate." Dallas Morning News, "Sidney Sheldon's newest novel may be his best by far. For a writer of Sheldon's dimensions, that is saying a great deal" (ss.com). **************************************** Sources: 1. sidneysheldon.com (ss.com) 2. Lycos Chat Transcript: Sidney Sheldon (lycos) 3. Current Biography, 1980 (cb) 4. Gale Literary Databases: Biography Resource Center (galenet) 5. www.geocities.com (geocities) 6. Rage of Angels, first edition (roa) 7. Sunday Times (suntimes) 8. www.universalstudios.com/unichat (universal) | ||
| Subsequent Reception: | ||
| Sidney Sheldon's power as an author is indisputably positive, however, how his
novels are recieved by his public and critics has never been quite so easily categorized. Many of his critics "scoff at the predictability of the action and the sentimentality of the stories" calling his works "paperback soap operas" (Sunday Times), "potboilers" and "airplane reading" (Contemporary Authors Online). Charles Champlin of the Los Angeles Times commented that Sheldon's works "evidently satisfy...everyone except most literary critics, who regard popularity and quality as incompatible" (Contemporary Authors Online), to which Sheldon replies, "What am I supposed to do? Drive down my readership so my sales will be low enough to make me critically respectable?" (Sunday Times). Most of his critics fault his plots as too fast and his characters as unbelievable, saying they're "more like a movie[s] than a book" (Contemporary Authors Online). However, his research and accuracy have never been faulted, and the work done on Rage of Angels is detailed and places us inside the courtroom drama of Jennifer Parks, another one of his blonde, female heroines. However, not all of his critics fault Sheldon's writing in such blatantly negative terms. Backhanded complimenting seems most common and comes from the likes of Carol E. Rinzler of the Washington Post, who is quoted as saying, "There aren't a whole lot of writers around who can be depended on to produce good junk reading time and time" (C.A.O.), or Rory Quick of Washington Post Book World who said, "When it comes to novels, Sidney Sheldon is living proof that quality trash is not an oxymoron...Sheldon's position as America's trashmeister remains secure" (C.A.O.). Rage of Angels can be no exception, having also recieved the Number One Bestseller slot and holding it for 18 weeks. Of course, there are the select few who outright praise Sheldon's work, though they number far less than his critics. Joyce Slater of Chicago Tribune calls Sheldon "a storyteller in the oldest, best tradition" (C.A.O.). In specific reference to Rage of Angels, the New York Daily News said, "Sheldon's novel is first-rate." The Dallas Morning News commented, "Sidney Sheldon's newest novel may be his best by far. For a writer of Sheldon's dimensions, that is saying a great deal" (www.sidneysheldon.com). For contemporary praise, a January 27, 1981 issue of Publisher's Weekly ad displayed this quote from the Los Angeles Times Book Review, "Rage of Angels is a chilling consideration of the price a person pays for power-outside and inside the law." The biographical essay written on Sheldon in Contemporary Popular Writers describes Sheldon as "telling a fine, well-crafted story...once begun, the books are hard to put down, and his years as a writer of fast-moving plots for film and television is apparent in his fiction writing; his quick scene changes, interesting characters, and exotic locales are as addictive as salted peanuts." However, the article goes on to say that his books are light reading whose stories are quickly forgotten. It seems that the response by critics has been mixed with more bad than good. ***************************** SOURCES: 1.Biography Resource Center. "Sidney Sheldon." Contemporary Authors Online. The Gale Group,1999. 2.Biography Resource Center. "Sidelights." Contemporary Popular Writers. St. James Press, 1997. 3."Sunday Times." November 1, 1998. Lifestyle. 4.www.sidneysheldon.com 5.Publisher's Weekly. January 27, 1981. | ||
| Assignment 5 | ||
| Critical Essay: | ||
| Sidney Sheldon's success as an author only followed on the
footsteps of his illustrious career in film and television, as producer/screenwriter and creator of the widely popular I Dream of Jeannie. This career afforded him the honors of an Oscar, a Tony, and an Emmy. Rarely can anyone say that they have been honored with such prestigious awards in so many fields. His very public success in film and television helped to set the scene for his jump into novel writing. Whether he would have made it as a novel writer had he not been so successful and in the public eye for so long already, one can never tell. Initially, Sheldon was rejected by seven publishers, but he persevered and his eventual success is obvious. Similarly, Mary Higgins Clark (While My Pretty One Sleeps) "over six years, she attempted to sell her first story and saw it rejected forty times" (Eubanks). She persevered as well and is a top best-selling novelist as well. There can be no doubt that Sheldon's public personae helped to launch his newest endeavor as novelist. There are many bestselling authors whose names have helped to keep them at the top of the lists; Stephen King, John Grisham, Tom Clancy, James A. Michener. All of these authors, including Sheldon, have been able to enjoy continual success with later novels simply because their names were attached to them. In a review of one of Michener's works, "Gaining fame through these initial works, Michener was able to capture an audience, and after a period of time the quality could deteriorate as long as his name was attached to the work" (Butt). Sheldon's ultimate success with The Naked Face, his first novel and winner of the Edgar Allan Poe Award for mystery writing helped give an edge to his third book, Rage of Angels, which spent 18 weeks as #1 on the bestseller list. Sheldon's career in film and television was also important because it gave him the experience and authority he needed to oversee the production of the film version of Rage of Angels in 1992. Much like Sheldon, Jackie Collins was the executive producer of the miniseries that spun off of her novels Hollywood Husbands and Hollywood Wives. Being so closely tied to the production of these films/miniseries allowed these authors to see that the integrity of their work was not compromised. However, it is not just the recognition of the personae of the author that makes a book a bestseller. By the time Rage of Angels arrived, Sheldon had proven himself to be a successful and ingenious author. All of his novels are filled with fast-paced sexual intrigue and behind the scenes looks into heretofore unknown territory. Rage of Angels fits perfectly into this model. Jennifer Parker is the blond, extremely intelligent and talented attorney, our female heroine. Similarly, Jackie Collins (Hollywood Wives) is known for writing about "women who can be seen as role models, who take charge of their lives, and who play the game a man's way" (Beisswanger). The injustice brought upon Jennifer Parker from the beginning seems to be career ruining however, through her wits, cunning, and perseverance she is able to prove the public wrong. Through Parker we are given the insider's look into the criminal justice system of New York City. Sheldon himself thanks many attorneys, judges, and DAs for their help in researching this book. What Sheldon could never have known in such detail on his own, he made sure was verified and given to him by those in the know. This commitment to detail and accuracy gives Sheldon novels an authenticity rarely seen in such "airplane reading" as his contemporary, Danielle Steele. However, authors like Martin Cruz Smith (Gorky Park)and Jean M. Auel (The Valley of Horses), are praised for their research and detail (Collins, Boone). "Since 1972, Smith had been working on a detective story set in Russia. He had visited Moscow for only about six days, roaming the streets and taking in details of what Soviet life was really like. He also gathered information from the Russians he knew at home" (Collins). Auel is known for traveling to the places she writes about and similarly, James A. Michener (Alaska). These authors, including Sheldon, lend a veracity and believability to their works in their dedication to authenticity. Like Steele, Sheldon is sure to include sexual intrigue in all of his novels to keep the reader hooked and Rage of Angels is no exception. Jennifer Parker's attraction to Adam Warner, the brilliant and debonair attorney, is unmistakable, but her fascination with Michael Morretti, the dashing and dangerous head of a Mob family, is less easily explained. Extensive research, female heroines overcoming great odds, and sexual intrigue are all a part of Sheldon's "formula". Sheldon, like many other authors, Grisham, Steele, Auel, King, etc, follows a tried and true formula in all of his works. For example, Grisham consistently writes legal thrillers, Steele, sexual/romantic intrigues, King, supernatural/horror thrillers. Sheldon is no exception. His novels Master of the Game, Rage of Angels, The Naked Face, etc. all involve a strong female heroine overcoming great odds to succeed. Jennifer Parker of Rage of Angels has to overcome being framed by the Mafia, ruining the biggest case of the century, and being threatened with disbarment at the beginning of her career, to eventually become one of the most successful criminal defense attorney's New York City had ever seen. Though Sheldon's success with the public is unmistakable considering his more than 16 bestsellers, he was not so well liked by the critics. This type of novel seems to be a category of its own. Robert Ludlum of The Bourne Identity and James A. Michener of Alaska are also authors who were not well received critically, but were hugely successful publicly. For example, Charles Champlin of the Los Angeles Times commented that Sheldon's works "evidently satisfy…everyone except most literary critics, who regard popularity and quality as incompatible" (Contemporary Authors Online). Adam Ginsberg's entry on The Bourne Identity revealed, "reviewers criticize this novel, including that the story is hastily written, lacking social value, excessively violent, full of overwrought prose, implausible, and devoid of depth." Aaron Butt's entry on Alaska revealed what many reviewers felt, "Reviewing James A. Michener is rather like trying to review some inexplicably venerated national monument." Another similarity that Sheldon possesses with other best-selling novelists, namely Michener, is that their careers began late and continued/are continuing into their seventies and eighties, respectively. "Only beginning his writing career at the age of 40…even in his eighties, Michener could deliver 1000 page best selling works" (Butt). Since the age of fifty Sheldon has had 16 best-selling novels, and continues to write in his seventies. Interestingly, while Rage of Angels seems to fit into many of the bestseller categories, there is one in particular that this novel seems to defy, that of the stereo-typical happy ending. In Rage of Angels, while the heroine does not die as we suspect she might in the end, she does not get either of the men she has loved throughout the novel, Adam Warner and Michael Morretti. Both men go on with their lives and Jennifer must sit back and watch their success, namely Adam Warner's as he is inaugurated into the Presidency of the United States with his wife and child by his side. One would assume that our strong heroine would not only overcome the great odds she is presented with in the beginning of the novel, but also achieve all of her dreams in the end. However, not only does Jennifer not win the man of her dreams, but her only son dies! This does not seem like the happy ending that we as the public have come to expect from bestsellers, such as The Firm by John Grisham where the bad guys get put away and the good guys escape to a beautiful beach with all the money. The "good guy", Jennifer Parker, doesn't win. It seems that escaping with her life is not worth it if she cannot have the man she loves and her son by her side. However, despite this deviation from the normal bestseller characteristics, Rage of Angels has been a raging success. ************** SOURCES: 1. Beiswanger, Debbie. Hollywood Wives. Bestsellers Database. Assignment #4,5. 2. Biography Resource Center. "Sidney Sheldon." Contemporary Authors Online. The Gale Group, 1999. 3. Boone, Aimee. The Valley of Horses. Bestsellers Database. Assignment #4,5. 4. Butt, Aaron. Alaska. Bestsellers Database. Assingment #4,5. 5. Collins, Jessica. Gorky Park. Bestsellers Database. Assignment #4,5. 6. Eubanks, Dorothy. While My Pretty One Sleeps. Bestsellers Database. Assignment #4,5. 7. Ginsberg, Adam. The Bourne Identity. Bestsellers Database. Assignment #4,5. | ||
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