Bestseller?

Now-deceased Swedish author Stieg Larsson's Millenium Trilogy has sold over 30 million copies worldwide, was adapted into award-winning Swedish films, and is about to be brought to the English-speaking world by waycool director David Fincher, fresh off of his smash hit about teh Facebook. I was drawn to these novels for several reasons: 1. They seemed to appeal to the masses in a new and edgy way. 2. There is much intrigue surrounding Larsson's death. 3. They're from Sweden, and nothing bad ever comes out of Sweden. I just finished the second book, The Girl Who Played With Fire, and I'm surprised at how un-amazing they are. It's not that they're bad books-I just can't see why I can find them in a cardboard display at CVS near the Blistex. These stories are brutally violent, excruciatingly detailed, and too long for their own good. They lack effective cliffhangers, and there have only been a handful of "Oh shit!" moments. A handful is not enough for 1200+ pages. Larsson's style isn't terribly engaging either. I realize that these are crime novels, but c'mon man. Dude made what could have been a rad fistfight seem like a shuffleboard match. And the fight scenes aren't the only things that are boring. How about the stance he takes? It pretty much boils down to this: Guys who rape gals are bad. Duuuuuh. We're aware, m'man. That's like making an argument in favor of organ donation or that Kim Jong-Il is an idiot. It's a safe statement to make, one that millions of readers would agree with.

Hmmmm.....maybe this is why 30 million copies have been sold.....