Robert Ludlum's Bourne Objective

[longknife]

actually by: Eric Van Lustbader

"Night descended like a curtain of scuttling insects, coming alive with the setting of the sun. The noise was atrocious, as was the stench of unwashed bodies, human excrement, rotting food, and decomposing bodies. The garbage of Bangalore shifted back and forth like a sludgy tide."

I saw this on the rack and picked it up just to see if it lived up to being another Ian Fleming or Tom Clancy "also written by" novel. Much to my surprise, this opening paragraph sold me on the book right away. If the rest of it's as attention-getting it's well worth the price US$9.99 [with a military discount thank you].

Now that I've copied this into my word processor, a couple of thoughts come to mind.

A. I have a file about the Do's and Don't's of Novel Writing and one of the first things is an admonition not to start a novel with a sun or moon phrase. So much for that rule!

B. Don't use a comma before the word "and".

C. Try to use active verbs. Avoid the word "was".

Isn't it amazing how an unknown writer would be rejected for something like this while a known writer can get away with it? And yes, so far the writing has me interested.