150 replies to this topic

[Verboten]

Happy Ent, on 28 February 2012 - 08:20 AM, said:

Huh? But of course it’s significant. It seems to be part of our basic psychological make-up. We all do it, as do all humans, as do all other animals. It’s obvious. It’s part of what makes us human. Let’s study the hell out of it.

And understanding this point is exactly why you should not edit or avoid Mark Twain, Astrid Lindgren, Tolkien, or Conan.

See, the value dissonance is entirely between wise and enlightened people like me, who grok human nature, and people who are authoritarian, religious, or censorial liars (while considering themselves to be good and virtuous). It’s absolutely interesting and worth debating, and touches upon issues that are both politically dear to me and scientifically interesting.

But to seriously discuss whether dead authors two generations ago were not well aligned with whatever values we have today is utterly boring, intellectually vapid, and ideologically facile. It’s not because I don’t understand the debate. It’s because it’s childish. I engage neither Creationists, nor cultural reductionists, postmodernists, or Sapir-Whorf  defenders, for the same reason. I get their point. I just find it boring.

Happy Ent, most sociobiological studies are absolute bullshit.

[Galleymac]

Grack21, on 28 February 2012 - 03:33 PM, said:

Hades' Daughter. It's the Douglas book I was mainly referencing and it's one of the first things that pops into my head when I think of the word "foul".

Oh god, that means it's a recurring theme with her, then.  I went and looked up the one I read when I stepped away from the board -- "Threshold."  It had glassmakers and a pyramid.

[Horza]

Galleymac, on 28 February 2012 - 09:08 PM, said:

Oh god, that means it's a recurring theme with her, then.  I went and looked up the one I read when I stepped away from the board -- "Threshold."  It had glassmakers and a pyramid.

One day my country will produce some decent, popular SF/F.

One day.

[Grack21]

Galleymac, on 28 February 2012 - 09:08 PM, said:

Oh god, that means it's a recurring theme with her, then.  I went and looked up the one I read when I stepped away from the board -- "Threshold."  It had glassmakers and a pyramid.

Oh man, I forgot about Threshold. Threshold is a tame childrens book compared to some of her other works.

[Arthmail]

sciborg2, on 28 February 2012 - 11:15 AM, said:

Game of Thorns

Admittedly, I didn't fully think on the repercussions of the Nuban character when I read Prince of Thorns.

ETA: Put quote in quote box.

I read this piece, and it was good, bringing to light all of the little things that had bothered me about the book and some new ones as well. Reasoned, articulate approach. Thanks for this.

[Galleymac]

Grack21, on 28 February 2012 - 10:04 PM, said:

Oh man, I forgot about Threshold. Threshold is a tame childrens book compared to some of her other works.

Yikes. And yet...I'm not surprised. Is "Nameless Day" safe?  I think I still own that one.

Horza, on 28 February 2012 - 09:38 PM, said:

One day my country will produce some decent, popular SF/F.

One day.

I'm already pretty grateful for Markus Zusak and Margo Lanagan, if that helps.  (Not to mention Cate Blanchett; I'm fudging categories like crazy in this post, yes, but THANK YOU.)

Edited by Galleymac, 28 February 2012 - 10:42 PM.

[Grack21]

None of them are safe. No one is safe.

[Seli]

Horza, on 28 February 2012 - 09:38 PM, said:

One day my country will produce some decent, popular SF/F.

One day.

It is mostly either/or at the moment. Garth Nix is perhaps the closest in being both decent and relatively popular.

[Horza]

Seli, on 29 February 2012 - 07:25 AM, said:

It is mostly either/or at the moment. Garth Nix is perhaps the closest in being both decent and relatively popular.

I've only read Sabriel which I'd class as passable, not decent, and stuck in the YA-ish mould that Australian publishers appear to demand for SF/F writers.

[Verboten]

Horza, on 29 February 2012 - 09:46 AM, said:

I've only read Sabriel which I'd class as passable, not decent, and stuck in the YA-ish mould that Australian publishers appear to demand for SF/F writers.

You have no idea how much I love that trilogy.

[felice]

Though it's really more of a duology; Sabriel, and a longer sequel that's split into two volumes. I thought they were rather good YAs, certainly above average.