Goodkind XLVII

[Pinwheel]

Unless they're Hillary Clinton.

D'oh, I forgot about that. You're right.

[Zellu]

I did rather suspect that Rand had a thing for powerful domineering men and invented a theory around it. It's a bit like a guy creating a philosophy called Boobsism.

Rand more or less stated this verbatim in an interview at one point.

I find it quite reassuring in a way that TG is using characters to represent theory. OK it's crude and doesn't make for good characters, but at least he's not openly saying that killing unarmed civilians who disagree with you is good, at least in the real world (at least I think so). That only leaves the sexual nastiness to explain, but unfortunately I suspect a lot of people will have drawn their own conclusions about that.

No, tairy does believe that this is the correct way to act in real life, but its completely implausible with real characters so tairy creates these strawmen to justify his thinking as best he's able. This was my point before, Randian thinking is interesting as an ideology, but becomes disturbing (read falls apart) when its projected onto reality.

The sexual violations are suppose to represent taking away the ability of an individual to choose for herself, a huge sin in Objectivist rhetoric. Sure, it's a crude, puerile, needless and disgusting metaphor.

[Dr Spoon]

The sexual violations are suppose to represent taking away the ability of an individual to choose for herself, a huge sin in Objectivist rhetoric

Phew, I was worried it floated his boat or something! Although it does seem to happen rather often...

[Zellu]

Phew, I was worried it floated his boat or something! Although it does seem to happen rather often...

The relish that Goodkind displays when he writes those scenes ,plus the frequency they occur, certainly suggest Tairy finds rape at worst interesting.

There are other ways to represent loss of free will apart from rape, yet Goodkind repeatedly chooses rape as his vehicle to do so.

The most pleasant manner in which I could describe Tairy is completely out of touch with humanity.

[Myshkin]

One thing I've never seen him called up on is the sheer amount of violent, often sexual, unpleasantness there is in his books.

Then you haven't done your homework. I assure you we here at the Church of Discord of Latter Day Lemmings have discussed Tairy's violent sexual fantasies at length.

[Mad Monkey]

It's almost enough feminist points (Fembucks™) to balance out all the rape.

That's very true.

In fact, noted feminist author and historian Phyllis Schafly often references the Sword of Truth books in her lectures as examples of positive portrayals of older women during her university courses that she teaches at the University of California at Berkeley.

(As an exercise to you, I challenge you to find 6 problems with that statement I just made).

[Pinwheel]

That's very true.

In fact, noted feminist author and historian Phyllis Schafly often references the Sword of Truth books in her lectures as examples of positive portrayals of older women during her university courses that she teaches at the University of California at Berkeley.

(As an exercise to you, I challenge you to find 6 problems with that statement I just made).

I kind of want to write some Terry Goodkind/Phyllis Schlafly erotic fanfic now.

[Antonius Pius]

In fact, noted feminist author and historian Phyllis Schafly often references the Sword of Truth books in her lectures as examples of positive portrayals of older women during her university courses that she teaches at the University of California at Berkeley.

Berkeley is the odd-ball college, though, isn't it? A kind flakey hippie-esque Ivy League institution?

Anyway, there's so much wrong with that statement, I can't even begin.

[Dr Spoon]

Then you haven't done your homework.

What I really meant was I've never seen him explain it. He seems quite happy to take readers to task for calling him a fantasy novelist or accusing the later books of being dull, but he never seems to have answered the question of why his books feature such a large amount of sexual torture. It can't even be there just to make the villains look bad - the Demmin Nass episode makes Kahlan look just as demented as any of the communazi baddies.

[sologdin]

much wrong with that statement

it really is a masterpiece of inverted reality, and i accordingly admire it greatly.

one must be careful, however, lest the mass of inversion incumbent upon such statements weigh too heavily on the fabric of spacetime, such that it brast, and the universe implode under the crushing weight of the untruths thus generated. but if that result hasn't occurred, despite the length and durance of SoT, i suspect that we have some wiggle room yet.

[drawkcabi]

Just popping in to post this link to a commercial that's been running on TV here lately, could have all ready been posted but on the case it hasn't I'm bringing it to your attention. All of you should appreciate it!

Only the first 10 seconds are relevant.

[Muttering Bill]

Only the first 10 seconds are relevant.

Which has prompted me to look up alektorophobia. Interesting. Although, I suppose that it's only right to fear them - evil incarnate and all that.

Edit: I really have no idea what that has to do with bath's. But I was watching with no sound. :dunno:

[Dr Spoon]

There were some chickens in one of the baths. Perhaps is was Denna's bathroom of evil?

Incidentally I saw Mad Max 2 yesterday. The words "War Wizard Outfit" kept going through my mind, especially regarding the villains. This thread has poisoned my mind...

[drawkcabi]

I love how the narrator says "If you fear the chicken," not "If you fear chickens," of "If you have a fear of chickens,"

[Werthead]

Awesome.

In their quest to fulfill the Big Bad's ambition for global conquest, the group run into a few problems. For one, nobody really knows what they're doing, or why they're doing it. Richard, however, wins over everyone's hearts and minds by saying really obvious things in short declarative sentences. This helps him through encounters with a little girl, a dragon, a bartender, two sorceresses and, inexplicably, Gollum.

[MattL86]

What a moral clarity hating, death choosing, lemming of discord that guy is!

It's a pretty funny review, my favorite bit being:

"The Wizard's First Rule," Zed Zeddicus Zickory Ztereotype explains at one indeterminable point in the book, "is that people are stupid." (This is an actual quote from the book, and therefore the author's painful, anachronistic twaddle, not mine.) Richard, as the stupidest man in the world, is therefore a born wizard.

Terry Goodkind has been too quiet recently. How awesome would it be if he had a blog like most normal spec fic authors?

[Jaxom 1974]

Why oh why didn't any of us think to call the Midlands "Fantasy Alabama"...?

[kadvael]

The book ends conclusively, if not dramatically. Richard's new trick proves useful: he's actually too stupid for the Big Bad's magic to work on him and he saves the day by a combination of attrition and the rare experience of being the second-dumbest person in the room.. The universe of fantasy Alabama, sadly, survives.

I liked this part, great review :) , thanks Werthead for posting the link.

[Roland_85]

Awesome.

Awesome is right. I am rofling in a Barnes & Noble cafe right now, and people are watching me as if I'm moontouched. ^_^

[Jussi]

The plot synopsis of The Omen Machine:

A new Kahlan and Richard fantasy novel from bestselling author, Terry Goodkind.

THE OMEN MACHINE

An accident leads to the discovery of a mysterious machine that has rested hidden deep underground for countless millennia. The machine awakens to begin issuing a series of increasingly alarming, if minor, omens. The omens turn out to be astonishingly accurate, and ever more ominous.

As Zedd tries to figure out how to destroy the sinister device, the machine issues a cataclysmic omen involving Richard and Kahlan, foretelling an impending event beyond anyone’s ability to stop. As catastrophe approaches, the machine then reveals that it is within its power to withdraw the omen... In exchange for an impossible demand.

http://www.harpercollins.co.uk/Titles/59466/the-omen-machine-terry-goodkind-9780007396757