Galactus Posted April 18, 2012 Share Posted April 18, 2012 Yeah, the [lack of] interpersonal is what I think is killing my ability to enjoy a lot of [sFF] stuff nowadays. Part of it also the so called "adrenaline rush" which I see more and more as a continual execution of childish tropes.ETA: Really, for characterization and use of speculative elements in different, more original ways I'm finding shorts are so much better.I've long thought that at least for SF, shorts are really the best kind of format. (which is also why TV-series like Star Trek works so well)EDIT: That is, the kind of quick, "conceptual" SFF tends to work best in a short-story format. (Embassytown is a great example, it would have been just as good as a short) OTOH, if you want interpersonal relationships (and especialyl evolving dito over time) I think you kind of need a novel or several to really make it work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lyanna Stark Posted April 18, 2012 Share Posted April 18, 2012 Oh hell no. I am guilty of liking much of the flood it spawned though. Apparently Twilight is so bad that if you try to copy it, you can't help but do better.Well, yes, plus upjumped Twilight fanfiction starts more interesting debate than the original work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ambyr Posted April 18, 2012 Share Posted April 18, 2012 I read mostly secondary-world fantasy, and my female:male read ratio is just a smidge off from 3:1. It's not exactly something I do on purpose, but I do find myself hesitant to try new male authors without some reassurance from other women whose taste I trust. Too often I end up frustrated by the lack or poor portrayal of female characters. And it's not like there's a shortage of female epic fantasists for me to read. I could never touch another book by a man again, and I'd still have enough in my current want-to-read pile to last me into old age.I don't read paranormal romance at all and am generally uninterested in urban fantasy (tried A Madness of Angels and Storm Front, but neither were much to my taste), but my boyfriend eats that stuff up with a spoon, the more werewolves the better. He gets really annoyed when I call it romance, though. Or when I point out that some of the lines he likes are published by Harlequin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emberling Posted April 18, 2012 Share Posted April 18, 2012 Checked my ratio: it was about 35% female before I started reading urban fantasy and similar. It's about 70% female now. (I can tell because I switched to digital at about the same time.)Or when I point out that some of the lines he likes are published by Harlequin.The Luna, Mira, and even Harlequin Teen imprints contain books that would be prohibitively hard to argue as romance. The "Harlequin romance" stigma properly applies only to category romance imprints, which have very strict formulae all their books must adhere to.I can't think of any werewolves in those non-romances, though, so maybe you have a valid point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthmail Posted April 18, 2012 Share Posted April 18, 2012 I don't think Monza was the problem in BSC, it was more of the structure of the book itself. It just didn't pull me in. Don't get me wrong, Heroes had some structure issues as well, but it seemed to be done better. I think Monza presented a strong, powerful individual, but there was something lacking in her character that just pulled me out of the story.And that problem is, like has been mentioned in this thread and by me like a gazillion times, that without some sense of friendship or loyalty from the characters, it is hard to view these people as human. Everyone is stabbing everyone else in the back. You can say that they are a group of cut throats, but even amongst criminal gangs there is a certain level of socialization that stabilizes the gang and allows it to build certain power dynamics - ie it allows gangs to function. Sure, Monza brings together a rag tag crew of assholes to do her dirty work, but...i guess a trend with Abercrombie is his deconstruction of the traditional heroic group ideal. But if i had to list most of the people in his books, i'd be hard pressed to name anyone that seems to act like they actually give a shit about their fellows save for the Dogman and Rudd Threetrees. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sologdin Posted April 18, 2012 Share Posted April 18, 2012 to be hardwiredi defy anyone herein to identify the literary taste alleles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galactus Posted April 18, 2012 Share Posted April 18, 2012 I actually think Best Served Cold is the best of the books, Heroes was very ambitious in what it was trying to do, but kind of failed. The trilogy was... Pretty meh. It had some cool stuff but felt more like a "I'm now doing cool stuff" thing than a story that stood on it's own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shryke Posted April 18, 2012 Share Posted April 18, 2012 This whole "ratio of men:women authors" thing is heavily flawed since it's rather unlikely men and women authors are evenly distributed across genres and types of novels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Raidne Posted April 18, 2012 Share Posted April 18, 2012 Raidne is referring to a fictional female lead in one of Abercrombie's books. .... Best Served Cold maybe? Anyway, I don't usually read the lit forums so if she took a thrashing I was unaware of it. I don't recall having a problem with her though. I liked that book.In the thread, Joe was accussed of making up a totally unrealistic character that stretched credulity in her sword-fighting skillz in order to appeal to growing demographic of female fantasy readers, to the detriment of fantasy everywhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord O' Bones Posted April 18, 2012 Share Posted April 18, 2012 This whole "ratio of men:women authors" thing is heavily flawed since it's rather unlikely men and women authors are evenly distributed across genres and types of novels.True. But when the ratio is as commonly perceived to be extreme it is noteworthy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sci-2 Posted April 18, 2012 Share Posted April 18, 2012 In the thread, Joe was accussed of making up a totally unrealistic character that stretched credulity in her sword-fighting skillz in order to appeal to growing demographic of female fantasy readers, to the detriment of fantasy everywhere.When I read arguments like this, I can't help but wonder about the average athletic ability of the average male fantasy fan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lyanna Stark Posted April 18, 2012 Share Posted April 18, 2012 In the thread, Joe was accussed of making up a totally unrealistic character that stretched credulity in her sword-fighting skillz in order to appeal to growing demographic of female fantasy readers, to the detriment of fantasy everywhere.Wow. I am so glad I missed that particular display of arsebiscuitry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shryke Posted April 18, 2012 Share Posted April 18, 2012 True. But when the ratio is as commonly perceived to be extreme it is noteworthy.It's not really noteworthy without knowing the distribution of the authors in the first place.For all you know, it mostly says something about the types of people who write specific types of books. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sci-2 Posted April 18, 2012 Share Posted April 18, 2012 Wow. I am so glad I missed that particular display of arsebiscuitry.arsebiscuitry <- my new favorite word. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grack21 Posted April 18, 2012 Share Posted April 18, 2012 I'm actually currently going through our monthly reading threads and seeing what the numbers are. What, I'm an econ student. I need to practice my excel skillz.Random derailment question. What area do you live in that you dislike so much datepalm? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Datepalm Posted April 18, 2012 Share Posted April 18, 2012 What? I don't dislike my area, I dislike my downstairs neighbour and I have a shallow but nevertheless slightly fraught relashionship with one of my roomates. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grack21 Posted April 18, 2012 Share Posted April 18, 2012 What? I don't dislike my area, I dislike my downstairs neighbour and I have a shallow but nevertheless slightly fraught relashionship with one of my roomates.Hmm, I thought you refereed to where you live as the pit of hell once. Must be someone else with a similar icon. :dunno:My brain is broken today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Datepalm Posted April 18, 2012 Share Posted April 18, 2012 I live a good twenty minute walk from hell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Solmyr Posted April 18, 2012 Share Posted April 18, 2012 I live a good twenty minute walk from hell.Is the road paved with good intentions? :devil: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lyanna Stark Posted April 18, 2012 Share Posted April 18, 2012 arsebiscuitry <- my new favorite word.*bows* I am pleased to provide you with any gamer slang you need, up to and including leet pwnage of nolifers and epic fuckwittage. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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