Kyle Loechner Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 Hey all,I've seen a number of comments lately criticizing some popular authors (Abercrombie, Rothfuss, Martin, Gemmell, and Sanderson) for less-than-stellar prose. I'm surprised by all of these examples, so I ask:Who in the field is considered to be exceptional then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sci-2 Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 For fantasy Bakker, Mieville, Valente, and Holly Phillips come to mind. If you're willing to accept comics, I'd say Alan Moore on his good days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Serious Callers Only Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 Jack Vance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Datepalm Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 I quite like Martin's prose, actually. He's rarely poetic, true, but when he is it works, and he can always evoke what he wants to - and he always has flow, structure, dialogue, etc, nailed down perfect. I'm actually not a huge fan of Valente's prose, tbh. It's beautiful, sure, but kind of tiring. Not my thing. I secretly want to read something from her stripped of that, for once, just because I honestly find her more interesting as a storyteller than a proseist. I really like Arthur C. Clarke's prose. :dunno: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Abercrombie Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 In my experience, Sturgeon's Law most definitely applies to discussions about prose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sci-2 Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 Wait... Abercrombie, Rothfuss, MartinThis needs more explanation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kcf Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 So Joe, is this discussion in the 90%? Or does it remain to be scene? The lack of clarity in your prose leaves things rather ambiguous (or was that the point.....I'm pretty sure this discussion is crap) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Selig Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 Mervyn Peake is the best for my money. He had a painter's eye and an incredible gift for descriptions and creating a mood. Others who come to mind are Le Guin, Patricia McKillip, Cat Valente, M. John Harrison, Stanislaw Lem, Gene Wolfe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Procrastimancer Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 Michael Cisco.Erin Morgenstern, Ekaterina Sedia, Jeff VanderMeer, J.M. McDermott, Adam McOmber, Cat Valente. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sci-2 Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 I quite like Martin's prose, actually. He's rarely poetic, true, but when he is it works, and he can always evoke what he wants to - and he always has flow, structure, dialogue, etc, nailed down perfect.I'm actually not a huge fan of Valente's prose, tbh. It's beautiful, sure, but kind of tiring. Not my thing. I secretly want to read something from her stripped of that, for once, just because I honestly find her more interesting as a storyteller than a proseist.I really like Arthur C. Clarke's prose. :dunno:I think this post raises some good points - what is the prose seeking to accomplish? Martin and Valente are two ends of a spectrum to me. I can read Martin for hours once he's caught me. Valente's denser works are incredibly enjoyable, but I agree with one reviewer who likened some of her to thick pudding. Delicious but better in small portions.Is it better to have a steady, enjoyable flow Rothfuss and Joe A manage, or to try and capture a more Tolkienesque sensibility [like Bakker does]?Which leads to the question, which SFF authors have the greatest range, able to vary their voice depending on the work[?] Alan Moore is one of the few I can think of off the top of my head. Holly Phillips is another possibility.eta:Michael Cisco.Erin Morgenstern, Ekaterina Sedia, Jeff VanderMeer, J.M. McDermott, Adam McOmber, Cat Valente. Gods yes. And put Vandermeer down as someone who can vary his voice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheep the Evicted Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 Jack VanceI would go with this also. Bakker and Mievelle are definitely good, but they just cant compete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kcf Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 It's always a bit subjective when determining who the best is at prose. A few that at I think are really good (there are others of course, but this is a good start):Gene WolfePatricia McKillipCharles de LintMichael MoorcockMichael SwanwickJeff VanderMeerMargo LanaganJohn M. FordJonathan CarrollFelix GilmanAnother big issue is consistency. There are some authors who at times have wonderful prose, but they aren't consistent enough with it to be mentioned with the best (Steven Erikson comes to mind first). Elizabeth Bear also comes to mind, though with her new series it might just be best to go ahead and add her to the list above. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheep the Evicted Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 Which leads to the question, which SFF authors have the greatest range, able to vary their voice depending on the work[?] Alan Moore is one of the few I can think of off the top of my head. Holly Phillips is another possibility.Ah now see Vance doesn't vary his voice AT ALL and yet it is so ridiculously eloquent that I just don't care. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hereward Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 Another vote for Vance, though I agree with Sheep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Selig Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 Which leads to the question, which SFF authors have the greatest range, able to vary their voice depending on the work[?] Alan Moore is one of the few I can think of off the top of my head. Holly Phillips is another possibility.Stanislaw Lem. He is extremely funny, playful and indulging in word plays, neologisms, elaborate metaphors, etc, in his satirical works (Star Diaries, Cyberiad, etc), yet in his more serious and hard sci/fi works his style is way more straightforward and disciplined. Then in his metafiction works he adapts another voice altogether, and all of those are spot on and perfectly fitted for his goals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Lord of Winterfell Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 Another vote for Vance, though I agree with Sheep.Same Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MisterOJ Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 For some reason, an author who is dubbed as a "master of prose" seems like the literary equivalent of being a popular hipster band. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpaceChampion Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 Stephen R Donaldson varies his prose quite a bit. Contrast his Gap cycle with his Convenant series.Guy Gavriel Kay is beautiful prose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Serious Callers Only Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 "Charles de Lint"Lol no. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Abercrombie Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 So Joe, is this discussion in the 90%? Or does it remain to be scene? The lack of clarity in your prose leaves things rather ambiguous (or was that the point.....I'm pretty sure this discussion is crap)It remains to be scene (sic). But mostly people are just saying whose prose they like, which is hard to disagree with. It's when they start explaining what good prose is that I usually rub my temples and shake my head and say stuff like, "these goddamn kids need to get off my prose-lawn." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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