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this is a bit off topic, but out of curiousity... LadyLorraine Send a noteboard - 11/12/2011 06:28:35 AM
At what point does a book become literature versus trash fiction to you? What defines it as "genre fiction" versus "literature that has fantastical elements"? Or does the addition of such things immediate write it off to you?

I'm curious because books like Toni Morrison's Beloved certainly have some fantastical elements (if I remember correctly, it's classed as magical realism?), but are considered literature by at least some people. I don't see why the addition of fantastical elements would detract from the depth of a piece of literature just by being there. But it seems that most books that seem to have this nature don't end up being classed as fantasy novels.

Perhaps you could give me some examples of fantasy-type novels that would meet your definition of literature vs. genre fiction?
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Aren't the Tolkien comparisons getting a little...old? Dark Knight - 09/12/2011 09:51:39 PM 3261 Views
The comparison bothers me, but not because Tolkien isn't relevant. lord-of-shadow - 09/12/2011 10:05:22 PM 2096 Views
I agree with this. Nate - 09/12/2011 10:21:34 PM 2163 Views
Re: I agree with this. DomA - 10/12/2011 07:09:33 PM 2104 Views
Exactly *NM* ironclad - 12/12/2011 12:09:19 PM 1110 Views
Only when shit works are being compared to him Larry - 09/12/2011 10:22:26 PM 2046 Views
Larry, Macharius - 10/12/2011 01:13:18 AM 2054 Views
Snide dismissal that will be passed off as for his own entertainment. Ghavrel - 10/12/2011 04:55:43 AM 1920 Views
We get a lot of that around here. *NM* lord-of-shadow - 10/12/2011 05:18:01 AM 868 Views
makes me wonder... LadyLorraine - 10/12/2011 04:37:33 PM 1937 Views
Re: makes me wonder... James - 11/12/2011 03:03:15 AM 1889 Views
Well-deserved condescension. Tom - 11/12/2011 03:54:27 AM 2080 Views
You're sure about that? A Deathwatch Guard - 11/12/2011 04:20:26 AM 2329 Views
Re: You're sure about that? James - 11/12/2011 05:25:08 AM 1998 Views
Re: You're sure about that? A Deathwatch Guard - 11/12/2011 06:03:02 AM 1927 Views
i think you shouldn't judge a whole world's school programs on your school LadyLorraine - 11/12/2011 06:42:30 AM 1934 Views
Yeah, I'm limited in my knowledge, lol A Deathwatch Guard - 11/12/2011 08:03:26 AM 1954 Views
My school was...not great. James - 11/12/2011 04:02:36 PM 1960 Views
I'm 24. James - 11/12/2011 03:49:06 PM 1906 Views
If you're arguing that children should be able to read genre fiction, fine. Tom - 11/12/2011 08:52:27 PM 1800 Views
Well, I suppose it depends on the type of genre being read Larry - 11/12/2011 09:36:16 PM 2046 Views
How often do you hear the challenging writers mentioned at this site? Tom - 12/12/2011 02:03:05 PM 1802 Views
Only when you, me, and a couple others write reviews Larry - 12/12/2011 04:21:14 PM 2195 Views
Oh, it was the same as it always is Tom - 12/12/2011 05:23:56 PM 1856 Views
True Larry - 12/12/2011 06:29:10 PM 1985 Views
One note nossy - 13/12/2011 12:17:48 AM 1984 Views
Perhaps Larry - 13/12/2011 12:49:34 AM 1943 Views
*Sighs* Such is the plight of those shining few intelects... Narg - 23/12/2011 01:15:47 AM 1985 Views
Much of the actual "Classics", that is, Greek and Latin originals, kids would eat up. Dan - 12/12/2011 03:13:03 AM 1815 Views
Try teaching Apuleius in schools... *NM* Tom - 12/12/2011 04:12:49 AM 979 Views
Plato is exciting, brutal and scandalous? Legolas - 12/12/2011 09:59:13 PM 1907 Views
You're upfront and honest about it; he isn't. The difference matters to me. *NM* Ghavrel - 11/12/2011 05:18:42 AM 1036 Views
Uhh...uh... Larry - 11/12/2011 05:34:23 AM 1892 Views
this is a bit off topic, but out of curiousity... LadyLorraine - 11/12/2011 06:28:35 AM 2019 Views
I've discussed this dozens of times at this site. Perhaps you've missed all of the posts. Tom - 11/12/2011 08:57:44 PM 2024 Views
mk I'll go look. I probably did miss it (or at least don't remember it!) LadyLorraine - 11/12/2011 09:08:02 PM 1916 Views
I have a successful career that was inspired by the video games I played as a child. *NM* lord-of-shadow - 11/12/2011 05:52:21 PM 1062 Views
Now let's get all the people who just pissed their lives away with video games and see the %. Tom - 11/12/2011 08:58:42 PM 2045 Views
The majority of players neither waste their lives nor make a career out of it. lord-of-shadow - 11/12/2011 11:29:29 PM 1957 Views
Yeah, sorry, I don't think you could say that with a straight face in real life. *NM* Tom - 12/12/2011 04:13:52 AM 1033 Views
Then you have a closed mind on the subject. Ironic, considering your stance on edification. *NM* lord-of-shadow - 12/12/2011 05:47:50 AM 951 Views
No, just with respect to you. *NM* Tom - 12/12/2011 02:00:15 PM 1004 Views
Tom, you pulled the "Say that to my face!" line. You lost the right to talk about respect. *NM* lord-of-shadow - 12/12/2011 03:20:15 PM 1047 Views
Once again, I really don't care what you think. *NM* Tom - 12/12/2011 03:37:40 PM 1004 Views
Did I imply that you did? My apologies. I'd hate to insinuate that you'd stoop that low. *NM* lord-of-shadow - 12/12/2011 04:13:25 PM 957 Views
As well read as you seem to be, you think you'd be smart enough... MonCul - 11/12/2011 06:20:06 PM 1894 Views
I thought I have made it clear that I don't care if people don't like me here. Tom - 11/12/2011 08:44:58 PM 1793 Views
Re: I thought I have made it clear that I don't care if people don't like me here. Macharius - 12/12/2011 04:04:37 PM 1855 Views
That statement has just confused me. Tom - 12/12/2011 04:06:53 PM 1805 Views
Re: That statement has just confused me. Macharius - 12/12/2011 04:14:27 PM 1847 Views
I never learned Hittite. I had a book on pre-order for a long time but never ended up getting it. Tom - 12/12/2011 05:41:03 PM 1761 Views
What you have made clear, I think, is the fact that you deal in generalizations and stereotypes. MonCul - 12/12/2011 10:12:12 PM 1987 Views
There's an unintentional irony in what you say, alas Larry - 13/12/2011 12:44:26 AM 1880 Views
Tom, Dick, or Larry...you may use your true first name, but you're still an anonymous entity to most MonCul - 13/12/2011 04:49:35 AM 2130 Views
With such comeback skills, you must have ruled the playgrounds as a kid, no? Larry - 13/12/2011 05:21:42 AM 2056 Views
I thought it was a pretty good comeback. MonCul - 13/12/2011 12:37:15 PM 2000 Views
Think again, Skippy Larry - 13/12/2011 01:34:41 PM 1911 Views
There are no special snowflakes, are there? Larry - 11/12/2011 09:39:21 PM 1823 Views
There are many way of widening one's horizons and broadening one's mind. Legolas - 11/12/2011 10:08:24 PM 1572 Views
I said as much in my comment Larry - 11/12/2011 10:20:03 PM 1805 Views
What I don't like- rebelaessedai - 12/12/2011 04:28:55 AM 1944 Views
Why don't you name something, then? Tom - 12/12/2011 04:40:29 AM 1877 Views
Sure. rebelaessedai - 13/12/2011 07:30:56 AM 1723 Views
Mentioning Ender's Game pretty much shot your argument in the foot. Tom - 13/12/2011 02:02:59 PM 1828 Views
You dismiss the entire video game medium because many games lack value. lord-of-shadow - 13/12/2011 03:59:11 PM 1962 Views
You're like the McDonald's paid advocate trying to say Big Macs are actually healthy. Tom - 13/12/2011 05:46:37 PM 1726 Views
McDonalds food is inherently unhealthy. lord-of-shadow - 13/12/2011 06:02:18 PM 1955 Views
For the sake of argument ... Nate - 13/12/2011 04:09:51 PM 1909 Views
Stephenson is not literature, that's for damn sure. Tom - 13/12/2011 05:49:24 PM 1757 Views
Thank you, The Voice of Lews Therin. *NM* Vivien - 16/12/2011 05:14:42 AM 1063 Views
I'll leave it up to others to define as they wish against their self-conceptions of me Larry - 10/12/2011 10:52:54 AM 1962 Views
that's alright. I really have no desire to stroke your twit-ego. *NM* LadyLorraine - 10/12/2011 04:36:56 PM 837 Views
Considering the firestorm I appear to have touched off, that may be best. Macharius - 12/12/2011 12:57:49 PM 1883 Views
I know, John Larry - 12/12/2011 04:27:04 PM 1792 Views
Re: I know, John Macharius - 12/12/2011 05:06:26 PM 1920 Views
As I've said in the past, I'd be scared if anyone agreed with me anywhere approaching 100% Larry - 12/12/2011 06:33:52 PM 1793 Views
Re: As I've said in the past, I'd be scared if anyone agreed with me anywhere approaching 100% Macharius - 12/12/2011 07:13:37 PM 1864 Views
Same guy Larry - 12/12/2011 07:26:13 PM 1916 Views
Ha! Excellent point. *NM* Tom - 11/12/2011 03:44:52 AM 979 Views
Blurbs are not generally very original in their comparisons - would kind of defeat their purpose. Legolas - 09/12/2011 10:42:17 PM 1911 Views
I have to agree. ? - 09/12/2011 10:54:06 PM 1895 Views
They're there for marketing A Deathwatch Guard - 10/12/2011 12:20:17 AM 1901 Views
Most of those comparisons are like that anyway DomA - 10/12/2011 05:32:45 PM 2078 Views
Maybe if so much of the genre weren't crap derivative works it wouldn't be so common. *NM* Tom - 11/12/2011 03:44:24 AM 984 Views
To be fair, a lot of it isn't. rebelaessedai - 11/12/2011 04:06:07 AM 1873 Views
I suspect that if it really isn't derivative it's not being compared to Tolkien in the first place. Tom - 11/12/2011 04:18:57 AM 1793 Views
That's true. rebelaessedai - 11/12/2011 11:08:01 AM 1764 Views
But see, that's where things start to get referred back to Tolkien. Tom - 12/12/2011 04:30:12 AM 1951 Views
Maybe they mean something else by using his name. Cannoli - 11/12/2011 03:50:15 AM 1926 Views
When they don't work, yes. nossy - 11/12/2011 03:18:44 PM 1881 Views
The Tolkien fanaticism gets old. And yes, for me it is unreadable. everynametaken - 11/12/2011 11:37:53 PM 1818 Views
No, because the movies are very contemporary and relevant, thus he will remain so for quite a while. Dan - 12/12/2011 03:14:53 AM 1908 Views
Disagree all you want, but LotR is still the touchstone when it comes to works of fantasy. Vodalus - 12/12/2011 03:48:20 AM 1792 Views
Yes *NM* Hieshyn - 22/12/2011 07:08:38 PM 1100 Views
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