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As I've said in the past, I'd be scared if anyone agreed with me anywhere approaching 100% Larry Send a noteboard - 12/12/2011 06:33:52 PM
It's just that I know there are some who are reluctant to accept that I can have strong opinions about something they like without judging them by it, so they are likely to respond by calling me "arrogant," "self-serving," "judgmental," and so forth. Best to permit them that comfort than to argue, I suppose.

Knowing about some of your work with children for much of the past decade, I'd find it hard to believe any of those labels came anywhere near the truth.


Maybe so, but I do keep that part of my life largely separate from online activities, which might lead to distortions, I guess.

I freely admit I disagree with you from time to time, but neither do I take umbrage about that fact. ;)


I rarely get upset when people disagree and certainly not when it's just a difference of opinion being expressed and not ad hominems.

What I said on Twitter is that I may appear to be an asshole in being so direct (I linked to this post), but I believe that one sometimes has to "slaughter sacred cows in order for there to be progress," meaning that I am not a fan of works that slavishly emulate a particular work and that sometimes reading should be more than wanting more of the same. It's not a personal judgment against others, but rather a statement of personal taste.

Bold and underline are my emphasis, about which I totally agree. I said to Tom that I don't read much anymore - and what I do is sci fi or fantasy, but it's pretty rare for me to find a title that's both new and interesting for precisely this reason because I do want something new for my imagination to explore instead of a barrage of the same, rehashed tripe. It's one reason I do enjoy Sanderson: all the different magic systems whatever his other flaws as a writer (dialogue, I believe, is one of your sticking points with him ;) ).


I don't think of Sanderson as anything more than a slightly more creative version of the same old, but he does know how to plot a novel fairly well. Now if only I could get more people to try reading Michael Cisco...

Also, going back to your first statement, Tolkien is a sacred cow that needs to be slaughtered to some extent. Respected as a "founder father", sure... but the story and writing of the Lord of the Rings really isn't all that and a bag of chips, either.

I replied to your reposted reviews, which you've likely seen by now - so we can discuss further in that thread, if you want.


I'll try to have something more to say later today. Have a few things to do shortly before I go buy my drugs in preps for my dental surgery tomorrow. Might not be a good idea for me to write anything the next two days :P
Illusions fall like the husk of a fruit, one after another, and the fruit is experience. - Narrator, Sylvie

Je suis méchant.
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Aren't the Tolkien comparisons getting a little...old? Dark Knight - 09/12/2011 09:51:39 PM 3339 Views
The comparison bothers me, but not because Tolkien isn't relevant. lord-of-shadow - 09/12/2011 10:05:22 PM 2170 Views
I agree with this. Nate - 09/12/2011 10:21:34 PM 2251 Views
Re: I agree with this. DomA - 10/12/2011 07:09:33 PM 2189 Views
Exactly *NM* ironclad - 12/12/2011 12:09:19 PM 1166 Views
Only when shit works are being compared to him Larry - 09/12/2011 10:22:26 PM 2115 Views
Larry, Macharius - 10/12/2011 01:13:18 AM 2125 Views
Snide dismissal that will be passed off as for his own entertainment. Ghavrel - 10/12/2011 04:55:43 AM 1995 Views
We get a lot of that around here. *NM* lord-of-shadow - 10/12/2011 05:18:01 AM 907 Views
makes me wonder... LadyLorraine - 10/12/2011 04:37:33 PM 2018 Views
Re: makes me wonder... James - 11/12/2011 03:03:15 AM 1968 Views
Well-deserved condescension. Tom - 11/12/2011 03:54:27 AM 2165 Views
You're sure about that? A Deathwatch Guard - 11/12/2011 04:20:26 AM 2408 Views
Re: You're sure about that? James - 11/12/2011 05:25:08 AM 2071 Views
Re: You're sure about that? A Deathwatch Guard - 11/12/2011 06:03:02 AM 2019 Views
i think you shouldn't judge a whole world's school programs on your school LadyLorraine - 11/12/2011 06:42:30 AM 2028 Views
Yeah, I'm limited in my knowledge, lol A Deathwatch Guard - 11/12/2011 08:03:26 AM 2023 Views
My school was...not great. James - 11/12/2011 04:02:36 PM 2030 Views
I'm 24. James - 11/12/2011 03:49:06 PM 1994 Views
If you're arguing that children should be able to read genre fiction, fine. Tom - 11/12/2011 08:52:27 PM 1884 Views
Well, I suppose it depends on the type of genre being read Larry - 11/12/2011 09:36:16 PM 2123 Views
How often do you hear the challenging writers mentioned at this site? Tom - 12/12/2011 02:03:05 PM 1880 Views
Only when you, me, and a couple others write reviews Larry - 12/12/2011 04:21:14 PM 2287 Views
Oh, it was the same as it always is Tom - 12/12/2011 05:23:56 PM 1931 Views
True Larry - 12/12/2011 06:29:10 PM 2055 Views
One note nossy - 13/12/2011 12:17:48 AM 2061 Views
Perhaps Larry - 13/12/2011 12:49:34 AM 2028 Views
*Sighs* Such is the plight of those shining few intelects... Narg - 23/12/2011 01:15:47 AM 2051 Views
Much of the actual "Classics", that is, Greek and Latin originals, kids would eat up. Dan - 12/12/2011 03:13:03 AM 1896 Views
Try teaching Apuleius in schools... *NM* Tom - 12/12/2011 04:12:49 AM 1021 Views
Plato is exciting, brutal and scandalous? Legolas - 12/12/2011 09:59:13 PM 1991 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 1083 Views
Uhh...uh... Larry - 11/12/2011 05:34:23 AM 1970 Views
this is a bit off topic, but out of curiousity... LadyLorraine - 11/12/2011 06:28:35 AM 2091 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 2119 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 1988 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 1111 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 2127 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 2028 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 1075 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 997 Views
No, just with respect to you. *NM* Tom - 12/12/2011 02:00:15 PM 1046 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 1110 Views
Once again, I really don't care what you think. *NM* Tom - 12/12/2011 03:37:40 PM 1049 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 993 Views
As well read as you seem to be, you think you'd be smart enough... MonCul - 11/12/2011 06:20:06 PM 1966 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 1871 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 1928 Views
That statement has just confused me. Tom - 12/12/2011 04:06:53 PM 1897 Views
Re: That statement has just confused me. Macharius - 12/12/2011 04:14:27 PM 1932 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 1841 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 2069 Views
There's an unintentional irony in what you say, alas Larry - 13/12/2011 12:44:26 AM 1969 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 2218 Views
With such comeback skills, you must have ruled the playgrounds as a kid, no? Larry - 13/12/2011 05:21:42 AM 2124 Views
I thought it was a pretty good comeback. MonCul - 13/12/2011 12:37:15 PM 2073 Views
Think again, Skippy Larry - 13/12/2011 01:34:41 PM 1984 Views
There are no special snowflakes, are there? Larry - 11/12/2011 09:39:21 PM 1904 Views
There are many way of widening one's horizons and broadening one's mind. Legolas - 11/12/2011 10:08:24 PM 1646 Views
I said as much in my comment Larry - 11/12/2011 10:20:03 PM 1894 Views
What I don't like- rebelaessedai - 12/12/2011 04:28:55 AM 2031 Views
Why don't you name something, then? Tom - 12/12/2011 04:40:29 AM 1982 Views
Sure. rebelaessedai - 13/12/2011 07:30:56 AM 1801 Views
Mentioning Ender's Game pretty much shot your argument in the foot. Tom - 13/12/2011 02:02:59 PM 1895 Views
You dismiss the entire video game medium because many games lack value. lord-of-shadow - 13/12/2011 03:59:11 PM 2054 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 1813 Views
McDonalds food is inherently unhealthy. lord-of-shadow - 13/12/2011 06:02:18 PM 2034 Views
For the sake of argument ... Nate - 13/12/2011 04:09:51 PM 1977 Views
Stephenson is not literature, that's for damn sure. Tom - 13/12/2011 05:49:24 PM 1824 Views
Thank you, The Voice of Lews Therin. *NM* Vivien - 16/12/2011 05:14:42 AM 1106 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 2041 Views
that's alright. I really have no desire to stroke your twit-ego. *NM* LadyLorraine - 10/12/2011 04:36:56 PM 878 Views
Considering the firestorm I appear to have touched off, that may be best. Macharius - 12/12/2011 12:57:49 PM 1961 Views
I know, John Larry - 12/12/2011 04:27:04 PM 1887 Views
Re: I know, John Macharius - 12/12/2011 05:06:26 PM 2011 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 1884 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 1944 Views
Same guy Larry - 12/12/2011 07:26:13 PM 1987 Views
Ha! Excellent point. *NM* Tom - 11/12/2011 03:44:52 AM 1025 Views
Blurbs are not generally very original in their comparisons - would kind of defeat their purpose. Legolas - 09/12/2011 10:42:17 PM 2005 Views
I have to agree. ? - 09/12/2011 10:54:06 PM 1970 Views
They're there for marketing A Deathwatch Guard - 10/12/2011 12:20:17 AM 1985 Views
Most of those comparisons are like that anyway DomA - 10/12/2011 05:32:45 PM 2171 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 1060 Views
To be fair, a lot of it isn't. rebelaessedai - 11/12/2011 04:06:07 AM 1946 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 1869 Views
That's true. rebelaessedai - 11/12/2011 11:08:01 AM 1838 Views
But see, that's where things start to get referred back to Tolkien. Tom - 12/12/2011 04:30:12 AM 2031 Views
Maybe they mean something else by using his name. Cannoli - 11/12/2011 03:50:15 AM 2024 Views
When they don't work, yes. nossy - 11/12/2011 03:18:44 PM 1958 Views
The Tolkien fanaticism gets old. And yes, for me it is unreadable. everynametaken - 11/12/2011 11:37:53 PM 1895 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 1996 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 1891 Views
Yes *NM* Hieshyn - 22/12/2011 07:08:38 PM 1141 Views
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