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Agreed in the case of Lions of al-Rassan. Legolas Send a noteboard - 07/04/2012 10:34:02 AM
I said elsewhere on occasion when his name would be brought up that I disliked his heavy-handed borrowing from historical sources, as it dried up my interest almost immediately, as I knew what would broadly happen, as I recognized the real-life analogues to the characters.

Haven't read Sarantium or Under Heaven. The thing with borrowing so heavily from real sources is that you're pretty much damned if you do and damned if you don't. Either you follow history as it really happened and then the most interested readers will also be the ones who already know what will happen. Or you deviate from history as it happened at a certain point, as in Lions of al-Rassan, and then those readers will be hypercritical about how realistic or plausible your departure from history is.

I loved how Jacqueline Carey did it, though - sufficiently far from real history that she could write her own stories without bothering the history buffs.
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Is there a universally liked fantasy book? Tim - 06/04/2012 08:51:12 PM 2173 Views
I like The Fionavar Tapestry, but I don't expect everybody does. Legolas - 06/04/2012 09:08:18 PM 1624 Views
Not really Larry - 07/04/2012 01:23:38 AM 1585 Views
That surprises me. I would think you'd have enjoyed LIONS or TIGANA. *NM* Ghavrel - 07/04/2012 07:39:08 AM 603 Views
I disliked Sarantium and Under Heaven Larry - 07/04/2012 07:49:50 AM 1490 Views
Agreed in the case of Lions of al-Rassan. Legolas - 07/04/2012 10:34:02 AM 1406 Views
i love ggk. haven't read the other one. interesting question... curious to see what comes of it temeraire - 07/04/2012 03:19:45 AM 1334 Views
Seems a silly question to ask. Ghavrel - 07/04/2012 07:37:44 AM 1411 Views
Simply--no. Palatine - 07/04/2012 04:37:16 PM 1808 Views
Except for LOTR wasn't that original. Stephen - 07/04/2012 05:14:49 PM 1303 Views
Perhaps. Palatine - 08/04/2012 04:33:07 PM 1459 Views
Re: Perhaps. dacole - 09/04/2012 02:39:42 AM 1348 Views
Agreed. Tolkien is the closest you'll get. Tom - 09/04/2012 12:46:04 AM 1449 Views
I agree about Tolkien DomA - 11/04/2012 12:35:51 AM 1424 Views
Sword of Truth series. *NM* Kotagg - 07/04/2012 06:11:27 PM 592 Views
Seconded. We should all grow yurds. *NM* Artsapat - 09/04/2012 07:33:00 PM 698 Views
I haven't read either of those A Deathwatch Guard - 07/04/2012 11:52:47 PM 1355 Views
Hm. I think it'd be hard to hate David Eddings' The Belgariad beetnemesis - 09/04/2012 06:32:49 PM 1314 Views
That only counts for those who have nostalgic feelings for it, I'm afraid. *NM* Legolas - 09/04/2012 08:45:48 PM 640 Views
Yes, trying to read it for the first time aged 19 wasn't an enjoyable experience. Stephen - 10/04/2012 01:03:19 AM 1285 Views
More like having your love for it curdle into hate after reading the Mallorean, Elenium & Tamuli Cannoli - 10/04/2012 02:42:49 PM 1571 Views
Ha, at least in Mallorean it was a plot point (albeit a lame one) beetnemesis - 10/04/2012 03:52:27 PM 1425 Views
nostalgia kick for sure. i daren't reread that Foxhead - 01/05/2012 10:25:24 PM 1774 Views
I would've thought Tigana. rebelaessedai - 10/04/2012 04:24:56 AM 1337 Views
Horrendous Book Wibble - 10/04/2012 12:16:55 PM 1367 Views
I love Tigana, but yeah, Wibble's not the only one who doesn't. Legolas - 10/04/2012 07:13:00 PM 1308 Views
Good to know. rebelaessedai - 16/04/2012 04:56:48 AM 1665 Views
I read Tigana very recently Stephen - 16/04/2012 02:12:38 PM 1450 Views
Well, like I said, it's not one of my faves. rebelaessedai - 10/05/2012 03:53:49 AM 1508 Views
Of course not. Who could like something that's not real? *NM* jh - 10/04/2012 07:39:30 PM 603 Views
Oh, that's a really good question. Vivien - 10/04/2012 08:52:51 PM 1422 Views
Re: Oh, that's a really good question. DomA - 10/04/2012 11:33:36 PM 1345 Views
I had Hobb recommende to me LadyLorraine - 11/04/2012 03:38:35 AM 1353 Views
Same here. Stephen - 16/04/2012 02:14:06 PM 1382 Views
so the tawny man onwards kind of sucked Foxhead - 01/05/2012 10:27:41 PM 1524 Views
ursula le guin - earthsea? *NM* Foxhead - 01/05/2012 10:28:35 PM 739 Views
The first one, at least, should be liked by everyone. (IMO) Tim - 01/05/2012 10:59:34 PM 1398 Views
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