Legends II (and a poll)

[McMurphy]

I noticed during my last visit to the local Borders outlet (Sidenote of unrelated information: I finally got my own copies of Johnny Got His Gun by Dalton Trumbo and Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury) that the hardcover sequel to the first Legends collection has hit the bookshelves.

I tried, originally, to make this post as a reply to the "new books out" thread, but I wanted to include a short poll in at the end of this thread that explored people's feelings on the first collection.

[Note: The poll option allows up to 10 possible choices, so I have omitted the editor's (Robert Silverberg) entry. While not ideal, it does seem to be most fair alternative to listing all the authors. If Silverberg's short story was anyone's favorite, feel free to respond through text saying so.]

 

[Brian G Turner]

Hi McMurphy - nice to see you using an avatar, and describing yourself as a merry prankster.

I'm afraid I am not properly acquainted with the "Legends" book. Do you have any more information on it?

 

[littlemissattitude]

Hello, McMurphy. I wondered, when I saw your screen name, but now I think my suspicion (and I don't mean that in a bad way) is correct - you're a Ken Kesey fan, aren't you? I was just reading about the Merry Pranksters the other day. (The reading was part of research for a book I'm writing about the baby boomers and their times, and the Pranksters were certainly a part of that time.)

Anyway, welcome to the board. I'm looking forward to your contributions to the forum.

Oh, and I haven't read Legends II, so I can't propertly answer the poll. However, there are some good writers on that list.

 

[dwndrgn]

Well, I've been wanting to read it for a long time but the library here doesn't have a copy and I'm too broke to get my own. As soon as I do (because I mean to at some point), I'll come back and discuss which one I like the best.

 

[McMurphy]

Information of Legends

Hi McMurphy - nice to see you using an avatar, and describing yourself as a merry prankster.

I'm afraid I am not properly acquainted with the "Legends" book. Do you have any more information on it?

Legends: Short Novels by the Masters of Modern Fantasy, Vol. 1 (editor: Robert Silverberg, Tor Books Publishing, 1999) was a collection of novellas by eleven of the biggest names in fantasy at the time. While it provided fans of said authors' series additional tales that usually shed new light on previously untold segments of a character's or world's existence, Legends also acted as a clever advertisement for what was being published in fantasy. For example, both Jordan (Wheel of Time) and King (Dark Tower) chose to depict events that occured just before where their first novels began. If any of the authors listed in the poll has had a long running series that you have been following, it would be worth getting a borrowed copy and finding out something new about the tale(s) you love.

 

[McMurphy]

Hello, McMurphy. I wondered, when I saw your screen name, but now I think my suspicion (and I don't mean that in a bad way) is correct - you're a Ken Kesey fan, aren't you? I was just reading about the Merry Pranksters the other day. (The reading was part of research for a book I'm writing about the baby boomers and their times, and the Pranksters were certainly a part of that time.)

Anyway, welcome to the board. I'm looking forward to your contributions to the forum.

Oh, and I haven't read Legends II, so I can't propertly answer the poll. However, there are some good writers on that list.

Thank you for your welcoming attitude. Everyone at this forum has been more than friendly!

You guessed correctly. I admire the novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey and read up on him in the novel by Tom Wolfe entitled The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test, which I highly recommend. Kesey's role in the 60's counter culture movement (along with that of the Merry Pranksters) is strange and more than a little interesting.

In truth, I haven't read Legends II, which was why I made the poll in regards to the original hefty volume of novellas. I would be interested in what you enjoyed in the first volume if you have had the time to pick it up.

 

[Brian G Turner]

Re: Information of Legends

It does sound interesting - I should really look to get hold of that book over her in the UK. It would be interesting to see so many authors' differing styles all in one place.

As for the Merry Prankers and counter culture - yes, fascinating group. Approached the subject more the Kerouac way through to Leary. Never actually read any Ken Kesey, though.

Oh - and to keep on topic, I will also look out for "Legends II". Again, as much for the reading itself, it could be a remarkably useful resource for aspiring writers of the genre to get a quick sharp taste of the commercially successful authors and their writing styles. Probably great research material.

 

[littlemissattitude]

Actually, after being reminded of the Merry Pranksters by a book I'm reading now, I'm looking for Wolfe's book, which I've never read. I'm sure my library system has a copy somewhere, but the locations function of their computer card catalog is down at the moment, so I can't find out which branch or branches have it so I can go get it and read it. I'd rather not request it, as sometimes requests take forever to fill.

I read "Cuckoo's Nest" a very long time ago, and of course I've seen the film. I've never read "Sometimes a Great Notion" but have seen the film of that and liked it very much, although I've heard that the film is just a shadow of the book.

Oh, and if you enjoyed Wolfe's writing in "Acid Test", I'd recommend "The Right Stuff" if you haven't already read it. Interesting book about the beginnings of the manned space program - and probably one of my top three or four favorite films of all time.