I have to laugh...

As I think I may have gathered, Brys, you yourself are not a Tolkien fan. Maybe youre able to tell that I most certainly am... Maybe by my strange use of language here and there...

But thats also my point: Tolkien is not discussed to anywhere near the same degree as GRRM. Now, if your last statement there and my last statement above had been a little different, then I wouldnt be making this statement!!! :S
 
So, you have to laugh that Martin seems more popular than Tolkien...

Personally, I'm discussed out on Tolkien. I posted on Portent and The Last Alliance for years... but Portent is gone and The Last Alliance is nothing but fan boy rantings anymore. I'd love to discuss Tolkien, but what more can I say. I think I've approached Middle-earth from every angle imaginable... physically, allegorically, theologically, christologically, biologically, racially, culturally, and linguistically.

But then again, if Tolkien were publishing new materials... we'd see more action on his threads. Also, the main arguments in Tolkien discussion seem to have been made before most of us were born or at least before Tolkien passed away. There are not any real new ideas floating around concerning Aragorn's lineage, Gandalf's nature, Frodo's motivations, and nature of evil. There was a flurry of comparisons for the films to the books, but since there are no new films...

Don't get me wrong, Tolkien is the standard by which all others are measured. His works are the plumb line to which I compare all other works.
 
You know, I have read Bakker's A Darkness that Comes Before, and though it was good it was not a match for any of Martin's ASoIaF books. It took far too long to get into (even putting me asleep a few times) and was quite vulgar (If I don't see a chapter about a prostitute for years I will be happy), and I must say, though Martin throws out alot of names, most are easy to remember, and beyond that, easy to pronounce, unfortunately I cannot say the same for Bakker.

Nevertheless his book was good, I just would not put him up there with Martin.
 
HieroGlyph said:
As I think I may have gathered, Brys, you yourself are not a Tolkien fan. Maybe youre able to tell that I most certainly am... Maybe by my strange use of language here and there...

But thats also my point: Tolkien is not discussed to anywhere near the same degree as GRRM. Now, if your last statement there and my last statement above had been a little different, then I wouldnt be making this statement!!! :S
Click to expand...

Perhaps Tolkien isn't discussed that much here, but I don't think he's exactly under-discussed. There's more discussion on him than any other fantasy author who is no longer writing (though IMO Peake is hideously under-read and hideously under-discussed. Tolkien's good, but had the effect of overshadowing everything from that period, irrespective of their quality). But authors like Bakker and Erikson (though this is less the case than even at the same time last year) are barely mentioned in comparison. I'd think that now Bakker's written one of the best completed epic fantasy series ever,there'd be more discussion on him, as Martin's is still unfinished and could go downhill. But then that's where all the discussion is, isn't it - speculation for the next book. It's the same reason that Jordan and Goodkind are discussed so much - they're writing long epic series, which sell well.

Martin throws out alot of names, most are easy to remember, and beyond that, easy to pronounce, unfortunately I cannot say the same for Bakker.
Click to expand...

This is one criticism that bewilders me - names. Sure, you might not like a book because of the characters, or the plot, or the worldbuilding, or any major aspect like that. But to give up on a book (people have given up on Bakker because of the names and no other reason) because of the names seems a bit arbitrary. I personally feel that Bakker is better at naming his characters than Martin, because they feel more unique and realistic for his culture, rather than just taking modern names and changing the spelling a bit for them to fit his world as Martin does. Martin has easy names to remember, but I don't think that's one of his advantages over other writers. Names that are arbitrarily difficult aren't good, but names that are difficult but make sense aren't bad at all. And Bakker's aren't really that bad - McKillip has Ghisteslwchlom as her main villain in the Riddlemaster trilogy!

It took far too long to get into (even putting me asleep a few times
Click to expand...

Really? It hooked me with the prologue, and while it wasn't extremely fast paced, it wasn't much slower paced than A Game of Thrones. It was different in style, but it was absolutely essential to the creation of the world and setting up the plot. It may interest you to know that the Warrior Prophet shows some definite improvement in pacing, and while IMO it isn't quite as good as A Storm of Swords, it's as good, if not better, than anything else Martin's written (though some people don't like it because of Kellhus).
 
I think these things have a snowball effect. If there are a number of people discussing any one particular author here, that writer's name will be coupled with the Chronicles Network more and more times on the various search engines ... which leads to more fans of that particular author being attracted here ... which leads to more threads on that author ... and off we go again.

Meanwhile, new folks who might want to get a conversation going about some other favorite authors, and who fail to drum up much interest, gradually drift away to other places where those writers do get discussed.
 
Tyranus said:
You know, I have read Bakker's A Darkness that Comes Before, and though it was good it was not a match for any of Martin's ASoIaF books. It took far too long to get into (even putting me asleep a few times) and was quite vulgar (If I don't see a chapter about a prostitute for years I will be happy), and I must say, though Martin throws out alot of names, most are easy to remember, and beyond that, easy to pronounce, unfortunately I cannot say the same for Bakker.
I'd rather rake leaves than read Bakker - yard work keeps my interest and doesn't put me to sleep, unlike Bakker.
And what is it with authors whose books have a bunch of freaking names that you have to have a pronunciation guide and a degree in English to read??? WTF is that about? :confused: :mad:
If I open a book and see a "helpful" pronunciation guide, I just put it back on the shelf. It's like they TRY to make things difficult for the reader. Sheesh.
-g-
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Half the fun of reading books by authors like Bakker is finding new and more amusing ways to pronounce the names;)
 
Boaz said:
So, you have to laugh that Martin seems more popular than Tolkien...
Click to expand...

No, not quite, Boaz. Im not laughing at this discrepancy between author discussion: I had to laugh because I was about to add to a thread which stirred me enough to reply but which was by then closed...

Hope that clarifies things!

No, Im not mocking GRRM. I really enjoyed ASIF and dont doubt I will continue to till its conclusion.

And as for Tolkien having been talked and talked of... well, thats my point: it certainly hasnt been discussed to death around here! (Or are edits and deletions occuring that we're not informed of? ;) )

[Oh, and Brys who's been knocking Anasurimbor Kellhus? Huh! See, I think I might have typed that name close to correct and its been a while since I saw it... Anyway, Kellhus is amazing!!! Tell me where those p.. nm, Im j/k...]
 
Well, I for one dont have problems with names. Or at least dont think I do. Maybe. Apart from GRRM. Short, slightly altered names does seem a little too, erm, idle. Doesnt detract from the story though. Neither does it add to it. Whereas a name that actually has meaning to it... Tolkien again.......

So, all those threads around here are created by 'web-drifters'? Surfers doing searches for GRRM and such? I can see that happening, aye... And this adds to the speculation: they surf out of speculation, come across half an answer, add little to nothing, make another stab in the dark... I dont go in for speculation, just like I dont go in for reading the last page of the book Im reading... Bah, I still cannot see... Wait, the air is clearing... Ah, no thats meerly the breath of the lack of my own fresh air...
 
HieroGlyph said:
So, all those threads around here are created by 'web-drifters'? Surfers doing searches for GRRM and such? I can see that happening, aye... And this adds to the speculation: they surf out of speculation, come across half an answer, add little to nothing, make another stab in the dark... I dont go in for speculation, just like I dont go in for reading the last page of the book Im reading... Bah, I still cannot see... Wait, the air is clearing... Ah, no thats meerly the breath of the lack of my own fresh air...
Click to expand...
It's called "boredom";)
 
HieroGlyph said:
[Oh, and Brys who's been knocking Anasurimbor Kellhus? Huh! See, I think I might have typed that name close to correct and its been a while since I saw it... Anyway, Kellhus is amazing!!! Tell me where those p.. nm, Im j/k...]
Click to expand...

Too many people to mention, but if you try checking the Martin forums, the Erikson forums (though most people here do like Bakker's writing and Kellhus, there are still a significant minority who hate Kellhus as a character), sffworld.com - and a lot of other places. The complaints are either that he isn't a "sympathetic character" or he's too powerful.
 
Dang! They are doing it again: theres at least 3 brand new threads since I last posted upon this one. Now, in my grumpy A.M. mood Im a-thinking this place is all too bias :(
I even posted something debatable in the Tolkien thread...
Of course, what am I getting at? Again...

[Edit: scratches chin... is 'I, Brian' GRRM himself? lol - Ive a feeling my foots gone where it aughtn't...]
 
I aught to ask the mods to lock this thread.

I wont get admissions as to why there are so many threads under GRRM. Ive had all the answers I am likely to get, and thanks for those, peeps. Nor do I wish to get heated over any of it...

Long live George Martin :D
 
Sorry, but I'm afraid we don't lock threads unless there's a pressing reason - ie, members getting fractional with each other. If you're not keen on keeping this thread alive then you're welcome to stop posting on it. :)

As for bias - heh, the individual author boards are more likely to attract fans looking to discuss details of the author's works, but it has to be said, there have been some pretty critical comments made about GRRM's writing here - and interesting discussions have usually resulted from them.
 
Rane Longfox said:
Half the fun of reading books by authors like Bakker is finding new and more amusing ways to pronounce the names;)
Click to expand...

LOL!! Sarcasm?

Usually my pronunciations begin with expletives. I feel dumb enough onmy own without trying to figure out how to say the name "Vgringt"!:eek:
 
I said:
... there have been some pretty critical comments made about GRRM's writing here - and interesting discussions have usually resulted from them.
Click to expand...
Truth is I didnt want to criticise his writings... But as it is there are all too many of them (threads/discussions) all too active all at once (sheesh, sounds idle, but...) for me to go through them and not end up echoing half the other posts... Cause for more self mocking laughter :eek: ... Well, simply overwhelming in a rather different sense!
 
Allow me NOT to be ironic or obtuse!

Below is a link to a very funny retelling. I found it funny, anyway.

If you've seen the Matrix movies and read some of ASoIaF, I am sure you will not mind me refering the RELOADED part...

It may have been linked to recently, I dont know. If so, forgive the oversight, but I'm sure someone here may not have discovered this yet...


(block popups, btw)

http://p080.ezboard.com/fasoiaffrm3.showMessage?topicID=3083.topic
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Thread starter Similar threads Forum Replies Date
Extollager Story search: "Laughing All the Way" to Nuclear War Book Search 0
M. Robert Gibson Typos, Misprints and Grammar that make you pause, laugh/frown and reread Book Discussion 11
Vince W Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut to Become Graphic Novel Graphic Novels & Comics 9
Jeffbert TV Movies, VS. novels: believable or laughable? General Film Discussion 0
superupaman Writing Laughter Writing Discussion 21

Similar threads


Back
Top