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Have to agree. Seriana Sedai Send a noteboard - 28/07/2010 11:38:37 PM
I am growing tired of this. Shortly after the films started coming out it became fashionable in circles of self-styled intellectuals to fall out of love with Tolkien. Of course they are free to do that, but don't present it as an objective truth or a sign of excellent taste. It makes me somewhat nauseous.

I have long been planning a proper long post on this tendency, but I never seem to find the time. I am sure it will come one of these days. For now, though, this will have to do:

Piffle and poppycock.

Edit: I realise that I appear to confirm precisely what the man said in the blog, but I think you know me well enough to realise it is simply time constraint.


I have a kid in my acting class who, when the conversation on break turned to Fantasy novels, started off on the tirade against Tolkien. Which is fine, he doesn't have to like Tolkien. But then I asked if he'd actually read any of Tolkien's books. Cue crickets chirping. He was just one of the many who consider it stylish to bash Tolkien. I don't care if they don't like it, but they are just deciding that the cool kids don't like Tolkien and that annoys me.
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Tolkien as a sacred cow of fantasy - 28/07/2010 10:02:39 PM 1796 Views
Nonsense, at least in part - 28/07/2010 10:19:19 PM 1372 Views
I know there is a polite difference of opinion here - 28/07/2010 10:40:42 PM 1167 Views
So we should judge the Iliad against modren fantasy novels? - 29/07/2010 12:04:32 PM 1198 Views
i agree, and furthermore... - 29/07/2010 08:46:07 PM 1268 Views
Re: I know there is a polite difference of opinion here - 29/07/2010 08:44:24 PM 1199 Views
Mno - 30/07/2010 09:07:18 AM 1284 Views
Have to agree. - 28/07/2010 11:38:37 PM 1255 Views
It seemed to be that way with Harry Potter just when after it had started to get big. - 29/07/2010 09:44:53 AM 1076 Views
*cough* Twilight *cough* - 29/07/2010 10:15:13 AM 1141 Views
I was gonna mention that one too. - 29/07/2010 10:35:17 AM 1204 Views
Mmm. I read an interesting article actually... - 29/07/2010 08:24:04 PM 1013 Views
That's a fair point, I guess... - 29/07/2010 09:18:13 PM 1222 Views
It's hardly tacit. I'm glad I've never read the things. - 30/07/2010 09:38:33 AM 1229 Views
Fair enough. - 30/07/2010 10:03:07 AM 1230 Views
Also: the writing is crap. - 29/07/2010 01:04:12 PM 1155 Views
but plenty of us hate it after reading *NM* - 29/07/2010 08:24:35 PM 497 Views
How much do you have to read to form an opinion? - 29/07/2010 12:23:28 PM 1172 Views
To the end - 29/07/2010 12:59:25 PM 1048 Views
my reading time is too scarce to think that way - 29/07/2010 01:21:26 PM 1225 Views
I agree, but HP is a good example of something you should keep reading - 29/07/2010 08:27:20 PM 1231 Views
and I will - 29/07/2010 09:13:03 PM 955 Views
that's fair enough then - 29/07/2010 10:43:57 PM 1017 Views
so I hear - 29/07/2010 11:13:09 PM 982 Views
Re: To the end - 29/07/2010 08:49:06 PM 1102 Views
Re: To the end - 29/07/2010 10:34:44 PM 1029 Views
Re: How much do you have to read to form an opinion? - 29/07/2010 01:49:21 PM 1212 Views
The books mature as Harry does. You should really give it another shot *NM* - 29/07/2010 03:00:37 PM 599 Views
He doesn't want to, so why should he? It's not like you or he is losing anything now - 29/07/2010 06:15:58 PM 1043 Views
It is a case of the "someone is wrong on the internet" thing, only much older - 29/07/2010 06:27:07 PM 984 Views
well you have not failed completely - 29/07/2010 06:50:15 PM 995 Views
Re: well you have not failed completely - 29/07/2010 06:53:38 PM 1037 Views
one quick question - 29/07/2010 07:38:00 PM 1072 Views
Re: one quick question - 29/07/2010 07:42:27 PM 1110 Views
well I am not a big enough hypocrite to look down on verbosity - 29/07/2010 08:30:56 PM 1011 Views
I have a new essay I want you to read - 29/07/2010 07:44:40 PM 1141 Views
Re: I have a new essay I want you to read - 29/07/2010 10:42:05 PM 1098 Views
how many books do I have to read to get to the grown up books? - 29/07/2010 06:42:37 PM 1014 Views
Book 3 is the beginning of the adult ones, imo. - 29/07/2010 06:44:07 PM 1116 Views
Agreed, although, - 29/07/2010 06:54:14 PM 1075 Views
None of them are "geared towards grown ups" - it's still a YA series. - 29/07/2010 07:03:24 PM 1013 Views
They're all "light reading" for adults, geared towards YA readers. - 29/07/2010 08:29:01 PM 996 Views
Re: It seemed to be that way with Harry Potter just when after it had started to get big. - 29/07/2010 08:45:58 PM 1126 Views
it's not supposed to be on par with adult fantasy. - 29/07/2010 08:49:16 PM 1124 Views
I'd argue it's better than Jordan and others from a literary standpoint. - 29/07/2010 09:14:07 PM 1065 Views
I have always thought Jordan had some interesting themes but they were often ignored... - 29/07/2010 09:27:12 PM 1215 Views
lol. it's hard to fail with such low preliminary standards *NM* - 29/07/2010 10:46:07 PM 525 Views
good points, i bow to your wisdom - 29/07/2010 10:45:29 PM 994 Views
Oh, agreed. - 30/07/2010 09:05:17 AM 1142 Views
Incidentall - 28/07/2010 10:39:52 PM 1111 Views
Ha! - 28/07/2010 10:41:41 PM 1230 Views
Re: Ha! - 28/07/2010 10:45:38 PM 1110 Views
Ah - 28/07/2010 10:49:22 PM 1159 Views
I agree Tolkien should not be a sacred cow or put on a pedestal overmuch. - 28/07/2010 11:10:37 PM 1200 Views
I can see your points there - 28/07/2010 11:18:59 PM 1122 Views
I grow weary of people refusing to view LotR in context. - 28/07/2010 11:14:07 PM 1140 Views
all art forms have sacred cows - 29/07/2010 01:38:26 AM 1209 Views
Yeah, it was the line about women waiting at home while their men went to war that made me laugh. - 29/07/2010 06:44:34 PM 1079 Views
women deserve black lung too!! - 29/07/2010 08:35:17 PM 991 Views
nah the smart ones do like my grandmother did - 29/07/2010 09:15:14 PM 1056 Views
All Tolkien-haters are morons. - 29/07/2010 03:30:27 AM 1384 Views
Disappointing. - 29/07/2010 04:41:34 AM 1150 Views
Re: Disappointing. - 29/07/2010 09:19:25 AM 1122 Views
Probably in the sense... - 29/07/2010 02:57:47 PM 1028 Views
Perhaps more of 'a complication' to good discussion. - 29/07/2010 08:28:59 PM 990 Views
agreed. *NM* - 29/07/2010 08:32:36 PM 517 Views
I think you are ignoring the key fact that the Silmarillion was never published by Tolkien. - 30/07/2010 01:48:14 PM 1391 Views
The Silmarillion was actually one of Tolkien's first works - 30/07/2010 06:12:31 PM 1476 Views
No it wasn't. - 30/07/2010 06:37:19 PM 1164 Views
Re: Tolkien as a sacred cow of fantasy - 29/07/2010 08:42:04 PM 1156 Views
I find the Tolkien lovers to be obnoxious in their never ending masturbatory praise of his works. - 30/07/2010 06:09:42 AM 1156 Views
This. *NM* - 30/07/2010 07:43:24 PM 1239 Views

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