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Perhaps Larry Send a noteboard - 13/12/2011 12:49:34 AM
Some knee-jerk reactions that don't really refute what we're saying, a few ad hominems, some interesting input from people who aren't dismissing us out of hand...the same as when I posted my "In Defense of Other Fiction" but with far less outcry since it's a repeat discussion on a topic we've commented on multiple times.

That plus some aren't Tolkienistas here, which might have diluted the outcry. Sad part is whether we be nice or blunt about urging others to read more than just more of the same, there's little chance of that happening here on a large scale.

I actually think that both of you have more impact than you think. I think that people DO pick up some of what you suggest, and that they do often try to broaden themselves. I know I have, and I have heard the same from others (not just the people you expect) over my time here. The problem is that people don't necessarily feel up to discussing these things when they feel like they might be treated like idiots.:P I may be flavoring this a little too much with my own feelings on the matter, but I don't think I'm far wrong.


I'll be honest in saying that I visit regularly for only a few people who post on this particular board (see the sporadic visits to the other boards) because it's hard for that impact to translate into actual discussion. After nearly a dozen years, I think I can safely say it's difficult to find any forum that discusses literature above a cursory level. Incidentally, a friend of mine and I are planning on starting a new lit blog in the coming weeks as both of us are tired of being pigeonholed and we want to cover non-genre works in a suitable fashion. I think it might be a great challenge to discuss Twain, Thoreau, Gogol (the planned blog name is Gogol's Overcoat), Céline, and several others; hopefully, there will eventually be an audience for it, since there aren't as many lit blogs doing what I or certain others do whenever we cover genre books.
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 2848 Views
The comparison bothers me, but not because Tolkien isn't relevant. lord-of-shadow - 09/12/2011 10:05:22 PM 1716 Views
I agree with this. Nate - 09/12/2011 10:21:34 PM 1745 Views
Re: I agree with this. DomA - 10/12/2011 07:09:33 PM 1680 Views
Exactly *NM* ironclad - 12/12/2011 12:09:19 PM 855 Views
Only when shit works are being compared to him Larry - 09/12/2011 10:22:26 PM 1607 Views
Larry, Macharius - 10/12/2011 01:13:18 AM 1624 Views
Snide dismissal that will be passed off as for his own entertainment. Ghavrel - 10/12/2011 04:55:43 AM 1537 Views
We get a lot of that around here. *NM* lord-of-shadow - 10/12/2011 05:18:01 AM 639 Views
makes me wonder... LadyLorraine - 10/12/2011 04:37:33 PM 1523 Views
Re: makes me wonder... James - 11/12/2011 03:03:15 AM 1488 Views
Well-deserved condescension. Tom - 11/12/2011 03:54:27 AM 1655 Views
You're sure about that? A Deathwatch Guard - 11/12/2011 04:20:26 AM 1882 Views
Re: You're sure about that? James - 11/12/2011 05:25:08 AM 1608 Views
Re: You're sure about that? A Deathwatch Guard - 11/12/2011 06:03:02 AM 1473 Views
i think you shouldn't judge a whole world's school programs on your school LadyLorraine - 11/12/2011 06:42:30 AM 1526 Views
Yeah, I'm limited in my knowledge, lol A Deathwatch Guard - 11/12/2011 08:03:26 AM 1537 Views
My school was...not great. James - 11/12/2011 04:02:36 PM 1562 Views
I'm 24. James - 11/12/2011 03:49:06 PM 1480 Views
If you're arguing that children should be able to read genre fiction, fine. Tom - 11/12/2011 08:52:27 PM 1405 Views
Well, I suppose it depends on the type of genre being read Larry - 11/12/2011 09:36:16 PM 1640 Views
How often do you hear the challenging writers mentioned at this site? Tom - 12/12/2011 02:03:05 PM 1376 Views
Only when you, me, and a couple others write reviews Larry - 12/12/2011 04:21:14 PM 1781 Views
Oh, it was the same as it always is Tom - 12/12/2011 05:23:56 PM 1490 Views
True Larry - 12/12/2011 06:29:10 PM 1576 Views
One note nossy - 13/12/2011 12:17:48 AM 1582 Views
Perhaps Larry - 13/12/2011 12:49:34 AM 1517 Views
*Sighs* Such is the plight of those shining few intelects... Narg - 23/12/2011 01:15:47 AM 1564 Views
Much of the actual "Classics", that is, Greek and Latin originals, kids would eat up. Dan - 12/12/2011 03:13:03 AM 1390 Views
Try teaching Apuleius in schools... *NM* Tom - 12/12/2011 04:12:49 AM 759 Views
Plato is exciting, brutal and scandalous? Legolas - 12/12/2011 09:59:13 PM 1455 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 808 Views
Uhh...uh... Larry - 11/12/2011 05:34:23 AM 1489 Views
this is a bit off topic, but out of curiousity... LadyLorraine - 11/12/2011 06:28:35 AM 1599 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 1538 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 1504 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 838 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 1640 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 1538 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 774 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 715 Views
No, just with respect to you. *NM* Tom - 12/12/2011 02:00:15 PM 759 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 807 Views
Once again, I really don't care what you think. *NM* Tom - 12/12/2011 03:37:40 PM 764 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 734 Views
As well read as you seem to be, you think you'd be smart enough... MonCul - 11/12/2011 06:20:06 PM 1482 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 1403 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 1457 Views
That statement has just confused me. Tom - 12/12/2011 04:06:53 PM 1415 Views
Re: That statement has just confused me. Macharius - 12/12/2011 04:14:27 PM 1423 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 1372 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 1525 Views
There's an unintentional irony in what you say, alas Larry - 13/12/2011 12:44:26 AM 1443 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 1645 Views
With such comeback skills, you must have ruled the playgrounds as a kid, no? Larry - 13/12/2011 05:21:42 AM 1655 Views
I thought it was a pretty good comeback. MonCul - 13/12/2011 12:37:15 PM 1615 Views
Think again, Skippy Larry - 13/12/2011 01:34:41 PM 1470 Views
There are no special snowflakes, are there? Larry - 11/12/2011 09:39:21 PM 1403 Views
There are many way of widening one's horizons and broadening one's mind. Legolas - 11/12/2011 10:08:24 PM 1165 Views
I said as much in my comment Larry - 11/12/2011 10:20:03 PM 1435 Views
What I don't like- rebelaessedai - 12/12/2011 04:28:55 AM 1519 Views
Why don't you name something, then? Tom - 12/12/2011 04:40:29 AM 1468 Views
Sure. rebelaessedai - 13/12/2011 07:30:56 AM 1298 Views
Mentioning Ender's Game pretty much shot your argument in the foot. Tom - 13/12/2011 02:02:59 PM 1411 Views
You dismiss the entire video game medium because many games lack value. lord-of-shadow - 13/12/2011 03:59:11 PM 1557 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 1363 Views
McDonalds food is inherently unhealthy. lord-of-shadow - 13/12/2011 06:02:18 PM 1501 Views
For the sake of argument ... Nate - 13/12/2011 04:09:51 PM 1405 Views
Stephenson is not literature, that's for damn sure. Tom - 13/12/2011 05:49:24 PM 1355 Views
Thank you, The Voice of Lews Therin. *NM* Vivien - 16/12/2011 05:14:42 AM 824 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 1519 Views
that's alright. I really have no desire to stroke your twit-ego. *NM* LadyLorraine - 10/12/2011 04:36:56 PM 616 Views
Considering the firestorm I appear to have touched off, that may be best. Macharius - 12/12/2011 12:57:49 PM 1500 Views
I know, John Larry - 12/12/2011 04:27:04 PM 1393 Views
Re: I know, John Macharius - 12/12/2011 05:06:26 PM 1453 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 1390 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 1464 Views
Same guy Larry - 12/12/2011 07:26:13 PM 1509 Views
Ha! Excellent point. *NM* Tom - 11/12/2011 03:44:52 AM 743 Views
Blurbs are not generally very original in their comparisons - would kind of defeat their purpose. Legolas - 09/12/2011 10:42:17 PM 1490 Views
I have to agree. ? - 09/12/2011 10:54:06 PM 1509 Views
They're there for marketing A Deathwatch Guard - 10/12/2011 12:20:17 AM 1488 Views
Most of those comparisons are like that anyway DomA - 10/12/2011 05:32:45 PM 1623 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 739 Views
To be fair, a lot of it isn't. rebelaessedai - 11/12/2011 04:06:07 AM 1439 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 1374 Views
That's true. rebelaessedai - 11/12/2011 11:08:01 AM 1363 Views
But see, that's where things start to get referred back to Tolkien. Tom - 12/12/2011 04:30:12 AM 1520 Views
Maybe they mean something else by using his name. Cannoli - 11/12/2011 03:50:15 AM 1446 Views
When they don't work, yes. nossy - 11/12/2011 03:18:44 PM 1449 Views
The Tolkien fanaticism gets old. And yes, for me it is unreadable. everynametaken - 11/12/2011 11:37:53 PM 1436 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 1493 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 1402 Views
Yes *NM* Hieshyn - 22/12/2011 07:08:38 PM 860 Views
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