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Fair enough, but do you mind me waiting just a little bit? Larry Send a noteboard - 26/05/2014 04:57:18 AM

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And when I say "snob", I mean that in an affectionate way! Seriously.

As a low-brow reader that almost solely focuses on story and entertainment, I would love to see some examples of good/bad prose and dialogue.....using Brandon Sanderson and other well know sci-fi/fantasy writers.

Honestly, even when I try to identify good and bad writing, I have trouble doing so. So please, enlighten me!



I did explain a bit why those quoted passages in the Sanderson review are not well-written, but I will concede beforehand the issue of audience expectations. How about before I do that, I post a link to the beginning paragraphs from a just-released book that straddles the realism/speculative imaginary line that I consider to be effective prose (maybe that should be a better word choice on my part, talking about effective/non-effective prose, as that allows for greater leeway)?

Illusions fall like the husk of a fruit, one after another, and the fruit is experience. - Narrator, Sylvie

Je suis méchant.
From Porochista Khakpour's The Last Illusion
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Friendly challenge to Larry and other literary "snobs" on the board..... Anonymous2000 - 25/05/2014 06:44:34 PM 1195 Views
As it happens, I wrote an example last year. Nate - 25/05/2014 07:13:41 PM 1170 Views
Nice *NM* beetnemesis - 27/05/2014 02:43:53 AM 504 Views
I have no problem with BS' dialogue in your example. Anonymous2000 - 27/05/2014 03:52:27 AM 988 Views
Right, but we've already established you don't really care about writing. Nate - 27/05/2014 04:05:03 PM 1035 Views
Honestly, what % of readers do you think would notice this "problem"? Anonymous2000 - 27/05/2014 04:28:25 PM 1161 Views
A high enough percentage that you felt the need to make this post. :p Nate - 27/05/2014 05:38:00 PM 963 Views
I would characterize myself as lowbrow with you, but that's one of the things I noticed Cannoli - 29/05/2014 12:13:18 AM 991 Views
Re: I would characterize myself as lowbrow with you, but that's one of the things I noticed DomA - 29/05/2014 08:35:15 PM 1086 Views
Wait, aren't Game of Thrones and A Song of Fire and Ice the same thing? beetnemesis - 29/05/2014 09:18:31 PM 978 Views
GoT (without the "A" refers to the TV series, ASoIaF to the books *NM* Werthead - 29/05/2014 09:38:28 PM 611 Views
Fair enough, but do you mind me waiting just a little bit? Larry - 26/05/2014 04:57:18 AM 1168 Views
Re: Fair enough, but do you mind me waiting just a little bit? DomA - 26/05/2014 09:10:31 PM 1105 Views
I really should read Irving, I see Larry - 27/05/2014 06:10:50 AM 1027 Views
I've only read one book by him, but The World According to Garp, at least, is a great book. *NM* Legolas - 27/05/2014 05:20:49 PM 439 Views
Re: I really should read Irving, I see DomA - 28/05/2014 03:01:24 AM 1025 Views
Promising opening paragraph, yes, but... Legolas - 26/05/2014 10:55:16 PM 932 Views
I think those shifts are part of the character, not something unintentional Larry - 27/05/2014 06:08:44 AM 941 Views
So bad prose is okay if it is intentional? *NM* Anonymous2000 - 27/05/2014 03:54:34 PM 458 Views
Okay, I do of course miss the perspective of what comes after. Legolas - 27/05/2014 06:29:33 PM 844 Views
I proudly claim the title of literary snob, and will provide you with a quick, unscientific example. Tom - 26/05/2014 08:15:04 PM 1042 Views
LOL! DomA - 26/05/2014 10:03:50 PM 1156 Views
Huh. Lana Del Rey quotes Nabokov... I had not made that connection. Legolas - 26/05/2014 11:17:47 PM 1147 Views
That quote from Lolita sounds like it is from a romance novel with Fabio on the cover. Anonymous2000 - 27/05/2014 03:40:37 AM 951 Views
Bah! fionwe1987 - 27/05/2014 07:50:15 PM 996 Views
Alloy of Law was great *NM* beetnemesis - 28/05/2014 08:16:26 PM 479 Views
Hell Yeah! *NM* Anonymous2000 - 28/05/2014 08:36:40 PM 459 Views
The audiobook was pretty great, as well. *NM* beetnemesis - 29/05/2014 09:19:07 PM 494 Views
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