So, does anyone take the NY Times seriously anymore?

[agilebrit]

Because when someone, in all seriousness, says this:

And how would you describe the kinds of books you steer clear of?

Anything described by the author or publisher as fantasy, which to me says, “Don’t worry, Reader, Death will be absent here.” In his brief introduction to “Slow Learner,” Thomas Pynchon says he takes serious writing to be that in which Death is present. I agree.

OH. WELL. I guess all that stuff I'm writing in which Death is most certainly present (with awful, awful Consequences!) is, by that definition, Lit-Ra-Chure.

With werewolves.

I guess I'll start subbing to Atlantic Monthly and the New Yorker!

Seriously, has this guy ever actually read a fantasy book in his life? I have written 38 short stories and a novel. I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of stories in which someone or something doesn't die. Hell, I destroyed the entire Earth once (although, to be fair, that one was SF). I have written stories with serial killers (which also starred talking cats, and angels and demons). Honestly, I cannot think of a single fantasy book I have ever read where someone didn't die--usually horribly and messily. Is Tolkien not fantasy anymore?

WTF, dude. How can anyone who has paid the least bit of attention to the genre make such a stupid, stupid statement?

The Old Gray Lady ain't what she used to be. If she ever was.

Comments

[honorh.livejournal.com]

I guess he's not yet heard of Game of Thrones. *Eyeroll* at anyone who dismisses fantasy as "frothy wish-fulfillment". But, you know, he's got his Lit-ra-chur to read. It's sooper Important. He's probably also the kind of guy who thinks reading for pleasure is somehow missing the point.

[werewolf-hacker.livejournal.com]

Let's see. The last thing I had published, a character cried so much he dissolved in his own tears. The one before that, one faerie eats another one. The one before that, a character is crushed to death by a cow in the opening scene.

The last thing I wrote had a war between were-mice and vampire cockroaches (don't ask). The one before that, my protag murders his best friend in a wolf rage.

I would not "wish" my characters' lives on anyone. I am horrible to them (ask this guy!). And I am unabashedly writing fantasy--and not ashamed of my chosen genre.

[jordan179.livejournal.com]

Yeah, wait a moment ... fantasy is a fairly violent genre. When I think "fantasy" I think Tolkien (massive battles for control of a continent), Moorcock (heroes cleaving their ways through small armies with runeswords, whole worlds going down in flames) or Robert E. Howard (barbarian adventurers slaying their foes with battle-axe and sword). What is this guy thinking of -- "The Happy Little Smurfs Berate Twilight Sparkle For Being Too Willing To Use Force" ...?

And does this mean that the work is more serious the more characters die? So, that means military or apocalyptic fiction must be the most serious, because lots and lots of people die. Or does he mean named characters? So thus stories about serial killers or horror about monsters must be the most serious.

That's got to be one of the most idiotic things I've ever heard!

[werewolf-hacker.livejournal.com]

Clearly, this guy has never read a fantasy book in his life, but in order to prove that he's Important to all twelve people who have read his books, he has to take a cheap (and inaccurate!) shot at a genre he knows nothing about.

Meanwhile, those of us who read, write, and love fantasy are pointing and laughing.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

This. I cannot put it better.

The man is clearly an eedjit who is not in any way well-read.

My first thought was 'Tolkien!' too.