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09-17-2010, 05:16 AM | #16 | |
Wizard
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The condition: "... that you hadn't expected going in?" I interpret to mean that you didn't sit down with the book with expectations of learning something specific, like you do with non-fiction. |
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09-18-2010, 07:55 PM | #17 |
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Thank you Ea. Your praise is much appreciated. It spurs me to add a consideration on the instructional value of reading fiction.
It has been pointed out by sociologists and philosophers that many forms of unexpected violence by youths are associated to a cultural vacuum. I am not referring to those socially under privileged. The Italian philosopher Umberto Galimberti mentions "emotional illiteracy" as one of the causes. This is explicitly related to the lack of exposition to fiction in the early years of education. Where else can one young person learn about sentiments and emotions, their value and importance. Certainly not from play stations, or from SMS exchanges. I am familiar with the discussions on this point and similar in Italy but I know nothing of this in other countries, if it is debated, anything. It would be nice to have some comments. |
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09-18-2010, 08:25 PM | #18 | |
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My SO likes him better than I, and has read more of his work. I tried a few of the others, but the similarities outweighed the differences too much for me to find them worth the time. There are too many new books to read. I can't be bothered with reruns, even if they are unintentional. I can't blame Eddings for writing them, or his publishers for issuing them, since he pleased a large audience. I simply stopped being able to read them. ______ Dennis |
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09-19-2010, 08:09 AM | #19 |
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I do understand what you mean, and you're certainly not alone in your views.
My favourite Eddings book is the standalone novel, "The Redemption of Althalus", which is not his "usual story". |
09-19-2010, 01:31 PM | #20 | |
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______ Dennis |
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09-19-2010, 07:28 PM | #21 |
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what I figured out from fiction was: there are a myriad of possible worlds, peoples, governments, societies, environments, etc.
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09-19-2010, 08:03 PM | #22 | |
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After reading Eco's "The Name of the Rose" I decided to polish up my long-forgotten Latin, became interested in Aristotle and somehow now find myself just finishing off a BA majoring in Classical Studies and also having an good knowledge of Medieval philosophy. Oh, and studied classical Greek on the way. Not bad for one novel. |
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09-20-2010, 03:57 AM | #23 | |
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09-20-2010, 08:12 PM | #24 | |
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09-20-2010, 10:32 PM | #25 |
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Eddings:
@DMcCunney: I think he was perfectly aware of these repetitions in Belgariad and Malorea its even mentioned "Inplay" that things repeat somehow befause the 2 concurring universe possibilities prevent real development. and as far as differences between the mentioned and elenium and tamuli go, I'd call it a different approach to the monomyth: while in belgariad/mallorea you have the classical "journey of the fool" (just lay out the major arcana of a good Tarot deck before you and watch it as a speechless comic strip) in elenium /tamuli you have an aged hero who seems to be past his "journey" but is not - being on his way from humanity to divinity which he rejects at the end - how many mythological bells ar you hearing in the background while I point this out? And at the end you get a hint that things will repeat over an over again - a new pair is about to rise on the monomyths horizon: the knaves stealing son and the knights divine daughter. History is prepared to repeat and the great snake is prepared to bite its tail... Apart from that his pantheons and magic systems in both worlds were completely different (and unified in "althalus") - an RPG player looks after such things. Also simple to notice when you are a gamer: his compositions of protagonists - in terms of used archetypes are perfect: one of my 1st toughts when rereading his stuff is "this guy d have been a Gods gift of a Gamemaster." As he hinted in some sidenotes about writing made in the "Rivan" he was perfectly aware of the fact that the lists of conflicts (i remember having read an exhaustiveenumeration of conflicts set up by an italian dramaturgist in AFAIR 15th cent. he came to an ammount of AFAIR 35) and plots are not endless, and played with that like sheet music Staying with the music analogy - what doesn't seduce me to be read is eddings dreamers series - it apparently plays some octaves too high than I like it. "Althalus" in contrary is kind of a proof "it can be done briefly too" Kind of being the final couplet in an english sonnet. The fact Eddings knew and every good writer should is: Every story which can be told has already been (better or worse and a gazillion of times) it just hasn't been done already in every possible flavour I'm not going to say a story is going to be lousy just because the author made a 2/3-1/3 Beowulf/Robin Hood in Space - mix Just that there is a fair chance for an epic fail if he wasn't even aware of that... P.S.: should somebody in contrary deliver proof, that e.g. "Althalus" is a piece of intergalactically unbearable crap - well I'm excused by having a soft spot for copper crowned green/grey-eyed lasses - both human and godesses :P. P.P.S. sorry for hijacking - back to topic: Tolkien made me learn to read and write futhark (runes). Last edited by Freeshadow; 09-20-2010 at 10:38 PM. |
09-21-2010, 05:20 AM | #26 | |
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09-21-2010, 08:31 AM | #27 |
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I learned how to write fiction.
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09-21-2010, 11:03 AM | #28 |
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I learned I do not like my vampires to be sparkly.
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09-21-2010, 11:50 AM | #29 |
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09-21-2010, 12:22 PM | #30 | |
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Beppe, as often, thanks for your thoughtful comments. Last edited by rlparker; 09-21-2010 at 12:26 PM. |
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