Quote:
Originally Posted by JSWolf
There's another thread about bad fantasy and Le Guin was mentioned as being drek (sic). Granted, I did it because she is.  |
In your opinion.
In that same thread, I listed several reasons why it was well worth reading and deservedly considered a classic which at least one person supported.
My problem isn't w/ the lists, it's w/ the characterization of them as ``Essential'' -- if I create a list of ``Essential'' woodworking tools and it lacks a saw or a drill, then there's something wrong w/ the list and it fails to meet the expectations any reasonable person would have that the list allow one to accomplish basic woodworking tasks --- if someone creates a list of ``Essential'' fantasy, then it needs to cover the works which are most influential, and which actually have something to say about humanity so as to be worth reading.
An excellent exercise examining this last point is to compare Barry Hughart's _Bridge of Birds_ w/ the original draft (the latter is available on-line) --- similar story, similar characters, same writing style, but one is only of historical / academic interest, while the other won two awards for best fantasy novel of that year.
How much of the EFP ``dreck'' which makes up much of the lists in question won any notability beyond filling some editor's quota for number of books to profitably print?