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Old 10-22-2008, 05:48 AM   #18
stustaff
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bill_mchale View Post
I tend to not read media based fiction. I know, I am probably developing a rep for tilting at windmills, but my general impression has been that it erodes the midlist. I.e. fewer original works are published because the media based fiction is a sure thing. The basic problem ultimately is that said works constrain an author's imagination.

In addition, the work also removes a certain amount of suspense. If I am reading a Star Trek novel, I know most of the major characters (i.e. essentially anyone from one of the TV series) have predestined immunity. No author is going to be allowed to kill Kirk or Spock. Also 90% of the time, the universe essentially resets... the status quo is restored.

Essentially, as far as I am concerned, there are plenty of great books out there that share some of the same elements that make the media universes fun, but without the media universes' limitations that I see no need to spend much time on the media fiction.

--
Bill

Thats like complaining that when I read character focused novels i know the main character wont die! Jack Reacher, Temperance Brennan, Dresden, Harry Potter are not going to die in any of their books.

And actually in The star wars Novels a Massive character WAS killed off.

I think the limitations here are more in the way you think the books are rather than the way they actually are.

There are still some great books based on media and I would also argue that it forces the author to be MORE creative when they cant just kill someone off for shock value or alter the univers to suit.
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