slb@drutx.UUCP (Sue Brezden) (11/04/85)
>jef@lbl-rtsg.arpa writes: >I *love* the book, but there is one thing I would change: the >annoyingly cryptic inside-out time-line. The literary device is "in medias res". All ancient epics (and even newer ones--see "Paradise Lost") are constructed this way. Homer uses it. Try reading the Ramayana sometime--it bounces around like a ping-pong ball. (Yes, if you enjoyed LOTR, DO read the Ramayana. Zelazny used a lot of it. The monkey companion is the most obvious. Then there are the Rakshasa...) This was a deliberate device to simulate such an epic. It is only confusing to us because its use is uncommon now--and it is unexpected. I'm glad he did it--it really added something, and was a mark of real craftsmanship. Does anyone know of any other sf that uses this? One would think that it would go well with fantasy. -- Sue Brezden ihnp4!drutx!slb ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I march to the beat of a different drummer, whose identity, location, and musical ability are as yet unknown. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~