judith@proper.UUCP (Judith Abrahms) (08/12/85)
In article <> Newman.pasa@Xerox.ARPA writes: >RE Jim Hofmann's comments on Dahlgren: I will admit that Delaney takes >on topics that most everyone else shies away from (most everyone - not >everyone, and the others do it better!) but I don't really want to read >about these topics, and I particularly don't want to read trashy writing >on these topics. Similarly, though Delaney "divorces himself from >standard literary style", there are others who do it better. Most of the Delany books I've read, though shorter than _Dhalgren_, are worse written and considerably less interesting. (I thought Dhalgren stylistically interesting but intolerably repetitious.) In fact, I sold _Nova_, _Triton_, and _Dhalgren_ so long ago that it took this discussion to remind me the author of _Babel-17_ wrote them. _Babel-17_ is his one good book, as far as I know. It may be out of print; I've never seen a new copy. It draws extensively on his knowledge of linguistics (that's his field), has plenty of action, and tells a good love story about intelligent people. Nor does it divorce itself from "standard literary style!" It even has a plot! Give it a shot before you give up on him. Judith Abrahms ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "No plan survives the shock of battle." -- Clausewitz -------------------------------------------------------------------------------