SR.FELSHIN@MIT-SPEECH@sri-unix.UUCP (07/23/83)
From: Susan L. Felshin <SR.FELSHIN at MIT-SPEECH> I read the first three TC books, hoping always that they would get better ... ah, foolish me. The most blatant Tolkien ripoff - the blind guy (I've forgotten the name) who gets turned into an ent. Really! I lack the courage to read the next three books, although many people say they are better. I wouldn't mind people plagerizing Tolkien so much, if they would only do it well! I found the TC books very poorly written, containing neither style nor convincing or absorbing plot nor good characterization (in general, that is - a few characters were ok) nor even pretty English. The same goes for the most obvious Tolkien copy, the Sword of Sha-na-na. While I'm on the subject: to whoever asked about the importance of style to a science fiction reader, I find style moderately important in any type of fiction. While I can enjoy authors with mediocre style if their plots and/or characterization are good (e.g. James Hogan), I am unable to stomach a book with no style whatsoever (e.g. the Elric books by Moorcock, one of which I read, the others I skimmed, on recommendation of a friend, whose favorite or nearly favorite books they are, why, I don't know). Great style, to my mind, is alone enough to carry a book through two readings (e.g. Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man, which otherwise had nothing to recommend it, if you ask me). Has anyone out there read Star Smashers of the Galaxy Rangers by Harry Harrison? This book brings to its ultimate peak the art of rotten pulp Sci-Fi writing. A truly excellent and entertaining book. Sue (Ich moechte ein Einzelzimmer mit Bad am Ersten Stock) Felshin PaFotSftPoRCD