when writers lose their clue....

[lagilman]

Wow. Talk about not only biting the hand that feeds you, but taking it off at the elbow...

TERRY GOODKIND has been cruelly misjudged: 'First of all, I don't write fantasy. I write stories that have important human themes. They have elements of romance, history, adventure, mystery and philosophy. Most
fantasy is one-dimensional. It's either about magic or a world-building. I don't do either.' (_USA Today_ interview, August 03)

(via Ansible)



Comments?


EtA: yes. See date on quote. Not new. We know. But being discussed today because it came up in Ansible for the mocking.

Comments

[terri-osborne.livejournal.com]

Oh, this is going to have fallout.

*pops corn*

[havocthecat]

Wow. That's just something else, now, isn't it? Amazingly enough, I have less urge to buy novels from someone who feels he's too good to write fantasy.

[jperceval.livejournal.com]

Oh wow. And I thought Romancelandia had the fires. This one should outburn them all...

[shadowhwk.livejournal.com]

Wow. Wow.

Maybe we should just take him out of the fantasy section at the bookstore and stop doing all the fantasy promo spotlights for him, then.

[scarlettina.livejournal.com]

My goodness! We're all full of our lit'ry presumptions, aren't we? I guess it's okay for hacks like J.K. Rowling to write fantasy, but not Mr. #1 New York Times Bestselling... oh, wait.

Have you seen his Web site? It's actually little scary in the way it YELLS at the reader so you know just how important he really is.

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

Um. . . what?

Oh, I get it. He's writing Lit'rachur.

That's a relief, actually.

[booraven22.livejournal.com]

::facepalm::
::headdesk::

This falls under the "Andrew Eldritch 'not that category' Corollary"

For which application of clue bat is required.

[shadowhwk.livejournal.com]

Hrm. In looking at the USA Today interview that came from, it's from 2003. Very old.

Still makes Goodkind out to be an ass, but it's curious that it just got picked up in Ansible now.

[jimhines.livejournal.com]

I went back to read the original USA Today interview ... or as much of it as I could stand. Wow. That just ... wow.

If I ever reach the point where I'm spouting that sort of ignorant, condescending crap, I dearly hope someone will club me with a two-by-four.

[rflong.livejournal.com]

Oh dear. Oh dearie dearie me...

[rflong.livejournal.com]

I had to close it after the first answer... *sigh*

[lagilman]

Actually, that's not "very old" except in Internet Years. But y'see, it's safe to diss the fanbase that made you in a magazine that, y'know, most of us don't read*. When it gets picked up and (god help us) retweeted...




*"or, as we said when it launched: USA Today -- the newspaper for people who think the 11 pm news is too complicated"

[mtlawson.livejournal.com]

::shrug::

I'll be honest in that I never cared for Terry Goodkind's books, so it's no big loss if he thinks he can up his standing by making statements like this.

[shadowhwk.livejournal.com]

LOL

I take your point. I don't know a lot of people who read the USA Today, it's true. I do think that a story from 2003 would still count as "old" even off the internet, but I take your point.

And he's still an ass. Oh wait, I said that.

[mtlawson.livejournal.com]

I thought your wife had standing orders from you to perform the thwacking, Jim.

[ilvack.livejournal.com]

He doesn't write fantasy? Really? *looks back to his bookcase, at the massive Sword of Truth novels*. Hm.

Most fantasy is one-dimensional? *looks once more to his bookcase, at the Robert Jordan books, the David Eddings books, the Robin Hobbs, and the Stephen Kings.* Ah.

Most are either about magic or world building? *looks back once again to the Sword of Truth novels. Stares hard at the first book, which goes into explicit detail over the magic system. Then peers at the detailed discussions of how one faction of people treat another, and the McGuffins in the series, all of which are heavy in magic. Even goes as far as to examine the name of the series, THE SWORD OF TRUTH, which, in itself, is a wholly magical item. Then examines the titles of the books, and notes very carefully that all of the titles are related to Magic of some form or fashion.* I see now.

[kriz1818.livejournal.com]

This is really, really funny, because my spouse & I stopped reading the Sword of Truth series partway through the third one (I think) ... because that one struck us as so *derivative.*

We were sad about that, because we actually quite like his first book.

[mtlawson.livejournal.com]

But he's got Moral Clarity, just like Richard does.

When he mentions that the most cutting edge author out today (interview was conducted in 2003) is Ayn Rand, that explains a lot.

[dancinghorse.livejournal.com]

If that's what he's writing, he's doing it badly.

[jhetley.livejournal.com]

"No comment."

(He used to seem sensible back when he lived in Maine . . .)

[threeoutside.livejournal.com]

*clears throat, scuffs toe in dirt* Ahem. I, uh, feel compelled as an Omaha native and current citizen to make some sort of apology to the spec fiction - specifically fantasy - world for producing this Embarassment...I didn't have anything to do with it, of course, but still, one hurts for one's hometown.

[michael-b-lee.livejournal.com]

I don't know if he lost his clue, so much as his raging ego eclipsed what little clue he had.

Interestingly, his new book (of which Janet brought home an ARC; it's around the house somewhere) is a Dean Koontz-style thriller.

[katatomic.livejournal.com]

*goggle* Umm... Earth to Mr. Goodkind... paging Mr. Goodkind.... Your clue is unglued.

[undeadbydawn.livejournal.com]

in all fairness to the Gothfather, he considered the Sisters to be an electro-punk band. He himself had, and has zero interest in 'Goth' culture. On creating the standard Goth look, he commented that it amused him that so many people had decided to keep wearing the stupid outfit he chose that week. He preferred the white suit.


Fields of the Nephilim, while somewhat less recognised or remembered, are far more *deliberately* responsible for Goth. Especially in the classic sense.

[booraven22.livejournal.com]

True.
But Uncle Andrew is not exactly known to suffer any other Goths gladly. Love the Sisters, but Andrew is a bit of a bitchface.

And def true for FON. Carl still waves the flag proudly.