I am starting to hate Tolkein...

[mmadsen]

But if you are looking for an example of what I am talking about, scroll down to that thread I made about the fantisification/magification of firearms.

Tell me more about the rabid Tolkien fanboyz on that gun thread.

 

[Gentlegamer]

Tell me more about the rabid Tolkien fanboyz on that gun thread.

I haven't read the thread . . . does the issue turn upon the "blasting fire" invented by Saruman?

 

[Mark CMG]

Tolkien is beyond caring whether we like him or his work. He isn't involved in the slightest.

 

[mmadsen]

I haven't read the thread... does the issue turn upon the "blasting fire" invented by Saruman?

That is a great guess, Gentlegamer -- but Saruman's "blasting fire" never came up, just a discussion of how Tolkien-esque high fantasy derives from medieval romances, which idolized the noble knight -- not the kind of thing that would drive me to hate Tolkien.

 

[Gentlegamer]

That is a great guess, Gentlegamer -- but Saruman's "blasting fire" never came up, just a discussion of how Tolkien-esque high fantasy derives from medieval romances, which idolized the noble knight -- not the kind of thing that would drive me to hate Tolkien.

Gotcha. I read your post there, and I hope it's ok to just reply here with my thought: seems like a spot-on take on the matter. However, I think there is still room for "firearm" tech even in the framework of 'romantic fantasy' fiction, except they aren't immediately recognizable as such (which may spoil the whole matter on an aesthetics level for those for whom the historically medieval aspect is paramount); for instance, ER Burrough's' Barsoom stories (ray guns and swords) and Star Wars (space wizards with laser swords).

I'm one who long ago realized the 'inspirational soup' of D&D has a lot of 'sci-fi' in it, and is not a stickler for 'pure historical medieval' trappings.

 

[mach1.9pants]

It's not even his fault. Usually it's a non-sequiter excuse to not like something. Tolkein isn't involved.

Same thing has happened with Potter-nuts, Mac cultists, and pretty much anyone who doesn't stop nutting about Game of Thrones (I still refuse to read the books on the basis of how GoT fans acted in a board game). Or people who use the Comic Sans font. Your actions are turning me against the products that you like.

Look, if you don't like something, that's fine. I don't need to hear a logical falicy to excuse it. All you are doing is making me not like the things that you like.

Man talk about 'cutting your nose off to spite your face'. So some fans annoy you about aGoT, so you don't buy/borrow those books and miss out on some of the best fantasy novels ever written. That'll 'teach' those fans, they won't talk like that about aGoT ever again!
Oh hang on yes they will and only you miss out.
Man, just ignore the fanbois. I loathe the Apple fanbois and their over the top ardent belief that Apple not only makes the best of everything, it can do no wrong and Apple invented everything as well! Doesn't stop me owning and loving my iPad. get on with your life, read/play/use what you want and ignore those sad muppets who define their lives through what book/game/device/OS/etc that they support.

 

[Luce]

I wish more authors took the Fantasy Novelist's Exam.

Seriously though, I feel that the market is getting flooded with sub standard work. While it is getting harder and harder to be completely original it seems to me that way too often "fanboys" try their hand at writing. And writing is hard. It takes a lot of dedicated work, numerous revisions and coupios amount of creativity to make even an average novel. Furthermore nowadays we have it easy when it comes to revision and changing book layout. Just imagine having to re-write even an short article by hand or typewriter for the fifth time.
J.R.R. Tolkien have had an influence on many of good (IMO) modern fantasy authors (such as Raymond Elias Feist. P.G. Hodgell, Terry Brooks,David Eddings etc). He had his own share of influences too (___)

 

[Glade Riven]

It's not about vitriolic "spiting," but I suppose any further attempt to explain myself is futile.

*sigh*
You know what? I'm just going to walk away from the keyboard for a bit before I start breaking forum rules towards a person or two.

 

[Desdichado]

double post

 

[Desdichado]

Gotcha. I read your post there, and I hope it's ok to just reply here with my thought: seems like a spot-on take on the matter. However, I think there is still room for "firearm" tech even in the framework of 'romantic fantasy' fiction, except they aren't immediately recognizable as such (which may spoil the whole matter on an aesthetics level for those for whom the historically medieval aspect is paramount); for instance, ER Burrough's' Barsoom stories (ray guns and swords) and Star Wars (space wizards with laser swords).

Well, of course! Romance fantasy in the sense that you mean it also applies to all kinds of swashbuckly type stuff--which was also hugely influential on the development of sword & sorcery. And firearms are certainly big in swashbuckly fiction--the Three Musketeers after all had muskets. By definition.