D&D General No One Reads Conan Now -- So What Are They Reading?

[Paul Farquhar]

such deconstructions do exist, albeit I can't think of a LotR example

A Song of Ice and Fire was intended, at least in part, as a deconstruction of LotR. There are interviews with GRRM where he says that.

 

[TiQuinn]

A Song of Ice and Fire was intended, at least in part, as a deconstruction of LotR. There are interviews with GRRM where he says that.

I’ve read this too, and I just think maybe, one day, someone will explain exactly how it’s a deconstruction because I really don’t see it.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I’ve read this too, and I just think maybe, one day, someone will explain exactly how it’s a deconstruction because I really don’t see it.

As I remember the interview, GRRM, on reading LotR, thought “real people don’t act like that” so set out to do a version in which people acted realistically. So, “doing the right thing” does not produce good results, and being the rightful king doesn’t get you anywhere.

 

[TiQuinn]

As I remember the interview, GRRM, on reading LotR, thought “real people don’t act like that” so set out to do a version in which people acted realistically. So, “doing the right thing” does not produce good results, and being the rightful king doesn’t get you anywhere.

That seems too overly simplistic to be a deconstruction. Maybe as a starting point?

 

[Paul Farquhar]

That seems too overly simplistic to be a deconstruction. Maybe as a starting point?

It depends how literal your want your deconstruction to be. LotR is a huge fantasy epic in which the heroic little guys win and the rightful king is restored to much rejoicing. ASoIaF is a huge fantasy epic where heroes and little guys get hammered and GRRM has no idea who should win, so long as it’s not the rightful king.

 

[Belen]

Yeah, me too. I think some of this romanticy might be a backlash against that, but I haven’t read any. (Apart from Jim Butcher’s latest, that seems to trend in that direction).

Romantasy is just a romance novel with a fantasy background.

It is killing traditional fantasy publishing.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Romantasy is just a romance novel with a fantasy background.

It is killing traditional fantasy publishing.

Oh no! We must ban publishers from publishing what’s popular!

 

[Belen]

Oh no! We must ban publishers from publishing what’s popular!

Not at all; however, it is not traditional fantasy and throwing it into the fantasy section versus the romance section is wrong.

They are romance novels.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Not at all; however, it is not traditional fantasy and throwing it into the fantasy section versus the romance section is wrong.

They are romance novels.

Oh no! We must pass laws to stop booksellers putting kissy novels in the macho fantasy section of the bookshop!!!

Whilst we are at it, we must require Conan to be displayed under “Westerns” since they are just Westerns with a fantasy background.

 

[Belen]

Oh no! We must ban publishers from publishing what’s popular!

And, for a separate point, the traditional publishers are making the conscious choice to shut out traditional fantasy fiction that is still very popular and driving segments of the market to self-published works on places like Amazon.

It is their choice but I feel like that is largely due to bias in the publishing houses. It may be making them money and created a new market (which is good, I like to see people read), but pushing away or killing your old market is bad business.