D&D (2024) DMG 5.5 - the return of bespoke magical items?

[Vaalingrade]

To me, great literature means something more than just entertaining.

Near as I can tell it's either the opposite or just what survived the centuries.

The good stuff is usually called 'pulp'. And that goes way back before the 50's. I found a book on Project Gutenberg from the 1800's about cowboys fighting a metal lightning-powered ostrich. and yet they teach Dickens instead.

 

[EzekielRaiden]

I think this person you quoted is talking about writing the "great american novel" or something literary. Plenty of people are churning out harlequin romances and dime store westerns. To me, great literature means something more than just entertaining. Ken Follett for example has long claimed he is purely an entertainer and has no aspersions to more than that goal.

C.S. Lewis was talking about writing fairy-tales and other works intended for children to read. I don't think "Great American Novel" applies much to an Irish-English author whose most famous fictional works were entirely intended for children to read. (You have almost surely heard of The Chronicles of Narnia, which absolutely are not trying to be high literature, but are his effort to make the best children's books he could make because he felt they were something worth telling.)

 

[EzekielRaiden]

Near as I can tell it's either the opposite or just what survived the centuries.

The good stuff is usually called 'pulp'. And that goes way back before the 50's. I found a book on Project Gutenberg from the 1800's about cowboys fighting a metal lightning-powered ostrich. and yet they teach Dickens instead.

I mean, Dickens has some really good stuff in his works, and he was an early example of a genuinely attentive author who was willing to heed serious social criticism and adjust his works. He's worthy of analysis. I wouldn't say his works deserve the butchering that most English classes inflict on good books though. But I have very strong opinions about how many primary and secondary school classes ought to be taught, as the way we do it now usually poisons the subject for the student while pumping up standardized test scores.

 

[Emerikol]

C.S. Lewis was talking about writing fairy-tales and other works intended for children to read. I don't think "Great American Novel" applies much to an Irish-English author whose most famous fictional works were entirely intended for children to read. (You have almost surely heard of The Chronicles of Narnia, which absolutely are not trying to be high literature, but are his effort to make the best children's books he could make because he felt they were something worth telling.)

And yet despite his goal he did meet a lot of what is asked for in good literature. I'm not saying writers can't be aiming for basic fiction and hit literature. I'm saying there is a difference between good literature and something otherwise good but not literature.

 

[Vaalingrade]

I mean, Dickens has some really good stuff in his works, and he was an early example of a genuinely attentive author who was willing to heed serious social criticism and adjust his works. He's worthy of analysis. I wouldn't say his works deserve the butchering that most English classes inflict on good books though.

Good books, and also Great Expectations.

 

[Micah Sweet]

I definitely don't confuse popular with good or bad. Popular though is what publishers really want which was my point.

A lot of academy awards movies are popular but all of them aren't.

Also, don't confuse a lack of categories with there being no difference in the old days. I would argue all writing is done to draw a readership. I don't think most writers today are trying to write literature. They are just telling stories for profit. Some are trying to do that though.

Not all publishers. At least not as a primary goal. Otherwise, everyone would just make the same thing.

 

[Rainynights]

My theory is that no law enforcement is strong enough to protect long term a magic item store.

Bold of you to assume that the owner of the store isn't capable of using at least one or two of the items they sell to devastating effect

 

[Lanefan]

Second wind as a core fighter ability basically made the champion olive leaf a smack in the face. And that I think would have been easy.

The bolded is a wonderful turn of phrase but I've no idea what the hell it's supposed to mean.