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<blockquote data-quote="crazy_monkey1956" data-source="post: 3482446" data-attributes="member: 49514">I think, in terms of nostalgic beginnings, the age at which books are read has everything to do with how they are remembered.&nbsp; My LotR is indeed Dragonlance, as well as Prydain, Magic Kingdom: For Sale/Sold, and Guardians of the Flame.&nbsp; The reason for this, quite honestly, is that they were the first fantasy series I read, starting at about 10 or so with Prydain.&nbsp; I tried to read LotR later in life and still, for the life of me, can't get past the first few chapters.&nbsp; I was introduced to Dragonlance by a non-gamer (my mother) along with the Drizzt novels and Guardians of the Flame (a book partially based on gaming and I was introduced to it by a non-gamer...go figure).&nbsp; I came into D&amp;D shortly thereafter, when my new older step-brother saw me reading the first dragonlance book for the umpteenth time.I will echo what others have said about going back to a childhood favorite book and finding it lacking in some areas.&nbsp; However, I also get my hackles raised when the term &quot;literary merit&quot; starts getting used.&nbsp; Having recently taken a college literature course, I find the term insulting and somewhat elitist in that &quot;merit&quot; seems to be judged by a select few academics.&nbsp; I read to be entertained, just like I go to the movies or listen to music to be entertained.&nbsp; If it's not entertaining, I don't bother.&nbsp; If something does entertain me, I don't appreciate it being attacked as having no &quot;literary merit&quot; because it doesn't fit a certain style or the tastes of a select few who happen to write college literature textbooks.Sorry for the rant at the end there.&nbsp; I just believe merit is a matter of opinion and taste.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="crazy_monkey1956, post: 3482446, member: 49514"] I think, in terms of nostalgic beginnings, the age at which books are read has everything to do with how they are remembered. My LotR is indeed Dragonlance, as well as Prydain, Magic Kingdom: For Sale/Sold, and Guardians of the Flame. The reason for this, quite honestly, is that they were the first fantasy series I read, starting at about 10 or so with Prydain. I tried to read LotR later in life and still, for the life of me, can't get past the first few chapters. I was introduced to Dragonlance by a non-gamer (my mother) along with the Drizzt novels and Guardians of the Flame (a book partially based on gaming and I was introduced to it by a non-gamer...go figure). I came into D&D shortly thereafter, when my new older step-brother saw me reading the first dragonlance book for the umpteenth time. I will echo what others have said about going back to a childhood favorite book and finding it lacking in some areas. However, I also get my hackles raised when the term "literary merit" starts getting used. Having recently taken a college literature course, I find the term insulting and somewhat elitist in that "merit" seems to be judged by a select few academics. I read to be entertained, just like I go to the movies or listen to music to be entertained. If it's not entertaining, I don't bother. If something does entertain me, I don't appreciate it being attacked as having no "literary merit" because it doesn't fit a certain style or the tastes of a select few who happen to write college literature textbooks. Sorry for the rant at the end there. I just believe merit is a matter of opinion and taste. [/QUOTE]

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