Terry Pratchett doesn't like JK Rowling

[Aust Diamondew]

He doesn't seem jelous, more like agitated at the fact that he and other authors have been doing inovative things and get no where near he level of recognition Potter does (not that Potter is inovative). And I completely agree (maybe I'm biased I'm a big Pratchett fan). If I were to walk up to someone on the street and list the names of ten big fantasy authors (other than Rowling) I doubt any of the names would be recognized most of the time. But I bet most people would recognize Jk Rowling.

Rowling's books do get much more credit than they deserve, I enjoy them and I just started reading the latest one (thats right just started I had another book I wanted to read first) but I do not believe that they are even among my top twenty favorite books.

And I also cannot see what other genre Rowling's books would be in other than fantasy, seriously what else could they be in? I'd like to know what this comment of hers was response to, maybe we're taking it out of context.

 

[Rackhir]

... I've got the death sentence in 12 systems.

So what other systems other than D&D?

 

[thatdarncat]

*throws a snowball at Rackhir*

So who's your 10 authors?

 

[John Crichton]

I don't like J. K. Rowling either. She'd better watch herself. I've got the death sentence in 12 systems.

Seriously, she's kidding herself if she thinks she's subverting anything. Potter is the same old cliches distilled to a pallatable consistency. Nothing wrong with liking it, but it's far from revolutionary.

Revolutionary, perhaps not but very entertaining - most certainly.

And I haven't read the whole serious yet but I'd hardly call what I've read so far cliched.

 

[Ambrus]

I'm still utterly mistified by Potter's mass appeal. There have been plenty of good fantasy books that have been both accessible to children and adults. What made this one a HUGE worldwide phenomenon while others weren't? Why does an english boy who discovers that magic is real inspire so many people who usually have no interest in fantasy books?

 

[Jdvn1]

I had a professor who called Harry Potter the literary phenomenon of the century.

I may have had an A in her class, but I dropped right after that.

 

[Ranger REG]

I'm still utterly mistified by Potter's mass appeal. There have been plenty of good fantasy books that have been both accessible to children and adults. What made this one a HUGE worldwide phenomenon while others weren't? Why does an english boy who discovers that magic is real inspire so many people who usually have no interest in fantasy books?

Beats me. You'll have to ask the first of many HP readers, "what is it about this very thick book (about 400 pages) that they wanted to read about a boy wizard going to magic school?"

But as long as children are turning away from that gawd-awful purple dinosaur and his nerve-grating "I Love You" song, I'm okay with that. I wonder if this is like when the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit first hit the bookstores? Or when it gain a rise in popularity during the 60's and 70's? After all, Led Zeppelin wrote a few songs inspired by the stories, and John Lennon & Paul McCartney of the Beatles wanted to acquire film rights.

 

[wingsandsword]

I had a professor who called Harry Potter the literary phenomenon of the century.

I may have had an A in her class, but I dropped right after that.

Well, for the 21st century it might be so far. It's a very young century

If nothing else, JK Rowling has done more for childrens literacy than anybody in the last 50 years. She's gotten kids anxiously reading books in an age of 500 channels, the internet, PS2 & XBox, and DVD's. Even if her attitudes about her genre (and RPG's, if other accounts are accurate) are questionable, she's done a lot of good.

 

[Jdvn1]

Well, for the 21st century it might be so far. It's a very young century

That is all.

If nothing else, JK Rowling has done more for childrens literacy than anybody in the last 50 years.

I've heard this before, but haven't seen any evidence to back it up. Has our literacy rate gone up?

 

[trancejeremy]

They aren't bad books, but I've never understood what's so revolutionary about them. Basically they are a teen boarding school book (which is something of a genre for young adult books) combined with Sabrina, the teen aged witch (who is probably going on 50 or 60). Combined with the Stephen King principle that a really really long book will apparently sell lots and lots.