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Message: <blockquote data-quote="The_Universe" data-source="post: 1341054" data-attributes="member: 8944">back on topic!In order to get the discussion back on the topic of fantasy/sci fi entertainment and literature, as opposed to the merits of subjective or objective quality of entertainment, I just want everyone to know that I like Star Trek. I mention it because it has spawned several very good books in the genre (so many that it might be considered its own genre) and several reaking piles of dung masquerading as paperbacks. Why?  Because it's popular, and people who like the "genre" enough will buy anything, regardless of quality.  I bought the ENTIRE New Jedi Order series of Star Wars books over the past few years, despite the fact that I vehemently despised what the series did to what was (for me) a beloved mythology.  They fill my bookshelf, but I can only point to the Stackpole and Allston books in the series as ones that I actually enjoyed.  I bought them because I love Star Wars, and I felt some NEED to stay abreast of what was happening in the genre-within-a-genre.   The same is true of the genre as a whole.  Despite the fact that I thought Piers Anthony books were great when I was in Middle School and early High School, I now find most of them to be vaguely disturbing masks for commentary about various sexual deviancies, most involving very young girls<img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f641.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":(" title="Frown    :("  data-smilie="3"data-shortname=":(" />.  Did the value of the work change?  No.  Did my appreciation of it? Heck yes!   Although my reading in the genre started in around 1987 (relatively recently, I know) I haven't noticed any decline in quality--just an increase in quantity in general.  There are just MORE books, so there are more good AND bad ones.  Heck, even the "masters" let some stinkers go (the aforementioned Crossroads of Twilight rings a bell).   Additionally, I think that the early '90s ushered in a sort of grand experiment with unending epic fantasy.  The same heroes, slogging through what is essentially the SAME story until the author gets tired and ends it.  Martin's Song of Ice and Fire and Jordan's Wheel of Time are great examples of this.  I predict that both will just sputter into oblivion, ending eventually, but satisfying none.  Why?  Because they are not written with the "end" in mind.  It's all build, and no climax.  I love both series, but I'd rather have some resolution, and a new story from a good author. Am I going to get my wish?  Probably not from Martin and Jordan.  However, the popularization of the genre means that someone is going to get it right due to the sheer volume of publishing.   When they do, I'll be there. PS--SM Stirling, please write another book set in the alternate earth of the Peshawar Lancers.  Make a whole unending series of it (despite what I just complained about!) <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" /></blockquote>

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