Re: [Epic] Lost World

From: Brett Hollindale <agro_at_...>
Date: Fri, 6 Jun 1997 15:44:27 GMT

At 09:25 AM 6/6/97 -0500, you wrote:
>At 10:02 PM 6/5/97 +0000, you wrote:
>>>>Saw the Lost World. Not very good, in my opinion.
>>>>While the graphics and effects are cool, the plot and the execution is kinda
>>>>bad. But maybe it is just me :)
>>>
>>>Welcome to the world of Michael Crichton.
>>>
>>>Temp
>>
>>Geez Temp, you don't like Heinlein, you don't like Crichton - who do you like?
>
>Um, since you asked, I prefer stuff with a lot of complexity in plot, and
>depth of characterization and world creation (for speculative fiction).
>It's the English major in me. Crichton writes on a low level as far as
>vocabulary and sentence construction goes - about 6th grade I would say. I
>read Jurassic Park in about 2 hours and Andromeda Strain in about 4 while
>working at a retail job, and I read slowly compared to other English types.
>Andromeda Strain had a partiuclarly pitiful plot ending - "and the virus
>mutates and floats back up to the upper atmosphere . . ." Gimme a break.
>
>Anyway, I don't like Crichton and Heinlein for virtually the exact same
>reasons. No plot complexity, and zero characterization.
>
>People I do like (in speculative fiction):
>
>Frank Herbert - Dune is possibly the single most detailed world creation
>I've seen, and the plot is full of subplots and political intrigue. The
>characteers are detailed and believable, frex, Paul Atreides slow decline
>into what his family would consider a lesser moral state after power goes to
>his head.
>
>Orson Scott Card - Ender's Game was weak on characterization, but long on
>world creation and action (yes, I'm a sucker for it sometimes). Speaker...
>was MUCH better w/ regard to characterization and plot complexity and a far
>superior work, IMHO. His short stories are quite poignant, too.
>
>Although I personally don't like her style, I can easily recognize high
>quality in Ursula K. LeGuin's work.
>
>Walter John Williams - I'm a sucker for cyberpunk, too. But Williams has
>expanded his repertoire outside that genre, and I've been favorably
>impressed. Anyone into alternate history should read "No spot of Ground."
>It's a short story about E.A. Poe. He is saved from the Baltimore gutter,
>and becomes an officer in the Civil War (he did go to West Point, BTW).
>Again, it is a good combination of plot and characterization.
>
>And the king of speculative fiction short stories - Harlan Ellison
>
>If you are actually interested (as opposed to this being a purely
>narcissistic discourse on my part), I can come up with some more suggestions.
>
>Temp
>
>

Yes I am interested. (The question wasn't entirely rhetoric...)

Naturally our tastes differ, but it would be a boring world if we were all
the same...

I guess I favour clever ideas and plot twists more than "deathless prose".

I'm kind of at a loss to pick any one author (or even five or ten) as I read
pretty much anything I can get my hands on, but if pressed I would go for
Brian Stableford, Jerry Pournel, Larry Niven, Harry Harrison (but not his
Stainless Steel Rat series), and (I'm almost ashamed to admit it to an
English major) EE 'doc" Smith!

Agro
Received on Fri Jun 06 1997 - 15:44:27 UTC