glass houses / stones

[realthog]

No names, no pack drill, but here's from a review of a friend's anthology that's just appeared on one of the sf sites:

If you want a change from Science Fiction and its grey cousins and love purple prose on more mundane subjects then [this anthology] will probably suit you. It's not as if any of the material isn't badly written just that for the most part, it isn't our genre or subject matter. There are some instances where the stories could have done with having done with having a bit more plot chucked at them but when they do, it's obvious the writers did their research to bring the material to life.

Comments

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

Ah, the art of tepid reviewing.

[realthog.livejournal.com]

Ah, the art of tepid reviewing.

It's the juxtaposition of an airy judgement concerning fine writing with the language in which that judgement is expressed. Or do I prefer the inability to treat a book as the book it actually is rather than in terms of its relation to an arbitrary genre?

"War and Peace is not a cook book, so there may not be much to interest you here . . ."

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

Yep. One I treasure was a review of I forget which novel, which went on and on about how bad it was but finished with 'recommended for fantasy fans'.

[avengangle.livejournal.com]

*snerk*

[mylefteye.livejournal.com]

That's lame.

[realthog.livejournal.com]

You're being polite. It's dire!

[realthog.livejournal.com]

You and your lawyerspeak.

[martianmooncrab.livejournal.com]

at least it wasnt described as a Harlequin for SF readers... talking down all the way, no turtles involved.

[thisplacehere.livejournal.com]

Sure, because genres should have sharp boundaries that shouldn't be crossed; and writers -- and readers -- must keep to their genre.

And doesn't the wording of that quote actually mean the opposite from what its author seems to intend?

[thisplacehere.livejournal.com]

Opposite of, dammit!

[realthog.livejournal.com]

"And doesn't the wording of that quote actually mean the opposite from what its author seems to intend?"

You got it in one.

[realthog.livejournal.com]

Okay: in two.

[hutch0.livejournal.com]

Oh that did make me smile, it did. `It's not as if any of the material isn't badly written...'

[realthog.livejournal.com]

That's classic . . . and sad at the same time.

[realthog.livejournal.com]

To be honest, with a reviewer like this, it's like one of those instruction manuals where everything has been translated into English by someone who doesn't speak the language . . .

[realthog.livejournal.com]

The full review is packed with such stuff.

[hutch0.livejournal.com]

It's actually rather cherishable.

[realthog.livejournal.com]

Oh, you found it, did you?

[hutch0.livejournal.com]

No, I didn't. Where is it?

[hutch0.livejournal.com]

Nope, it's okay. Found it. `Some of the stories at the far end of the book are written by authors who remember something of their SF roots but being well-written doesn't mean too much when it isn't wrapped around a strong story idea.'
I love this person.