I'd agree that on past form Smith is more than capable of writing a book with echoes rather than variations on a theme. I'm looking forward to getting to it.
I find a lot of sf to be pedestrian at best and badly-written at worst
This is a criticism that's too often left unspoken or swept under the carpet for fear of sounding 'elitist'. In Niall's recent marginalia post, he quotes a defence of 'riffing literature' based on the work of literary greats like Shakespeare, who took forms and riffed on them (although I think this is a hugely reductive characterisation of what Shakespeare did) ... that's all well and good, but not very many people can write as well as Shakespeare. Luminous prose can hide an awful lot of ills, can transform the old traditions simply by expressing them anew. SF's problem, oftentimes, is that it lacks these truly brilliant stylists.
But, yeah. It's far easier on us to criticise the genre for having narrow interests. ;P
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2005-12-28 03:54 pm (UTC)I find a lot of sf to be pedestrian at best and badly-written at worst
This is a criticism that's too often left unspoken or swept under the carpet for fear of sounding 'elitist'. In Niall's recent marginalia post, he quotes a defence of 'riffing literature' based on the work of literary greats like Shakespeare, who took forms and riffed on them (although I think this is a hugely reductive characterisation of what Shakespeare did) ... that's all well and good, but not very many people can write as well as Shakespeare. Luminous prose can hide an awful lot of ills, can transform the old traditions simply by expressing them anew. SF's problem, oftentimes, is that it lacks these truly brilliant stylists.
But, yeah. It's far easier on us to criticise the genre for having narrow interests. ;P