Tuesday, May 18, 2004

Odd Self Discovery: I'm A Fantasy Fan

I'm a voracious reader and don't limit myself to any particular genre. It has always been easier to say what I don't like - I'm not a big fan of celebrity biography or autobiography most any form. And I certainly don't read what is know as "romance". And usually on that list was Fantasy. Swords and sorcery. Sure, I love Tolkien, but hate his imitators.

But I just finished "The Knight" by Gene Wolfe. Yes, I know I've sworn to wait till he published the second volume, but the interest took me to it on the shelf and it was TERRIFIC. God, there's good stuff there.

I've always felt more comfortable in science fiction. Seat me with the nerds, not the goths, please. But in truth, sci-fi is a sub-genre of fantasy. Hell, all fiction is a sub-genre of fantasy.

OK, I just don't care for bad books. I'll read a good one wherever I find it.

And after finishing that excellent novel I had my appetite whet for more. Time, once again, for T. H. White's "The Once And Future King"

Monday, May 17, 2004

The One With The Horse

I'm a big fan of the Illiad (read the Robert Fagles translation - it's amazing ), so I was hopeful about this movie.

But after talking with a friend that went to a preview, I'll be dammed if I give the movie makers any of my dollars.

The Iliad is one of the great works of literature for more than one reason - and here's the biggest: the story is perfect. Why fuck with it? The movie makers gain NOTHING by killing off characters and "condensing" the action. Hollywood movie logic says "bad guy" Agamemnon must die, totally ignoring that he will be murdered for his crimes by his own wife when he returns and setting off the events that help define modern justice and the turning away from revenge and vigilantism. The war lasts 10 years, not 2 weeks - which makes much more sense as to why the Greeks are at each others throats.

And the Gods - Homer's story shows them every bit as petty and vindictive as the mortals. Stubborn, vain and capricious. Yes, I can see the story told without them, but WITH them we have a powerful mirror to human interactions.

But Hollywood thinks us stupid. We've never read the story. Our literature and foundations of our society, government, and civilization doesn't resonate with its message. We just want to see some buff guys fighting with swords.

A missed opportunity.