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/lit/ - Literature

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10351204 No.10351204 [Reply] [Original]

Just finished this book, and I'm completely blown away. I've never seen anything else like it. Is this the pinnacle of science fiction fantasy /lit/? What else even comes close to this masterwork?

>> No.10351268

>>10351204
give an example of what's so impressive

>> No.10351278

>>10351204
I want to read this and Hurin, but I'm not super interested in LOTR. What's wrong with me? Are they good on their own?

>> No.10351306

>>10351268

Well, I don't even really know where to begin. This book is huge and encompasses the entirety of Tolkien's universe. He was a master linguist, and the book is written in a hauntingly beautiful style, unlike LotR and the Hobbit which are children's books compared to this. The depth and scope of Tolkien's imagination are astounding. It's not an easy read as there are literally hundreds of characters and places, but it is so rewarding. I just can't recommend it enough.

>> No.10351320

Wolfe is superior. Tolkien's prose is shit.

>> No.10351322
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10351322

>>10351204
>Tolkien
>science fiction

>> No.10351328

>>10351322
he said "science fiction fantasy." a slash would have helped but it was pretty easy to see what he meant.

>> No.10351329

>>10351322
But what is it, if not science fiction?

>> No.10351341

TOlkein is high fanstasy

>> No.10351378

>>10351320

I've never read anything by Wolfe, but I can't imagine he'd be on the same level as Tolkien. I mean, one could argue maybe GRR Martin or Robert Jordan come sorta close but not quite.

>> No.10351417

>>10351306
>has said nothing to suggest he's actually read it and isn't just parroting countless faggots who also haven't read it but praise it in the same vacuous fashion
ok
>this is great I loved it
>no I can't explain why
lol

>> No.10351424
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10351424

>>10351322
this anon understands

>> No.10351425

Dune

>> No.10351427

>>10351417
He was asked why it's so impressive, not for a summary

>> No.10351431
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10351431

>>10351204
OG high fantasy is the best.

>> No.10351436

>>10351378
>fatfuck or Robert Jordan coming close to Tolkien

>> No.10351442

>>10351425
No.

>> No.10351443

>>10351427
>get asked to elaborate
>don't offer a single specific

>> No.10351446

>>10351378
>I've never read anything by Wolfe, but

Stopped there. Go read.

>> No.10351450

>>10351320
"The most critical reader of all, myself, now finds many defects, minor and major, but being fortunately under no obligation either to review the book or to write it again, he will pass over these in silence, except one that has been noted by others: the book is too short."

Everything I don't like about Tolkien's approach to world building in a nutshell. The way to make a universe feel alive is to make interesting things happen in it, not spend thirty years bloviating about its every insignificant detail like a history lecturer with aspergers.

>> No.10351461

>>10351450
Did you actually read LotR?

>> No.10351464

>>10351378
I haven't read anything by Tolkien, but I can't imagine him being on the same level as Wolfe

>> No.10351469

>>10351378
Martin is trash and doesn't come close to Tolkien despite Tolkien having written books for children.

I've never read Robert Jordan but if Brandon Sanderson has the quality of writing to finish off his book series then Jordan must truly be terrible.

>> No.10351470

>>10351394
Game of thrones is better

>> No.10351477

>>10351443

Well what the fuck do you want? A history of the Ainur, and their music in the void alongside Lluvatar? Or the awakening of the Dwarves by Aulë? Or the coming of the children of Lluvatar on the shores of the bay of Helcar in Cuivienen? Or the history of Feanor and the lost silmariles? Want me to recount the story of Beren and Luthien? Jesus, this book is too huge to summarize. Also, why so mad?

>> No.10351498

>>10351477
>Lluvatar
Their problem is thay you haven't said anything substative anout why you like it. Your posts read like the quotes that go inside the dust cover

>> No.10351508

>>10351306
>literally hundreds of characters and places
I feel like that's not true. There's a lot for sure but I think it's probably less than two hundred

>> No.10351527

>>10351508

There's an index in the back of the book filled with names and places. It's forty pages long.

>> No.10351537

>>10351461
Yee man, I finished it but I thought it fell flat of the hype for the reasons I said earlier. The book as a whole was about three times as long as it needed to be and Tolkien's approach to writing made every potentially interesting scene ball-achingly dull.

>> No.10351555

>>10351431

This looks interesting. Thanks for the suggestion. Might be my next read.

>> No.10351557

>>10351537
Who are your prefered authors?

>> No.10351623

>>10351477
>lists events
>doesn't actually say what makes them impressive
right done replying to you

>> No.10351647

>>10351278
Yes, they are good on their own and not related to the Rings of Power.

Beware though, The Silmarillion is not structured as a typical novel. Tolkien hadn't completed it, so his son kinda put it together the best he could from Tolkiens endless notes and papers. Be that as it may, it flows wonderfully and is a great book. It has two major arcs with books of their own (Hurin and Beren and Luthien)

>> No.10351660

Ar-Pharazon did nothing wrong

>> No.10351675

>>10351557
When I'm reading fiction I'll usually lean more towards sci-fi than high fantasy. Kurt Vonnegut and Arthur C. Clarke are both brilliant, as is Douglas Adams if you can really count his stuff as sci-fi. Dune took me a few tries to get into but I enjoyed it more than LOTR (I've heard the sequels are meant to be shit though).

My fantasy chops are pretty weak because I only really read it as a teenager, but I'm always open to suggestions. I thought GoT was OK but the later books were pretty meh. I liked Harry Potter and Keys to the Kingdom as a kid though (obviously not high fantasy but anything to pad out my list).

>> No.10351699

>>10351675
confirmed.

>> No.10351706

>>10351675
Your previously stated complaints anout Tolkiens worldbuilding seem more well suited to Dune. Why do you think you enjoyed that book which is primarily worldbuilding for a world in which nothing exciting happens?

>> No.10351728

>tfw I am the Tolkien Taliban Daniel Day complains about

>> No.10351732

>>10351537
Tolkien has beautiful prose, it's reminiscent of the KJV bible

>> No.10353203

>>10351706
Because I think Herbert was objectively better than Tolkien at describing the events in his world in an interesting way. Both Dune and LOTR are massive works of fiction but I thought Dune was a more rewarding read because it felt like it NEEDED to be as long as it is to tell the story properly. I thought Herbert's characterisation and dialogue was much stronger than Tolkien's (not to mention he didn't cram every other sentence with songs), and by consequence Arrakis actually felt like a living breathing world instead of a museum exhibit. There's a scene in Dune where a teenage autist rides a spaceworm across a desert and it resonated with me more than any major plot point in LOTR.