Quote:
Originally posted by Variol (Farseer) Elmwood:
Getting mad, sad happy or any other emotion is what makes a good book. Terry Brooks can make me cry and he never has to use harsh language. It's not necessary, ever!
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I like Brooks, but in my opinion his work is targeted for a younger audience. The Shannara series is one I've recommended for my teenage son (I've restricted my kids from the Song of Ice and Fire series). I think most fantasy is available and enjoyable for teens, but Martin is the exception. His work is definitely targeted for adults, and that has allowed him to explore darker subjects that most of us would agree are inappropriate for kids.
Basically I believe Brooks and most fantasy authors lose a sense of gritty reality due to their writing choices. The reality is that most of us have heard worse than the above Martin quote in our lives... and his willingness to use graphic and/or vulgar language gives his characters a depth (for good and bad) that other fantasy has trouble achieving. Add to that the fact that Martin's characters are fully capable of good and horrible evil (even Ned made some very bad decisions), and you have characters that would not have looked out of place in Versailles during the reign of Louis XIV. The only reading I've EVER done that matched the conniving back stabbing "game of houses" that Martins nobility played were descriptions of life in Versailles.
Jordan's "Wheel of Time" is a popular series that conforms more to the 'restrained' style of most fantasy... and he spends some time describing "The Game of Houses"... or Noble Intrigue, but his imagery leave these characters lacking. My impression is that if you took his WORST, most Cunning Evil and talented Noble and tossed them into Martin's game (or Versailles for that matter) he/she wouldn't last 10 minutes. Why would I have that Impression? Well... because they never really did ANYTHING that evil, nor did they say anything that bad. After reading your quote, how do you feel about the character who said it (forgetting about the author who wrote it for a minute)?
(little spoiler here) - I thought he was a spoiled little **** who deserved a helmet of molten gold, I don't think a sugarcoated version of that character would have been nearly as satisfying to kill off.
[ 11-29-2004, 05:33 PM: Message edited by: Thoran ]