Fantasy is crap. You heard me. SF, too.

[spqrblues]

A friend lent me her copy of The Time Traveler's Wife, the 2003 bestseller by Audrey Niffenegger that has been getting a bit of buzz. If you haven't already encountered it, the book is about (surprise) time travel and has a desperately "please don't call me sf, I'm literary!" cover: milky green, with sedate serif title font, a photo of a little girl from the legs down standing in her knee socks and maryjanes next to a pair of men's shoes placed neatly on what might be a picnic blanket. Friend and I then duked it out over the definition of fantasy... or, rather, about the level of quality for a book to be considered fantasy.

She identifies herself as a big fantasy fan. She loves Harry Potter. But her definition of fantasy (and science fiction, which she doesn't read much) is those stories that are formulaic and can be skimmed through because you won't miss much. Anything above a certain threshold on the (admittedly subjective) quality scale fails the test of being fantasy/sf. A "good" story simply isn't fantasy/sf.

I just had to get that off my mind. Nothing I haven't heard before, but it rankles, nonetheless.

Comments

[xanath.livejournal.com]

But her definition of fantasy (and science fiction, which she doesn't read much) is those stories that are formulaic and can be skimmed through because you won't miss much.

She's not a fantasy fan. She's a schlock fan.

--Kris

[meritahut.livejournal.com]

I admit to seeking out the occasional High Schlock Fantasy—although, lately, I don't seem to have much patience for fluff.

The thing with this friend is that she does seem to crave and enjoy non-schlocky fantasy, too. She just thinks it's not fantasy if it satisfies something other than the fluff tastebuds. Poor, poor confused thing....

In other news, I read two more books this weekend, when I wasn't passed out asleep under a cat. I'll have to start preparing my October Book Review. I only saw one film: Vera Drake. Oh, and Sky Captain, but I've written a review of neither. I am not worthy of my outside food! I hang my head in shame.

[amedia.livejournal.com]

Grrr. She reminds me of Sharyn "I'm Too Good For Genre Fiction" McCrumb, who used to write mysteries but is now Above All That. Again, I say, grrrr.

(Oh, and btw, she's wrong.)

wrong wrong wrongedy wrong wrong

[meritahut.livejournal.com]

(she said emphatically)

What a fun icon you're sporting :-)

Weekend after next? (she asked, abbreviated and plaintive)

Re: wrong wrong wrongedy wrong wrong

[amedia.livejournal.com]

What a fun icon you're sporting :-)

:-)

Weekend after next? (she asked, abbreviated and plaintive)

Yes yes yes yes yes!!!!

[tekitsune.livejournal.com]

"What?!? You're telling me that fantasy isn't crap? I always assumed that it was! I love it cause it's crap! SF too! Whatever will I doooooooooooo?!?" :P

Yeah, I can't quite fathom why people say things like that. That kind of logic makes fantasy and sci-fi a non-category in essence. That's like saying that the author didn't have to put forth any effort to write the story. When we get to that point, all fantasy and sci-fi end up being over-glorified Ad Libs and anyone in the world can do it.

"You too can be the ultimate Science Fiction or Fantasy writer! In just 2 short weeks, you can have your very own novel, ready for consumption by the mindless masses! Here's how: Take our pre-fabricated sentences and write what comes to mind in the provided blanks! Like this! '__________ (name) ran from the _________ (adj.) __________ (noun) while shooting at the __________ (noun).' Just fill in the blanks and you can be the ultimate fantasy or sci-fi writer! Call 1-800-555-CRAP for your Ultimate Writer's Kit! Call now!"

Yeah, I'd have to agree. She's wrong. But then, y'all knew that already. :)

[meritahut.livejournal.com]

I'm loving that the angel in your icon wears the same glasses frames I do (kinda sorta). What's the picture from?

Maybe we can make our fotunes from selling Instant Ultimate SFF Writer kits. And by starting up a vanity press to print the resulting books with the authors' money. We'll be rich! Bwahaha!

...an hour and a half left of work and I'm completely delirious...

[tekitsune.livejournal.com]

Where's that icon from? Hmmmm... have I not told that story? A few years back, a friend of mine was starting an anime parody web comic. It's called Okashina Okashi - Strange Candy. After a few postings of the strip, we were joking on IRC one night that she needed to add me into the story as a character... the result was me with wings as the new character, Loyal Minion Tim. Yes, you can be very afraid.

If you want to see the image the icon comes from, it can be found here. Oh how I wish I looked that good in real life. :) I'll just have to settle for looking good in the comic.

[meritahut.livejournal.com]

Now I remember Loyal Minion Tim! I'll have to browse the site and check out the rest of the comic.

You don't mean to say, you don't really wear leather pants like that and go around shirtless in real life?

[fair-witness.livejournal.com]

Oh, lord.

Make her read Speed of Dark. Don't tell her what a Nebula is until she's through.

[meritahut.livejournal.com]

One way or the other, I should make her read Speed of Dark. I suspect she'll look at the cover and say, "Hmm, no spaceships and laser guns, must be literature."

Then when she's done we play the Nebula card :-)

Hrmm... I wonder if I can coax the local book group into reading it after we're done with Devil in the White City. The group has pretty eclectic tastes. Austen, Eco, any and everything...