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How would YOU have ended Lord of the Rings?
Ixarku:
I read Shannara up thru the 'Heritage' series, and dropped it after that. They were enjoyable for light reading, but I thought Brooks' storylines and characters just became too repetitive. He did manage at times to create some scenes or sequences that to me were really vivid. 'Sword' was pretty forgettable, but 'Elfstones' and 'Wishsong' both had fairly bleak tones, which I liked, and parts of 'Heritage' had the same feeling.
I kind of lump Brooks in with David Eddings, as authors I enjoyed when I was in high school, but which I grew out of. Both are authors that I consider good to introduce to a new or younger reader of fantasy who's curious about the genre but not looking for anything too heavy.
'Sword' is pretty obviously a derivative of LotR (which is a polite way of saying that Brooks unabashedly ripped off parts of LotR). I don't think 'Sword' lives up to LotR, but it gave Brooks a good starting point to go off in his own direction in the later books.
Proin Drakenzol:
--- Quote from: Sabinlerose on March 05, 2011, 01:35:16 AM ---
--- Quote from: Proin Drakenzol on March 05, 2011, 01:22:49 AM ---
--- Quote from: Sabinlerose on March 04, 2011, 06:54:07 PM ---I like to think that the Shanara series is everything Lord of the Rings could and should have been.
--- End quote ---
Ummm... crappy?
The Shannara series was terrible.
--- End quote ---
If by crappy you mean enjoyable characters, plots that make sense, and an overarching story that makes sense...
Then yes you are correct.
--- End quote ---
We clearly have different criteria on what makes for enjoyable characters, sensical plots, and a sensical overarching story.
Now, Brooks' other series, the Landover series, was quite entertaining. But the Shannara books were just bland recycled brand flat fiction.
Sabinlerose:
--- Quote from: Ixarku on March 05, 2011, 02:09:05 AM ---I read Shannara up thru the 'Heritage' series, and dropped it after that. They were enjoyable for light reading, but I thought Brooks' storylines and characters just became too repetitive. He did manage at times to create some scenes or sequences that to me were really vivid. 'Sword' was pretty forgettable, but 'Elfstones' and 'Wishsong' both had fairly bleak tones, which I liked, and parts of 'Heritage' had the same feeling.
I kind of lump Brooks in with David Eddings, as authors I enjoyed when I was in high school, but which I grew out of. Both are authors that I consider good to introduce to a new or younger reader of fantasy who's curious about the genre but not looking for anything too heavy.
'Sword' is pretty obviously a derivative of LotR (which is a polite way of saying that Brooks unabashedly ripped off parts of LotR). I don't think 'Sword' lives up to LotR, but it gave Brooks a good starting point to go off in his own direction in the later books.
--- End quote ---
I liked Sword a lot more then I liked LoTRs.
No denying at all that it borrowed heavily though.
Curious what you think about the Word and the Void series.
Running with the Demon is one of my favorite books I have ever read.
--- Quote from: Proin Drakenzol on March 05, 2011, 03:40:39 AM ---
--- Quote from: Sabinlerose on March 05, 2011, 01:35:16 AM ---
--- Quote from: Proin Drakenzol on March 05, 2011, 01:22:49 AM ---
--- Quote from: Sabinlerose on March 04, 2011, 06:54:07 PM ---I like to think that the Shanara series is everything Lord of the Rings could and should have been.
--- End quote ---
Ummm... crappy?
The Shannara series was terrible.
--- End quote ---
If by crappy you mean enjoyable characters, plots that make sense, and an overarching story that makes sense...
Then yes you are correct.
--- End quote ---
We clearly have different criteria on what makes for enjoyable characters, sensical plots, and a sensical overarching story.
Now, Brooks' other series, the Landover series, was quite entertaining. But the Shannara books were just bland recycled brand flat fiction.
--- End quote ---
Curious how much you actually read?
Most people read Sword and thats it.
They never get around to Running with the Demon (Word and the Void series) or the Voyage of the Jerle series.
Which is understandable since if you're not liking something...why finish reading it.
-laughs-
Landover is also quite interesting. I really enjoyed Ben Holiday, and the Prism Cat whose name I can't remember for the life of me.
Nikkoru:
The Word and the Void series only needed to be one book - he could have written it all in one story or just left Running with the Demon. With this Brooks falls into the unfortunate categories of overusing cliched American dialogue and character archetypes, there's only so much of that one can stand before you start to wonder if the writer has ever participated in a genuine conversation. There are loads of mysteries writers I've encountered who have the same neurosis. The initial urban fantasy setting, and the premise of the story was interesting - but I was nonplussed with the expression of anxiety and despair for the American working class.
As for LotR, the only real change I would have made is killing off Sam - I enjoy deaths of main characters as the story progresses. Though the ending wasn't an issue with me so much as there could have been more content in the middle - I've liked the idea of a long and winding fantasy epic since reading the Wheel of Time.
Fool010:
I think what bogs LOTR down the most is the fact it isn't a separate work, but part of a larger cycle that never got written. As a consequence the flow gets killed by the amount of background info Tolkien pours in.
But my main gripe still remains the lack of effort he's put into the characters, it's pretty much obvious he cared a lot more about the context and the story than about them.
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