Re: Conformity In The 21st Century
Posted by:
metsat00 (IP Logged)
Date: 8 January, 2012 09:37PM
Interesting question, and one that's been percolating in the back of my mind for the past couple of decades.
The fantasy authors whose works resonate with me for their originality ... Dunsany, Eddison, CAS, Leiber, Peake, Howard, Vance, Moorcock, Donaldson among others ... wrote entirely, or at least primarily, before word processors. Their primary motivation was the joy and craftsmanship of storytelling, and sharing ideas with like-minded colleagues -- not making money. They were writers who wrote because they couldn't help it, and would have written even if they never earned a dime from it.
I would posit three primary events led to the homogenization of current fantasy literature:
1) word processors
2) monetization of literature through endless sequels
3) globalization
The invention of the word processor made it nearly effortless to crank out quantity, which tends to detract from quality. Ray Bradbury's quote is apt: "Put me in a room with a pad and a pencil and set me up against a hundred people with a hundred computers -- I'll outcreate every goddamn sonofabitch in the room."
At some point editors and publishers who got into the business because they loved reading exciting literature gave way to those more interested in having authors churn out serialized reams of "product" to generate a profitable "revenue stream". Perhaps they were always part of the game but it seems clear they've taken over. Exhibits A through G are testaments to taking a meager story idea and stretching it out as far as humanly possible in the quest for a buck:
Conan (the Carter / de Camp pastiches)
Shanarra
Thieves World
Dragonlance
Belgariad/Mallorean
Harry Potter
A select few authors have the creativity to generate original, lengthy masterpieces requiring trilogies or tetralogies to unfold; case in point Stephen R. Donaldson's brilliantly iconoclast first and second "Chronicles of Thomas Covenant". However, judging by the slogging pace and lack of originality of his "Final" Chronicles of Thomas Covenant even Donaldson seems to have succumbed to pressure from on high to crank out sequel after sequel of ever-diminishing originality to feed the machine.
While I *love* the Internet and international travel, it seems that over the decades the countries I visit are becoming less unique and authentic as globalized ideas, products, laws and media steamroll local pockets of culture.
The most recent published fantasy author I'm aware of writing with a fresh and unique perspective is Barry Hughart; his Bridge of Birds trilogy is a tour de force of fantasy literature that gives me hope other authors can find their own original and non-conformist paths. Perhaps I'm just out of touch with a new generation of authors? Thankfully we have the works of Smith and other old-timers who saw the world in a different way and blessed us with their fantastic visions.
Sorry if this post is a bummer but the disappointment at the lack of fresh new fantasy voices has been simmering at least 20 years and finally boiled over into words.
Sandor Szabo