Dragaera

Opinion vs. Criticism ( was: RE: book by its )

Thu Oct 9 22:19:33 PDT 2003

One could always fall back on the execellent example of Kathana...

e.g....STFU in Dragaeran = sword to the neck, paintbrushes to the 
eye!!!  heh

Warlord wrote:

>Excuse me for a second while I go off the deep end --
>
>< rant >
>
>Like so many other things in this universe that is laughing behind my
>back, I have an opinion on the book cover. I do think the cover could
>be more true to the words; however, I DO NOT think it is bad. On blurbs,
>I believe that it should be either an excerpt or an accurate synopsis
>of the book as a whole. There is a difference between having an opinion
>and commenting on something, and CRITICIZING someones effort(s). People
>should only criticize if they can do better.
>
>Let me make my position clear: critics should have a nice cup of STFU
>until they can justify their existance by doing more than knocking
>down the accomplishments of others.
>
>< /rant >
>
>Ok, I'm done.  We now return you to our
>regular program, "Who is Mario this Week"
>
>Warlord
>
>"Definition of a critic: one who comes down out of the mountain,
> after the war is over, and shoots the dead."
>
>
>  
>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: Steve Hubbell [mailto:usagigoya at hotmail.com]
>>Sent: Wednesday, October 08, 2003 4:44 PM
>>To: dragaera at dragaera.info
>>Subject: Re: book by its
>>
>>
>>I don't know what the ratio between "new" blurb is intriguing readers and
>>"continuing" true-blue-buying-in-hardcover-months-early-from-Amazoners (I
>>assume that is what you meant, since I prefer to support my local
>>bookstores).
>>
>>I can say that the blurb by Roger Zelazny was a large influence
>>on my buying
>>Jhereg, Yendi and To Reign In Hell way back in the early
>>eighties. Zelazny's
>>blurbs also influenced me to try Sheri Tepper's first book King's
>>Blood Four
>>(and sequels).
>>
>>I loved the Stephen Hickman covers on Jhereg and Yendi and have to admit
>>that they also were a large influence. Back then, I think cover
>>art was very
>>influental in trying new authors. (I still love the cover art
>>being selected
>>for each new Vlad Taltos book.)
>>
>>Now-a-days, there are so many new authors out there all writing similar
>>stuff and all sporting similar looking cover art that it is hard
>>to choose
>>what to try. An author whom you like recommending a new or previously
>>unknown author is STILL helpful in making a choice.
>>
>>    
>>
>>>From: "Steven Brust" <skzb at dreamcafe.com>
>>>To: "Philip Hart" <philiph at SLAC.Stanford.EDU>,        "Dragarea"
>>><dragaera at dragaera.info>
>>>Subject: Re: book by its
>>>Date: Tue, 7 Oct 2003 14:10:05 -0700
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>      
>>>
>>>>Question for SKZB or the powers-at-Tor - any idea what the ratio of
>>>>hmm-the-Zelazny-or-T.Williams-blurb-is-intriguing purchasers to us
>>>>true-blue-buying-in-hardcover-months-early-from-Amazoners is?
>>>>        
>>>>
>>>As I understand it, blurbs are less designed to appear to readers than to
>>>the buyers for various chains and major outlets.  Er, if that doesn't
>>>answer
>>>your question, you'll have to rephrases it.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>      
>>>
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>>
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