Hi Theydon,
But David Gemmell doesn't try to pass his work off as anything other than what it is - fantasy fiction. If he was trying to make out that his work was the fantasy equivalent of Joyce, or Shakespeare, or Proust, then maybe any woman (or man) who slagged off Gemmell may have a point. As his work is just fantasy fiction, and nothing more, then no one can claim it to be any less than what it is. Therein lies the problem... data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7
The same would apply to Tolkien: he knew his work wasn't a masterpiece, and he never claimed it was. The fact that lots of literary critics labelled it as a masterpiece, however, is another issue altogether.
J.K. Rowling wants people to think that her HARRY POTTER works are great works of fiction. They aren't. They're just pretty decent kids books. Nothing more, nothing less.
FIFTY SHADES OF GREY is being passed-off as an amazing literary acheivement by lots of female readers in the UK, who are gushing over it with their praise of how superb it is. The fact it's now become the highest and quickest-selling paperback book in UK history, says it all. (Report can be found here.)
But, if the book had been written by a man, for male readers, these very same women would be:
1) Damning it as exploitative filth,
2) Labelling it as pornography, calling for the book to be banned,
3) AND damning every man who dared read it, all at the same time! data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7
It's the sheer hypocrisy that bugs me: that when adult novels are written by and read by women, it's called "erotica" and is seen as respectable. When the same stuff is written by and read by men, it's slated as "porn", and is labelled as misogynistic filth. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7 data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7
There's nothing wrong with any trashy novel (or film, or music) being popular with the masses. My problem, is that FIFTY SHADES... is a trashy novel, butis being labelled as high art, which it absolutely is not.
And that's why I have a proverbial bee in my bonnet about it.
Pooch
......and when a bloke makes his way through many women he is a player, while a woman is branded a slag. Life is full of opposites........
Out of curiosity I started reading it - well, listening to the audiobook. Although I wqs really put off by the narrator's voice and accent. I got as far as the line, "Christian Grey's feet... wow... what is it about naked feet?" and gave up.
Still, I believe many women are giving it the thumb's up data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7
"If one key can open many locks, then that is a Master Key, but if one lock can be opened by many keys, then its a pretty *****y lock"
Cant remember where I read that one.
Interesting, I thought there might be a thread for this. I hadn't even heard of it till Monday when one of the guys mentioned it in the pub. Now it just so happens that last week I loaded the kindle application onto my PlayBook linked to the wives kindle account (anyone see where I'm going with this?).
Yep sure enough all three books.
Now as I'm sure you'll understand couldn't resist doing a quick scan read (dirty bits only obviously) and yep its definitely porn all be it very badly written porn. From what I recall razzle was better written back in the 80's.
Now the wife's been away at a conference, kindle in tow,cannot wait to ask her tonight "What you reading there love" just hope I can keep a straight face.data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7
Don't see the appeal myself.
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Fifty Shades Of Grey - Not John Major's Autobiography... Honest!
(Signed, E.L. James!)
It has just occurred to me she didn't even get the title right surprised no one has picked up on this fifty shades of grey really fifty shades don't think so love. I think you mean fifty scales of grey still she's not to know you wouldn't learn that in home eccentric would you?
Was stood in Waterstones (I was waiting for the wife & child, not just standing there) this afternoon watching several middle aged women picking up & looking at all the books around this one, before picking it up & quickly making their way to the tilldata:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7
Just been into Asda, big cardboard display as soon as you walk into the store. Probably could hold 30 - 40 copies. Had about half a dozen left in it.