Post by rockefeller on May 12, 2022 15:49:17 GMT
I'm in the protracted process of reading Rohinton Mistry's A Fine Balance, described in a cover blurb as "The Giller of all Gillers." Yes, it won a Giller award. But I'm not sure I'm going to finish it. It's super well-written and edited, of course. And I suppose I'm learning a lot about India's Hindu caste system. But there are so many oddball names and terms and titles that I'm not sure the overarching story warrants suffering them.
It's kind of the same with Sweem's The Last Sludge Caravan, also nicely written, well edited, and chock full of fine world-building replete with weird, long names, species, concepts, etc. But while learning a little about India's political and cultural history and milieu might embiggen me in some regard and lend credibility to the tale, not so much with a made-up fantasy world. In fairness to the VC, fantasy is my least favorite genre, even in the rare instance where its themes and metaphors appear meaningful, like, in this cap, the point and purpose of the MC's storytelling being called into question.
Also, I know the Monkey and our Terminali are all busy with their own lives and literary projects, and so am hesitant to send up anything that I didn't totally grock to. So, in summary and conclusion, nice work, but no.
It's kind of the same with Sweem's The Last Sludge Caravan, also nicely written, well edited, and chock full of fine world-building replete with weird, long names, species, concepts, etc. But while learning a little about India's political and cultural history and milieu might embiggen me in some regard and lend credibility to the tale, not so much with a made-up fantasy world. In fairness to the VC, fantasy is my least favorite genre, even in the rare instance where its themes and metaphors appear meaningful, like, in this cap, the point and purpose of the MC's storytelling being called into question.
Also, I know the Monkey and our Terminali are all busy with their own lives and literary projects, and so am hesitant to send up anything that I didn't totally grock to. So, in summary and conclusion, nice work, but no.