Fantasy

Fantasy is a genre I really don't understand. I am just about the only person on earth who did not think the Lord of the Rings was brilliant. While I enjoyed aspects of the Dark Tower -- it took me a long time to figure out tht this was fantasy. After all, it's so dark tht it dosn't start to pick up real fantasy elements until Wizard and Glass. Come on -- ruby slippers?!

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Of course, I should have realized it was fantasy when Roland was hoppping between worlds with doors. But I saw that as more scifi. Really, I thought this was a strange cowboy novel. And none of you can say you knew exactly what D.T. would be when you started.

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Friendly Objections To Fantasy:

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1. Everyone lives very far away. Has anyone else noticed that in fantasy stories, no one lives NEAR the tower or ring or whatever it is. I tried reading Terry Goodkind, but the made up worlds got confusing to me. And then passing through the foggy spirit world left me thinking -- really?!

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2. I can't keep up with all the made up words. Scrimshaw.

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3. Fantasy takes itself incredibly serious. Just my opinion, but the genre itself seems to have high opinion of itself.

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4. All characters in Fantasy novels do is walk around. Ever try to read a Robert Jordan book?

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5. Fantasy novels require very little research, since the author is making up their own world. Each Fantsy novel feels, to me, like nothing more than a new world on Star Trek.
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Now here's why King's world of fantasy is better:

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He linked it directly to our world. Rolands world is something of dark mirror to ours.

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The Dark Tower is not pure fantasy. He incorperted other elements -- horror in prticular. And dare I suggest tht W&G was romance, or close there to.

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More than just linking to our world, Dark Tower became the knot that brought the entire Stephen King universe together.

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Here's what I'm proposing: You don't have to like Fantasy as a genre to enjoy the Dark Tower. I think that in the Dark Tower a frustrating genre finds something of redemption. If only more writers took King's approach.

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Of course, fantasy novels are always about "the journey." That was certainly true in Dark Tower. But King made the long journey a joy! But, for a guy who doesn't like fantasy novles, I have to say that the biggest complaint I have is the ending of D.T.7.

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Fantasy novels do have one great thing in their favor. . . they have good book covers.

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Now all you loves of Jordan, Eragon (I only saw the movie), Goodkind and that "Magic Kingdom For Sale -- sold" book can write and tell me how wrong I am.