Experiment and Other News, week 4
I’m really sorry that I haven’t been able to post that often this week, I’ve been a bit feverish, so haven’t got the energy to write. Also was away for the weekend, so no writing done there either.
Sad news this week for some, Robert Jordan passed away. Apparently the last part of Wheel of Time is still going to be published posthumously. I’m really curious whether some hack picks up the WoT franchise. Haven’t been fan of all that tugging and smoothing in a while.
In other tidbits, I ordered the so far published Steven Erikson’s Korbal Broach and Bauchelain novellas as hardcover from PS publishing. Not a real fan of the duo, yet I’m slowly approaching the point of being fan of Steven Erikson. Kinda funny, I really think that for most fantasy writers should focus more on writing than world building, but here I am to being a fanboy to the near ultimate world builder Erikson.
Little bit of old news, Otter of the Grasping in the Wind doesn’t feel that Harry Potter necessarily has staying power. I think that there’s wishful thinking behind there. For someone to sell that many books and then to fade away is extremely unlikely. I’d say that within 50 years Potter books will be considered classics of fantasy and young adult fiction. Maybe even classics on a grander scale, if they can pass the genre borders even more successfully than currently.
I do admit that it is easy to feel antipathy towards something that sells well that you don’t really cherish, but I still think that J.K. Rowling basically is now fantasy and will be for quite a while. I do hope that she’ll write some more fantasy as she definitely is talented artist who writes truly entertaining books.
Tags experiment, Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling, Robert Jordan, Steven Erikson, Wheel of TimeRelated Posts:
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September 18th, 2007 at 9:07 pm
Thanks for the nod, while my opinion may not be popular, I think its right. Part of my reasoning is that Publishers are always looking for the next big thing. Potter will be eclipsed, and unless this generation encourages their children to read them, then Potter will be eclipsed by others.
Additionally the educational system must get on board. I haven’t hear of anyone teaching (not requiring as summer reading, which I know is common) Harry Potter. Once Potter is taught in the elementary schools as children’s classic I will be more inclined to think it has staying power. Once something is part of a curriculum it retains popularity. I don’t think Potter classifies as books that will be taught in schools, whereas many others are.
Potter books are those types of books you encourage kids to read outside of school, but not teach in the classroom.
But hey, I’ve been wrong before.
September 19th, 2007 at 11:51 am
I just base my opinion on the fact that there’s a generation of people who’ve grown up reading Potters, so I don’t see how they wouldn’t become classics. On the other hand I very much doubt that they are going to be part of the western canon, at least not in a very long time. Similarly as LotR is not considered a classic by a big part of the literati.
Your point on educational system is very good, but do note that it is slow to react so it is going to take a while before Potter is taught there.
Anyway, the first 6 Potter books have sold more than 320 million copies according to Wikipedia, so it is quite likely that the whole series will sell over billion copies over time. That’s just sick popularity.
September 19th, 2007 at 4:45 pm
Too true, too true.