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SF-LIT  July 1998

SF-LIT July 1998

Subject:

Tad Williams "River of Blue Fire"

From:

Aznin <[log in to unmask]>

Reply-To:

Science Fiction and Fantasy Listserv <[log in to unmask]>

Date:

Sun, 19 Jul 1998 21:34:02 -0400

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text/plain

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This is a multi-part message in MIME format.

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    I just finished part 2 in Tad Williams' Otherland series, called =
"River of Blue Fire".  This author just keeps writing larger and larger =
novels.  According to him, the whole Otherland series was meant to be =
one big novel, but it's too big to publish in one cover.  So we're =
talking about  a total of about 2500 pages here.  Obviously the man is =
bursting with ideas.
    That's the one thing you have to admire about him - he has lots of =
ideas.  The story is filled with little subplots, mini-adventures, all =
interesting and complete.  Also, the book takes place in multiple =
settings: most of it takes place in the Otherland virtual environment, =
which is comprised of a series of fantasy worlds.  this is a great tool =
for Williams to let his imagination run wild, creating a dark version of =
Oz, a world filled with giant bugs, a story-book Mars,  a cartoon-type =
kitchen populated by animated kitchen implements, etc.=20
     It seems like Williams spends more time on setting than on =
characterization.  Most of the characters are rather flat.  They all =
have a background story, which they all reveal at a certain point in the =
novel - but so far, there is very little growth.  Exceptions are, of =
course, Renie, !Xabbu, Gardiner and Fredericks.  But apart from these 4, =
the rest seem like cardboard.
    Also, sometimes the abundance of mini-plots becomes a bit too much.  =
You know those people who are in love with their own voice?  It seems =
Williams is in love with his own writing.  Some things should be =
shorter, some sidetrack stories could be cut.  In short: an editor would =
be a good idea. =20
    Don't get me wrong, I love curling up on the couch with these tomes, =
and just forgetting everything.  But, well ...  I would like it a bit =
more trimmed too.  I simply don't have the energy for another mammoth =
like Jordan's Waste of Time series.  Then again, I will probably end up =
buying the next installment anyway.
    Anyway, on Alexlit I rated "River of Blue Fire" as enjoyable.  Part =
1 was a bit more focused than this one - I hope part 3 will return to =
the central plotline and spend less time on the side-track adventures.

Stefan Raets
*************************************************************
It takes a man to suffer Sting and smile.  (G. Jacobs)
*************************************************************
[log in to unmask]
ICQ UIN:  #870540

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<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I just finished =
part 2 in Tad=20
Williams' Otherland series, called &quot;River of Blue Fire&quot;.&nbsp; =
This=20
author just keeps writing larger and larger novels.&nbsp; According to =
him, the=20
whole Otherland series was meant to be one big novel, but it's too big =
to=20
publish in one cover.&nbsp; So we're talking about&nbsp; a total of =
about 2500=20
pages here.&nbsp; Obviously the man is bursting with ideas.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT><FONT =
size=3D2>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; That's=20
the one thing you have to admire about him - he has lots of ideas.&nbsp; =
The=20
story is filled with little subplots, mini-adventures, all interesting =
and=20
complete.&nbsp; Also, the book takes place in multiple settings: most of =
it=20
takes place in the Otherland virtual environment, which is comprised of =
a series=20
of fantasy worlds.&nbsp; this is a great tool for Williams to let his=20
imagination run wild, creating a dark version of Oz, a world filled with =
giant=20
bugs, a story-book Mars,&nbsp; a cartoon-type kitchen populated by =
animated=20
kitchen implements, etc.&nbsp;</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>&nbsp;<FONT color=3D#000000 =
size=3D2>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; It seems=20
like Williams spends more time on setting than on =
characterization.&nbsp; Most=20
of the characters are rather flat.&nbsp; They all have a background =
story, which=20
they all reveal at a certain point in the novel - but so far, there is =
very=20
little growth.&nbsp; Exceptions are, of course, Renie, !Xabbu, Gardiner =
and=20
Fredericks.&nbsp; But apart from these 4, the rest seem like=20
cardboard.</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Also, sometimes the abundance of =
mini-plots=20
becomes a bit too much.&nbsp; You know those people who are in love with =
their=20
own voice?&nbsp; It seems Williams is in love with his own =
writing.&nbsp; Some=20
things should be shorter, some sidetrack stories could be cut.&nbsp; In =
short:=20
an editor would be a good idea.&nbsp; </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT><FONT color=3D#000000 =
size=3D2>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Don't get=20
me wrong, I love curling up on the couch with these tomes, and just =
forgetting=20
everything.&nbsp; But, well ...&nbsp; I would like it a bit more trimmed =

too.&nbsp; I simply don't have the energy for another mammoth like =
Jordan's=20
Waste of Time series.&nbsp; Then again, I will probably end up buying =
the next=20
installment anyway.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Anyway, on =
Alexlit I rated=20
&quot;River of Blue Fire&quot; as enjoyable.&nbsp; Part 1 was a bit more =
focused=20
than this one - I hope part 3 will return to the central plotline and =
spend less=20
time on the side-track adventures.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2><BR>Stefan=20
Raets<BR>*************************************************************<BR=
>It=20
takes a man to suffer Sting and smile.&nbsp; (G.=20
Jacobs)<BR>*************************************************************<=
BR><A=20
href=3D"mailto:[log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]</A><BR>ICQ UIN:&nbsp;=20
#870540</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

------=_NextPart_000_000D_01BDB35C.F284E240--

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