From: Artillo5@cs.com
Date: Sat Apr 27 2002 - 23:21:09 MDT
I have to agree with your statement below, Hal...
In a message dated 4/27/2002 1:21:49 PM Eastern Daylight Time, hal@finney.org
writes:
"I also thought the writing suffered. In my opinion Brin's last few books
have been deteriorating. His writing is becoming overwrought,
over-dramatized. He works too hard to try to milk drama from each scene.
Italics appear everywhere so that we see how much *meaning* people are
putting into their words."
Also I picked up my copy of Earthclan (Startide Rising & The Uplift
War). You are right about the italics! The structure of his writing is
interesting though because in a way, he is trying to make sci-fi writing more
of an art form, setting up the pages, chapters, and paragraphs in the same
way an illustrator makes a drawing. If you have Earthclan, take a look...
each section speaking of Galactics is completely italicized, to me that
indicated we were reading translated alien text. There is also a lot of
poetry (however bad!) all throughout the book.
Earthclan, which is a fairly entertaining story, in some places had some
pretty hokey stereotypes for each of the races. It didn't seem to me that
Brin put much effort towards making believable alien cultures, but rather
just took Earth-type animals, turned them into aliens, and gave them purely
Human traits. The idea of a universe where more advanced creatures help the
"less technologically evolved" is turned into a study on discrimination of
the "less fortunate" whatever the reason, typically race (alien or
otherwise), technological status, or political position.
I will withhold my comments for now on the "Kiln People" book until I
read it for myself. :D
Peace and Happy Building,
Brian
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