It's time to make a choice.

[grinninfoole]

Apparently, A.S. Byatt really hates the Harry Potter books. So much so that she trashed them and their readers (particularly their adult readers) in a recent London Times editorial. She contrasted them to good fantasy books by other authors, in particular, Terry Pratchett. Sadly, it seems the dreaded end times--sorry, End Times (tm)--are here, wherein we must face the end of all we hold dear, and make a choice between Pratchett and Rowling. You read the sorry details here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3055411.stm

Personally, I think Byatt has written some really great books, but seriously needs to shut the fuck up. (Of course, Lefty and others will be pleased that she at least joins them in hating Tolkien.)

Comments

[sydneycat.livejournal.com]

Sigh....Sorry gotta go with Pratchett. Hands down. Otherwise, I'll play devil's advocate and say I can kind of see where she's coming from but I also suspect it's a bit of outrage that such an unknown upstart could have such phenomenal sucess. HP isn't ever going to be 'high art' or stunning prose but it's fun and escapist which is what people want these days.

[filthyassistant.livejournal.com]

I wonder if it would blow Byatt's mind to know that I was in the middle of a Rowling, a Pratchett, and a Byatt all at the same time and enjoying and understanding all three... ;)

[grinninfoole.livejournal.com]

Maybe....

And good for you.

[leftahead.livejournal.com]

Hey-

Hate is such a strong word.

Whenever I try to read Tolkien, I usually am asleep long before I get far enough in to actually start to *detest* it.

Those movies kick ass, though.

Byatt, BTW is clearly a jealous whore. And a jealous *ass-whore* at that.

-Lefty

[grinninfoole.livejournal.com]

On closer reading, I see that Byatt isn't trashing Rowling or the books so much as the people who like them, especially adults who like them. This reminds me of an essay Terry Pratchett wrote in appreciation of Tolkien, in which he pointed out that critics of the book often depart from criticizing the merits of the book (and, yes, there are bones one can pick with LOTR, just as there are with any book) to ad hominem attacks on the readers, rhetorically asking, in effect: "what the hell is wrong with you people? We've told you what you should like, made you read it in school, and yet here you go liking this very non-stylish book by some guy we've never met at any of our parties. There must be something wrong with you all."

Clearly, he was dead on. (The essay appears in Meditations on Middle Earth, if any of you are interested in reading the whole thing.)