Le Guin on Fantasy

[knivesout]

Here is a speech Ursula Le Guin made recently, 'Some Assumptions about Fantasy' : http://www.harcourtbooks.com/AuthorI...inBEASpech.asp

She raises a number of interesting and valid points in a characteristically well-reasoned, courteous but clear sighted fashion. Nothing earth-shattering for anyone who has been contemplating the nature and meaning of fantasy fiction, but the even-toned manner in which Le Guin makes her points is, I think, as intructive as the points she makes.

[I, Brian]

Them's fighting words!!

And they echo exactly out comments elsewhere about character race, realism in fantasy, and moral ambiguity.

Maybe we should get Ursula to join the chronicles-network? I think she'd be a lot more comfortable here.

[dwndrgn]

I'd like to send her some flowers! I think I'm in love

Now I have to go out and get some more of her books.

[littlemissattitude]

I've never read any of Le Guin's books before. I will now. That was an amazing speech she gave. Aside from her comments on fantasy, I really appreciate her take on breakfast...I don't generally speak much at breakfast, either. Comes from being Not A Morning Person, I guess.

Oh, and Brian...I say we should offer her honorary membership.

[Sirathiel]

I'm thoroughly impressed by that speech. Looks like I'll have to get back to my Earthsea omnibus as soon as possible.

Le Guin just approached probably everything that could be used to degrade fantasy in comparison with other genres. I'm glad to have read her speech, but she reminded me of what fantasy always was for me: an imaginative world, where only my imagination is the limit of things.

Long live fantasy!