Single-minded Terry Goodkind

[hodor]

Originally Posted by MIDNIGHT

I've snored my way through both of these series.Are they ever going to end!!

Interesting question. I am wondering actually how many people started off as huge fans and are now just completely disappointed.

[tonic]

Brian when you doing the interview? LOL He might check out the site before he starts it...that could be disastrous.

[I, Brian]

Actually, I nearly forgot.

Will compile questions for the weekend.

[Teresa Edgerton]

It seems that our respected administrator is awfully quiet this weekend. I wonder if he is off interviewing the volatile Mr. Goodkind -- and if so, (and even considering that the interview is an electronic one) whether he's likely to survive that highly combustible task.

One certainly hopes so, anyway.

[Tsujigiri]

We'll have to wait and see I suppose.

I used to enjoy Goodkinds books, but after reading about the man I have to sya the phrase 'tit' seems to fit him nicely.

[I, Brian]

Okay, will compile the questions today...

[Heresy]

I tried to start Wizard First Rule, but it turned out to be one of those books I had to stick back on the shelf with "maybe I'll read this later." It was just so poorly executed. Girl comes out of no where, they instantly LIKE each other, and the whole thing felt horribly written as if he had no idea what he was going to do. -_-+ (First chapter... not even able to finish that much)

I like things to develop from point a to point b...

(Btw, whoever mentioned that thing about the gay villian who likes kids... wouldn't raping Kahan be against his sexual orientation?????!) Talk about making characters jump to puppet strings... I wonder if it was Goodkind's only way to "punish" his own characters for not being "all that."

[red_temple]

Urgh. Terry Goodkind. I was lukewarm on his books until I heard him speak at a book signing recently. "Piece of Work" comes to mind. Very full of himself - I got tired of hearing him go on about how ultra-intelligent and successful he was, and how moronic everyone else was. It made me wonder what kind of self-esteem issues are plaguing him. Anyway, after hearing his mean spirited tirade against the rest of the Fantasy community, I decided to no longer put money in his demonic, Hitler-esque pockets.

If only the man would show some humility and grace - he'd actually be tolerable as a person and a writer.

[jenna]

lol, i totally agree. i couldn't believe the things i heard come out of the mans mouth! i thought i'd be able to finish up the series, because i wanted to see how it ended, but as i started reading Chainfire i realised i just didn't give a damn anymore, and my hatred for the author just stopped me from getting any enjoyment out of the extremely slow moving story.
i just moved house and the book didn't even come with me (i got up to about page 150 i think) last i heard the cat was sleeping on it at my sisters place.

[red_temple]

Originally Posted by jenna

...last i heard the cat was sleeping on it at my sisters place.

Awsome!!! I hope it doesn't harm the cat any.

[jenna]

ooh i didn't think of that! hope it doesn't turn the cat "objectivist" or anything!

[Saetic]

The thing that irks about Terry is what Jenna previously mentioned - He refuses to admit he's a fantasy author, and then continuously bashes the entire genre, as seen in the original post in the interview insert. "They have no plot", etc etc. He makes these claims, and then claims he never reads fantasy. What right does he have to bash something that he DOESN'T READ? How pretentious can you get?

I find his holier then thou attitude to be extremely annoying. He is FAR from the best author out there. I enjoy his books, even through the preachiness, constant recaps, and repetitive events, and I do wish to read until the end, but the man behind the books is simply intolerable. And to think, I was disappointed in not being able to go to his "Gathering" in Los Vegas in January... What a waste of money and time that would have been.

[Darken Rahl]

Ok,so I actually LIKE his writing. (If you haven't already noticed.) I would rate Faith of the Fallen as one of the best books I have ever read, and best fantasy book by a huge margin. So who cares if he thinks some people don't get what he feels they should out of it, I sort of admire that he has the honesty to say it in print. Face it, most fantasy stories follow similar themes, what seperates the more enjoyable ones is the author's ability to spin the tale. Terry Goodkind, Stephen King, Robert Jordan, David and Leigh Eddings, Lynn Flewelling, Robin Hobb, George R R Martin, R.A. Salvatore, J.R.R Tolkien. and Terry Brooks all have a place on my bookshelves for that simple reason. Each can fill your imagination with their words, but would I really get along with all of their personalities? I doubt it.
Goodkind does include some themes I would not expect to see in most fantasy books, so if he doesn't feel he should be labelled a fantasy author he might actually be right. Does using a specific type of setting mean that a label should apply? I certainly hope not, but realize that does happen quite a bit. Do I consider him a fantasy author? Yes, but that is probably because I have only read fantasy-type works of his. I don't even know if I would buy something else with his name on it. He is entitled to his own opinions, and if you really want to hate him just don't buy the books.
Or read them and try looking for a moral to the story in Faith of the Fallen, or a caricature of a certain former President and First Lady of the USA in Soul of the Fire. Like I said, maybe he is right in trying to avoid being tagged as a "fantasy" author.

[jenna]

i think you'll find that everything he uses in the SoT series does indeed make them fantasy. if they're not fantasy, then what the hell is?

hi Saetic
you know the most annoying thing about the dumb gathering? when i got back i found out that just a few weeks later in LA there was a convention with a whole bunch of the Grease 2 stars there. i'm still fuming that i didn't know about it, i could have spent my money on that instead! i did LOVE Vegas though...

[a|one]

Originally Posted by Shoegaze99

Maybe my favorite quote, and the most telling, is this one:

"What I have done with my work has irrevocably changed the face of fantasy. In so doing I've raised the standards. I have not only injected thought into a tired empty genre, but, more importantly, I've transcended it showing what more it can be-and is so doing spread my readership to completely new groups who don’t like and wont ready typical fantasy."

It's difficult to imagine the nature of the plant he is smoking.

Are you implying that smoking pot makes people arrogant?