Wasteland Reading

[flemmings]

Like almost everyone else, I assumed that Pauline Gedge's Stargate had something to do with the franchise of the same name. (And all I know of the franchise is that it makes regular appearances on fandom_wank.) It doesn't, of course. It's all about-- well, basically the same thing as To Reign in Hell.

And while it starts intriguingly enough, it fast descends into Last Battle Syndrome, with everything going bad and evil triumphing all round-- and with suspicious ease, let me say. Must be some kind of Calvinist holdover that in western works, certainly, Evil never has to struggle for its victories. Never mind Adam and Eve, Evil accomplishes the fall of demi-gods without even breaking a sweat.

This will probably be the book that teaches me to skim. But if you have to skim there's no point in reading. Maybe I should give up the fight and go read The Last Continent instead.

Comments

[tammylee.livejournal.com]

with everything going bad and evil triumphing all round-- and with suspicious ease, let me say. Must be some kind of Calvinist holdover that in western works, certainly, Evil never has to struggle for its victories

What is UP with that, anyways? Why do we hardly hear of the hard work and dedication and many sleepless nights that goes into a proper evil campaign of world domination? What if you have an army of mixed races? Traditionally even evil races tend to be xenophobic and hate one another. A lot of stories just has the evil overlord kill anyone who starts trouble in the ranks but you can't keep doing that or you eat away at your own power base. Blar!

But if you have to skim there's no point in reading.
Word. If I find myself unconsciously skimming I put the book down and walk away.

[flemmings.livejournal.com]

In this case it's pure abstract evil. A book that tells you the future, and the minute anyone even thinks about it their light becomes dimmed. If they open it they turn from benevolent sun gods to genocidal dictators in a flash. Someone has a strange notion of the nature of good.

And just because we identify xenophobia with evil doesn't mean an evil overlord will automatically be xenophobic, or even racist. He could be the coldest most dispassionate equal opportunity employer, using the talent that comes to hand no matter where it was born and what colour (or genus) it is. An evil Vetinari.