Haha, that's one way to look at it! I think there are a bunch of sequels to Inkheart, too, so you'll have more to read if you enjoy it! (It may be a trilogy?)
The biggest problem with McCaffrey is that she populates her worlds with her bigotry as well — homosexual characters in Pern are horrendously treated. She's great at world-building, but at some point it's hard to separate her despicable prejudices from the worth of the work as a whole.
And I agree! I've always felt that creative works belong to both the creator and the consumer; but I think it all goes back to the issue of why art is created in the first place. As a mimetic device? As self-expression for the author? As material for an audience to consume? If an author - like McCaffrey - believes that her work was created solely for self-expression, it's understandable (if ridiculous!) that she'd be against the so-called bastardization and/or appropriation of her brainchildren.
Still makes me angry, heh.
Anyway, I'll get off my soapbox. Have fun reading! And if you ever want to read a short story collection that features characters that will rip your heart out, try Acts of Worship by Yukio Mishima.
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branchandroot
(no subject)
Date: 2012-04-07 05:44 am (UTC)The biggest problem with McCaffrey is that she populates her worlds with her bigotry as well — homosexual characters in Pern are horrendously treated. She's great at world-building, but at some point it's hard to separate her despicable prejudices from the worth of the work as a whole.
And I agree! I've always felt that creative works belong to both the creator and the consumer; but I think it all goes back to the issue of why art is created in the first place. As a mimetic device? As self-expression for the author? As material for an audience to consume? If an author - like McCaffrey - believes that her work was created solely for self-expression, it's understandable (if ridiculous!) that she'd be against the so-called bastardization and/or appropriation of her brainchildren.
Still makes me angry, heh.
Anyway, I'll get off my soapbox. Have fun reading! And if you ever want to read a short story collection that features characters that will rip your heart out, try Acts of Worship by Yukio Mishima.