# I Hate Steven Erikson....



## Ankari (Aug 9, 2012)

The man doesn't stop writing!  I intended to avoid reading any novels until I get my first draft done, but I can't do it!  Not with a Steven Erikson novel coming out.....

If anyone is interested, his new book is titled _Forge of Darkness_.

When does this man sleep.


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## Steerpike (Aug 9, 2012)

Yeah, I saw that. The guy is a beast. And the books are good. I'm looking forward to this new trilogy.


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## Ankari (Aug 9, 2012)

This little blip captures why I love Steven Erikson.



> "When stripped down to its bones, criticism is a form of oppression. Its intent is to manipulate both artist and audience, by imposing rules on aesthetic appreciation. Curiously, its first task is to belittle the views of those who appreciate a certain work but are unable or unwilling to articulate their reasons for doing so. On occasion, of course, one of those viewers rises to the bait, taking umbrage at being dismissed as being ignorant, at which point critics en masse descend to annihilate the fool. No more than defending one's own precious nest, one presumes. But on another level, it is the act of those in power protecting their interests, those interests being nothing less than absolute oppression through the control of personal taste." (p.33)



You can find where I got that excerpt from this website.


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## Steerpike (Aug 9, 2012)

Nice one, Ankari. That would make for a good, if slightly long, signature line!


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## Ankari (Aug 9, 2012)

Steerpike said:


> Nice one, Ankari. That would make for a good, if slightly long, signature line!



Better yet, a mantra to live by.  Print it, tape it to your bathroom mirror, and read it every day.

Fricken Steven Erikson.


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## Philip Overby (Aug 9, 2012)

Erikson's prolific nature never ceases to amaze me.  Reading Memories of Ice now and glad to saw I still have much more to look forward to in this unique, bizarre world of Malazan.


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## Benjamin Clayborne (Aug 9, 2012)

I haven't read anything by Erickson, but that anti-criticism quote is preposterous on its face. Perhaps there's additional missing context that would make more sense--but on its face, the idea that _all forms of criticism_ are inherently invalid, evil, and useless is nonsensical. Maybe if you defined "criticism" as "negative, hateful criticism that seeks only to tear down, belittle, and destroy," but I don't think most people use the word "criticism" that way.


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## Steerpike (Aug 9, 2012)

Benjamin Clayborne said:


> I haven't read anything by Erickson, but that anti-criticism quote is preposterous on its face. Perhaps there's additional missing context that would make more sense--but on its face, the idea that _all forms of criticism_ are inherently invalid, evil, and useless is nonsensical. Maybe if you defined "criticism" as "negative, hateful criticism that seeks only to tear down, belittle, and destroy," but I don't think most people use the word "criticism" that way.



The quote is from a character in a novel.


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## Benjamin Clayborne (Aug 10, 2012)

Steerpike said:


> The quote is from a character in a novel.



No, I got that, I just got the impression that it was being presented as Erickson's actual opinion (i.e. mouthpiece character).

Regardless, I still disagree with it


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## Steerpike (Aug 10, 2012)

Benjamin Clayborne said:


> No, I got that, I just got the impression that it was being presented as Erickson's actual opinion (i.e. mouthpiece character).
> 
> Regardless, I still disagree with it



I think it may approximate his opinion (and I think Erikson is right in many ways, so long as you don't take it as an absolute). Erikson does a fair amount of 'debating' between characters about art, the relationship of the artist and the consumer of art, and so on. I think Erikson himself is more sympathetic to a character that espouses the above than to the opposite view, and I am with him on that, but I think the character overstates the case for dramatic purposes. There are generally others to balance it out.


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## shangrila (Aug 12, 2012)

I'll be honest, I'll probably skip this. I already know the end game (SPOILERS; Mother Dark turns her back on the Andii, Draconus is imprisoned in the sword, etc) and I have a feeling these novels will have the same problem the later ones did, with stuff just happening because the magic is so undefined and the really powerful characters (like almost every character named in that blurb) can do almost anything they want/need to with it.

For the record, I think Erikson is a great writer and the first 5-6 books of the Malazan series are great. It's just the last few that left a sour taste in my mouth.


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