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Deleted member 5759
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I imagine this topic has come up before (if so, please pardon the redundancy). My favorite dark fantasy book of all time is McNaughton's Throne of Bones. Those who are in agreement have described the work as a [paraphrase] "nightmare carnival ride."
In the twenty years since its publication, despite winning the World Fantasy Award, it has sadly remained in obscurity. I can't help but polish its accolades a bit more - - the dang thing even has a glowing afterword by S.T Joshi; one of the most brutal reviewers of all-time.
Anyhow, I have researched the reactions, and it seems that a lot people (card-carrying members of dark fantasy's readership) are turned off by the disturbing subject matter.
My question... if it isn't obvious.. is what do you feel is off-limits in the realms of horror and dark fantasy? Why? And there is a third question begging to be asked last (which my all means ignore if my suspicion is correct that its just me being frustrated)... why on earth would readers pick up a book that is supposed to be rife with the prowling undead... then be turned off by the book doing its job?
In the twenty years since its publication, despite winning the World Fantasy Award, it has sadly remained in obscurity. I can't help but polish its accolades a bit more - - the dang thing even has a glowing afterword by S.T Joshi; one of the most brutal reviewers of all-time.
Anyhow, I have researched the reactions, and it seems that a lot people (card-carrying members of dark fantasy's readership) are turned off by the disturbing subject matter.
My question... if it isn't obvious.. is what do you feel is off-limits in the realms of horror and dark fantasy? Why? And there is a third question begging to be asked last (which my all means ignore if my suspicion is correct that its just me being frustrated)... why on earth would readers pick up a book that is supposed to be rife with the prowling undead... then be turned off by the book doing its job?