Most overrated fantasy writer.

Peregrin Toker · Post by **Peregrin Toker** » 2003-07-10 05:32am

Well, who's the most overrated fantasy writer??

NOTE: Overrated does not mean bad. Overrated just means "not as good as they make him/her/it out to be." Hence the inclusion of Tolkien and Eddings.

I'd like to thank all the people who came with nominations. You know who you are.

Post by **Gandalf** » 2003-07-10 07:15am

I say JK Rowling, all this stuff about an engrossing and addictive world, I struggled to read that insipid book.

Sir Sirius · Post by **Sir Sirius** » 2003-07-10 08:41am

J.K. Rowling, I read the first book a while back just to see what all the talk was about. I really didn't get it, the book was boring as hell and all those "silly" names really bugged me.

Lord of the Farce · Post by **Lord of the Farce** » 2003-07-10 08:48am

Anne McCaffrey, her stuff can almost literally bored me to tears, and that crap is suppose to be good!? Of course, if Steven King was in the poll, I'd vote against him instead (because IMHO, he's much, much worse).

Iceberg · Post by **Iceberg** » 2003-07-10 09:16am

Terry Brooks.

Fucking hack. Fucking ripoff-artist hack.

JodoForce · Post by **JodoForce** » 2003-07-10 09:34am

And predictably, the most well known name as of now takes the crown. This kind of poll is useless really...

Death from the Sea · Post by **Death from the Sea** » 2003-07-10 11:16am

Gandalf wrote:I say JK Rowling, all this stuff about an engrossing and addictive world, I struggled to read that insipid book.

I know what you mean, I couldn't even finish the first book it just didn't grab my interest.

Sir Sirius · Post by **Sir Sirius** » 2003-07-10 12:50pm

JodoForce wrote:And predictably, the most well known name as of now takes the crown.

The fact that she is "the best known name as of now" is precisely what makes her the most overrated fantasy author.

JodoForce wrote:This kind of poll is useless really...

Sob, theiw being mean to poow wittle Hawwy... those meanies!

Crown · Post by **Crown** » 2003-07-10 01:01pm

Isn't his hurting your arguments? The fact that you couldn't 'get involved' in her books, and yet millions of adults and children alike could, mean that perhaps there is something wrong with you?

Sir Sirius · Post by **Sir Sirius** » 2003-07-10 01:53pm

Crown wrote:Isn't his hurting your arguments? The fact that you couldn't 'get involved' in her books, and yet millions of adults and children alike could, mean that perhaps there is something wrong with you?

1. Last I checked this was The most overrated fantasy writer poll, J.K.R. Takes the crown because she is so insanely highly rated.

2. Appeal to popularity.

Peregrin Toker · Post by **Peregrin Toker** » 2003-07-10 02:02pm

JodoForce wrote:And predictably, the most well known name as of now takes the crown. This kind of poll is useless really...

Huh?? From the number of nominations at the nomination thread, I was expecting Tolkien or Jordan to "win" in a landslide.

HemlockGrey · Post by **HemlockGrey** » 2003-07-10 02:02pm

Terry Goodkind. J.K.R has never been rated as anything more than a fabulous children's writer. As in, writes for children and young adults. And in that field she has succeeded spectacularly.

Goodkind, however, has been rated as one of the greatest fantasy writers of our time. I wasn't aware that our time corresponded to 8,000 B.C.

Death from the Sea · Post by **Death from the Sea** » 2003-07-10 04:06pm

who was the first fantasy writer?

Peregrin Toker · Post by **Peregrin Toker** » 2003-07-10 04:11pm

Death from the Sea wrote:who was the first fantasy writer?

Generally considered to be either Tolkien or Howard, but in fact there were fantasy fiction before them. (eg. Lord Dunsany)

Post by **Dalton** » 2003-07-10 05:00pm

I've had Terry Goodkind recommended to me by a friend. Is it worth it?

Alex Moon · Post by **Alex Moon** » 2003-07-10 06:39pm

Dalton wrote:I've had Terry Goodkind recommended to me by a friend. Is it worth it?

That person was obviously not your friend if he recommended Terry Goodkind.

Seriously, Goodkind is that bad of an author.

MKSheppard · Post by **MKSheppard** » 2003-07-10 07:52pm

JRR Tolkien.

Writer of the Century my ass!

N
Mobilis in Mobile

Joe · Post by **Joe** » 2003-07-10 08:09pm

Crown wrote:Isn't his hurting your arguments? The fact that you couldn't 'get involved' in her books, and yet millions of adults and children alike could, mean that perhaps there is something wrong with you?

So? Millions of people, children and adult alike, are deeply involved in the Bible and fundamentalist Christianity, but does that change the fact that it's bullshit (fundamentalist Christianity I'm referring to, don't want to offend you moderates)?

Death from the Sea · Post by **Death from the Sea** » 2003-07-10 08:38pm

Crown wrote:Isn't his hurting your arguments? The fact that you couldn't 'get involved' in her books, and yet millions of adults and children alike could, mean that perhaps there is something wrong with you?

I think that is an indicator of how easily they are impressed, and how I need something to read that is not on a 4th grade level.

Master of Ossus · Post by **Master of Ossus** » 2003-07-10 08:51pm

Definitely Greg Bear.

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2003-07-10 09:02pm

Iceberg wrote:Terry Brooks.

Fucking hack. Fucking ripoff-artist hack.

I'll second that. God that guy sucks ass.

And I'll agree that Tolkien isn't the god-like writer some of his more rabid fans make him out to be. But certainly one the great writers of the century Then again simply because you couldn't read the book doesn't make him overrated either.

Kitsune · Post by **Kitsune** » 2003-07-10 09:16pm

I would like to add one item about Rowling, at prenet we are two weeks after the release of Harry Potter: Odre of the Pheonix where the other authors have not released books for long periods. Basically, she is too fresh. Probably been best to waint on this poll until the present hype dies down.

JodoForce · Post by **JodoForce** » 2003-07-10 09:16pm

Sir Sirius wrote:The fact that she is "the best known name as of now" is precisely what makes her the most overrated fantasy author.

Will there ever be a best-known name that won't also be considered by most to be over-rated? Fact: best-known name gets the most exposure; Fact: nobody can write something everybody likes Fact: best-known author will always be the one with the most detractors

Slartibartfast · Post by **Slartibartfast** » 2003-07-11 04:52am

Honestly, I know a lot of local authors that are way better than Tolkien. But non-english speakers aren't predominant in internet polls.

Post by **Edi** » 2003-07-11 04:53am

Dalton wrote:I've had Terry Goodkind recommended to me by a friend. Is it worth it?

Do a search on my user name and the word Goodkind. That should give you enough to start with, but you should just take Alex's word for it.

I voted Eddings. He writes good books, but they are not, in my opinion anyway, quite as good as they are usually made out to be, and he is easily one of the most widely acclaimed ones. If not him, then I'd have voted Goodkind or Salvatore, for the reasons I noted in the original nomination thread.

I don't think Rowling is seriously overrated (maybe somewhat, but that depends on your taste too), and she does write good children's/young adult books, that also appeal to a shitload of grownups. Her stories do have depth and aren't the kind of ripoff many detractors make them out to be. Still, not everyone likes everything, so it's not a big deal. I've met many who love the Redwall series and hate Harry Potter (boring, or whatever other reason in their opinion), while I like Rowling and couldn't get past chapter 1 of the first redwall book.

I'll also agree with Stormbringer that simply not being able to read a book doesn't make an author a bad one. There have to be some real reasons there to back up the arguments (e.g. misogynism, bad writing, total ripping off somebody else or other stuff).

Edi

StarDestroyer.Net BBS

Most overrated fantasy writer.

Which of these are the most overrated?

Most overrated fantasy writer.