Game News Big Huge RPG is Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning

[Turjan]

I did read Harry Potter and enjoyed it (read the first book with about 13 or so, so yeah) but... holy shit.

How can anyone with half a brain come to the idea that fantasy novels for young adults have any real philosophical depth/deeper thoughts behind them than the author thinking "hmm how about a school of wizards"?
Especially novels which are about powerful teenager wizards/vampires that reek of wish fulfillment?

Heck, I wouldn't even dare suggest writing even a simple essay about HP or Twilight to a prof for fear of being laughed at. Hard.

Depends on what you investigate here. If you look for philosophical insights from the books themselves, I will probably laugh at you. The question what these books contain that they are loved by children and adults alike is more interesting, from a psychological point of view. Yes, wish fulfillment, we know. But why exactly these books out of millions? That's not necessarily a stupid question to look at.

 

[Turjan]

I am pretty sure the Lord of the Rings will still be read 100-200 years from now.

Wouldn't be too sure. It didn't affect social changes, didn't change/alter the English language, didn't lead/create/advance any literary movement except for derivative fantasy (which isn't taken seriously by... anyone at all), didn't offer any commentary of note (WAR IS BAD! World War II is very traumatic!), wasn't the first to do anything, etc etc. Come to think of it, what has it ever done?

It was written by a professor. That's reason enough that it will stay around for ages, because other teachers/professors look at this, and the thought they might also write something, some day, that has such a lasting influence on public culture warms the cockles of their hearts. In Germany, it was even schoolbook publishing house that first published it and still has the rights. It even managed to overcome the traditional (and mostly correct) disdain of educators for "fantasy literature".

I agree that the book's main effect is the vast catalog of derivative fantasy that came from it. Some of its tropes are basically standard today. I won't make predictions for 200 years, but I guess the book won't be forgotten for some time to come.

 

[kris]

HP fans can and often argue very passionately about the deep symbolism of, uhm... Harry being a Jesus figure. Voldemort as Hitler and his goons, like, Nazi. And so on. I'm sure there're a few who have sat down and analyzed the color of Harry's eyes.

someone made a univeristy paper about "Tiger" in winnie the poh being gay. Mainly because he jumped on people from behind.

He also talked about he was not interested in girls, but I am hardpressed to find anyone interested in that in those books.

 

[kris]

I did read Harry Potter and enjoyed it (read the first book with about 13 or so, so yeah) but... holy shit.

How can anyone with half a brain come to the idea that fantasy novels for young adults have any real philosophical depth/deeper thoughts behind them than the author thinking "hmm how about a school of wizards"?
Especially novels which are about powerful teenager wizards/vampires that reek of wish fulfillment?

Heck, I wouldn't even dare suggest writing even a simple essay about HP or Twilight to a prof for fear of being laughed at. Hard.

Depends on what you investigate here. If you look for philosophical insights from the books themselves, I will probably laugh at you. The question what these books contain that they are loved by children and adults alike is more interesting, from a psychological point of view. Yes, wish fulfillment, we know. But why exactly these books out of millions? That's not necessarily a stupid question to look at.

It is more or less pop culture. It happens now. It shows the wonderful history of how kids living in modern England can go over to a wonderful world and be special there. i believe these books both hit very well in setting wise for how people could be transported to this hidden special world and that it came really at the best moment to come. As in Published at a good moment. I am sure I would have loved them if I were at the appropriate age.

 

[Turjan]

I am sure I would have loved them if I were at the appropriate age.

The weird thing was that most people who I know and who raved about these books were in their mid-thirties. My niece complained that she had no chance to read the books because her parents wouldn't give it to her, as they were reading the books themselves. This wasn't an isolated incident. For some reason, parents seemed to love the books.

 

[Zomg]

You have something special about you through no activity of your own, something which does not even evince itself at all in your normal life like a talent would, that makes you fuck important as fuck, everyone around you in your normal daily life is a grotesque with no internal life fuck fuck asfagsdg

THEY ARE BOOKS FOR TURNING CHILDREN INTO ASSHOLES

 

[nomask7]

I am sure I would have loved them if I were at the appropriate age.

The weird thing was that most people who I know and who raved about these books were in their mid-thirties. My niece complained that she had no chance to read the books because her parents wouldn't give it to her, as they were reading the books themselves. This wasn't an isolated incident. For some reason, parents seemed to love the books.

Those incidents are easy to explain if you recall that 50% of humans are below the meagre average of 100 in terms of intelligence.

P.S. This thread has turned into a reminder of fail. Listen to this and you will be saved.