Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site tektronix.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!wivax!decvax!harpo!floyd!vax135!cornell!uw-beaver!tektronix!patcl From: patcl@tektronix.UUCP Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers Subject: SotT comments Message-ID: <1206@tektronix.UUCP> Date: Tue, 5-Jul-83 02:24:59 EDT Article-I.D.: tektroni.1206 Posted: Tue Jul 5 02:24:59 1983 Date-Received: Thu, 30-Jun-83 02:40:27 EDT Organization: Tektronix, Beaverton OR Lines: 20 After reading the accolades for SotT ("better than Tolkein", etc.), I started it with high expectations. It was one of the most poorly written novels I've read, and the only thing that kept me going all the way through was the fact I kept expecting (due to the rave reviews) some fantastic plot twist which would suddenly make everything interesting. In fact, "plot" (what there was of it) development occurs at a snail's pace. Wolf is constantly (and annoyingly) meandering off onto something totally unrelated to the current situation or anything else in the book. Is this supposed to create a "mystical" tone? Or does Wolf perhaps simply not have the ability to create a coherent story? The use of made-up names (for animals, etc.) which are never explained really seems like a cheap literary trick (since it's easy to make up a strange name, but harder to really invent something and make the reader understand it). As to comparisons with Tolkein: SotT is as bad as LotR is good. Patrick Clancy Tektronix