Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 (Denver Mods 7/26/84) 6/24/83; site drutx.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!caip!topaz!packard!hoxna!houxm!mtuxo!drutx!slb From: slb@drutx.UUCP (Sue Brezden) Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers Subject: Re: Lord of the Rings Message-ID: <438@drutx.UUCP> Date: Mon, 4-Nov-85 12:46:50 EST Article-I.D.: drutx.438 Posted: Mon Nov 4 12:46:50 1985 Date-Received: Tue, 5-Nov-85 07:25:34 EST Organization: AT&T Information Systems Laboratories, Denver Lines: 27 >jef@lbl-rtsg.arpa writes: >I *love* the book, but there is one thing I would change: the >annoyingly cryptic inside-out time-line. The literary device is "in medias res". All ancient epics (and even newer ones--see "Paradise Lost") are constructed this way. Homer uses it. Try reading the Ramayana sometime--it bounces around like a ping-pong ball. (Yes, if you enjoyed LOTR, DO read the Ramayana. Zelazny used a lot of it. The monkey companion is the most obvious. Then there are the Rakshasa...) This was a deliberate device to simulate such an epic. It is only confusing to us because its use is uncommon now--and it is unexpected. I'm glad he did it--it really added something, and was a mark of real craftsmanship. Does anyone know of any other sf that uses this? One would think that it would go well with fantasy. -- Sue Brezden ihnp4!drutx!slb ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I march to the beat of a different drummer, whose identity, location, and musical ability are as yet unknown. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~