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.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~