Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site qubix.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!floyd!harpo!decvax!decwrl!sun!qubix!steven From: steven@qubix.UUCP (Steven Maurer) Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers Subject: Preachy authors continued..... Message-ID: <849@qubix.UUCP> Date: Fri, 17-Feb-84 05:28:07 EST Article-I.D.: qubix.849 Posted: Fri Feb 17 05:28:07 1984 Date-Received: Sat, 18-Feb-84 03:17:03 EST References: <5212@uiucdcs.UUCP> Organization: Qubix Graphic Systems, Saratoga, CA Lines: 45 I am sure that there are people out there who hate Heinlien, because of his "right wing" (and sometimes libertarian) slants. However, I might note that Heinlein is hardly atypical in this respect. I have noticed that almost all authors try to fit their own particular brand of politics into their stories, from The Martian Way, up to 1984. What is really terrible is to see a once excellent author, like Heinlein, go bad. A little politics is fine, especially if it is incorporated well into the plot line. But when the author starts to harrangue, that is where is becomes not worth reading. There are some authors that I buy just because they have written the story, and I feel really ripped off when I start reading a real politicized dog. The latest author who has fallen into this pit is Marion Zimmer Bradley. Her Darkover novels have always been written with a bit of "feminine slant" (i.e. the plots center around: women forced to have children, women rebelling against the sexist society they live in, the creulty of men, protagonists who are helpless in their fate, woman/woman relationships, etc.), HOWEVER her latest novel Thendara House really tears it. God what a suck novel. Instead of having the heroine try to choose between her husband, and her honor -- or choose between the Terran or the Darkover culture -- instead, she makes the husband become an absolute caracicature of MCPig'ism. He is set up like a piece of cardboard. He greedily lusts after her womb, and is generally so obnoxious it is hard to believe that she would stay with him for more than 1 chapter. The rest of the book is drooling self-anylisis, streching a 2 chapter plot over 300 pages. I certainly hope that Ms. Bradley gets over her extremism. I know it can be done, even Heinlein has gotten a lot better with his new book Friday. Steven Maurer