![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
ladyravana.livejournal.com posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
lkh_lashoutsJust a few things I had to get off my chest. I hope I make sense in all this. It's a rant/ramble type thing.
Today, I watched Spirited Away for what must have been the fourth time. I love that movie. Now, I know you’re wondering at the relevance of this. Bear with me, if you would. As some of you may know, Spirited Away was directed by the great Hayao Miyazaki. Miyazaki is one of the most famous animators in Japan, and is counted as a national treasure. I've seen a few of his movies, and I have fallen in love with his work.
When I watch a Miyazaki film, it keeps me interested, enthralled. I love the lush animation and the wonderful, fleshed-out characters. Now granted, they are counted as kid's movies, but they are extremely well-done and many have some adult themes/undertones. I get attached to the characters, I care about their plights. It tugs at my heartstrings. I'm often touched and awed and moved. That is the magic of a Miyazaki film, in my opinion. The man is counted as a visionary in his field. Now, after watching this movie again, it got me thinking on other great artists and writers.
This brings me to LKH. I remember when I first started reading the Anita Blake series over six years ago. From the first book, I was hooked. I eagerly snatched up the books, and for eleven books, she kept me enthralled. I loved the characters, I grew attached to them, I cared about them. I loved watching them develop and grow and interact. I loved watching her flesh out characters like Jean-Claude, Asher, and Edward and of course, Anita herself. She was cool. She was funny. She was bad-ass. I loved her take-no-shit-shoot-first-and-ask-questions-later attitude.
And also, I admired LKH a great deal. In a way, as an aspiring writer myself, I looked up to her. I wanted to be like her. I hoped that I could become as famous and well-known as she is. I respected her. I remember reading the FAQ on her website that said that there was no end in sight for the Anita Blake series, and being happy about that. Looking back on that now, I realize that it's really NOT a good thing, and I regret my own naiveté.
There's also Neil Gaiman, who is a master storyteller. Look at the accolades the Sandman series has gotten. It's hailed as THE comic books of comic books. And look at American Gods. One of the greatest books written of our time. It was truly amazing and simply blew me away. Quite possibly, the best book I've ever read, or at the very least, it would be in the top five. LKH only WISHES she could write something THAT good. It was brilliantly executed, and Neil Gaiman is a master storyteller. He has since become my favorite author. LKH once dominated that spot, but that was only until I discovered better authors.
Another author I'm thinking of is Kim Harrison. She's a great author, and I love her Rachel Morgan series. There are only four books so far, but she's proved to be quite promising. She treats her fanbase with respect and doesn't treat them like idiots. LKH could learn from that. I've dropped a couple of comments at her site, and I was pleasantly surprised to see that she responded to them. To me, she seems like a nice, down-to-earth lady that keeps a level head about her and doesn't let her ego get the best of her. Let's hope it stays that way.
Another great visionary to his field would be Nobuo Uematsu. Now, I'm pretty sure you haven't heard of him, but he's the composer for the music Final Fantasy series. His music is simply awesome, and he's pretty much equivocal to Britney Spears or Christina Aguilera in Japan. I myself have bought some of the FF soundtracks simply because I love his music. What does he have to do with this entry? Well, the thing is, in spite of his fame, he remains humble. His ego hasn't gotten the better of him, and as a result, he keeps creating great music. (This shows you my nerdiness, rambling about video game music.) Anyways, LKH could take notes from him. Just because you're great at what you do in your given field or talent doesn't give you the right to think you're better than everyone else. There's always someone better at it than you are.
One thing that really appalled me was when LKH had the GALL to compare herself to Tom Clancy. He may not be the greatest author out there, but he's at leat five times more famous than she is or ever will be. I mean, surely you all have heard of the Splinter Cell series. The books were made into a videogame series, after all. I highly doubt that Anita Blake will ever be made into a videogame. (God help us all if it is, because I sure as hell ain't gonna play it.)
Or what about Andrew Lloyd Weber? I know, the guy's an ass from what I've heard, but you gotta admit he's brilliant. Phantom of the Opera? Simply gorgeous. And there was the classic Lost Boys. And there's also M. Night Shymalan. LKH could NEVER hope to have fame on their scale, even though she seems to think she does. Stephen King, she ain't.
I can't help but feel that somewhere along the way, the Anita Blake series lost it's soul. I managed to stick with the series up until Cerulean Sins, but Incubus Dreams was what did it for me. The series had been going downhill since NIC. (And since before that, just in a more subtle way) I held out a small, desperate hope that Danse Macabre would be better, that the series would start to get back to the way it once was, but alas, it was not to be. (I at the very least was hoping for some sort of half-decent plot) DM is, at the very least, TWICE as bad as ID. As soon as I saw the second set of "spoilers" for DM, that was the final straw. I decided to join this community and vent my frustrations with everyone else. It's been cathartic, and enlightening, to say the least.
And I really don't have any hope for the series now at this point, because after seeing the author's lunacy first hand, that hope has been destroyed. And as funny as the snark and blog flogs are (and, at other times, horrifying), I can't help but feel a little sad. I lament this series, and it's tragic decline. I shake my head and ask myself over and over again "What happened? What went wrong? This series was great! It could have been great!" I don't even recognize it anymore. Who is this "new" Anita that's been forced upon us? I want the old, ass-kicking one back! Where is she? Come back old Anita! Come back to us! LKH was once a great writer, and a great storyteller, but oh how the mighty have fallen.
All things considered, I'm a believer in Karma, and divine retribution. The Universe balances itself out. I think that all this will come back on Laurell in one way or another. Her hubris will get the better of her and she'll get what's coming to her. Her own arrogance will come to bite her in the ass and she'll be humbled. A little humility REALLY wouldn't hurt her.
And when that day comes, I'll be there to watch. Right there along with the rest of you.
Today, I watched Spirited Away for what must have been the fourth time. I love that movie. Now, I know you’re wondering at the relevance of this. Bear with me, if you would. As some of you may know, Spirited Away was directed by the great Hayao Miyazaki. Miyazaki is one of the most famous animators in Japan, and is counted as a national treasure. I've seen a few of his movies, and I have fallen in love with his work.
When I watch a Miyazaki film, it keeps me interested, enthralled. I love the lush animation and the wonderful, fleshed-out characters. Now granted, they are counted as kid's movies, but they are extremely well-done and many have some adult themes/undertones. I get attached to the characters, I care about their plights. It tugs at my heartstrings. I'm often touched and awed and moved. That is the magic of a Miyazaki film, in my opinion. The man is counted as a visionary in his field. Now, after watching this movie again, it got me thinking on other great artists and writers.
This brings me to LKH. I remember when I first started reading the Anita Blake series over six years ago. From the first book, I was hooked. I eagerly snatched up the books, and for eleven books, she kept me enthralled. I loved the characters, I grew attached to them, I cared about them. I loved watching them develop and grow and interact. I loved watching her flesh out characters like Jean-Claude, Asher, and Edward and of course, Anita herself. She was cool. She was funny. She was bad-ass. I loved her take-no-shit-shoot-first-and-ask-questions-later attitude.
And also, I admired LKH a great deal. In a way, as an aspiring writer myself, I looked up to her. I wanted to be like her. I hoped that I could become as famous and well-known as she is. I respected her. I remember reading the FAQ on her website that said that there was no end in sight for the Anita Blake series, and being happy about that. Looking back on that now, I realize that it's really NOT a good thing, and I regret my own naiveté.
There's also Neil Gaiman, who is a master storyteller. Look at the accolades the Sandman series has gotten. It's hailed as THE comic books of comic books. And look at American Gods. One of the greatest books written of our time. It was truly amazing and simply blew me away. Quite possibly, the best book I've ever read, or at the very least, it would be in the top five. LKH only WISHES she could write something THAT good. It was brilliantly executed, and Neil Gaiman is a master storyteller. He has since become my favorite author. LKH once dominated that spot, but that was only until I discovered better authors.
Another author I'm thinking of is Kim Harrison. She's a great author, and I love her Rachel Morgan series. There are only four books so far, but she's proved to be quite promising. She treats her fanbase with respect and doesn't treat them like idiots. LKH could learn from that. I've dropped a couple of comments at her site, and I was pleasantly surprised to see that she responded to them. To me, she seems like a nice, down-to-earth lady that keeps a level head about her and doesn't let her ego get the best of her. Let's hope it stays that way.
Another great visionary to his field would be Nobuo Uematsu. Now, I'm pretty sure you haven't heard of him, but he's the composer for the music Final Fantasy series. His music is simply awesome, and he's pretty much equivocal to Britney Spears or Christina Aguilera in Japan. I myself have bought some of the FF soundtracks simply because I love his music. What does he have to do with this entry? Well, the thing is, in spite of his fame, he remains humble. His ego hasn't gotten the better of him, and as a result, he keeps creating great music. (This shows you my nerdiness, rambling about video game music.) Anyways, LKH could take notes from him. Just because you're great at what you do in your given field or talent doesn't give you the right to think you're better than everyone else. There's always someone better at it than you are.
One thing that really appalled me was when LKH had the GALL to compare herself to Tom Clancy. He may not be the greatest author out there, but he's at leat five times more famous than she is or ever will be. I mean, surely you all have heard of the Splinter Cell series. The books were made into a videogame series, after all. I highly doubt that Anita Blake will ever be made into a videogame. (God help us all if it is, because I sure as hell ain't gonna play it.)
Or what about Andrew Lloyd Weber? I know, the guy's an ass from what I've heard, but you gotta admit he's brilliant. Phantom of the Opera? Simply gorgeous. And there was the classic Lost Boys. And there's also M. Night Shymalan. LKH could NEVER hope to have fame on their scale, even though she seems to think she does. Stephen King, she ain't.
I can't help but feel that somewhere along the way, the Anita Blake series lost it's soul. I managed to stick with the series up until Cerulean Sins, but Incubus Dreams was what did it for me. The series had been going downhill since NIC. (And since before that, just in a more subtle way) I held out a small, desperate hope that Danse Macabre would be better, that the series would start to get back to the way it once was, but alas, it was not to be. (I at the very least was hoping for some sort of half-decent plot) DM is, at the very least, TWICE as bad as ID. As soon as I saw the second set of "spoilers" for DM, that was the final straw. I decided to join this community and vent my frustrations with everyone else. It's been cathartic, and enlightening, to say the least.
And I really don't have any hope for the series now at this point, because after seeing the author's lunacy first hand, that hope has been destroyed. And as funny as the snark and blog flogs are (and, at other times, horrifying), I can't help but feel a little sad. I lament this series, and it's tragic decline. I shake my head and ask myself over and over again "What happened? What went wrong? This series was great! It could have been great!" I don't even recognize it anymore. Who is this "new" Anita that's been forced upon us? I want the old, ass-kicking one back! Where is she? Come back old Anita! Come back to us! LKH was once a great writer, and a great storyteller, but oh how the mighty have fallen.
All things considered, I'm a believer in Karma, and divine retribution. The Universe balances itself out. I think that all this will come back on Laurell in one way or another. Her hubris will get the better of her and she'll get what's coming to her. Her own arrogance will come to bite her in the ass and she'll be humbled. A little humility REALLY wouldn't hurt her.
And when that day comes, I'll be there to watch. Right there along with the rest of you.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2006-07-25 12:33 pm (UTC)Nice post--glad I caught it.
*goes off to pack more boxes for move to Florida*
no subject
Date: 2006-07-25 01:13 pm (UTC)What Got Me...
Date: 2006-07-25 01:29 pm (UTC)What got me though was when LKH had the NERVE to compare herself to JK Rowling. JK Rowling - basically one of the BEST SELLING authors of all time, writing a seven book long series about the trails and travails of a young wizard, and LKH, basically a pulp fiction, now bad and boring porn writer who got lucky. They share the same conviction and artistic vision, don't ya know? *insert eye roll here*
LKH needs to step off and take a realistic look around her. Her books AREN'T selling as well as they once have (she's ranked #145 on Amazon today. BTW, JKR spent MONTHS in the number 1 spot.) Even the most die hard fans are starting to complain about the lack of plot.
It's so sad and frustrating because the books were so enjoyable and had so much potential at one point. Now, I feel I could read fanfic by 13 year old girls and still get more of a story than what I'd find in a LKH book.
Blue
The Point I Was Trying To Make...
Date: 2006-07-25 01:54 pm (UTC)Overall however, the point I was trying to make is that being that these stories are about a young wizard and geared for a younger audience, JK can't fall back on using sex when she's stuck on a plot point. It's one of the reasons I tend to read alot to young adult fiction to begin with. I think sex, not just for LKH but for ALOT of writers, is how they go about getting the label of "daring" or "risk takers" when really, they are just taking the easy way out. Young Adult fiction is not allowed that short cut. Also, in terms of the HP series there is an obvious goal - the 7 years at Hogwarts and utlimately the defeat of Voldemort. I don't see what the overall goal for Anita is these days, except perhaps to take her flexibility to new levels.
Now mind you - I am by NO MEANS a prude. I enjoy reading well written, good smutty sex scenes. Pages and pages and pages of them. I think LKH doesn't do those well at all, and as stated before uses sex when she gets stuck as a way to divert the reader's attention. She's a street corner magician, except now the audience has figured out the ball is in the other hand. She has every right to write the stories she wants to write, but she can't fault us for calling her on her tricks.
Does that make more sense? Wasn't sure if I was really clear in my earlier post.
Difference of Opinion I Suppose
Date: 2006-07-25 02:30 pm (UTC)But overall, the point I was trying ot make is that I thought it was extremely egotistical of LKH to compare herself to JK. If you want to break it down, you can say it comes down to numbers. Love her, hate her, feel her stuff is mediocre at best (and that's OK), but JK has sold a HELL of alot more books than LKH, and I think is generally much more respected than LKH. To me, LKH making that comment was akin to Jessica Simpson comparing herself to U2. (No offense to Jessica Simpsons fans.) I just don't think they are in the same class.
Again, different strokes for different folks.
Re: Difference of Opinion I Suppose
Date: 2006-07-26 06:53 am (UTC)(Hell, I just read them now to understand the fanfic better.)
But JKR does, at least, know where she's going. Laurell seems to have forgotten the point somewhere, oh, four books back. Not that either author is sinless of deviation, but Laurell now pwns that particular problem.
Plus, she has no line of merchandise. Clearly, JKR is superior to her in this. *srk*
Re: What Got Me...
Date: 2006-07-26 12:19 am (UTC)Fortunately, Neil Gaiman has proven to be a great comfort. I'm glad I discovered him. Lol. And Kim Harrison. And Alice Borchardt. (If you haven't heard of her, she's Anne Rice's sister. Her Silver Wolf series is great.)And there are other authors I could name, I'm sure.
I'm glad she hasn't compared herself to Tolkien yet, otherwise the poor guy would be rolling in his grave. Or God forbid, C.S. Lewis.
Leave the classic fantasy alone Laurell, yo! Hands off bitch!
Re: What Got Me...
Date: 2006-07-26 12:23 am (UTC)Re: What Got Me...
Date: 2006-07-26 12:34 am (UTC)I would ask if you were kidding, but I know you're not.
I'll just wait for the apocalypse to hit.
Comparing her to TOLKIEN????
The human race is screwed, isn't it?
*groans and headdesks*
no subject
Date: 2006-07-25 07:01 pm (UTC)You can personally be an arrogant asshole if you've got the talent to back it up. Better to stay humble, but it's more easily excused if what you can do or produce astonishes the world and remains immortalized for all time as a shining example of art, beauty, literature. LKH's writing doesn't justify her ego. She was a good writer; she created an involving and complex series with believable characters. Had she maintained her successful formula, maintained the level of quality, maintained her diligence and dedication to her craft, it'd be easier to swallow the lectures she dishes out. As it is, the product is too shoddy and half-assed for her to lecture ANYONE on how to best produce it.
More than anything else, that's what irks me about her blogging. Much better authors brag one hell of a lot less, and it's the height of arrogance to mention herself in the same sentence with JK Rowling, Tom Clancy, or even Anne Rice (unless it's discussing how crazy they both are.) JK Rowling has produced a series beloved worldwide and has planned and detailed it ahead of time, planted red herrings, clues that keep her adult readers guessing, and built a world of such depth and complexity that the mind just boggles. Tom Clancy has researched himself into a security clearance that goes above BLACK--and folks, that ain't easy to do. Jacqueline Carey researches her world down to the least little detail and has created an absolutely spell-binding, breathtaking series that will only grow MORE popular with time. And Anne Rice, once upon a time, breathed new life into a staggering genre.
You know what these authors have in common, whether you personally like their books or not? THEY WORKED FOR IT. They dedicated themselves into creating the absolute best product they could. They're (excepting Anne Rice) gracious to their fans. They grounded their works deeply in fact, believable plotting, strong characterization and effective description. Books are always a matter of taste, but on the grounds of quantitative technical merit--there are few who do better or work as hard for it.
LKH produces shit. Illiterate, technically poor, quantitatively flawed and obviously poorly planned, logicless, unbelievably characterized and with plot holes you could lose a space shuttle in. She's CAPABLE of better, which is what drives most of her old fans absolutely nuts. She HAS done better. She's lazy, ungrateful, arrogant, and doesn't deserve the monetary success and minor fame she's gotten. She's done the same thing Anne Rice did. Success ruined her. And her craft suffered for it, which means not ONLY is she suddenly turning out a crap product, she ACTS as if it's the same, or better quality than it was before. Wrong, sweetheart. You only get to have an ego as an author if you can fucking spell. If you give a damn whether your books are riddled with spelling errors or not. If you care that you're gypping your fans by charging them full price for a short story. She loses on all counts.
no subject
Date: 2006-07-26 03:12 pm (UTC)/OT musings