For years, I've been a fan of Piers Anthony (a fantasy/sci-fi author)

[ET Awful]

And by "years" I mean since I was 12 (I'm almost 37 now). Then, today, I finally checked out his website.

The guy has a wicked sense of humor, and his politics are in the right place, check it out:

http://www.hipiers.com/newsletter.html

Yeah, you might not know the books he's referring to, but his political (and economical and ecological) analysis is spot on.

:P

[philosophie_en_rose]

1. He's a little dirty-old-man- ish, but I like his newsletters.

In other words, he's honest about his feelings - often to the point of TMI.

[ET Awful]

2. Being an open and honest dirty old man is much better than being

a hypocritical and deceitful dirty old man :P

[philosophie_en_rose]

3. That's for sure.

:)

I don't know that I need to know about his bathroom habits, though. :)


However, he's so sweet to his wife.

[GirlinContempt]

11. I suspect he's a pedophile

[ET Awful]

13. Are you out of your mind?

That's the most outrageous load of horseshit I've seen yet.

Complete bullshit. Sounds more like something I'd hear from the AFA than from someone on DU.

[GirlinContempt]

14. You read firefly

You tell me how you could NOT get that impression

[ET Awful]

19. So, if you read the book, in its entirety, you know that the stories

were being told by someone of questionable character and background. Someone who was questioning her own sexual being. They were told in the context of the overall story, and in the context of being surrounded by a presence (the "firefly") that leads people to behave in ways they otherwise would not through pheremones and the like.

If you actually read the book you understand that.

If someone presents you with a story containing a gruesome murder, does that make them a murderer? Why do you not accuse say Thomas Harris of being a psychopath, after all, he writes novels containing explicit details of serial killings.

Accusations such as yours are nothing new to Anthony, he's heard them before, and explained himself perfectly well before.

Sorry, I disagree with you completely.

[GirlinContempt]

22. Sorry. The romanticizing of pedophilia

and the sexualization of children isn't something I can just excuse. He uses the classic "She initiated it/liked it/wanted it" devices, and was incredibly graphic. The story was just banal to begin with, but throwing in lots of 5 year old sex (for one) which really didn't go anywhere after that little macabre scene was finished didn't improve my opinion of it.

I'm sure that pedophiles explain themselves perfectly well all the time. I don't dispute that. I dispute that it was appropriate, as a literary device or even in it's execution. It took my suspicions of him being a sex obsessed old man to suspicions of him being a sex obsessed pedophile.

[ET Awful]

24. Actually, "he" didn't write that section, as you would know had you

read the book. The story actually came from a convicted child molester and was included in the novel precisely to draw attention to such behaviors and devices. (Of course, you'd know this had you read the book thoroughly as well).

Once again, why do you accuse him of such atrocities, but don't accuse someone who graphically describes a murder of being a murderer? It would appear to me that you form your opinions simply because of the subject matter at hand, not because of any real perception of malfeasance on his part. Basically, you hurl the accusation because you are uncomfortable being confronted with taboo subject matter, rather than from any real basis for your accusations.

Discussing and writing stories regarding taboo subject matter does not make one guilty of the behavior described. It simply means that one is willing to present subject matter that others view as taboo or controversial.

[GirlinContempt]

33. I'm not accusing him of being a pedophile

I'm saying I'm suspicious.

I've read the book. I stand by what I've said. Discussing subjects that are 'taboo' is fine, and including sexual abuse, pedophilia, rape, murder, etc. can be used to advance a story and shed some light. But this was written in a way that would have every pedophile wanking like mad, didn't advance the story, and was overly graphic and disgusting. It didn't shed light on anything other than children begging adults for sex and graphic descriptions of what followed.

Maybe his intent was innocent. In which case he should take writing classes so he can learn how to put that across without coming off like a disgusting creepy old man.

[EstimatedProphet]

4. I tried reading Piers Anthony but I never could get into him

"Orn" was what I tried. Just couldn't make it through the book. Is that his worst, do I need to try somethign else or did I just not give it the attention it was due?

[ET Awful]

6. I haven't read that one to be honest.

I actually really enjoyed 'Firefly' which was a bit of a departure for him. I have been a fan of the Xanth series since I was a kid, and I also thought the "Mode" series was a great read (and according to him, much of the character perspective was drawn from teenage girls who had written him over the years).

[Orrex]

5. Has he ever described a female character without mentioning her breasts?

That's that "dirty old man" thing that someone else mentioned. In his "author's notes" at the end of his novels, Anthony often claims that he's poking fun at sexism, but IMO it gets a little trite after a while.

Still, he's a passionate liberal, so that's cool!

[ET Awful]

7. In most cases, it's exceedingly obvious that he's mocking sexism

especially in the Xanth series.

[Orrex]

8. I dunno

Unless Hugh Hefner and the "Girls Gone Wild" guys are likewise mocking sexism, I'm more inclined to conclude that Piers is getting his jollies.

[ET Awful]

9. Mmmmmhmmmm.

I'm glad you can read his mind and discern intent.

Comparing him to the "Girls Gone Wild" guys is ludicrous.

Perhaps you should read his interactions with Jenny, the victim of a drunk driver and get back to me.

[Orrex]

16. Holy moley, get over yourself

Once the text is put on the page, the author's intent is subordinate if not irrelevant to the readers' interpretation. No amount of hand-wringing or protestation after the fact can change that. The text is a thing unto itself, and it's up to the reader to determine what it says; at that point Piers' input is no more valid than any reader's.

Incidentally, that's why "Constitutional Originalists" are full of shit.

I believe that Piers himself is a fine human being--I really do. I've read the "Jenny" interaction, and I know him to be a caring person. But so what? The text is the text is the text.

How many buxom harpies and centaurs do we have to read about before it becomes sexist? How many frozen denizens of Hell need to be thawed via go-go dancing before it becomes sexist? Or is it all fair-game because Piers is a good person?

Comparing him to the "Girls Gone Wild" guys is ludicrous.

I'm glad that you can read their minds and determine their intent.

[ET Awful]

20. Well let's see, considering they film girls that don't know they're being

filmed and sell the films for money, I'd say their intent is vastly different from that of Mr. Anthony.

Get off your holier-than-thou high horse and come back to reality.

The only person here who needs to get over themselves is you and your faux outrage because of some perceived slight to your prudish nature.

[Orrex]

21. Whew! I'm glad you can read my mind and discern my intent, too!

:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:
I've been called many things, but never "prude." That's a new one.

Why don't you acquire a basic understanding of text-theory, and then get back to me about authorial intent.

[ET Awful]

23. Sorry, but anyone who spends time worrying because an author

described a female characters breasts is indeed exhibiting prudish behavior, whether they recognize it or not.

[Orrex]

25. This may surprise you, but I don't actually "worry" about it

I haven't even thought about Anthony in about five years. But when I think back on the dozen or so books that I've read by him, certain themes are more apparent than others.

For example, along with his efforts to describe every female character's décolletage, we see a strained reliance on almost-clever puns for his Xanth titles. I'm sure that Anthony and Aspirin have a great big chuckle every time they can come up with another over-played bon mot.

Look--if you want to worship Anthony as the salt of the Earth and a sophisticated author, that's your business. Knock yourself out.

[ET Awful]

27. Sophisticated author? Nope, never said that.

He's a fun author. Sophistication has nothing to do with it. He's also a good guy all around.

As to the puns, if you'd actually read his books, you'd know that most of those come from readers who suggest them. He would have stopped with the Xanth novels years ago if people hadn't kept requesting more and sending him more suggestions.

[Orrex]

29. That's hardly a recommendation

An author who writes exhauseted tripe just because his readers demand it is still guilty of writing exhausted tripe. Since you're so sensitive about "prudish" issues, let's even go so far as to call it "literary prostitution." And as to the fan-suggested titles: If Anthony's readers told him to jump off a bridge, would he do it?

I suppose that he's a fun author if you're in junior high school.

You seem to require that I read all of his books before I criticize them. Does that mean that you've viewed every "Girls Gone Wild" video, since you feel safe in passing judgment on them?

Hmm...

[ET Awful]

30. Nope, but considering the producers have been sued for unauthorized

use, there's no need to view them.

I'm through wasting time with you though. Have a nice day.

As to your "prostitution" accusation. Since when does giving your fans what they ask for "prostitution?" I call that responding to demand.

[Orrex]

31. "Giving fans what they demand"

In some jurisdictions, that's pretty much the definition of prostitution. Nicely done!

And I don't think of this as wasting time--I've derived considerable amusement from your prolonged rant. Thanks!

[AllegroRondo]

10. I liked him as a teen, but gave up after the "incarnations" series

I just didnt like his writing style as much anymore. I felt he spent too much time trying to explain why characters would do things - just tell me whats going on, and I'll figure it out!

[ET Awful]

12. I wasn't a huge fan of the Incarnations series.

I just loved the Xanth series, no matter how juvenile they were, they've always been fun (and using fan suggested ides in novels is great, gives an audience connection that I haven't seen anywhere else). I also thought the Mode series was great. Some of the individual novels were also very good (including some of the historic fiction stuff like 'Tatham Mound')

Just because I'm a fan of an author doesn't mean I like all their work (for instance, I'm a fan of Tolkien's work, but I thought the Silmarillion was the most boring book I've ever laid eyes on).

[AllegroRondo]

18. I agree on the Silmarillion

it reads like the King James Bible.

I thought Incarnations started out well - the Death book was quite good. But he really pushed it with "evil" and "eternity", to the point where he spent most of the book trying to tie together threads from the other books, and left no time to develop the story.

Mode was decent. But, again, the series went about 2 books too long.

[Orrex]

17. On a Pale Horse was pretty good

But it went to shit pretty fast after that. "Bearing an Hourglass" is often well-praised, but I didn't care for it. By the time we got to "Being a Green Mother," it was like scouring your eyeballs.

[Strong Atheist]

15. Liked a lot of his stuff. nt.

[ScreamingMeemie]

26. I just got my daughter interested in the Xanth novels and she loves

them. :)

[ET Awful]

28. Good for you.

Glad to hear it :)

[bigwillq]

32. He's a great writer.

I have read a lot of his books.

[MissMillie]

34. I've read some of his stuff

The Adept series... good stuff.

[Rabrrrrrr]

35. I love his Xanth novels!

And I've been a fan for 25 years, too!

[ET Awful]

36. Same here, Xanth is what first got me into his books.

Nothing but pure goofy fun. Great for just light reading entertainment.

[Atmashine]

37. He's awesome.

I rarely read any fiction until I read Castle Roogna in high school. After that I had to read the other 50 books!