I’ve seen people talk about actors and artists that had a terrible time.
My own would be Anne Rice. She wrote Interview with the Vampire after her young daughter died of Leukemia. Then her husband suddenly died of a brain hemorrhage. I suspect her Christian, anti-fanfic phase was a result of mental illness and manipulation from the publishers, although I don’t think she ever apologized.
I’ve read it, and what really sucks is that it’s honestly not that bad for something written by a teenager.
Most of the people mocking the kid was textbook “pot calls kettle.” Fans of genre fiction acting like the stuff they like is peak literature when often it’s mostly “Here’s how awesome and clever and amazing I am for being a middle class white guy and the only reason I can’t get laid is because SOCIETY is wrong. The elves and the space goblins would totally appreciate my sensitive soul and quirky love for math and make me their king. Unlike Stacy. That bitch.”
How did this stupid ass take get this many upvotes? I have to assume everyone stopped reading after the first sentence.
i’m not saying you’re wrong, but there’s a lot to unpack there. i just labelled it under fanfic. arguably, the gor series is WORSE, and people actually build their irl lives around it!
I started the Gor series as a thirsty 15 year old Frazetta fan and quit around Tarnsman of Gor because the protagonist was just raping people at that point.
so. much. rape. and, y’know, slavery, for a garnish!
It made me think through what I found hot and why at an age when my mind was wide open. You could probably edit the Gor series down to one brilliant novel contrasting the fantasy and reality of our desires.
it’s an interesting idea
What fan of genre fiction hurt you buddy?
What genre fiction even fits the description you’re painting there lol, just seems like a strawman. Feels more like a manifestation of your personal dislike of people who like genre fiction or something.
The main complaint I hear about Eye of Argon is its rampant thesaurus abuse. If people are complaining about its characters, they clearly don’t know the state of fantasy novels in that era.
I unironically love The Eye of Argon. There is such exuberance in it, and such an obvious love for the sword and sorcery genre. It’s fun, entertaining, and tremendously enjoyable. RIP, Jim.
It is though. It feels like it’s written by a deliberate troll.
I now feel bad we had mocking readings of it at the writing camp I went to as a teenager though…
I feel for the guy too, but no, it’s pretty damn bad.