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From: chabot@amber.DEC (L S Chabot)
Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers
Subject: Re: Yes, *H*A*R*L*A*N* *E*L*L*I*S*O*N*
Message-ID: <4144@decwrl.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 6-Nov-84 15:43:46 EST
Article-I.D.: decwrl.4144
Posted: Tue Nov  6 15:43:46 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 8-Nov-84 04:06:39 EST
Sender: daemon@decwrl.UUCP
Organization: DEC Engineering Network
Lines: 52

Davis Tucker  ==  >
> He's a hack, just like all the others, it's just that he's a
> young hack who made it early enough so nobody wants to call him a hack, ...

"Young"?  Well, maybe "young at heart"? 

> What a joke - the guy's been living in Hollywood too long, ...

"Hollywood"?  Actually, it's Sherman Oaks.

> But at least he's got company - John Varley, George R. Martin, Barry B.
> Longyear, Anne McCaffrey ... 
> Neat ideas and far-off worlds and fantastic expostions don't make up for bad
> characterization, weak plots, and no character development, no matter *how*
> many tribbles you strew around. 

"Tribbles"?  As far as I know, David Gerrold is the only one who's written
about tribbles, and his name's not in that list up there.  Perhaps you have the
wrong Star Trek episode in mind.

> If I read one more Harlan-Ellison-I'm-SO-depressed-and-nobody-likes-me-so-
> I'm-going-to-blow-up-the-whole-world story, I'm going to be ill. 

Gee, I've read all the Harlan Ellison books I could lay my eyes on, and I've
never come across one of these stories.  Anybody have any references?

> And all this "Final Dangerous Visions" crap - so he's got a writer's block,
> eh? On an *anthology*? Give me a break! 

Whatever the reasons for the delay are, are we to assume that you, David, have
experience in producing anthologies?  Or have you at least seen anthologies
such as DV and ADV which do involve an amount of writing on the part of the
editor?

> ...he finally believes all the nice things everybody says about him ... 

> The guy has *no* understanding of the word "subtlety". His idea of compassion
> is maudlin sentimentality and shameless pandering to the popular swings of
> fandom. 

Weird.  The usual line is that people say nasty things about Harlan Ellison
(usually in fun, though).  But of all the nasty things I've heard "maudlin
sentimentality" and "pandering" were never among them.

+     +     +     ++     +     +     ++     +     +     ++     +     +     +
Did I miss something?  Was that letter supposed to be a joke, or what?

L S Chabot
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