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From: @RUTGERS.ARPA:rsingle@bbncct
Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers
Subject: Re: Julian May
Message-ID: <442@topaz.ARPA>
Date: Wed, 30-Jan-85 09:16:16 EST
Article-I.D.: topaz.442
Posted: Wed Jan 30 09:16:16 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 31-Jan-85 02:29:04 EST
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Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.
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From: Ronald L. Singleton <rsingle@BBNCCT.ARPA>

    
>Well, in balance to Josh Susser's review of "Golden Torc", etc., I'd
>like to offer an alternate opinion: Yrrch.

>Clarke once wrote that in designing a good SF story, you make one
>assumption of something incredible, and then construct the rest of
>the story from believeable and real elements. ...

>In Julian May's "Golden Torc" extraviganza (sic), there are too many
>"what if's". What if there really are psychic powers? What if there is
>time travel? What if there was an alien invasion? What if there were a
>galactic coalition of extraterrestrials? What if pigs had wings?  Any
>one of these assumptions would have made a credible SF story.  Any two
>or more leaves us in an unsatisfying world of fantasy, where you can't
>quite swallow the whole pill.

I'd like to insert my answer to Mark Maxson.

You make a good point for some SF "purists" Mark, but for those of us
who read for the entertainment value, any reasonable number of
assumptions (as long as they are not added in later in the story, as
if to explain a wierd plot twist) can make a story more enjoyable.  In
addition, I consider the GT series more fantasy than SF anyway, and I
will allow for more "what if" in the genre.  The "Myth" stories are
another group in this category. What if there were other dimensions?
What if some had magic, some had technology and some had both in
varying degrees?  What if Demons and Devils were not really as bad as
superstition says? On and on.  I am currently enjoying these stories,
as I enjoyed the Golden Torc stories a while back.  There are many
other examples, but I would rather keep this short enough to be left
intact if published in the Digest.

NEW SUBJECT:  I thouroughly enjoy the SF-LOVERS Digest and have made a
habit of saving many of the pearls printed here for future shopping
lists of books and movies.  Keep 'em coming!!

You can flame me via emsg or the digest, I'm a regular reader.

Ron (rsingle at bbncct)