tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post2071102665845140987..comments2024-03-29T00:32:33.920-04:00Comments on GROGNARDIA: Pulp Fantasy Library: Out of the Silent PlanetJames Maliszewskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-91766536361662642542010-01-26T05:26:25.914-05:002010-01-26T05:26:25.914-05:00I don't remember a single word said in Perelan...I don't remember a single word said in Perelandra.<br /><br />I do, however, remember the frogs.huthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16502682297320819595noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-43275860900056588522010-01-26T02:24:32.745-05:002010-01-26T02:24:32.745-05:00I often get this song stuck in my head...I often get this song stuck in my head...JBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08532311924539491087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-54250847701484416842010-01-25T20:13:59.956-05:002010-01-25T20:13:59.956-05:00Thanks for the replies, James and Jay. I do see yo...Thanks for the replies, James and Jay. I do see your points. I'm probably a little younger and never read those old stories or associated them with D&D so the reviews don't interest me. Likewise, I'm pretty satisfied with my D&D/AD&D materials and am not interested in new products. I mostly enjoy the posts about the history of D&D, the interviews, and the various interpretations of the rules, etc... but now I understand why you make the ancillary posts. Thanks again!Daggerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15380613847086612926noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-59402944350168603142010-01-25T14:16:43.075-05:002010-01-25T14:16:43.075-05:00I must agree with Geoffrey, Peralandra is by far m...I must agree with Geoffrey, Peralandra is by far my favorite. I had a difficult time getting through That Hideous Strength. We are agreed that Out of the Silent Planet is a classic. I'm glad you posted about these, they truly are engaging and unique works, yet still related to that special kind of fantasy OD&D evokes.Thomas Denmarkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06135075012362548876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-25543775153852307302010-01-25T13:03:27.814-05:002010-01-25T13:03:27.814-05:00@Danforth, James has been pretty clear about how t...@Danforth, James has been pretty clear about how the authors of the novels/short stories he's covered have influenced the creation of RPGs and D&D esp. The product reviews have all had a direct correlation to the OSR or material that can be used to support OSR campaigns. Likewise, I don't think the enjoyment of RPGs and fantasy/sci-fi literature is mutually exclusive. Both hobbies enjoy lucrative patronage from similar, if not the same audiences.<br /><br />And the movie posts are just as relevant, since many of them are about works by writers (i.e. Howard and Burroughs) which leds a great deal of excitement to those of us wanting to see faithful interpretations of these great masters--each of whom had an influence on early fantasy/RPGs.<br /><br />And all the while still including observations about long-forgotten rules, commentary and examples on the influence of early edition illustrators, updates from the 0E Dwimmermount campaign, and providing retrospectives on other old school RPG retrospectives. <br /><br />By my book, I think he's stayed right on target.Jayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07997164906328234122noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-1708451615915618982010-01-25T12:16:25.652-05:002010-01-25T12:16:25.652-05:00Is this just a natural progression due to the orig...<i>Is this just a natural progression due to the original subject matter being thoroughly explored at this point or is it an intended shift?</i><br /><br>Grognardia has always been about "the history and traditions of the hobby of roleplaying." One of those traditions is the books and authors who inspired the early days of the hobby. Consequently, discussing REH or Burroughs and Tolkien is, in my view, very much in keeping with the blog's intended focus. There are also plenty of posts, even in recent months, of more directly RPG historical interest, such as interviews, analysis of old fanzine pieces, and so on. So, from my perspective, I don't see much of a shift at all.James Maliszewskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-236438097019466802010-01-25T12:14:57.978-05:002010-01-25T12:14:57.978-05:00My grandmother, a school bus drive, found this boo...My grandmother, a school bus drive, found this book on a bus seat and gave it to me. I was in 4th grade. It was a bit of a challenging read for a 4th grader, but it opened my eyes to the alternate worlds presented by sci-fi and fantasy and will always hold that "first book" place.<br /><br />James, I agree with you on Perelandra. <br /><br />Thanks for the post.Rustyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01786312855250456688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-22602261161352036142010-01-25T11:47:58.039-05:002010-01-25T11:47:58.039-05:00As a regular reader of this blog, I'd like to ...As a regular reader of this blog, I'd like to comment on the content.<br /><br />Early on, it seemed this blog focused on the early days of role-playing and D&D in particular. In recent months, the main topics seem to be (in no particular order):<br /><br />1. Reviews of novels written 70+ years ago<br />2. Commentary on the authors of said books<br />2. Reviews of new RPG products<br />3. Upcoming movie rumors<br /><br />Is this just a natural progression due to the original subject matter being thoroughly explored at this point or is it an intended shift?Daggerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15380613847086612926noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-23056993621193886942010-01-25T10:58:34.415-05:002010-01-25T10:58:34.415-05:00James, what about Perelandra do you dislike?
Perel...<i>James, what about Perelandra do you dislike?</i><br /><br><i>Perelandra</i> reads more like a straight-up theological discourse than a novel. I know that, for many people, the debate between Ransom and Weston is the highlight of the book and it is a very well argued dialog but it lacks both the characterizations and drama I find necessary to enjoy a novel. <br /><br />In short, I don't find <i>Perelandra</i> a very appealing as <i>literature</i>, even if it's a rather well done piece of theological apologetics.James Maliszewskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-40074840850030995932010-01-25T10:35:12.534-05:002010-01-25T10:35:12.534-05:00The Dark Tower is controversial to Derlethian prop...The Dark Tower is controversial to Derlethian proportions - A fair number of scholars believe it to be the work of Hooper, passed off as Lewis posthumously. I've read it, and must say that if it is Lewis, it is by far his weakest story and adds nothing to the Space Trilogy.<br /><br />The 50-page fistfight with a zombie (the "unman Weston") in Perelandra is a thing of pulp beauty: I'm surprised it doesn't capture your fancy. As for me, I love all three individually. My favorite aspect of it is that, although they work well as a trilogy, each story takes such a unique tack, they stand perfectly well on their own.<br /><br />The Ransom/Tolkien character is a very unconventional, yet totally convincing. I love these books! Thanks for highlighting it.Danielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00851335695807313040noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-38185773471632928072010-01-25T04:50:17.645-05:002010-01-25T04:50:17.645-05:00I really rather liked the first in this series &qu...I really rather liked the first in this series " Out of the Silent Planet " I thought the descriptions of the creatures on mars were very interesting..Especially the Hrossa. <br /><br />The Second in the series, Perelandra, I had to start 3 times before I actually finished it.. I just didn't enjoy it as much as the first one. <br /><br />The 3rd I liked a lot more than the second, but still not as much as the first. <br /><br />Though apparently, and this is news to me, There is a 4th book called " The Dark Tower " which was released by a Walter Hooper in 1977.Lagomorph Rexhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06385231158384929598noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-32901788083143722812010-01-25T01:12:09.113-05:002010-01-25T01:12:09.113-05:00Wow, James.
I've never heard anyone say that ...Wow, James.<br /><br />I've never heard anyone say that Perelandra is his least favorite of Lewis's Space Trilogy. It's typically the favorite! I'm of course not calling you out or calling you down. I'm simply saying that you are the very first person I've ever encountered who dislikes Perelandra while liking the other volumes of the Space Trilogy.<br /><br />Myself, I dislike That Hideous Strength. (To be fair, it's been a long time since I read it. Perhaps I'd like it now.) That Hideous Strength is strongly under the influence of Charles Williams, whose novels I don't much enjoy.<br /><br />Out of the Silent Planet and Perelandra, though, are both beautiful works. I always consider them alongside David Lindsay's Voyage to Arcturus, in spite of their diametrically opposed religious philosophies.<br /><br />To me Perelandra is an intoxicatingly beautiful work, for which Out of the Silent Planet is the warm-up. It is one of two masterpieces that Lewis wrote, the other being Till We Have Faces. Interestingly, Lewis's own two favorites of his books were Perelandra and Till We Have Faces.<br /><br />James, what about Perelandra do you dislike?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com