tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post3340342044414033129..comments2024-03-29T00:32:33.920-04:00Comments on GROGNARDIA: SerendipityJames Maliszewskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-32652601828925881432008-09-04T10:09:00.000-04:002008-09-04T10:09:00.000-04:00That's a really nicely written piece, and suitably...That's a really nicely written piece, and suitably unafraid to be over-the-top. Somehow I'd never connected Bowie with Elric, but it makes perfect sense that he'd be into Moorcock.<BR/><BR/>It strikes me that Bowie's enthusiastic patchworking of alterna-culture elements might have something in common with the Gygaxian gumbo: there's something only-half-amalgamated about the product that seems to promise more than a full synthesis - it's like looking at someone's notes, rather than their novel; you can see what they're doing eternally suspended on the crux of coming into being (and, critically for open game design purposes, fill in the gaps yourself). I used to think Bowie was like a fashion designer in the pop world, mining whatever he could from the current moment and re-presenting it, sans serial numbers, as his own unique synthesis. Now I'm starting to think his impatience might have been the key to his success: he could be all things to all fans because he never quite arrived at any decisions or definitive statements.richardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13517340075234811323noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-51499085670004911262008-09-03T15:46:00.000-04:002008-09-03T15:46:00.000-04:00My memory fails me, have you addressed the role of...<I>My memory fails me, have you addressed the role of Elric as source material for D&D? As I understand it, Moorcock was going for an opposite of both Tolkien and Howard. Do you place it within or without the pulp fantasy that informs D&D?</I><BR/><BR/>I haven't talked a lot about Elric, because, truth be told, I'm not a huge fan of Moorcock. His influence over <I>D&D</I> is real, though it's less than people suppose (Law vs. Chaos is really from Anderson, which Moorcock himself admits). <BR/><BR/>I'd say that the "Eternal Champion" stories are certainly part of the pulp fantasy tradition, though they're also a negative commentary upon it, so they occupy an unusual place.James Maliszewskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-79479760479978780522008-09-03T15:37:00.000-04:002008-09-03T15:37:00.000-04:00Thanks for the pointer to that. A very enjoyable r...Thanks for the pointer to that. A very enjoyable read. “a clash of symbols” Beautiful!<BR/><BR/>My memory fails me, have you addressed the role of Elric as source material for D&D? As I understand it, Moorcock was going for an opposite of both Tolkien and Howard. Do you place it within or without the pulp fantasy that informs D&D?Roberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16733274876782876659noreply@blogger.com