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Hobbitt_Fan · 09-14-2010, 08:53 PM

Who makes Mieville the end all and be all of what values were conveyed in Tolkien's literature or whether they worthy of praise or criticism? Your opinion, my opinion, or little orphan Annie's opinion are no more or no less valid than any others.

Just because he is a writer, or any other individual of some celebrity gives no added insight to the human condition, the laws of god and nature, or the questions of the universe and existence. Famous people like to think so and in so much as they use their own written word or form of artistic expression, the messages they choose to convey, or hope the reader or viewer infers is a natural by product of the expression of their creative talent. If they choose to comment on their own work, I take them at their word but I give no special weight to their views, criticism, political or moral insight in others work or the world then I would normally extend to anyone including the mailman or my barber.

Binding fiction or literature into the political arguments du jour is self defeating as fiction is first and foremost a work intended for entertainment and a form or escapism or window into the imagination.

If I were going to give credence to an artist opinion on this work, I would much rather listen to someone like Christopher Lee, whose life occupied much of the same Era, an individual who fought NAZI domination of Europe as a member of the OSS and the forerunner of the Brittish SAS, whose missions are still classified to this day. An individual who has taken the time to read the entire collection of Tolkien's work numerous times, LOTR once a year, understanding that Tolkien's work was as much as endeavor to create a pre Norman invasion mythology for England as it was a stand alone story. In his 400+ movie roles, the thousands of creative minds he has been around, 80+ years of life and suffering the sobriety of and horrors of war and missions we couldn't even conceive, I would give more weight to his opinion than a snot nosed new aged science fiction writer. Of course this is all JMHO.

09-14-2010, 08:53 PM	#16
Hobbitt_Fan Pile O'Bones Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 18	Who makes Mieville the end all and be all of what values were conveyed in Tolkien's literature or whether they worthy of praise or criticism? Your opinion, my opinion, or little orphan Annie's opinion are no more or no less valid than any others. Just because he is a writer, or any other individual of some celebrity gives no added insight to the human condition, the laws of god and nature, or the questions of the universe and existence. Famous people like to think so and in so much as they use their own written word or form of artistic expression, the messages they choose to convey, or hope the reader or viewer infers is a natural by product of the expression of their creative talent. If they choose to comment on their own work, I take them at their word but I give no special weight to their views, criticism, political or moral insight in others work or the world then I would normally extend to anyone including the mailman or my barber. Binding fiction or literature into the political arguments du jour is self defeating as fiction is first and foremost a work intended for entertainment and a form or escapism or window into the imagination. If I were going to give credence to an artist opinion on this work, I would much rather listen to someone like Christopher Lee, whose life occupied much of the same Era, an individual who fought NAZI domination of Europe as a member of the OSS and the forerunner of the Brittish SAS, whose missions are still classified to this day. An individual who has taken the time to read the entire collection of Tolkien's work numerous times, LOTR once a year, understanding that Tolkien's work was as much as endeavor to create a pre Norman invasion mythology for England as it was a stand alone story. In his 400+ movie roles, the thousands of creative minds he has been around, 80+ years of life and suffering the sobriety of and horrors of war and missions we couldn't even conceive, I would give more weight to his opinion than a snot nosed new aged science fiction writer. Of course this is all JMHO. Last edited by Hobbitt_Fan; 09-15-2010 at 05:17 PM.