From: jc@crosfield.co.uk (jerry cullingford)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written
Subject: Re: Sexual Politics and Diane Duane (was re Diane Duane, _D into Fire_)
Keywords: viewpoint
Date: 9 Oct 92 13:17:37 GMT
Organization: Crosfield Electronics, Hemel Hempstead, United Kingdom.

In article <7OCT199220311423@rosie.uh.edu> st1rk@rosie.uh.edu (Maxwell, Darin) writes:
>In article <15567@suns7.crosfield.co.uk>, jc@crosfield.co.uk 
>(jerry cullingford)) writes...
>
>>That's what I see as the flaw in Duane's first book; It takes a world in
>>which same sex pairs are unremarkable, and then spends a lot of effort in
>>justifying it, which gave me the impression of preachiness
>
>Hmm. You are coming at this from a point of view I hadn't considered. But 
>it is also possible to say that without these justifications to the reader
>there would be no reader. These books are pointing out things about society,
>but I think the major topic in the books is interpersonal relationships and
>relationships with the God/dess/universe.
>My original post said something about appreciating the books for their 
>mythological character. I had to go back to the books to understand what I
>meant by that. The universe's mythology(or theology) was well developed in
>my opinion.

Yes - that's one of the things I liked about TDIF - A well constructed mythos,
and good handling of Herewiss'es relationship with his Fire and the Goddess.

>The topic we are currently discussing is not the reason I loved
>the books enough to make my best friend read them.  It was the 'feeling'
>I got from reading them, and I wanted to share those feelings.
>What I am trying to say is, these books are not, for me, books about a gay
>couple. They are so much more than that that I can't begin to explain it,
>even to myself. 

I think I'd mostly agree with that. Where the books are successful, the
sex of the characters is irrelevant - you care about the characters
because you're interested in them as people, not because of their sexual
preferences - and because the story is interesting.

Hmm. Maybe that's part of the "preachy" feel for me.. In Misty's LHM series,
Vanyel's preferences contribute to the plot; they significantly affect other
peoples reactions to him, and fit seamlessly into the book. In Duane's TDIF,
(and because of the background) it makes no significant difference, so it
makes that aspect of the book stand out more as something deliberately
grafted on - sort of "why emphasise it when it doesn't do anything relevant".
(Or, more significantly perhaps, the feeling that the storyline wouldn't have
been much changed without that part of the background).
Maybe that's why the later "door" books do better, because it's blended into
the other background details, and no longer stressed so much.

Anyway, I must admit I hadn't particulary considered it as a reason to
recommend the book (although you're right - It is a reasonably rare
example) - but more as something that might discourage some potential
readers from reading what is actually a good series. (Although I'd hope
that SF readers are sufficiently sensible that it wouldn't make any
difference). It's a very good story, and that's always been the main thing
for me..

>>(I can highly recommend Misty's books as well :-) )

>I sense a personal relationship here?

Unfortunately not - just cultural contamination :-) Misty's other fans tend
to refer to her as Misty so I've picked it up.. Whatever it is that makes a
good writer, Misty has lots of it - One of the few writers whose books I'll
reread almost immediately after finishing them. [So if you haven't read
anything by Mercedes Lackey yet, go out and try some... the "arrows"
or the "Last herald mage" series are a good place to start. :-) ]

-- 
+------------------------------------------------------------------+     |
| Jerry Cullingford  #include <std.disclaimer> +44 442 230000 x3868|   ,-|--
| jc@crosfield.co.uk (jc@cel.uucp) or jc@selune.demon.co.uk        |   \_|__
+-----(Work)---------------------------------(home)----------------+ \___/
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written