Comments on: The Big Idea: Marjorie M. Liu http://whatever.scalzi.com/2008/06/24/the-big-idea-marjorie-m-liu/ DEVISING A SYSTEM FOR REMEMBERING EVERYTHING Sun, 21 Mar 2010 11:24:53 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Gennita Low http://whatever.scalzi.com/2008/06/24/the-big-idea-marjorie-m-liu/#comment-35519 Gennita Low Tue, 24 Jun 2008 21:26:08 +0000 http://scalzi.com/whatever/?p=931#comment-35519 Sigh. You're lucky I love you, Marjorie, or I'd be compelled to write you hate mail too. Fast. Furious. Fantastical. And at the core, a mystical respect for culture. That's why I love Marjorie's books. Sigh. You’re lucky I love you, Marjorie, or I’d be compelled to write you hate mail too.

Fast. Furious. Fantastical. And at the core, a mystical respect for culture. That’s why I love Marjorie’s books.

]]> By: Alan Kellogg http://whatever.scalzi.com/2008/06/24/the-big-idea-marjorie-m-liu/#comment-35526 Alan Kellogg Tue, 24 Jun 2008 18:30:00 +0000 http://scalzi.com/whatever/?p=931#comment-35526 On the subject of the good and evil in us all, I recently finished one book (James Butcher's <b>Cursor's Fury</b>) and started another (Thomas Harlan's <b>The Shadow of Ararat</b>) which deal, respectively, with someone who is about to begin redeeming himself, and another who is, all unknowingly, about to start on the path to damnation via the ever popular good intentions. But then Butcher's character also started on the path to the dark side through good intentions. Though in his case, he thought better of his decision. Harlan's character is not so sagacious (now that my mental health is better and I can focus on what I'm reading, I'm giving Harlan's <b>Oath of Empire</b> a re-read). As a result he ends the tale thinking he is doing good, not aware that he is doing evil beyond most people's comprehension. On the subject of the good and evil in us all, I recently finished one book (James Butcher’s Cursor’s Fury) and started another (Thomas Harlan’s The Shadow of Ararat) which deal, respectively, with someone who is about to begin redeeming himself, and another who is, all unknowingly, about to start on the path to damnation via the ever popular good intentions.

But then Butcher’s character also started on the path to the dark side through good intentions. Though in his case, he thought better of his decision. Harlan’s character is not so sagacious (now that my mental health is better and I can focus on what I’m reading, I’m giving Harlan’s Oath of Empire a re-read). As a result he ends the tale thinking he is doing good, not aware that he is doing evil beyond most people’s comprehension.

]]> By: daelin82 http://whatever.scalzi.com/2008/06/24/the-big-idea-marjorie-m-liu/#comment-35525 daelin82 Tue, 24 Jun 2008 16:58:50 +0000 http://scalzi.com/whatever/?p=931#comment-35525 I like the living tattoo thing. Kind of like the Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury... I like the living tattoo thing. Kind of like the Illustrated Man
by Ray Bradbury…

]]> By: Frank http://whatever.scalzi.com/2008/06/24/the-big-idea-marjorie-m-liu/#comment-35524 Frank Tue, 24 Jun 2008 16:40:43 +0000 http://scalzi.com/whatever/?p=931#comment-35524 <i>A world unabashedly influenced by my obsessions with C.S. Lewis, Hans Christian Anderson, and Jorge Luis Borges.</i> I am sorry, but this is going to compel me to read this book more than anything else you said. <b>Tracey C @ 10</b> <i>It was when reading this Big Idea that it really crystallized for me what has been bothering me about a large chunk of modern fantasy - the notion that there are the Good Guys (us, of course), and the Bad Guys, and that some people are Just Evil. And that the bad things in this world happen because of the Bad Guys, and only the Good Guys can fix it. Or something like that.</i> You might be interested in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url?%5Fencoding=UTF8&search-type=ss&index=books&field-author=John%20Connolly" rel="nofollow">John Connolly</a>. A world unabashedly influenced by my obsessions with C.S. Lewis, Hans Christian Anderson, and Jorge Luis Borges.

I am sorry, but this is going to compel me to read this book more than anything else you said.

Tracey C @ 10

It was when reading this Big Idea that it really crystallized for me what has been bothering me about a large chunk of modern fantasy – the notion that there are the Good Guys (us, of course), and the Bad Guys, and that some people are Just Evil. And that the bad things in this world happen because of the Bad Guys, and only the Good Guys can fix it. Or something like that.

You might be interested in John Connolly.

]]> By: Tapetum http://whatever.scalzi.com/2008/06/24/the-big-idea-marjorie-m-liu/#comment-35523 Tapetum Tue, 24 Jun 2008 16:17:04 +0000 http://scalzi.com/whatever/?p=931#comment-35523 Okay, this is the third time I've run into this particular book in two days. I can take a hint. Okay, this is the third time I’ve run into this particular book in two days. I can take a hint.

]]> By: Brett L http://whatever.scalzi.com/2008/06/24/the-big-idea-marjorie-m-liu/#comment-35522 Brett L Tue, 24 Jun 2008 16:12:38 +0000 http://scalzi.com/whatever/?p=931#comment-35522 All right. I know what I'll be reading this weekend. Thanks for introducing me to another author, Scalzi. Add this to my hate mail: Every time you post a Big Idea it costs me money and time. Even worse, I feel both well spent. All right. I know what I’ll be reading this weekend. Thanks for introducing me to another author, Scalzi. Add this to my hate mail: Every time you post a Big Idea it costs me money and time. Even worse, I feel both well spent.

]]> By: Tracey C. http://whatever.scalzi.com/2008/06/24/the-big-idea-marjorie-m-liu/#comment-35521 Tracey C. Tue, 24 Jun 2008 15:48:04 +0000 http://scalzi.com/whatever/?p=931#comment-35521 Dianne wrote: <i> Everyone. Ever hear of the Milgram experiments?</i> Dianne: <b> Thank You</b> It was when reading this Big Idea that it really crystallized for me what has been bothering me about a large chunk of modern fantasy - the notion that there are the Good Guys (us, of course), and the Bad Guys, and that some people are Just Evil. And that the bad things in this world happen because of the Bad Guys, and only the Good Guys can fix it. Or something like that. No. All humans are capable of evil acts. I'd even go so far, as a social psychology grad student, to say that all humans are *likely* to commit 'evil' acts, put into certain circumstances. I think the notion of people who do evil as being somehow different than the rest of us is one that is destructive of the health and well-being of human society, both from the perspective of those who deplore what happens but feel helpless to change it ('well, some people are just born bad') and from those who end up doing bad things and then feel helpless to change ('I must just be bad'). Dianne wrote:
Everyone. Ever hear of the Milgram experiments?

Dianne: Thank You It was when reading this Big Idea that it really crystallized for me what has been bothering me about a large chunk of modern fantasy – the notion that there are the Good Guys (us, of course), and the Bad Guys, and that some people are Just Evil. And that the bad things in this world happen because of the Bad Guys, and only the Good Guys can fix it. Or something like that.

No. All humans are capable of evil acts. I’d even go so far, as a social psychology grad student, to say that all humans are *likely* to commit ‘evil’ acts, put into certain circumstances.

I think the notion of people who do evil as being somehow different than the rest of us is one that is destructive of the health and well-being of human society, both from the perspective of those who deplore what happens but feel helpless to change it (‘well, some people are just born bad’) and from those who end up doing bad things and then feel helpless to change (‘I must just be bad’).

]]> By: Chris S. http://whatever.scalzi.com/2008/06/24/the-big-idea-marjorie-m-liu/#comment-35520 Chris S. Tue, 24 Jun 2008 15:46:30 +0000 http://scalzi.com/whatever/?p=931#comment-35520 We just got the book in stock this morning. I know what I'm doing tonight! You know, besides waiting for WILD ROAD. We just got the book in stock this morning. I know what I’m doing tonight!

You know, besides waiting for WILD ROAD.

]]> By: mensley http://whatever.scalzi.com/2008/06/24/the-big-idea-marjorie-m-liu/#comment-35518 mensley Tue, 24 Jun 2008 13:55:34 +0000 http://scalzi.com/whatever/?p=931#comment-35518 #7 wrote: "At least she has a head, though, unlike most of them. :)" Ha! Of course, if the cover illustration were decapitated, it would have to be re-titled... something like, <i>The Prison Warden's Daughter (a novel)</i>. Joking aside, thanks for posting this. The book is certainly going on my list. #7 wrote: “At least she has a head, though, unlike most of them. :)”

Ha! Of course, if the cover illustration were decapitated, it would have to be re-titled… something like, The Prison Warden’s Daughter (a novel).

Joking aside, thanks for posting this. The book is certainly going on my list.

]]> By: Blue Tyson http://whatever.scalzi.com/2008/06/24/the-big-idea-marjorie-m-liu/#comment-35517 Blue Tyson Tue, 24 Jun 2008 13:32:00 +0000 http://scalzi.com/whatever/?p=931#comment-35517 At least she has a head, though, unlike most of them. :) At least she has a head, though, unlike most of them. :)

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