Robert E. Howard Readers discussion
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is it just me, or is current fantasy lacking
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Wasn't as taken with Wagner, but that's just taste. I've been reading fantasy/science fiction since the 60s. back then it was just plain hard to find. Now there are plenty of Fantasy books around, but the challange is finding the good fantasy. It's still out there, but I think we need to go through more books to find the gems now.
That is the challenge, all right. And with limited time and money, even more challenging. Sites like this one can provide opinions from other readers, which can be cool if they generally care for the same style.
True. When I run on people who seem to like a lot of the same books I tend to add them to my list. Have you noticed that (well at least here) the public library has a smaller and smaller selection? I used to fall back on them before I'd buy the first book in a series etc.
I wonder if REH is losing ground in the libraries because his lack of political correctness? I haven't been to a library in a while, though. There are a lot of newer books that want shelf space & that's very limited.
In Nashville the money for the library (and it seems for "books" in particular) has been slashed. The last mayor saw the library as more important. They ran out of "book" money just a couple of months into the year this time.
As probably the only librarian in the group, I'd say that Stalinist-style "political correctness" probably doesn't play much role in selection decisions where REH is concerned. Left-wing librarians have an ugly tradition of censorship (so would right-wing ones, but there virtually aren't any :-)), but that's mostly of political and religious books. They aren't usually well-read enough in popular fiction to know if it's PC or not. The main factor is tight budgets for books; when it comes to fiction, librarians of any ideological stripe are much more apt to spend money for new titles (because they think that's what people want to read) than for any book published back in the 1920s or 30s. But the library media does occasionally review (favorably) reprints or new collections of REH work.Of course, I work in a college library, so we don't order a lot of fiction; and our book budget is tight, too. But I recently initiated an order for a 2005 REH title, The Black Stranger and Other American Tales. It's part of the Univ. of Nebraska Press series in speculative fiction, published under their Bison imprint; and I got a really good deal on it through a remainder house, Edward R. Hamilton. :-)
Way to go Werner and the Univ. of Nebraska. I could have used some awesome heroic fantasy fiction in the Old Dominion Library back in the day ... just to take a mental trip away from the studies.
Thanks to Del Rey,Bison books there has been 5-10 new REH books in the library.I can actually loan and read Conan books if i wanted.
The libraries over here even have REH foundation printed books for members with rare,unpublished,juvinile works.
Werner wrote: "As probably the only librarian in the group, I'd say that Stalinist-style "political correctness" probably doesn't play much role in selection decisions where REH is concerned. Left-wing librarian..."I know that's an old post Werner but it struck up the image of the gal in the fairly recent Mummy movie where she's been drinking a bit and
O'Connel is wondering why she's on the expedition.
She delares, "I ... am a librarian!" and falls into his arms, passed out.
I've always enjoyed the characters who are brainy yet adventurous, like her and Indiana Jones.
What this has to do with REH is anybody's guess ...
Librarians are inherently a gallant, swashbuckling bunch of heroic people, unafraid to take on danger, bad guys and book mold --even though most people outside the profession don't realize it. :-)
My daughter worked at the library before and after college and at college, but not having gotten a degree in library science she has moved on... I do recall her having some harrowing experiences however.
Werner wrote: "Librarians are inherently a gallant, swashbuckling bunch of heroic people, unafraid to take on danger, bad guys and book mold --even though most people outside the profession don't realize it. :-)"There's an adventure movie called the Librarian with Doctor Carter from ER starring in it. There were several, actually. Funny, but I thought he was the spitting image of you, Werner.
;-)
The Secret Life of Librarians!Hmm. Maybe to qualify as a Keeper Of Tales they must pass a gantlet of harrowing challenges ...
Could be a story there. :)
Werner wrote: "Librarians are inherently a gallant, swashbuckling bunch of heroic people, unafraid to take on danger, bad guys and book mold --even though most people outside the profession don't realize it. :-)"Very cool Werner i didnt know you were a librarian. You are then people i aspire to be. I will start studiying art,society program in the fall to study information,library science 3 years after that.
No collage library for me, i would like to work in a regular fiction,non-fiction library.
Jim, I've actually seen (and really liked) a couple of those movies, the first one and the sequel involving Dracula --I think the star's name is Noah Wylie. If you think I resemble his character, I'm highly complimented! :-)John's comment made me think of an old TV public service ad promoting library use, which aired in the early 80s, around the time of the first Conan movie had come out. It was animated, and featured a Conan the Librarian character, who was talking (as only Conan could!) to a little boy applying for a library card, and impressing on him both the magical wonders of library collections and the sacredness of the card and its obligations. We need more librarians like him!
Mohammed, best wishes with your training and career aspirations in the library field! I've worked in both college and public libraries, so know something of the good points of both. In the U.S., the public libraries are controlled by boards appointed by the local governments, with very little public scrutiny or involvement, which leads to all sort of abuses (such as nepotism, rancorous factional feuds, etc.). But hopefully your experience in Sweden will be a lot more positive.
Werner wrote: "Jim, I've actually seen (and really liked) a couple of those movies, the first one and the sequel involving Dracula --I think the star's name is Noah Wylie. If you think I resemble his character, ..."Public libraries are controlled directly by the local governments over here. They spent alot of money on libraries no matter which party is in control of local goverment power.
I guess i will see how its controlled and if there are abuses.
In having a lot of money spent on them, Swedish public libraries enjoy a happy contrast with their U.S. counterparts, most of which tend to have very miserly funding and to be among the first targets for budget cuts. That's ironic, since historically the main reason the U.S. library profession pushed for turning their libraries over to government control (the early ones were subscription libraries, owned and funded by the patrons) was the promise that funding from taxation would be an endless cornucopia of dollars. Unfortunately, tax funding tends to be politically limited to what the majority of voters will pay; the majority of them over here don't use the library, so don't care how it's run --but they DO care mightily how much they're forced to pay for it.
Werner wrote: "In having a lot of money spent on them, Swedish public libraries enjoy a happy contrast with their U.S. counterparts, most of which tend to have very miserly funding and to be among the first targe..."Sad to hear thats the case over there,library not being a high priority. With Nobel Prize prestige and everything libraries,books are in higher esteem over here.
There are 60-70 modern libraries in our town,county and we arent even one of the biggest cities. Stockholm,Malmo,Gotenburg is much bigger.
Frankly i hope in the future i work in the city library,its so huge,cozy. Doesnt look like they saved money on it. Every year it looks newer.
Sometimes its a plus being a smaller country.
I've definitely found a lot of David Gemmell's books up to the task, especially "The Swords of Night and Day," and I much enjoyed Stirling's "In the Courts of the Crimson Kings."
David Gemmell is a great storyteller, i have often thought of him as a modern king of Heroic Fantasy/S&S.Paul Kearney is also quality and has two series he says are inspired by Robert E Howard and he is very good prose stylist,military fantasy writer.
Just grumbling. Maybe the writers who emulate REH too much come off as trying too hard, and don't carve their own niche. I'm trying to avoid such myself, but we'll see.