I think it's because there's kind of a veneer of improvement, if that makes sense. If you only look at it on a surface level the writing initially seems more sophisticated and mature, which is in fact how it struck me when I first picked up a copy. I remember thinking "Wow, this is actually pretty good. Maybe it's time to eat my words." It was only when I read on and started paying more attention that I realised I'd been had and that in reality all the same mistakes were still there and that his writing hadn't "matured" in the slightest. He used a different style in the Space Brick, but different doesn't necessarily mean better, even if it does manage to distract people for a while.
And here I thought that was just damning with faint praise.
Oren there did have a point though. I have encountered worse worldbuilding in sci fi. To sleep just has this odd quality where it draws attention to the bad ideas and gaping holes. Where others try to hide these things.
It could well be because the plot and characters are so goddamn boring that they fail to provide an entertaining distraction from the dull, shoddy world-building.
I remember thinking "Wow, this is actually pretty good. Maybe it's time to eat my words."
Me too. I was like "Hey, something interesting happened. I want to see what happens after that."
It was only when I read on and started paying more attention that I realised I'd been had and that in reality all the same mistakes were still there and that his writing hadn't "matured" in the slightest.
Exactly. I noticed I was still bored and having a hard time getting through it.
He used a different style in the Space Brick, but different doesn't necessarily mean better, even if it does manage to distract people for a while.
He abandoned the sort of psuedo-fantasy style for a more modern writing style. Didn't really fix the prose issues, though. You're right.
But may I also point out, there's no To Sleep fans brigading the Mythcreants post, like there were Eragon fans. IDK if that speaks to the overall maturity of the fans, or if there are just less.
I suspect it's that To Toss in a Bin of Garbage just doesn't have that many fans, and certainly few or none who are particularly passionate about it. For all the attempted hype and palling around with Jennifer Hale and whatnot, the reaction seems to have been somewhere between naked contempt and indifference.
I haven't seen it on display in a single bookshop since it came out, let alone occupying a spot on the bestseller shelves. It's not in Kmart, Target or Big W either. I think that's pretty telling.
Were the Inheritance Cycle books on display and in those stores.
Nope.
Also, what's Big W? Is it Walmart?
We don't have WalMart! It's a franchise similar to Target - sells clothes, homewares and electronics. The one I went to had a garden section too! So pretty similar to WalMart, really.
Yes. Most of the people who've been reading it are Inheritance Cycle fans, and they haven't been super excited about it. Most people are more begging for book five.
And as Hollywood long ago figured out, nostalgia makes fools of us all. Hence why 99% of what they're doing right now is shamelessly cashing in on stuff that was popular in the 90s.
I should have said the 80s and 90s, really. Hence why franchises like Ghostbusters and The Matrix are suddenly making a comeback, and we're getting 80s themed nostalgia material like Stranger Things. Hell, people have even started listening to the Backstreet Boys again, and they're probably the most quintessential early 90s boy band ever!
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no subject
Date: 2021-11-02 11:55 am (UTC)Oren didn't even get into the whole issues with consent and the Soft Blade.
I wonder why he thinks that this book is an improvement, though?
no subject
Date: 2021-11-02 12:11 pm (UTC)It was only when I read on and started paying more attention that I realised I'd been had and that in reality all the same mistakes were still there and that his writing hadn't "matured" in the slightest. He used a different style in the Space Brick, but different doesn't necessarily mean better, even if it does manage to distract people for a while.
no subject
Date: 2021-11-03 08:22 pm (UTC)Oren there did have a point though. I have encountered worse worldbuilding in sci fi. To sleep just has this odd quality where it draws attention to the bad ideas and gaping holes. Where others try to hide these things.
no subject
Date: 2021-11-03 11:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-11-18 03:56 am (UTC)I remember thinking "Wow, this is actually pretty good. Maybe it's time to eat my words."
Me too. I was like "Hey, something interesting happened. I want to see what happens after that."
It was only when I read on and started paying more attention that I realised I'd been had and that in reality all the same mistakes were still there and that his writing hadn't "matured" in the slightest.
Exactly. I noticed I was still bored and having a hard time getting through it.
He used a different style in the Space Brick, but different doesn't necessarily mean better, even if it does manage to distract people for a while.
He abandoned the sort of psuedo-fantasy style for a more modern writing style. Didn't really fix the prose issues, though. You're right.
no subject
Date: 2021-11-18 11:07 am (UTC)Basically he just went from bad epic fantasy style prose to bad space opera prose, and that was about it.
no subject
Date: 2021-11-20 01:04 am (UTC)At least the bad prose space opera didn't have so much meaningless description that I forgot what I was reading.
no subject
Date: 2021-11-20 05:02 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-11-20 05:16 am (UTC)And ceaseless narrating of everything she did in every scene.
no subject
Date: 2021-11-20 05:33 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-11-20 07:58 pm (UTC)And I doubt that's going to be fixed in the To Sleep prequel that's coming out next year. (Confirmed on a recent livestream.)
no subject
Date: 2021-11-20 11:52 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-11-21 03:54 am (UTC)I can't find any.
But may I also point out, there's no To Sleep fans brigading the Mythcreants post, like there were Eragon fans. IDK if that speaks to the overall maturity of the fans, or if there are just less.
no subject
Date: 2021-11-21 05:06 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-11-21 05:29 am (UTC)Yeah. The only things I've heard about it are on Goodreads, and in the Inheritance Cycle fandom. It doesn't appear to be reaching much new readers.
no subject
Date: 2021-11-21 06:16 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-11-25 04:12 pm (UTC)Were the Inheritance Cycle books on display and in those stores. Also, what's Big W? Is it Walmart?
no subject
Date: 2021-11-26 07:45 am (UTC)Nope.
We don't have WalMart! It's a franchise similar to Target - sells clothes, homewares and electronics. The one I went to had a garden section too! So pretty similar to WalMart, really.
no subject
Date: 2021-11-26 11:32 pm (UTC)Yes. Most of the people who've been reading it are Inheritance Cycle fans, and they haven't been super excited about it. Most people are more begging for book five.
no subject
Date: 2021-11-27 04:43 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-12-01 03:42 am (UTC)I think the worst has already happened. The majority of people have moved on.
no subject
Date: 2021-12-01 05:02 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-12-04 12:22 am (UTC)Makes sense. A new book in a series you like is always exciting.
no subject
Date: 2021-12-04 01:18 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-12-05 08:56 pm (UTC)Like what? (I don't know what was popular in the 90's.
no subject
Date: 2021-12-06 07:51 am (UTC)