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Jun. 3rd, 2005 09:25 pmIt is always somewhat disappointing to discover flaws (or qualities I consider to be flaws ) in writers whose work I enjoy. Terry Goodkind, for instance, right now. I very much enjoy his books; possibly because they are very long and there are a lot of them in one series, which for someone like me who reads at a very high speed (I have a witness to an average paperback page in under five seconds, and able to answer questions and quote from it afterwards. I do read more slowly when I'm just reading for pleasure, though) is a blessing.
However, I'm somewhat alarmed by this interview (http://www.scifi.com/sfw/issue418/interview.html) in which Goodkind states that: "In Canada, for example, you can be arrested for saying anything against the government."
A reader from Canada pointed out (http://www.scifi.com/sfw/issue419/letters.html#goodkind) that actually, we're guaranteed that right in our charter of rights and freedoms. (He didn't point out that our best television is pretty much devoted to making fun of the government. Long live the Air Farce and 22 Minutes!) Goodkind did apologise (http://www.scifi.com/sfw/issue420/letters.html#terry), saying that "[He apologizes] for not being aware that Canada has finally granted its subjects permission to speak freely." (My thought: Finally? It was in 1982. Granted, it took a while, but it's hardly so brand-new that people haven't heard about it. It's older than I am!) The rest of the letter focusses on the USA. (Which is cool. He's from there. Fair enough.)
I was aware that Goodkind probably obtains his political information from different sources than I do, and I would guess he falls to the right of me along the spectrum judging by many of the philosophies expressed by his protagonist (who tends to the verbose, sometimes - I have skipped ahead to the end of the paragraph during a Richard monologue on occasion), but jeez. Somewhat unimpressed. Dude, we're left-er than the States. We are not an oppressive Communistic regime. Yargh.
I'm still going to buy "Chainfire" when it comes out in paperback, though. I want to know what happens next. Just like I'm going to buy Orson Scott Card's next Enderverse novel. Mmmm... books. There are people whose art I will not throw money at, but that's because they were jerks in general, whereas Card and Goodkind are by all accounts very nice people who I happen to disagree with politically.
*hides in her unheated socialistic yurt and shuts up about the government*
EDIT: Okay, so I'm not quite shutting up. This guy said it better than I can: http://www.scifi.com/sfw/issue422/letters.html#freedom
However, I'm somewhat alarmed by this interview (http://www.scifi.com/sfw/issue418/interview.html) in which Goodkind states that: "In Canada, for example, you can be arrested for saying anything against the government."
A reader from Canada pointed out (http://www.scifi.com/sfw/issue419/letters.html#goodkind) that actually, we're guaranteed that right in our charter of rights and freedoms. (He didn't point out that our best television is pretty much devoted to making fun of the government. Long live the Air Farce and 22 Minutes!) Goodkind did apologise (http://www.scifi.com/sfw/issue420/letters.html#terry), saying that "[He apologizes] for not being aware that Canada has finally granted its subjects permission to speak freely." (My thought: Finally? It was in 1982. Granted, it took a while, but it's hardly so brand-new that people haven't heard about it. It's older than I am!) The rest of the letter focusses on the USA. (Which is cool. He's from there. Fair enough.)
I was aware that Goodkind probably obtains his political information from different sources than I do, and I would guess he falls to the right of me along the spectrum judging by many of the philosophies expressed by his protagonist (who tends to the verbose, sometimes - I have skipped ahead to the end of the paragraph during a Richard monologue on occasion), but jeez. Somewhat unimpressed. Dude, we're left-er than the States. We are not an oppressive Communistic regime. Yargh.
I'm still going to buy "Chainfire" when it comes out in paperback, though. I want to know what happens next. Just like I'm going to buy Orson Scott Card's next Enderverse novel. Mmmm... books. There are people whose art I will not throw money at, but that's because they were jerks in general, whereas Card and Goodkind are by all accounts very nice people who I happen to disagree with politically.
*hides in her unheated socialistic yurt and shuts up about the government*
EDIT: Okay, so I'm not quite shutting up. This guy said it better than I can: http://www.scifi.com/sfw/issue422/letters.html#freedom
