Praise for Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson

Mr. Teg · Post by **Mr. Teg** » 09 Jun 2008 08:16

L Ron Hubbard was a national bestseller

Tleilax Master B · Post by **Tleilax Master B** » 09 Jun 2008 10:00

Spice Grandson wrote:Brian Herbert, the son of Frank Herbert, is the author of multiple New York Times bestsellers. He has won numerous literary honors and has been nominated for the highest awards in science fiction. In 2003, he published Dreamer of Dune, a moving biography of his father that was nominated for the Hugo Award. In 2006, Brian began his own galaxy-spanning science fiction series with the novel Timeweb. His earlier acclaimed novels include Sidney’s Comet; Sudanna, Sudanna; The Race for God; and Man of Two Worlds (written with Frank Herbert).

Kevin J. Anderson has written dozens of national bestsellers and has been nominated for the Nebula Award, the Bram Stoker Award, and the SFX Readers’ Choice Award. His critically acclaimed original novels include the ambitious space-opera series The Saga of Seven Suns, as well as The Martian Wars, Captain Nemo, and Hopscotch. He also set the Guinness-certified world record for the largest single-author book signing.

Thanks for the laugh Byron. Just stopped by to stir the ol' pot, eh? This is more of a commentary on how horribly crappy the Sci fi community must be right now more than anything else.....

GamePlayer · Post by **GamePlayer** » 09 Jun 2008 10:13

Robspierre wrote:http://www.zone-sf.com/hiddenempire.html

A teaser:

Reading the 'about the author' blurb at the front of the book, it becomes obvious that Anderson cut his authorial teeth writing movie and TV tie-ins (X-Files and Jedi books in particular), from which he moved on to the 'dead author exploitation' market by writing Dune prequels with Frank Herbert's son, Brian. The frightening thing about all this is how immensely successful it has made him. He has, it seems, 15 million books in print in 27 languages, has hit The Times bestseller #1 slot and achieved a whole slate of big prizes or at least nominations.
When someone with this little ability to generate original plots and world-scapes, with so poor a grasp of scientific principles, and such desperately inadequate writing skills can shine so brightly and sell so well, it begins to look as if the science fiction genre is in terminal decline. His success seems to be evidence of a vast readership who's ability to discriminate good from bad has been systematically degraded by a remorseless marketing machine.
Well, I know that's not completely true. We have real writers, both well established and up-and-coming. The trend, however, is worrying. Anderson, taken as an individual, is just an aberration. His success is ephemeral and his books won't even be a bad memory ten years after the last one is foisted on a jaded public. But Anderson is not unique. There are plenty of other hacks and formula-merchants, helping the corporate merchandisers crank out the pap. That's the depressing thing, and the danger to the genre's hopes of inspiring new, talented writers, and attracting intelligent, discerning readers.
Rob

Fantastic read. Thanks for sharing.

KJA · Post by **KJA** » 09 Jun 2008 11:03

Praise? Hell yes! Brian is the best!

Secher Nbiw · Post by **Secher Nbiw** » 09 Jun 2008 11:52

Spice Grandson wrote:Brian Herbert, the son of Frank Herbert, is the author of multiple New York Times bestsellers.

Interesting that you chose to show only the positive portions of those reviews. Very telling about your true motives, don't you think?

and just to bypass your reply, which I know will be something like:
"Showing the overall grade is telling? Sure is!"

I'll post this in advance:
"Oh please! Should I go cherry pick the negative commentary and hear you scream foul? Get real, dude."

trang · Post by **trang** » 09 Jun 2008 16:15

Mandy wrote:lol.. I was just reading the FAQ for the Nebula awards. I bet KJA is a member of the SFWA.

here is the member page list from SFWA, he is on it with a page at wordfire,

http://www.sfwa.org/links/members_a.htm

trang

trang · Post by **trang** » 09 Jun 2008 16:31

Quote from the SFWA faq on why should I become a member:

"Q: Aren't SFWA members mostly concerned with Nebula voting? Why should I want to get involved with all the politics?

A: Admittedly, some people who should get a life spend way too much time arguing over awards. Declaring anything "the best" in an artistic endeavor is a mug's game. But this is also true of any other award, including the Academy Awards. What the Nebulas can do for science fiction and fantasy writers is draw some attention once a year to our genre. Perhaps we get a little press for the awards; perhaps the Nebula Awards Showcase volumes will sell a few more stories and attract a little more attention on the bookstore shelves. If we didn't have the Nebula Awards, someone would invent them all over again. People like awards; they're pretty gewgaws. But anyone who attaches more importance than that to them should go home and rethink."

interesting hmmmmm,
Trang

trang · Post by **trang** » 09 Jun 2008 16:47

Note this is interesting, kinda sad about it, gonna do some more research too.

The current list of Grand Masters (awarded by the SFWA):

Robert A. Heinlein (1975)
Jack Williamson (1976)
Clifford D. Simak (1977)
L. Sprague de Camp (1979)
Fritz Leiber (1981)
Andre Norton (1984)
Arthur C. Clarke (1986)
Isaac Asimov (1987)
Alfred Bester (1988)
Ray Bradbury (1989)
Lester Del Rey (1991)
Frederik Pohl (1993)
Damon Knight (1995)
A. E. Van Vogt (1996)
Jack Vance (1997)
Poul Anderson (1998)
Hal Clement (Harry Stubbs) (1999)
Brian W. Aldiss (2000)
Philip José Farmer (2001)
Ursula K. Le Guin (2003)
Robert Silverberg (2004)
Anne McCaffrey (2005)
Harlan Ellison (2006)
James Gunn (2007)

Notice anyone missing???? even still a pretty packed powerhouse list!!

Yet if you look at this list:
http://listverse.com/literature/top-10- ... n-writers/

kinda makes ya wonder. My point being, authors get on lists and and awards but that doesnt necessarily make them worthy, or their books of any consequence. Isnt it better to produce a small amount of quality? vs volumes just to have quantity?

more research to do.
Fairday,
trang

SandChigger · Post by **SandChigger** » 09 Jun 2008 16:53

People like awards; they're pretty gewgaws. But anyone who attaches more importance than that to them should go home and rethink.

ZING!!!

(I imagine he was posting from home, though.

)

Tleilax Master B · Post by **Tleilax Master B** » 09 Jun 2008 16:57

^^
Good stuff Trang.....

trang · Post by **trang** » 09 Jun 2008 18:22

One last point on the grandmasters, below is the contact page for SFWA.

http://www.sfwa.org/org/contactinfo.htm

if you Click on the address execdir at sfwa.org it will open up a form you can enter and sent mail to the director.

I did mentioning that FH has not recieved the award, and by rights should.
I was cordial and mainly said it must have been an oversite.

The first award was given in 1975, so I imagine FH had the opportunity to join the SFWA, but may have not, for whatever reason. That might lead them to not have given an award, but I doubt it.

Voice your opinion and send the director a letter.

Thanks
Trang

Post by **Omphalos** » 09 Jun 2008 18:45

I think their bylaws restrict appointing grandmasters to 6-7 per decade, so if I'm remembering that correctly we should not see another one until the next decade.

Hunchback Jack · Post by **Hunchback Jack** » 10 Jun 2008 19:36

Spice Grandson wrote:Brian Herbert, the son of Frank Herbert, is the author of multiple New York Times bestsellers. [rest of blurb deleted]

Kevin J. Anderson has written dozens of national bestsellers and has been nominated for the Nebula Award, the Bram Stoker Award, and the SFX Readers’ Choice Award. [rest of blurb deleted]

I came into this topic late, so forgive the dead horse flogging.

Personally, I don't have a problem with either of these blurbs. I'm sure BH and KJA are capable of writing good fiction, and can believe that KJA was nominated for numerous SF awards. No need to cast aspersions on the value or reputation of those awards, either.

The point is, and has always been, these specific novels - the Dune expansions. Regardless of how talented or successful the authors may be, these particular books have problems - both as novels set in this universe, and as novels generally. Frankly, in places they read like a rushed first draft by writers who didn't have time to check the original novels for accuracy or consistency.

Submitting resume's of the authors as a way to garner respect for them, or to refute criticism, is a cheap trick. The work speaks for itself, and all these praise-laden blurbs do is give credence to the argument that the Dune books are not their best work. Long-time fans of the original series expect that it should have been their best work.

HBJ

Hunchback Jack · Post by **Hunchback Jack** » 10 Jun 2008 19:57

He has set the Guinness-certified world record for the largest single-author book signing--for a posthumous collaboration with L. Ron Hubbard!

Ahem. Well, that is interesting. Published by Bridge Publishing no less.

Let me tell you a story.

When L Ron Hubbard's Battlefield Earth was published, it hit the New York Times bestseller list almost immediately, which gave it a lot of media attention. The book was mediocre at best, according to reviewers and readers alike.

From what I've read, it turns out that this success was manufactured by (ultimately) the Church of Scientology, who sent members out to buy the book in huge numbers. After all, good publicity for L. Ron would mean publicity for the C of S. I can't personally confirm it, but I've read that people within the Church have described in detail how the scheme worked, and it appears to be true.

Read here for more details:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battlefiel ... y.27s_role

Now, I'm not for a moment suggesting that something similar was organized for the world's biggest signing event, for a book co-authored by Hubbard and published by the C of S's publishing house. That would be a completely baseless accusation.

HBJ

Post by **Omphalos** » 10 Jun 2008 23:28

Isnt it a well known fact that KJA is, in fact, a scientologist? Factually speaking?

Robspierre · Post by **Robspierre** » 11 Jun 2008 00:43

Omphalos wrote:Isnt it a well known fact that KJA is, in fact, a scientologist? Factually speaking?

I haven't found anything yet that points to KJA being a scientologist, I did find this on the bottom of his wiki page though:

Categories: 1962 births | American Roman Catholics | American science fiction writers | Living people

I wonder if he is still a practicing catholic?

Rob

A Thing of Eternity · Post by **A Thing of Eternity** » 11 Jun 2008 00:57

I don't know. I do know a lot of people who call themselves Catholic, but when you talk to them they're really just run of the mill Christian or agnostic. It almost seems like they think it's a race sometimes. Anyways -I don't see how someone as obviously, ah, outside of reality as KJA could be so thoroughly involved with someone/something so manipulative and not end up believing in it. It's possible he's not though, I can't find anything remotely reliable.

Serkanner · Post by **Serkanner** » 11 Jun 2008 02:29

I have read an article in which it is stated he is "a friend of scientology". It had something to do with raising funds for the sect if I remember correctly.

orald · Post by **orald** » 11 Jun 2008 03:09

Didn't Chig or Teg or someone show similarities in themes between KJA's works(including McDune?) and the beliefs of $cientology?

SandChigger · Post by **SandChigger** » 11 Jun 2008 03:54

That would be Mr Teg.

There's no proof that he belongs to the "Church", but he is cozy with them. I personally doubt he's a member, because...well, it ain't that easy to con a conman, you know?

I figure he fooked them over on that Hubbard book the same way he's currently got the HLP bent over and squealing like a piggie.

Phaedrus · Post by **Phaedrus** » 11 Jun 2008 07:35

I don't know. I thought Scientologists killed people that messed with them.

Mr. Teg · Post by **Mr. Teg** » 11 Jun 2008 07:45

Keep scrolling down The Prequels/Sequels or click here

(Btw, before the "official" meeting between Pinky & the Brain, Brian had written a glowing review for Ai! Perdito that was included among flyers at book signings.)

inhuien · Post by **inhuien** » 11 Jun 2008 08:27

Phaedrus wrote:I don't know. I thought Scientologists killed people that messed with them.

Don't know about that but they do have their own tag.

* SP: Suppressive Person. Anyone that doesn't like Scientology and/or criticizes Scientology.

Post by **Omphalos** » 11 Jun 2008 10:48

Whatever happened with the remainder of that white paper on his Scientology connections?

Hunchback Jack · Post by **Hunchback Jack** » 11 Jun 2008 11:49

The success of the book signing [of Ai Pendrito!] and the initial rapid rise on the best-sellers list is said to be due to the mobilization of church members, cited as a common tactic whenever a book under Hubbard's name is published.

Hmm. Maybe not so baseless after all.

HBJ

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Praise for Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson

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