I know that some of you cannot easily access DN (and some don't care)
But I thought this might be important.
Is Byron's last statement here his true feelings ?
From DN, today:
boardadmin wrote:I think we've both given generalizations about the people who read the old and new Dune novels.nuduneman wrote:boardadmin wrote:
Didn't really answer my question though, did you? I think this is because it is (possibly) impossible for you to come to terms with the fact that the books are continuing to do well and to be read by people all over the world ...even after a decade of --- what you would call --- bad writing and poor depth. Either you're right and all of these other people are wrong or it's the other way round. If you accept the fact that there a millions of readers who read the books but don't post online in forums, etc. there must be a large population that enjoy the books but we never hear from them. I would use evidence to support this assumption due to the fact that, again, we're a decade + into the new Dune series' of books and still
going strong. The publisher surely would've dumped the authors if the opposite were true.
I believe the fans of the two "Dune" series are (with a few exceptions) two complete and separate groups. Fans of the original series seem to be older, perhaps, with higher education (meaning university level), and see the original Dune books as literature. They enjoy the complex religious, political, and sociological ideas presented in the books, and enjoy speculating and discussing these ideas in a context away from the books themselves.
Fans of the new series are younger, with less education (possibly due to their age) and see the nuDune books as entertainment. They enjoy the quick, light read, the star wars-like action scenes, and are not overly concerned with broader philosophical themes.
You are dealing with two different types of people. Naturally, there will be disagreement and misunderstanding.
Me. I don't read Star Wars novels and I have a Bachelor's Degree. I'm sure there are other folks out there who enjoy the new Dune books who have higher education, too. Likewise I'm sure there are OHers out there who have very little beyond high school level. Just my two cents...
nuduneman wrote:Generalizations, like stereotypes & statistics, are useful in discussing larger-scale phenomena, and can, of course, break down at the individual level.
I think the main gist of my statement is that classic Dune fans may find the new books beneath them, and nuDune fans may find the classic series too complex and difficult to understand. Again, I think this may
have something primarily to do with age.
edit:
I quoted you above mainly for this line :
"books are continuing to do well and to be read by people all over the world"
(I included the entire paragraph for context.)
I think that the group of people who are reading the book ARE NOT the first group, the classic fans. At least, not at this point in the series. After browsing over other Dune sites, the overwhelming evidence is that many, if not most, have not bothered to read them, after their reaction to the first few. Those that do read them are doing primarily to post against the new books, with the honesty of actually having read them. Others rely on the valued opinions of these collegues.
The "people all over the world" group then, in my estimation, are in fact, new fans, who have not yet come to the original series, either because of the daunting complexities of the classic work, or availibility, or any number of other speculative reasons. Perhaps they will do so in time.
boardadmin wrote:That is my and my family's fervent hope.nuduneman wrote:Perhaps they will do so in time.