tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714437334790446678.post8662239795219417695..comments2023-10-04T09:50:08.070-05:00Comments on Logismoi: The Pantheon & the Errata of the Inept Dan BrownAaron Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17775589009145031773noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714437334790446678.post-18716875182369791792010-01-18T10:50:26.573-06:002010-01-18T10:50:26.573-06:00Jack> I must disagree, for 3 reasons.
First, A...Jack> I must disagree, for 3 reasons.<br /><br />First, Anne Rice is certainly highly overrated by her fans, but her fans are really a rather small subculture (many of my friends used to belong among them!), whereas Brown has taken mainstream society by storm, so his overratedness is more widespread. <br /><br />Second, although Rice is certainly overrated, & although there is much in her books that is sheer garbage, she also has a number of moments of decently written prose, of a kind of enchantment in the tale, or even of something approaching mythopoiesis. I'm thinking particularly of <i>Interview</i>, <i>Memnoch the Devil</i>, <i>Servant of Bones</i>, & <i>Witching Hour</i>.<br /><br />Third, I've never heard of anyone believing that they had learned something valuable about Christ, Christianity, or the Church from any of Rice's books. Many, many people have claimed such an experience with Brown's books, & to claim this is to overrate them.Aaron Taylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17775589009145031773noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714437334790446678.post-53869278664980347752010-01-09T12:58:24.148-06:002010-01-09T12:58:24.148-06:00I believe Anne Rice takes the gold for most overra...I believe Anne Rice takes the gold for most overrated 'author' of our time.Jackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12654032764386427929noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714437334790446678.post-30084596790024730602010-01-09T12:54:21.307-06:002010-01-09T12:54:21.307-06:00This comment has been removed by the author.Jackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12654032764386427929noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714437334790446678.post-10625061843661366112009-05-25T17:47:33.229-05:002009-05-25T17:47:33.229-05:00Kevin> I was just re-reading your last comment ...Kevin> I was just re-reading your last comment here, and the reference to albinos made me realise: Spong would make a great Dan Brown character!Aaron Taylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17775589009145031773noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714437334790446678.post-40961372014249110382008-12-17T18:51:00.000-06:002008-12-17T18:51:00.000-06:00Oh, yes, Spong! That works. I once saw him walki...Oh, yes, Spong! That works. I once saw him walking along a street here. The one of the paifully liberal Graduate Theological Union schools had him by to blather on about "Why I still receive a paycheck and pension from an institution I don't believe in" or perhaps a new "book" of his. That man is the whitest of white men that I have ever seen. Ick. Even albinos have more color to them.Kevin P. Edgecombhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16590490181739464401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714437334790446678.post-91122610772607861792008-12-17T17:23:00.000-06:002008-12-17T17:23:00.000-06:00Berkeley? My hat is off to you, sir. Thank you Aar...Berkeley? My hat is off to you, sir. <BR/><BR/>Thank you Aaron for your commitment to addressing just one Dan Brown-ism. It would be fun to do it on a larger scale, but time that would take... jeez. Brown has given us SO MUCH material to work with. <BR/><BR/>I remember the exact moment I dropped the Da Vinci Code. It was like the Star Trek scene where Spock mind melds with the Horta: "the PAIN!"<BR/><BR/>I never finished the book. I just couldn't take it.<BR/><BR/><I>I wave my hand, make a noise that sounds like "pff" and walk away</I><BR/><BR/>I feel this is sound advice. I've tried to discuss Da Vinci Code with local bohemian and non-Christian friends. Their eyes glaze over when you mention phrases like "original greek" and "proof". <BR/><BR/>"pff" is probably the best and most efficient way to communicate. I suspect this may work when discussing Spong, too.Pintradexhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02929825475088562246noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714437334790446678.post-70593107996565760322008-12-17T15:00:00.000-06:002008-12-17T15:00:00.000-06:00Thanks! I'm surrounded by barbarians in Berkeley....Thanks! I'm surrounded by barbarians in Berkeley. You have to deal with them in the (petty, childish, anti-intellectual) ways that they understand in order to achieve any effect.... And, wilfully stupid people make me cranky.Kevin P. Edgecombhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16590490181739464401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714437334790446678.post-33167664196198531752008-12-17T14:00:00.000-06:002008-12-17T14:00:00.000-06:00Kevin Edgecomb, I like the way you think!Kevin Edgecomb, I like the way you think!Aaron Taylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17775589009145031773noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714437334790446678.post-9652991193372682322008-12-17T13:46:00.000-06:002008-12-17T13:46:00.000-06:00I've found disgusted contempt to be the most effec...I've found disgusted contempt to be the most effective in putting off the readers of this crap: "How can you read that trash?!" When they start to respond about "history" and "viewpoints," I wave my hand, make a noise that sounds like "pff" and walk away. This effectively plants the seeds of doubt in the reader, causing them to find the book not so good as the New York Times (a.k.a. "Hell's Bible") Bestseller list might imply. <BR/><BR/>I say gloves off! No prisoners! No pinkies away from the teacup! This is, quite seriously and in all reality, a war for souls.Kevin P. Edgecombhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16590490181739464401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714437334790446678.post-47243965273995783712008-12-17T13:44:00.000-06:002008-12-17T13:44:00.000-06:00It amuses me to no end that a three-word comment c...It amuses me to no end that a three-word comment can elicit such a courteous and elegant reply from you. ;-)<BR/><BR/>As for the research involved, well, some brave soul (certainly not me) must subject themselves to such horrors so that the rest of us may be saved from them. I thank you, sir, for taking one for the team!Esteban Vázquezhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09738869673774603152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714437334790446678.post-20386438649805205362008-12-17T13:43:00.000-06:002008-12-17T13:43:00.000-06:00This comment has been removed by the author.Esteban Vázquezhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09738869673774603152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714437334790446678.post-27437152399456101512008-12-17T13:27:00.000-06:002008-12-17T13:27:00.000-06:00Thank you, Esteban. The writing of this post was c...Thank you, Esteban. The writing of this post was certainly enjoyable, although I'm afraid I can't say the same for the research it required. I have now suffered that I may bring you entertaining posts!Aaron Taylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17775589009145031773noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714437334790446678.post-53026760500425894772008-12-17T12:56:00.000-06:002008-12-17T12:56:00.000-06:00Whoa! Epic win!Whoa! Epic win!Esteban Vázquezhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09738869673774603152noreply@blogger.com