Lots of "rediscovered" Sherlock Holmes stories are tales that the "editor" found when he stumbled across a stash of Watson's papers. Personally, I find the "footnotes" that get put in those stories--I'm looking at you, Nicholas Meyers--to be masterbatory self-indulgence, because anyone familiar with Holmes knows the "editor" didn't spend hours toiling over some eccentricity in Watson's handwriting.
Right, what's a little sweater sniffing between sworn enemies?
Riley ,'Sleeper'
Literary Buffistas 3: Don't Parse the Blurb, Dear.
There's more to life than watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer! No. Really, there is! Honestly! Here's a place for Buffistas to come and discuss what it is they're reading, their favorite authors and poets. "Geez. Crack a book sometime."
Connie Neil - Jan 24, 2008 9:26:49 pm PST #4852 of 28343
brillig
Atropa - Jan 24, 2008 9:45:09 pm PST #4853 of 28343
The artist formerly associated with cupcakes.
It's a very common literary technique. In fact, the earliest novels were often epistolatory novels which operated under that conceit - that you'd stumbled across a stash of letters in your grandmother's attic.
Dracula! All letters and journal entries.
Miracleman - Jan 25, 2008 4:20:28 am PST #4854 of 28343
No, I don't think I will - me, quoting Captain Steve Rogers, to all of 2020
Gene Wolf also uses this trope in his "New Sun" series. It's supposedly reconstructed and translated from manuscripts from the far future brought back to the....slightly nearer future. Somehow.
Jessica - Jan 25, 2008 4:28:48 am PST #4855 of 28343
And then Ortus came and said "It's Ortin' time" and they all Orted off into the sunset
Yeah, all of Wolfe's "___ of the ____ Sun" books have some kind of narrative frame like that. And they all wrap around and connect to each other eventually in what is I'm sure a really impressive way if only I could follow it.
I love the guy, but those books are dense.
Miracleman - Jan 25, 2008 4:31:09 am PST #4856 of 28343
No, I don't think I will - me, quoting Captain Steve Rogers, to all of 2020
I love the guy, but those books are dense.
True dat.
megan walker - Jan 25, 2008 6:51:02 am PST #4857 of 28343
"What kind of magical sunshine and lollipop world do you live in? Because you need to be medicated."-SFist
It's a very common literary technique. In fact, the earliest novels were often epistolatory novels which operated under that conceit - that you'd stumbled across a stash of letters in your grandmother's attic.
Far too common nowadays I'd say. I'm really tired of it. Just tell a story already.
Aims - Jan 25, 2008 7:17:31 am PST #4858 of 28343
Shit's all sorts of different now.
The only way that device could be better is if the filmmaker made the reading of the letters a montage to "Halleluiah".
Jon B. - Jan 25, 2008 7:30:11 am PST #4859 of 28343
A turkey in every toilet -- only in America!
I can't believe no one's yet mentioned the Griffin & Sabine books.
Matt the Bruins fan - Jan 25, 2008 7:42:18 am PST #4860 of 28343
"I remember when they eventually introduced that drug kingpin who murdered people and smuggled drugs inside snakes and I was like 'Finally. A normal person.'” —RahvinDragand
I love how To Say Nothing of the Dog starts off with everybody in the bombed out cathedral and Ned keeps referring to "Mr. Peabody" as a member of their crew and it isn't until the end of the chapter that it becomes clear that Mr. Peabody is a dog.
How could anybody look at the name "Mr. Peabody" in a book featuring time travel and not realize that he's a dog ?
Volans - Jan 25, 2008 7:48:28 am PST #4861 of 28343
move out and draw fire
I can't believe no one's yet mentioned the Griffin & Sabine books
And Dictionary of the Khazars (which Sox and I were recently talking about).
And Borges. Who apparently is one of Karl Rove's favorite authors (hah!)