Posted by Tim Stretton on July 29, 1998 at 09:43:20:
In Reply to: Poor Reviews and Misunderstandings posted by Rich Thomas on July 28, 1998 at 03:37:40:
Am I alone in thinking that Ports of Call, sparkling with adornments though it is, is some way below Jack's best work? Compared with his best output, there is a lack of narrative drive which the arrival of a sequel will do little to offset. Yes, the structure is meant ot be loose and episodic, but we need only look at The Eyes of the Overworld to see how much verve Jack can give that structure.
While we are in the realms of heresy, I would advance the provocative contention that Jack has written only one really good book since Lyonesse 3: Night Lamp, which is truly excellent.
Why am I knocking Jack's recent work in this way? Simply this - I don't think we do him any favours if we slavishly say all of his work is equally sublime. Can we compare Throy with The Face? Or Ecce and Old Earth with the under-rated Emphyrio? I don't think so. All of Jack's work is good; even his worst is better than almost anything else out there. But some of his work is quite simply the best the field has ever produced - and it's up to us to convince the world. And we won't do that with Ports of Call.
Feel free to call me a mean-spirited carper and joyless schismatic: I am sure you were going to anyway. But healthy debate is good for the soul...
Cheers,
Tim.
: In light of the recent poor review in Analog, the earlier ho-hum review by Kirkus of "Ports of Call," and some general comments on these pages and other review magazines, one common thread has come to light:
: Most reviewers are unaware that "Ports of Call" is only the first book of a duology, and that the reason why many plot threads do not seem to lead anyware, and the ending is a little off kilter is that there is a second book to come, whereupon all of the outstanding questions will be asked.
: One review I saw was most entertaining for its lack of appreciation of this simple fact as the reviewer ranted on about how much of a disgrace the book was in that one of the most important plot threads, that of the search for the "fountain of youth", was left dangling and went on to say that tying up plot threads was one of the first things you learn in creative writing. It obviously didn't occur to the poor chap that there might be a sequel!!
: For the record, I happen to think Ports of Call to be an excellent book, perhaps Jacks' funniest to date, with plenty of delicious situations and incidents.
: Cheers,
: Rich