SF author Greg Egan reviews Avatar

#1

Post by arundelo » Tue, Dec 22, 2009, 12:15 AM UTC

SF author Greg Egan reviews Avatar
gregegan.net

Re: SF author Greg Egan reviews Avatar

#2

Post by seldo » Tue, Dec 22, 2009, 12:32 AM UTC

Many of the reviews of Avatar have focused on the (over-)simplicity of the plot. I don't understand these people. Avatar is packed with so much visual confection that I could barely process half of what I was seeing; I wouldn't have had any brain left over to _understand_ a plot.

Who cares about the plot? It's beautiful. Amazingly, wonderfully, brilliantly beautiful.

Re: SF author Greg Egan reviews Avatar

#3

Post by [deleted] » Tue, Dec 22, 2009, 12:34 AM UTC

seldo wrote: post #2

Many of the reviews of Avatar have focused on the (over-)simplicity of the plot. I don't understand these people. Avatar is packed with so much visual confection that I could barely process half of what I was seeing; I wouldn't have had any brain left over to _understand_ a plot. Who cares about the plot? It's beautiful . Amazingly, wonderfully, brilliantly beautiful.

[deleted]

Re: SF author Greg Egan reviews Avatar

#4

Post by anigbrowl » Tue, Dec 22, 2009, 12:35 AM UTC

Upvoted not just for the insightful and non-snarky review, but because Greg Egan is a) the best science-fiction writer most people have never heard of - it's practically impossible to find his work in a US bookstore - and b) an interesting writer on both science and code.

Science: http://www.gregegan.net/FOUNDATIONS/index.html Java Applets: http://www.gregegan.net/APPLETS/Applets.html

Re: SF author Greg Egan reviews Avatar

#5

Post by emmett » Tue, Dec 22, 2009, 12:43 AM UTC

seldo wrote: post #2

Many of the reviews of Avatar have focused on the (over-)simplicity of the plot. I don't understand these people. Avatar is packed with so much visual confection that I could barely process half of what I was seeing; I wouldn't have had any brain left over to _understand_ a plot. Who cares about the plot? It's beautiful . Amazingly, wonderfully, brilliantly beautiful.

Egan gets your point entirely, and laments that it hasn't been put in service of something better. The best technology in the world deserves to be joined with a great script, not a severely impaired one.

Re: SF author Greg Egan reviews Avatar

#6

Post by emmett » Tue, Dec 22, 2009, 12:44 AM UTC

anigbrowl wrote: post #4

Upvoted not just for the insightful and non-snarky review, but because Greg Egan is a) the best science-fiction writer most people have never heard of - it's practically impossible to find his work in a US bookstore - and b) an interesting writer on both science and code. Science: http://www.gregegan.net/FOUNDATIONS/index.html Java Applets: http://www.gregegan.net/APPLETS/Applets.html

Greg Egan is my favorite sci-fi writer. Read http://www.amazon.com/Axiomatic-Greg-Egan/dp/0061052655 and have your mind blown.

Re: SF author Greg Egan reviews Avatar

#7

Post by matasar » Tue, Dec 22, 2009, 12:51 AM UTC

anigbrowl wrote: post #4

Upvoted not just for the insightful and non-snarky review, but because Greg Egan is a) the best science-fiction writer most people have never heard of - it's practically impossible to find his work in a US bookstore - and b) an interesting writer on both science and code. Science: http://www.gregegan.net/FOUNDATIONS/index.html Java Applets: http://www.gregegan.net/APPLETS/Applets.html

Are his books as overwritten as this review? Honest question, as I found the review pretty leaden, but I'm always looking for interesting sci-fi.

Re: SF author Greg Egan reviews Avatar

#8

Post by bitwize » Tue, Dec 22, 2009, 12:55 AM UTC

Despite it being a rehash of Great Nature vs. Technological Fucking Civilization, Avatar has going for it a much better plot than Titanic, a completely hokey, treacly, implausible film that won eleven Oscars and is still uncontested in terms of box-office revenues.

Re: SF author Greg Egan reviews Avatar

#9

Post by Estragon » Tue, Dec 22, 2009, 12:58 AM UTC

matasar wrote: post #7

anigbrowl wrote: post #4

Upvoted not just for the insightful and non-snarky review, but because Greg Egan is a) the best science-fiction writer most people have never heard of - it's practically impossible to find his work in a US bookstore - and b) an interesting writer on both science and code. Science: http://www.gregegan.net/FOUNDATIONS/index.html Java Applets: http://www.gregegan.net/APPLETS/Applets.html

Are his books as overwritten as this review? Honest question, as I found the review pretty leaden, but I'm always looking for interesting sci-fi.

He's actually my favorite author, but yeah, when it comes to the actual wordsmithing, he's no Gene Wolfe. The ideas are always great, though, and stories usually are.

Re: SF author Greg Egan reviews Avatar

#10

Post by Estragon » Tue, Dec 22, 2009, 1:00 AM UTC

emmett wrote: post #6

anigbrowl wrote: post #4

Upvoted not just for the insightful and non-snarky review, but because Greg Egan is a) the best science-fiction writer most people have never heard of - it's practically impossible to find his work in a US bookstore - and b) an interesting writer on both science and code. Science: http://www.gregegan.net/FOUNDATIONS/index.html Java Applets: http://www.gregegan.net/APPLETS/Applets.html

Greg Egan is my favorite sci-fi writer. Read http://www.amazon.com/Axiomatic-Greg-Egan/dp/0061052655 and have your mind blown.

There's also a bunch of free online stuff (some of included in that anthology) here:

http://gregegan.customer.netspace.net.au/BIBLIOGRAPHY/Online...