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Did you like or dislike Jones' presentation of science fiction and fantasy fans and fandom? Why or why not? Was it OK for her to use this milleu? Do you think she turned people off from this book, or got more of them to buy it?
Posts: 253 | Registered: Jan 2004
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The exact opposite, actually. I *loved* the con sections, absolutely loved them. But not everyone portayed was completely... well, I wondered if people took offense. (And before I sound like I'm saying I thought or I thought she thought all of fandom is crazy, let me just say that I go to cons, and work for the IgNobels, and probably do things far stranger.)
Posts: 253 | Registered: Jan 2004
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Actually, I was happy to learn the setting, given that I was going to Balticon at the end of May. I knew enough to understand the setting, and felt it was very believable. In a way, I was really glad we were reading this book in May - I feel it actually prepared me for my first real con!
Believe it or not, Balticon was held in a hotel just as confusing as the one in Deep Secret - like it was added on to, so different towers, different levels, and we had to zig-zag around to get to panels, etc. But the rooms did stay in the same place!
I thought it was a clever way to bring all the potential Magids together.
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It's pretty easy to be critical of lots of the fans at conventions. Way back in about '83, before most people had internet access, there was a "books.net" newsgroup that had an extremely active thread entitled "Fat at the LA con", in which there was loads of flaming on both sides.
In fact, I thought Diana Wynne Jones went pretty easy on the fans. She picked out certain common characteristics and exaggerated them, much like a political cartoonist does with facial features. This can be done rudely or kindly, and I thought she leaned towards the kind end of the spectrum.
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