Dune twitterers ridicule Kevin J. Anderson
Several people critical of Kevin J. Anderson and Brian Herbert’s new Dune books have started to lampoon Anderson using the Twitter social networking tool.
Not everyone is happy about the way the author and Brian Herbert, son of the original author of Dune, Frank Herbert, have re-worked the series which many believe to be the greatest science fiction masterpiece ever written. Anderson maintains a Twitter account — @thekja — through which he posts updates about his life and his work.
“Would FH have accepted his McDune crap as canon? Probably not.”, wrote one of Anderson’s followers on Twitter recently. The follower, whose real name appears to be Ronald Craig but who tweets as @thekjanonfan (apparently meaning not a fan), also runs a website, the Hairy Ticks of Dune Blog.
The blog contains a variety of posts accusing Anderson of poor quality writing, and critics of his work on Amazon of being unfairly biased towards the new Dune books. Craig writes about the latest Dune book, Winds of Dune:
“The Winds of Dune … showing even more than its predecessor why Frank Herbert chose not to write about those interim “gaps” between his books … and, again, just how little Kevin J. Anderson and Brian Herbert understand the fictional universe they are playing in.”
Another Twitter critic, @realdune, who brands himself the “Ghost of Frank”, has also recently started targerting Anderson on Twitter. “He left it unexplored for a reason, hack,” he said to Anderson this week on Twitter. “In 10 books, you have added NOTHING to the Dune saga.”
Anderson seems aware of the taunts. In a response to one Twitter post from another poster, he contended that many fans and reviewers didn’t think he was flogging a dead horse. “Frank Herbert left 15,000 years of history to explore,” he wrote.
And in another, he posts what he says is a correction for “a couple of fringe Dune fans”, saying The Dune Encyclopedia, a 1984 collection of essays written as a companion to the original series, was never accepted as canon by Frank Herbert.
There is also a protest group on Facebook. Dubbed the ‘Orthodox Herbertarians’, the group describes itself like this:
“This is a group for all of those that enjoy classic Dune, and do not accept the novels of Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson as Dune. Orthodox Herbertarians Unite!!!”
However, the Kevin J. Anderson fan groups on Facebook have far more members.
Some other people on Twitter, aren’t so critical of Anderson. A number of fans are using the platform to interact with the author in a positive way. “Congrats to @TheKJA for publishing his 100th novel. Absolutely amazing. The hardest working man in SF,” writes one.
Commentary
There is no doubt that Brian Herbert and Anderson’s decision to continue the Dune series after Frank Herbert’s death has angered many fans of the great series, and will continue to do so.
Personally, I don’t think the new books live up the original series — and how could they? Frank Herbert’s masterpiece is universally hailed as being a contender for the best piece of science fiction literature of all time. As a Dune fan myself, I also feel Brian Herbert and Anderson should have left the series alone.
However, this doesn’t mean fans of the original series should lower themselves or insult Anderson — who after all has devoted his life to writing science fiction — in a petty way. If we lose respect towards the authors who make up such an important part of our lives through their work, we’ll lose respect for ourselves as readers. And the authors don’t deserve such behaviour.
By all means, satirise Anderson if you feel you must, heavily critique his work and hold his quality to account. But do it in a way that shows you respect his courage for making the attempt to keep Herbert’s great vision alive. Give the guy some cred.
The ultimate course of critical action is also completely open to everyone. Simply write a better book yourself!
Related posts:
While I agree that stooping to ad hominem attacks is probably off-base, it seems to me that the whole point of a lot of the mounting criticism is denying exactly the fact that Anderson’s books stem from any courage at all, but that they are instead a cash-grab at the amount of loot this guy has made by being allowed to write in the Herbert intellectual property.
Well, I would certainly agree with Alex that money appears to be a factor in the continuation of the Dune series.
Renai
I think some of the anger is justified. In the foreward to HOUSE ATREIDES, back when all this began ten years ago, Anderson and Herbert claim that Frank Herbert left behind detailed notes on ‘Dune 7′ and other elements of the universe such as the Butlerian Jihad. Some of the fans took this at face value and, although critical of the writing quality of the books (no matter which way you look at it, Anderson is a terrible prose writer), adopted the position that whilst badly-written, at least the ‘events’ of the Butlerian Jihad, Prelude trilogy and the ‘Dune 7′ duology would be canon. We might not like how it was done but at least we’d know where Frank Herbert was going with the story (despite a nagging suspicion that Frank was just going to write ‘Dune 7′, not six other books needed to set it up first for some reason).
This all went out the window when Anderson and Herbert admitted in an interview that the notes for ‘Dune 7′ did not even include an explanation for whom the ‘Great Enemy’ mentioned in Frank Herbert’s last two books were. This was beyond belief, since it was to set up the ‘Great Enemy’ that the six prequel books had been written in the first place, and now it was revealed that Erasmus and Omnius were purely 100% Anderson and Herbert Jnr. creations, apparently in flat contradiction to their claims in 1999.
The fanbase felt, quite justifiably, ripped off by this announcement as we’d been sold the new DUNE books on the basis it was the canonical continuation and resolution of Frank Herbert’s books. Instead it turned out to be glorified fan fiction.
Whilst I don’t think insulting KJA on his own Twitter or anything like that is appropriate, I do think the anger felt by many fans towards him and Brian Herbert over the whole fiasco is fairly well-justified. For their part, the authors and their bank balances simply do not care.
I would agree there is grounds to feel ripped off!
I’ve read Frank Herbert’s original Dune series through several times, and I have to say, I sincerely doubt that he intended to write a stack more books.
My personal view is that the series seemed very much finished with Chapterhouse Dune, far more so than most people realise.
I was certainly content with the series ending there; I felt it had come full circle and could be put to bed.
Renai
PS: My personal favourite book: Still God Emperor of Dune.
Nice article; well-written and entertaining.
I’d have to say, though, that I disagree with the belief that the Twitter writers have “lowered” themselves or are doing anything wrong. Kevin J. Anderson has no one to blame but himself for this sort of reaction: from the first day he slithered into Brian Herbert’s life, Anderson has chosen to adopt an adversarial and confrontational relationship with fans of the true Dune series, going so far as to label ANYONE who questions him with the vile and hateful term of “Talifan.”
Anderson has used every platform imaginable — including two different blogs, Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, and the official Dune website — to ridicule, belittle, and marginalize Dune fans whenever the fancy strikes him. Beyond that, he’s done nothing to alleviate the popular notion that he is in it strictly for the money and the fame, and it goes without saying that he continually demonstrates a complete lack of understanding of the themes found in the original Dune series.
He’s a well-paid Rent-A-Hack who has done everything he can to alienate anyone who enjoys Frank Herbert’s work. He richly deserves whatever shots he’s taking.
I agree with you, Dukester, that the article is well written. What I cannot agree with is your claim that:
“Anderson has used every platform imaginable — including two different blogs, Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, and the official Dune website — to ridicule, belittle, and marginalize Dune fans whenever the fancy strikes him.”
The only people he has made any less than polite commentary are you and the rest of your Jacurutu Crew who routinely harass anyone who likes the new Dune books.
It is statements like this, and your other outrageous claims like:
Brian Herbert doesn’t really write the Dune books, and my personal favorite from you about how it’s a provable FACT that KJA / HPL / Tor are putting pressure on Amazon to delete all negative reviews for WoD.
well, hello Brian Conway !!
there are a number of threads at Jacurutu with your name on them, just waiting for your insightful answers ….
too busy doing TheKJAcket’s Special Forces stuff ? Don’t you have enough points for that lunchbox yet ?
or is sending whining, complaining emails to amazon admins about how darn MEAN the real Dune Fans are eating up all your time ?
I’m just trying to make sure that there is an alteritive point ov view to the Jacurutu Crew hate mongers out here on the web…
“illiterate POV” ?
nevermind. & I fully support your right to do whatever it is you suppose you’re doing. I’m just still wondering if you’re “three_kings” that posted on the SciFiChick’s blog, telling her she should delete all the OH comments, and that “These people must be stopped” ?
Nope. But I will go there and add my 2 cents worth… :)(thanks for the heads up).
For the record, I think you guys should be stopped. There is justifiable reason to keep harassing the authors and the fans, as you and the Jacurutu crew are.
The Herbert family has the right to do as they see fit with Frank Herbert’s legacy. If you don’t like it, don’t read it (yes, I know you hate that argument).
You have lost sight of the fact both sides of the issue have common ground in being fans of the original books.
I feel sorry for you.
Correction to above:
There is NO justifiable reason to keep harassing the authors and the fans…
stop us then, tough guy.
and you can call yourself a “fan” of the
“original books” all you want.
but you’ve demonstrated over & over in your
posts you have a very limited understanding
of Frank’s work.
and the Herbert “family” does NOT have the
right to do “as they see fit” to Frank’s
Legacy. Frank’s work is quickly moving into
the realm of Classic American Literature.
The Herbert “family” are only copyright holders
to Frank’s books, and trademark holders to
the Dune “franchise”. They have a responsibility to the American people, which
they have not upheld.
The Herbert ‘family’ should be stopped.
I don’t want to stop YOU, tho, Conway.
You’re funny.
And if you’re the best TehKJAcket can do,
maybe we ARE all getting worked up over
nothing.
“The only people he has made any less than polite commentary are you and the rest of your Jacurutu Crew who routinely harass anyone who likes the new Dune books.”
‘Jacurutu crew’ is your invention! It is not a homogenous group, and it is not congruent with those who were called ‘Talifans’ nor those who dislike NuDune books.
KJA called all critical voices Talifans. His non-answer (on the official FQ), continual denial of him (and all fans I have encountered so far, you included) to actually discuss matter, AND his claim that Dune is a mere inaccurate in-universe document are insults in themselves. To Frank, his work and his fans.
Well no one can “write a better book” because of the DRACONIAN way the HLP handles the copywrite. A spanish group, Nonprofit, was doing a visual version of Dune in homage to FH and to express theyre passion. It looked to be the best visual version effort to date. HLP Lawyers… squashed.
KJA ignores negative critique, period. BH is basically behind the scenes. We get boast after boast after boast about KJA’s volume. He stoops to hawking his non-Dune wares off the Main site??
Now they both have felt the need to write books inbetween the canon. An obvious attempt to difuse the originals and swing the focus around to their storyline, effectivly trying to confuse readers with volume nonsense. Filling the coffers of the HLP and KJA.
I think the focus is trying to keep the stories of KJA/BH separate from the original six so folks can enjoy its masterwork status, without all the confusion.
If you want to call it anger, thats fine. If others are more zealeous at theyre efforts, its a free country.
just my two cents,
Long live the OH!
Jesus, at least they can SPELL! If you’re going to complain about authors, it’s usually better to use correct spelling, punctuation and grammar. Man, smell yourselves!
Behind the ad hominem attacks, there are legitimate gripes against KJA for his shoddy work in the Dune universe. He has shown little care or respect for the ideas and themes of Frank Herbert’s original series, and compared to Herbert’s careful craftsmanship, Anderson’s writing is appalling.
And it’s not just about ability or style, but about attitude. When readers of the original series started writing reviews and commenting in forums about how they thought KJA’s books didn’t measure up – in writing quality or in terms of correctness – KJA responded with snide sarcasm, and by calling the detractors “Talifans”. The moderator of the official Dune Novels forum started deleting posts and banning users from that community for virtually any negative comments about the new books or their authors.
I agree that the anti-KJA folks (of which I am one) do go over the top sometimes. But this has been a long-running dispute, and extremism has not been restricted to one side of it. While the pettiness is not justified, the dispute with KJA and the HLP very much is.
HBJ
“Anderson’s writing is appalling”
This, I would agree with. When I first picked up one of the prequels, I was shocked at how they made an obvious attempt to mimick Frank Herbert’s basic framework, without realising any of the subtleties inherent in it.
Regarding the Talifan thing … I think it was a low blow and something Kevin J. Anderson probably never should have done. A moment of weakness, perhaps, after many fans didn’t accept the new novels.
Renai
Thanks for replying!
I thought this was a great article, but would have liked to have seen a bit more about the underlying dispute, rather than just the frothy twitter activity on the surface. :)
I wish I could agree with you about the “Talifan” comment being a moment of weakness, but I’ve seen or heard him use the term in interviews about half a dozen times, I would say. I think he thinks it’s clever.
I also disagree that the best response for detractors is to “write a better book yourself”. I think criticism – even *very spirited* criticism – is legitimate even if it comes from people who cannot write themselves.
I would suggest that if we want few negative reviews of new Dune books, that *KJA* learn to write a better book. ;)
HBJ
I, for one, actually LIKE the “Talifan” label – it fits me well.
Death to the infidels !
Hey, thanks for the links! A heads-up by mail would have been nice, too (I just found out about this through RealDune’s latest Tweet), but who am I to complain about a lack of courtesy, right?
Just curious, but what brought us to your attention? (Inquiring minds and all that.) Did you find out about us on your own … or were you directed?
“…respect his courage for making the attempt to keep Herbert’s great vision alive. Give the guy some cred.”
Mmm … nah, I don’t think so. REAL courage is taking responsibility for your actions and admitting when you’ve made mistakes. Or admitting when you’ve made deliberate (and devastating) changes to the fundamental elements of a fictional universe that has been entrusted into your care. REAL courage doesn’t dismiss complaints and tell you that there’s only ONE known error … and then gleefully add “And, no, I’m not going to tell you what it is!” REAL courage is not hiding behind some story about outlines and notes and refusing to release any of them because “the fans will use them against us.” REAL courage doesn’t prohibit commentary by all except devoted fans. And REAL courage doesn’t set up a secretive, invitation-only website with a paramilitary-sounding title (kjasf.com) and then reward members materially for posting reviews on Amazon and other activities.
Now what courage exactly was it you wanted us to respect again?
Just how closely have you looked into this “author” and his writing methods? Do you know about his “dictahiking”, where he dictates his “writing” into an IC recorder while hiking? You can almost hear Truman Capote quipping, “That’s not writing, that’s hiking.”
“Simply write a better book yourself!”
Yeah, I get that one a lot. We Orthodox Herbertarians call it “Preeq Argument #13″. (Preeq for Prequelite, or devotee of the McDune books. Not so accurate since the “Dune 7″ sequels and new “Heroes” interquels, huh?) A year or two back on MySpace KJA’s wife Rebecca observed that with all the text I put out, I could write a book myself. (Of course, for them writing a book seems to be more generating the correct number of words, so grain o’ salt with that one.) But who knows, maybe I will try doing just that.
And send KJA a signed copy of the first edition. ;)
You guys first came to my attention because I was looking for science fiction and fantasy writers and fans on Twitter to follow from the official Keeping the Door twitter account.
When I saw the stuff going on, I had to write about it, given the ongoing debate about the new novels. I wish I had time to contact everyone and do interviews etc … but Keeping the Door is not my day job ;) I do my best.
Re writing a better book; what I was really getting at here was not to suggest that people should write another Dune book, but that the best way to critique Kevin J. Anderson is to become a writer yourself and write better than he can.
Constructive criticism, or positive action, not negativity, is more my style.
Another way would be to write more in-depth criticism of the new novels.
Renai
Hey again! I think it’s totally cool that you actually reply to comments here! Too many times we’ve seen someone interview KJA or report the controversy and then never reply to feedback. Quite refreshing! :D
Thanks for the info on how you came across us. And “more in-depth criticism” is definitely something that’s in the works. ;)
And as for writing better than he can … can it really be that hard? :)
Hehe well websites these days aren’t like they were in the 1990s … they are basically databases with content management systems attached. They’re dynamic. They inspire … conversation ;)
Renai
[...] That link takes you to an article on a site called Keeping The Door (”All you can eat sci-fi and fantasy books”) entitled Dune twitterers ridicule Kevin J. Anderson. [...]
A man that has no respect for the author and universe he writes in doesn’t deserve ANY credit. The man doesn’t care about mistakes, inconsistencies or bad writing in general. Every year, right on time he delivers what you call “his courage for making the attempt to keep Herbert’s great vision alive” … he is not keeping the vision alive at all. He is swamping and drowning it with bad writing in general, inconsistencies with the original books AND within his own work, flat characters, deus-ex-machina, blatant mistakes, et cetera et cetera.
This man deserves all the vile he gets and then some.
You had me right up until the end. I don’t think he deserves any credit. Clearly any other author would have kept Dune alive and remained true to the FH vision. Thanks for spreading the Orthodox message!
Hehe no worries :)
I guess I feel any writer of any kind deserves cred for courage; I know most writers (and I guess this includes journalists as well as novelists, essayists, even academics etc), suffer for their art at some stage or another.
Not defending the new Dune series; but the honour of writers in general I guess!
Renai
To me, it seems like KJA just writes what he wants to write. It is pretty clear that he never sat down with Dune and read it cover-to-cover. His books contain so many inconsistencies that you can tell he has no respect for the original material! The only thing he cares about is whether or not the check from his publisher clears.
If he loved the originals, or if he even cared, he would have taken the time to do it right. Instead, he just cranks out novel after novel and takes the rare potshot at people who criticize him. Instead of having an honest discussion, he’ll hide behind Twitter, Facebook, or Myspace. I’m sorry, but that makes him a coward. He cannot or will not stand behind his work- because it isn’t worth actually standing behind. And deep down…I think he knows it.
Excellent! It’s great when we can get outsider elements like this that look at the argument from a sane point of view. I have to reiterate that much of the uncivilized behavior that results from the discussion of the new books was caused by KJA and the HLP’s unwilling attitude towards fielding OH fans concerns. Instead they compare us to terrorists.
Respect is earned, not arbitrarily bestowed. I could care less which fans are bitching what over on Twitter or Facebook; the real subject is the awful books of Kevin J. Anderson and Brian Herbert. The days of respecting an author because they’ve been published have long since vanished as a credible benchmark for begrudging respect. Kevin J. Anderson and Brian Herbert are only two of thousands of authors working hard to reduce literature rather than elevate it. Until Kevin and Brian accomplish something qualitative rather than singing their own praises for mere words-published-per-year, they deserves no respect beyond acknowledgment as human conveyor belts for the publishing industry.
Well I think there *is* something to be said for a writer getting published, but you have to look at *why*.
KJA and BH got these books published because they had a big fan DUNE emblazoned in 80pt font on the cover. I don’t think that earns them much respect.
HBJ
an article about the Orthodox Herbertarian Jihad
without mentioning the home sietch, Jacurutu.com ?
Fail.
(thanks for the effort, tho ! Who are you guys again ?)
I have just become aware of the site :)
Cheers,
Renai
“I don’t like every writer’s style; for instance, I have never been able to get through Ursula LeGuin, China Mieville, or Iain Banks, all of whom are critical darlings.”
—Kevin J. Anderson, email
I don’t know if you’ve seen this quote yet, but judging from some of the points of overlap in our tastes, I thought you might find it interesting, and that it might help explain things a bit more.
Where do you stand on Miéville, btw? :)
Are you sure that’s the full email? I thought it was:
“I don’t like every writer’s style; for instance, I have never been able to get through Ursula LeGuin, China Mieville, or Iain Banks, all of whom are critical darlings and alive, so I can’t mutilate their literary legacies. Of course, when LeGuin dies I will turn out to have been a massive fan all along and will be embarking on a new EARTHSEA novel, although obviously only after I have written two unnecessary prequel trilogies first.”
I still think this is the most succinct summary of the situation I’ve read:
http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2003/10/15/
I would describe the Penny Arcade review as accurate :)
Renai
Put my own blog post up about the situation as well. Been needing to get that off my chest for a while now ;)
http://thewertzone.blogspot.com/2009/08/winds-of-duneor-should-that-be-hot-air.html
Renai – after reading your comments on the ChiggerBlagh,
and understanding how new this site is, and how new you
are to the issue at hand, I recant my snarky “FAIL”
comment and ammend in to :
WIN !!
and also -
BUG SCORE !!
thanks for your support, and
come see us in the sietch.
http://www.jacurutu.com
Haha cheers! You can bet I’ll be there :)
Renai
As the creator and an administrator of jacurutu.com I’d like to extend an invitation to join in the conversation there.
But first let me say that much of the animosity you find there is a result of personal interaction with the Herbert Limited Partnership and Kevin J. Anderson and is not entirely unwarrented. They are like a utility company, they don’t care about their existing customers, only new suckers to buy their books.
If you can get beyond that, you won’t find a more knowledgable group of FH’s Dune fans anywhere.
That is a mammoth and extremely detailed post, Adam. I think I will have to sit back and digest it at my leisure. Certainly an eye opener, if everything is contained it is true. I don’t know enough about the exact details of the situation.
Renai
[...] been a lot of discussion on Keeping the Door (and other places) over recent weeks about the idea that Kevin J. Anderson and Frank [...]
[...] As I’ve noted in a previous article, I don’t think the new Dune books live up to Frank Herbert’s original vision. However I [...]
[...] of anything that is KJA related. He has also been ridiculing KJA on Twitter, as was reported by the keeping the door blog, and his cohorts at Jacurutu are now making outrageous claims [...]
[...] of anything that is KJA related. He has also been ridiculing KJA on Twitter, as was reported by the keeping the door blog, and his cohorts at Jacurutu are now making outrageous claims [...]
thanks for the pointer to the Pestless Knight’s blahg !
been wondering who/what he was.
and reposting a whiny “LEAVE KEITH ALONE !!” on a
right-wing hate site ? WTF ?
This is typical for Anderson. He worms his way into a franchise and stinks it up. He has a small but passionate base of hardcore fans (those I’ve met in person are people whose tastes I usually tend to disagree with, in general, about most things literary or for that matter, overall); and a larger circle of casual readers who pick up one of his franchise books not because of his name but that of the franchise itself. His Star Wars books are considered among the worst officially licensed fiction in THAT universe, and other authors have only grudgingly acknowledged the canonicity of events in his stories or have done their best to ignore/retcon/write around them altogether. I’ve had this implicitly confirmed to me, in person, by one of those authors, whom I will not name here. (It’s telling that he hasn’t had a Star Wars contract for nearly ten years, by which time the power of fan comments on the internet had made it clear that his work was hardly beloved, overall–especially in comparison to that of, say, Tim Zahn. It’s also interesting that his DUNE work began right around the time that his Star Wars work ended.) Moreover he has a reputation of being, to be frank, a bit of a jerk to not just critics of his work but also his fans, and this has been evidenced by numerous postings he’s made on Star Wars boards and elsewhere. In short, perhaps there were lost DUNE notes leftover by Frank Herbert; certainly, if Brian Herbert had the legal authority to do so–and presumably his father’s blessing–there’s no reason those notes should not have been made public in some form. A better route would have been that chosen by Christopher Tolkien–almost purely scholarly and editorial, showing not only his work in post-morteming-his father’s stories, but demonstrating in agonizing detail (even to reproducing pages of original writing by his own father) how and when they were written. I doubt the alleged “Dune” notes, if they exist, would bear up to such scrutiny. But it’s the oldest line in the book–follow the money. Both the dreaded KJA and the younger Herbert know from whence the golden river flows; and DUNE, for better or worse, is now a “franchise”. If I were to subscribe to the metaphysical, I would say I hope for literary karmic retribution (at the very least I hope that the Elder Herbert is sneering down from whereverthe afterlife has taken him); but in purely here-and-now terms, I’d love to see “the goods”. Publish the unedited notes–these thousands of pages–complete with verifiable examples that prove beyond a doubt they flowed from Frank’s imagination, not his son’s, or from Anderson’s greed. But I won’t hold my breath. Just as long as KJA never dips his hands into a franchise that actually MEANS something to me. Hands off Babylon 5, Twin Peaks, Elfquest, and the rebooted Trek!
I was right there with you, cheering you on, until the last two sentences. But I’ll let that pass, I’m feeling real democratic today.
if you come back around here, I’d like you to clarify, just for my own purposes, that you are not a member of the Jacurutu mob, and that the ideas you’ve expressed here were formulated from your own experience & reading, and not copy-pasted from the Sietch.
also, please state categorically that you are not a SandChigger sockpuppet. thanks.
I’m none of those. I don’t even know what those are. I’m actually an independent KJA non-fan. I’m aware of him through his SW novels, which I’ve found impossible to finish. Truth to tell, I have never been able to finish DUNE; this is my fault, not the book’s. (I’m actually making another attempt as we speak.) But I know enough about it–and Herbert–to know that it/he demands respect and has had a far-ranging impact and influence. Every so often when I’m done rearranging my sock drawer and shoving pins into my flesh and I have nothing better to do, I do a net search for the latest BS from the KJA world. This time it led me to various Dune blogs and forums, and I was not in the least surprised by what I found, since it’s pretty much the same thing that happened with Star Wars–except that he was run out of town when everyone realized what his game was (ie, to gain control of the whole expanded franchise). The fact is that I’ve known several of the KJA sycophants I referenced in person and I find them intolerable, defending their literary hero with cult-like zeal. (Almost Scientoligic. There, I coined a phrase.) And I’ve known people who have met and even worked with him and they all tell the same story. So there you go. It was just a random, gooogle-fueled web-stop. As for my taste in franchises, thank you for your magnanimity. I like what I like, but you know, I don’t like KJA.
Well, there you have it. Unless, of course, you actually are the SandChigger, and all the above is just a vicious lie to further malign TehKJA and affect his income.
FYI, http://www.jacurutu.com is just a little harmless, mostly overlooked message forum on the fringes of Dune-fandom. (Jacurutu is the Sietch in Frank’s Dune where the outlaw Fremen ended up, the home of “The Outcast” – the board was started by some of the OH, Orthodox Herbertarians, who were banned & kicked out of the ‘official’ forum @ dunenovels.com for complaining too loudly & intelligently about the new Dune books, and the poor quality of Keith’s work.)
I’d like to invite you to join for a minute, just to give us the opinion you’ve posted here, in the “Everybody Hates Keith” thread -
http://www.jacurutu.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=1721
a collection of amazon customer reviews & other pans of TehKJA’s work OUTSIDE of Dune.
this was interesting :
“the same thing that happened with Star Wars–except that he was run out of town when everyone realized what his game was (ie, to gain control of the whole expanded franchise)”
thanks to the timidity & low intelligence, or just plain carelessness & greed, of the surviving Herberts, Keith HAS taken control of the Dune franchise. And driven it straight into the ground. And thinks he’s done a great job. And we’re wondering how he can think that.
my thanks to you, sir.
Well, you’re most welcome. I can only assure you once more that I’m legit, but of course I can’t (and wouldn’t) force anyone to believe what I say. It doesn’t matter much to me either way. (Recently I posted my love of one of the summer’s less successful comedies on a few movie boards–AICN, IMDB–and was instantly accused of being a plant/paid shill for the studio. I’m not and no one would believe otherwise, but I saw no point in fighting it. People will believe what they want.
But I honestly have no other stake in this. Just sounding off on my opinions/observations, and pleased to see I’m not the only one who shares them. I read the link you gave with great interest and amusement. Some of the comments were great. I’ve always said that he writes like a 14 year old trying to impress 12 year olds, but I see someone there has called it even closer–that he writes like a 10 year old. Well, I wrote at 10, and I have to say–it wasn’t as bad as his stuff!
In all seriousness, his tactics of suppression and spin seriously recall those of the Hubbardology church…to which he allegedley belongs. (I’ve never been able to confirm this but it would not surprise me, indeed, it would seem to make perfect sense).
It’s truly sad to see that he HAS gained control of the Dune franchise. I’d be interested to know how much (if any) legal control of it he has…like if the Herberts could, hypothetically, kick him out of it if they so desired, or if he has somehow gained leverage over them.
In the case of Star Wars, my observation on how he pulled that off in more detail (if anyone cares) is as follows….I’m sure he thought he was being insidiously (haha) clever. He started out with a novel trilogy which sold because it was Star Wars and for no other reason. He pitched a “harmless” young adult series, then coordinated a “harmless” set of anthologies…with himself as editor and thus, in control of the work of the other authors (most of whom have vastly superior skills). Simultaneously he wormed his way into some of the comics (the only even halfway decent of his SW efforts), and before long, had co-opted control of several storylines that other SW authors had begun. Towards the end of the decade he had authored “The Essential Chronology”, which gave him the unprecedented power over how to present the entire history of the fictional universe. But by this time Episode One was out and it was a new era, for better or worse.
While the following is absolute, pure speculation on my part, I believe it’s a logical surmise: I *guarantee* you he made a pitch to the folks at Lucas Licensing for himself to be installed as some sort of executor or master-controller/overseer/editor of the entire Star Wars Expanded Universe, and I guarantee you that by this time, the smart folks at Lucas Licensing told him to take a walk and never look back. Sadly, to Dune’s detriment.
As for the other forum, I’ll have some more free time in a couple days and I just might take you up on your invitation. No reason not to.
Forgive the rambling nature of this post; it’s late and I’m tired and have a long day ahead of me. But thank you for the levity and the invite. I’ll look forward to further sounding off!
BTW you kept referencing “Keith”; I assume you meant “Kevin”?
Very good article. If I may add my 2 cents.
I used to frequent several Dune related websites, going back several years. I stopped because of all the juvenile and irrelevant attacks on BH and KJA, many of which stopped to attacks on their personal character which were completely out of line. Any justification of such behavior is evidence of a very small minded person.
Now, to be honest, I haven’t liked all of the “new stuff.” Then again, I didn’t like all of the original novels either. GEoD was one of the most boring novels I have ever read. I wasn’t too fond of Chapterhouse either. The entire Dune series was not brilliant. The first book definitely was. The rest — well, that’s debatable (tho I did really enjoy Messiah and Children).
I found the Prelude series to be lackluster and quite boring. A pain to get through. However, I greatly enjoyed the Legends series. My only complaint was that I wished Legends had fleshed out the creation of the BG, Suk, Mentats, etc. a little more, but I see now that is coming.
But let’s be honest. People were complaining about the new books well before the first one was even published. I saw so many comments with people saying BH had “no right” to continue the series, which is ridiculous. It’s his father’s stuff, and whether or not you like him as a writer, as FH’s descendant, he was perfectly entitled to continue his father’s work. I had never read KJA’s stuff before reading the new Dune books, and while I am not all that interested, I can kinda understand why some were displeased.
But comments like KJA never read the Dune books “cover to cover” as someone said above, or that BH is just looking for a cash cow, I think are inaccurate, in that these are comments in the realm of speculation and we have no way of knowing for sure. Seems to me that a more rational and reasonable explanation, especially given the reported nature of the relationship between BH and FH was that this was a way for BH to connect with his father and possible atone for their not always great relationship.
The venom which is spewed at BH and KJA is unjustifiable. People seem to think that just because they read someone’s book that they know the person. We DON’T know FH. We only know what he wrote. Which is a very small segment of who the man actually was. To assume what FH would or would not have thought has no bearing on reality.
In short, many of the Dune fans who are so vehement in the disdain for the new books remind me of the old SNL skit with Shatner in what he said to the Trekkies. It going too far and it’s really silly.
I agree with you. If you don’t like the writing or the direction things have done, everyone is well within their rights to say so. But the personal attacks and the suppositions about the character of BJ and KJA are just down right petty, juvenile and have no place in the discussion. Anyone who engages in such behavior have no credibility whatsoever. Because after all, we’re talking about a work of fiction, not who launched an attack on Iraq.
and after all, “credibility” on the web is all anybody cares about, right ?
“GEoD was one of the most boring novels I have ever read.”
you lost yours right there.
“I greatly enjoyed the Legends series. My only complaint was that I wished Legends had fleshed out the creation of the BG, Suk, Mentats, etc. a little more, but I see now that is coming.”
lm-mf-ao.
thanks for your two cents,
I’ll give 3/4 of it back in change.
Anderson is the worst kind of hack
ever to plague the publishing world.
Enough bad things, “justified” or not,
cannot be said about his work, and about
him personally. He is a punk, a whiny,
petty, bitchy little man. He makes himself
a target of ridicule every time he appears
in public, in the same Going Out Jacket
he’s worn for ten years, spouting the same
non-sense. (“award-nominated”, “best-selling”,
“TheKJA”, &etc)
Brian is just pitiful. And not really a part
of this equation, anyway.
By the way, what’s your opinion of Glenn
Beck, and his refusal to clear his name in
this rape & murder case ?
edit to add to Keith’s non-sense :
“Frank’s Notes”, “The Outline”,”Dune7 Floppies”, “Brian called me first”, “Biggest Dune Fan”, “Hiking”, “Biggest Contract”, &etc.
Thank you for illustrating my point so perfectly.
you’re welcome.
keep coming back,
it works if you work it …
SecondRebel, here’s what’s got me confused, if you like the two “writers” why even bother talking to people whom don’t? From what I can see these small chat sites and rooms are designated for discussions between like minded people whom either love or hate something. People are clearly passionate about these things, and rightfully so, the books are written and designed to illicit a vehement emotional response, sometimes that’s good, sometimes that’s very bad. No one is stalking these two gentle sirs (that I know of, or at least not yet, right, guys? Right….? anyone? right?) so it stands to reason sitting here and purging malcontent dialog is probably a more constructive way to deal with these things than anything else. And before you ask, yes, I have read them, (new Books) no I don not like them. (new Books) Yes I have read them (original books) yes i do love them (original Books) INCLUDING God Emperor of Dune. and what’s more, I think more disturbing than vehement dislike for an author is the constantly occurring trend of using texter’s jargon in a function of conversational discourse that in no way should require the need for expedience thereby necessitating anagrams or abbreviates. Case in point, the opening volley of your rant containing GeoD! Uhh EXCUSE ME? Aren’t you trying to articulate a point here? like it or no, respect it or no, how about respecting yourself and your own point of view enough not to convey like a fourteen year old teenage girl on the phone with her girlfriends. How valid can your opinion on writing or writers be if you’re not even going to bother to spell out your examples?! OMG, WTF GTFOOH, man!
Hey, Renai. It looks like my new impersonator has decided to take a squat here, too. Sorry! He’s some racist wingnut who got kicked off Jacurutu recently. :roll:
Interesting. Can you let me know what posts someone has impersonated you in? Email editor at keepingthedoor.com if you need to.
eastern canadian white-boy rapper/ninja stalks the SandChigger -
http://chiggerblog.hairyticksofdune.net/blog/?p=675
Hi Rudy !!
Wow, someone acting like a bitch-ass fool, spending an amazing amount of time and bandwidth and hate-blog ragging over the antics one other person for no apparent good reason? Wow, never could have told the difference!
Aw … Liz has evidently finally found voice for her inner rage. :)
(Calif … wasn’t that a city in KJA’s Terrier Incontinence: Beyond Dune I Still Write Badly?