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Basilières vs. science fiction fans, round two

It began when Black Bird author Michel Basilières posted an online essay at the Maisonneuve site discussing both the merits and faults of legendary science fiction author Philip K. Dick. The piece also included some sharp words about the genre overall, and it launched a firestorm of furious recriminations from sci-fi fans, which in turn has prompted a follow-up column from Basilières. “For the record,” he begins, “in my remarks about Philip K. Dick, I did not intend to be understood as saying all science fiction is garbage. It was my error that what in my mind was the voice of the devil’s advocate came out on the page as a flat statement.” He concludes, though, that “no one’s reputation is served by indiscriminate praise, whether from a literary novelist or from an adolescent geek. We must be as hard on the genre writers as we are on anyone else. If they are to be considered of literary value, they must meet literary standards.” Hear, hear.

Related links:
Basilières’ latest essay on science fiction
Basilières’ original essay on Philip K. Dick, with reader comments
Related links:
Basilières’ latest essay on science fiction
Basilières’ original essay on Philip K. Dick, with reader comments

By

September 30th, 2004

12:00 am

Category: Events

Tagged with: evil, Philip K. Dick, science fiction, voice