The Author as Science Guy

[prozak at anus.com]

> Power's problem is that he's a pedestrian writer. Just the opposite of
> Pynchon, whose every thought (most every) stirs the imagination. Be it
> silly or serious. Powers no doubt knows as much as Pynchon. Maybe more.
> But knowledge isn't the issue.

In my opinion, you are absolutely correct - and further, the 
blueprint for writing this kind of novel has been established for 
three decades already. My hope is that if anything, literature keeps 
growing.

The postmodern novel, effective as it was in, like a Hollywood movie, 
summarizing daily existence into highly polarized distrust of 
society, did not escape its own polarization and thus is almost a 
religious experience of baptism in chaos and emergence with 
simplistic solutions. Thus like an asshowl I have to say that I'm 
sticking with the founders of the genre, those Faulkner-Burroughs 
guys, who observed the virus in rough formation and avoided getting 
swept up into the 'grand statements' and sentimental absolutes of 
which FWN among others warns us.

It's weird how authors sell out just like metal bands. Joyce, for 
example, sold out on his second published novel. It still has its 
appeal however, like a copy of black album Metallica kept hidden 
behind the left speaker in case there's shallots to be sliced. 
Pynchon... it seems so far is going strong, but the question is of 
pro-active applicability of his social/political theories. (I 
wouldn't call him a philosopher by style, although philosophical 
might apply). So maybe it is time for literary revolution, aka 
business as usual? 

And where is left to go (the eternal question)? Will the next genre 
solely be a whinging about the lack of frontiers, as an overgrown 
society collapses inward and eats itself?

-- 
Backup Rider of the Apocalypse
www.anus.com/metal/
DEATH AND BLACK METAL