(urth) This Week in Google Alerts: Will No One Rid Me Of This Troublesome Writer?

[António Pedro Marques]

Craig Brewer wrote (10-05-2011 16:14):
> Of course it's true that all writers "derive". But what people really
> mean (I assume) is that a writer is piggy-backing on an idea/style that
> another writer made popular or executed in a particularly excellent way.
>
> The problem here is that the "dying sun" motif is only one part of New
> Sun, and it's not even what makes the book(s) exceptional. The opinion
> was obviously just written by someone who loves Vance, as do many of us
> on the list, and they're venting because Wolfe gets more praise.
> Understandable, even if the criticism is misplaced. I don't think anyone
> sees this as a valid criticism of Wolfe...the comments on that post seem
> to say as much, too.

Moreover, Gene Wolfe doesn't ride on other people's themes' success. He
willfully reuses concepts and settings, but not for their success or for
being unable to create his own.

Nor are those concepts and settings the reason people are drawn to his work, 
nor why some of them express strong admiration of it.

And he's the first to point out the people he's indebted to.