Excerpts from mail.fanfic: 19-Apr-96 Re: [FanFic] The Nature of .. by
"Mr. the Rutsch"@ucdavis 

On Thu, 18 Apr 1996, Damon Jason Casale wrote:

I must disagree.  I've read several "character" pieces:  pieces with all
characterization and little to no plot.  I absolutely hated them.  Maybe
that's just my personal taste, but I can't stand something that doesn't
tell a story.

    Yeah, I view plots as a cohesive way to string together 
characterizations.  It's way in the background of what I care about.  
Personal tastes.  

Mebbe so.

Joyce's _Dubliners_ is a *great* example of this.  

Haven't read it.

    Missing out on life ^_^.  That's one of those books that, IMHO, alters 
your views on what a good book is.  Although that's probably just me.

Again, mebbe so.

I've read almost zero Ranma, and very likely won't read any again.  (that
is Ranma, right?)

    Hmmm...I don't understand distaste for Ranma, but if you're primarily 
interested in plot, it's not too strong there. <shrug>...

I have other reasons for disliking Ranma.

A story that has little or no characterization falls flat to me.  Yes,

    I'm not too fond of them either, in general.  Just it's 
understandable for a story to not have them.

Well, not to *me* it isn't...

I've never read any of the Star Wars stuff.  I can't stand any of it,
written or on screen.

    I'm shocked, yes, shocked, to hear you say that.  The first two 
movies...not only were they strong in plot, with interesting 
characters, but I think they did the best job of any sci-fi movie (or 
book) of immersing you in a believable fictional world.

I never said they weren't.  That's not why I don't like them.

Having these 
awesome scenes delegated to the bacground, and offhand references to 
parts of the universe never to be mentioned again...gave me the feeling of 
enormous depth to the universe, not just a cardboard set aka "Dune" where 
eveything interesting seemed to be in the movie/book.  

*shrug*  I've read Dune.  It was okay, but I prefer Alan Dean Foster's
stuff.

Return of the Jedi was admittedly a self-conscious marketing-device remake 
of "Star Wars."  Pretty well done, though.

*shrug*  I never paid all that much attention to it.

Did you know Humphrey Bogart's role in "Casablanca" was originally 
written to be played by Ronald Reagan?  <shiver>

I wouldn't know.  I'm not sure if I've seen Casablanca, although I'm
familiar with the name, if not the storyline.

Damon Casale, scyth@andrew.cmu.edu

				* Love *
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