Board Thread:Fun and Games/@comment-26296200-20151017191418/@comment-25828188-20151021185045

81.157.2.203 wrote: I think it depends what the criteria are here. I have read the Chronicles of Narnia, LOTR and ASOIAF. I read a bit of Eragon. Essentially LOTR is regarded as the pinnacle of fantasy writing, it would take a lot to beat it because of the president it set and really it created the modern fantasy genre. Therefore Eragon is out because it reads like a worse version of Middle Earth with a basic plot. I haven't read as much but it just seems to be below the standard set by LOTR.

Now we come to Narnia. Really, its good in a fairytale way but it once again does not compare for story itself. Look at fandoms here, the amount of people that follow LOTR and GOT dwarfs Narnia. It just does not possess the same kind of gritty evil that defines them both. But I still want that wardrobe tbh.

Now we get to ASOIAF. I really like ASOIAF and so far the only argument for it have been along the lines of look how manly grown up I am I like mature stuff. I couldn't care less. Another commonly repeated trope is that GRRM wrietes differently to everyone else withless of the cliches. Thats not so true, he's just very good as disguising them. But then ASOIAF is really not a work of high fantasy like LOTR. Its more of a reflection on history and brings to mind the politics of Henry II against Stephen. And its huge size speaks volumes for the world it has created. I am verging towards awarding LOTR and ASOIAF a draw here tbh. Only one thing holds ASOIAF back to date and TWOW and ADOS will really be required to finish this argument. And the thing that holds ASOIAF back it is has become too reliant on its shock value, too reliant on death to tell the entire story. Though it does have more 3D character creation that LOTR I suppose... I SAY A DRAW I do agree that to ahve even close to a proper verdict we need GRRM to finish his series.