Thus do I refute Grin

[womzilla]

"Barbarism is the natural state of mankind," the borderer said, still staring somberly at the Cimmerian. "Civilization is unnatural. It is a whim of circumstance. And barbarism must always ultimately triumph."

--Robert E. Howard, displaying the mythopoeic splendor and celebration of honor, glory, and hope, in "Beyond the Black River", 1935

Geez, do these hyperactive mouth-breathers even read what they praise?

[ETA: Leo Grin edited a Howard fanzine/journal for several years. So it's not ignorance that fuels him; his ability to misread is invincible!]

And I suspect that to the degree that either Grin or his most vocal supporter is actually aware of Matthew Stover, the work they would most be appalled by is Jericho Moon, the plot of which an Amazon reviewer summarizes as "the challenge of saving the entire city of Jebusi from the righteous slaughter that the Habiru war-leader Joshua and his thousands of warriors have planned. . . . Yahweh does shine as a vengeful and merciless villain." But Grin couldn't even be bothered to look that far back into his targets' oeuvre.)

For context, check out this post by another one of Grin's targets, Joe Abercrombie.

Comments

[washa-way.livejournal.com]

I greatly enjoyed Abercrombie's thorough mincing of the meat of Grin's article, Mr. Zilla, so thanks for that link, but I have to give credit where credit is due: you made Grin look just as foolish with only a single quotation.

[nancylebov.livejournal.com]

And yet, there is something cheerier about Howard than Martin or KJ Parker, even if I'm having trouble defining it.