Author Topic: EP311: The Faithful Soldier, Prompted  (Read 13511 times)

Devoted135

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Reply #25 on: October 06, 2011, 01:40:06 PM
I loved the setting and atmosphere of this story, the author did a great job of creating a unique, yet comprehensible world. I totally missed the fountain connection when I was listening so at first I was really frustrated with what I perceived to be yet another story without an ending. Now that that's cleared up though, I just really like this one. :)



Unblinking

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Reply #26 on: October 06, 2011, 01:40:29 PM
Yes, the idea of finding what you were looking for close to home has been done before, probably many times.  But I don't really see that as a problem.  There are also plenty of stories where what you were looking for is actually far from home.  The former makes a more interesting theme to me, and that's probably why it's often used.  People who are looking for happiness have the key to it right under their noses if they only allow themselves to see.



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Reply #27 on: October 06, 2011, 05:35:38 PM
I am fascinated with science fiction stories whose settings is in other than Western culture. With that in mind I felt  the story might need to be longer just to explain the background. Is this some post war Middle East were Islam fractures to different sects? Still I did enjoy this story.



Max e^{i pi}

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Reply #28 on: October 08, 2011, 09:08:48 PM
I don't think I was entirely clear in my previous posts, so I'll try to clarify.
When writing fiction it is very hard to come up with something entirely original, because there is so much fiction (and non-fiction for that matter) that has been written that the chances of repeating an idea are very high. That's fine. I'm cool with that, because different authors tend to put a new spin on old ideas. Everybody has the opportunity to tell the story the way he or she wants, and that generally includes a unique perspective on an old trope. I love reading a story that is based on an old idea that I have seen in other places and does something totally new and exciting to it.
My problem with this particular story is that it's not reusing an old idea for a new story, it's telling the exact same story in a slightly different setting. Yes, the setting was pretty cool and I would like to see more stories in that world, but the story itself was nothing to write home about. It's basically a complicated regex that replaces the setting in an old story. Aside from the great worldbuilding, we see no sign of the author's writing talent. Plot, characters, dialog... all exactly the same.
Don't get me wrong, we rarely get to see such great worldbuilding, and Saladin Ahmed rarely disappoints there, but it just wasn't enough to save an otherwise mediocre story. Mind you, it's only mediocre because it's the exact reproduction of other stories. I fully admit that if this is the first story like this that you've encountered it's great. And if you enjoyed this story, you might want to pick up a copy of The Alchemist, because I really loved that one.

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hardware

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Reply #29 on: November 04, 2011, 08:58:27 AM
I really liked this story, wonderfully free of clunky exposition and with a dense atmosphere. Although the plot, as max points out, is based on a traditional story (http://learningtogive.org/resources/folktales/Treasure.asp) I must agree with Unblinking that it doesn't take away too much of the enjoyment of the story. Actually, seeing that it is a jewish folk tale rather adds a dimension to it. 

But there is so much more than plot to good fiction, so I think it is very unfair to claim that there is no sign of the authors writing talent. Here the theme of faith are played out in a novel and interesting way, where it is both linked and set against the future society and technology, of a religion that has lost it way (with the whole thieves in the temple subplot providing ). As some have pointed out, there are hints in here of a whole scenario of developments in the middle east, which may or may not be read as a commentary of what is going on down there. In a way, the change of the setting creates a new and rich layer to the story.



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Reply #30 on: February 14, 2012, 05:19:15 PM
Reach out and touch faith!

All cat stories start with this statement: “My mother, who was the first cat, told me this...”


kibitzer

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LaShawn

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Reply #32 on: April 09, 2012, 05:09:45 PM
I had the pleasure of reading this story before, so I knew what was going on. Ah, I soooo covet Saladin's writing style. (Thank goodness there's no commandment called--Thou shalt not covet another writer's style--although plagerizing is a huge nono, there's no harm in coveting, is it?) Anyway, beautiful story. I love the meld of faith and technology. I did get a little confused as to why the old man changed his mind and let Ali go, but hey, like the old proverb says, don't just stand there criticizing the donkey's technique after it kicked you in the crotch.

(That's not a proverb? Why not? Sighhh...I'm in a weird mood today.)
« Last Edit: April 09, 2012, 05:11:37 PM by LaShawn »

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kibitzer

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Reply #33 on: April 10, 2012, 08:17:32 AM
LaShawn... I would buy a book of your modern proverbs  :D