Viewed through the prism of the media, his record-breakingly popular novels are universally condemned as dishonest tat.Andew Collins at The Times looks at the phenomena of Dan Brown (the author Steven King has called "the intellectual equivalent of Kraft Macaroni & Cheese") and joins the rest of the world in the countdown to :
... the internationally synchronised publication on September 15 of Dan Brown’s next helping of processed slop.
11 comments:
Seriously. I don't know what people have against Dan Brown. The man wrote brilliant novels!
All his stories have a beginning, a middle, and an ending, they use extensive symbolism, they challenge readers to think, to speculate, to wonder. The each have their own message (although the common theme seems to be the questioning of Christianity) without sounding preachy.
Robert Langdon is not portrayed as a flawless hero archetype. He's no James Bond, far from it.
Of course, I love his books more than the movies (mainly because Tom Hanks is definitely NOT Robert Langdon. Eh). You have to admit, Dan Brown did his research up to a point where it's freaking believable.
This is a conspiracy theory, I tell you. One that tries to undermine Dan Brown's credibility as an author. Ahahaha. Pun intended. One side, there are other authors who are jealous of his ridiculous rise to fame and fortune, and the other side, I reckon the Church has something to do with it. But then again, I'm just speculating.
Can't wait to read The Lost Symbol.
I agree with Fadz. Dan Brown's novels are great page turners and rather enjoyable. Sure, he may not be a great literary writer (he doesn't claim to be one) but to describe his work as 'processed slop' smacks of sour grapes at his incredibly lucky streak. You go, Dan Brown. Good for you.
saras
Dan Brown tells a good story, and he entertains.
I have never read any Brown, but Stephen King is one of the very few writers on the planet whose criticism can't be said to be motivated by financial envy ;-)
i guess mee mamak is also very popular and there will be people who defend mee mamak as the best food there is...
same goes with books...there are always people who will defend dan brown and sophie fucking kinsella etc...i hate them...
Hope it sells a kazillion copies..and prompts:
1 Rushdie diatribe along the lines of "a novel so bad it gives bad novels a bad name"
2 lawsuits alleging plagiarism
3 religious institutions/sects/fraternities to issue an official condemnation of the book's "fabricated tapestries of lies"
4 thousand reader comments evenly split between "5-Star Masterpiece" and "1 Star piece of crap" mini reviews at Amazon.
5 million blog comments excoriating it's shortcomings
6 billion world wide gross for it's movie adaptation 2 years from.
Rock on, Dan!
I hate to nitpick, but Stephen King didn't actually call Dan Brown's novel "the intellectual equivalent of mac and cheese".
He called the combo of Reader's Digest, Dan Brown and Jokes for the John the intellectual equivalent of mac and cheese.
I read the statement in context and it came off very differently. I guess this is how misquotes are born. :)
Plus, what's so bad about mac and cheese anyway :)
-Jen
nothing wrong with mac and cheese. i actually had never tried it (the Kraft just add water version) until this whey-faced american student who was staying with my sister cooked some for herself as a treat to get away from my sister's organic vegetables and home cooked food. whatever fills your tummy and makes you happy. but there is much more nutritious stuff out there.
I've tried TGIF's Mac 'n Cheese. One word: heavenly (lol...unintended pun. I'm now officially what my MMORPG mates would call a pun zombie).
I don't think Dan Brown intended for his books to be literary. Neither does Stephen King, who also jokes about his own writing.
I think some people will always trash ridiculously popular non-literary authors. Same goes with Robert Ludlum's Bourne series, Ian Fleming's James Bond, Stephanie Meyer's Twilight Saga (well, I felt like trespassing into a girl's diary reading those books, but no one can deny the powerful chemistry between Edward and Bella, and Edward and Jacob...I mean Bella and Jacob :P).
Sharon is right. The reason Stephen King likened his and Dan Brown's books as Big Mac and Macaroni and Cheese respectively is that people (especially young 'uns) love eating those, but such fast foods aren't that healthy.
Then again, I'd much prefer gripping a book tight, hanging on to dear life as I run away or fight other assassins, catching my breath as I run away to fight another day, and not letting the book go until I almost faint from starvation, than falling asleep trying to read classic literary stuff that feels like being lectured by an especially slow grandfather.
But it's just me. I'm not an English Lit major. I just love to read.
a good macaroni cheese made with fresh ingredients - now that's comfort food but on an entirely different level of deliciousness.
(i think the cardboard box of the kraft product probably tastes as good).
anything cooked with love will taste good, popular fiction as well as the stuff with more meat in it.
doncha love the metaphor!
I love Mac N Cheese. And I love Stephen King. And I love Dan Brown.
:)
Btw, I thing it was a misquote.
Post a Comment