"That is not to say my attitude to the work does not continue to change. In the past 14 years I've gone through periods where I was thoroughly out of sorts with the novel, even on occasion irritated that it found such favour with readers when other stories seemed more worthy.
And in the troughs of my discomfort, I made what with hindsight seems to be dubious judgments about fantastic fiction as a whole. I have been, I think, too disparaging about the "escapist" elements of the genre, emphasising its powers to adress social, moral and even philosophical issues at the expense of celebrating its dreamier virtues.
I took this position out of a genuine desire to defend a fictional form I love from accusations of triviality and triteness, but my zeal led me astray.
Yes, fantastic fiction can be intricately woven into the texture of our daily lives, adressing important issues in fabulist form.
But it also serves to release us for a time from the definitions that confine our daily selves; to unplug us from a world that wounds and disappoints us, allowing us to venture into places of magic and transformation."
Clive barker, from his introduction to the 2001 Pocket Book edition of
Weaveworld
No comments:
Post a Comment