I believe the complaint was that a science fiction story should use "science fiction appropriate" language, and that "Veil" didn't use that "appropriate language." Which it doesn't, quite deliberately.
I happen to reject the idea that there is only one language appropriate to This and language that is inappropriate to That. One might say, for instance, that Clonak's euphemism of gathering up the sundered blossoms of the DOI was not only absurdly poetical, but inappropriate to the hard, distressing actions actually being performed.
Which it is, quite deliberately.
Had "Veil" actually been a fantasy, then we could have had -- a genie! Oh, but wait! Wasn't the curiat a genie, really? Granting wishes before they were even made, with a good helping of "be careful what you wish for"?
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mmmag
no subject
Date: 2011-06-15 01:40 pm (UTC)I happen to reject the idea that there is only one language appropriate to This and language that is inappropriate to That. One might say, for instance, that Clonak's euphemism of gathering up the sundered blossoms of the DOI was not only absurdly poetical, but inappropriate to the hard, distressing actions actually being performed.
Which it is, quite deliberately.
Had "Veil" actually been a fantasy, then we could have had -- a genie! Oh, but wait! Wasn't the curiat a genie, really? Granting wishes before they were even made, with a good helping of "be careful what you wish for"?
Man, reading is hard.