Reverend Stover

**orty** · October 30th, 2002, 03:03 PM

This will probably hack some of you off but I've got to get it off my chest...I recently bought Stover's "Heroes Die" and now I'm angry. The guy is positivley preachy! He writes page after page of postmodernistic garbage. The story is simply a means to an end--an end that involves making good little satanists and nihilst out of his readers. What makes Stover so possitively unbearable is the fact that he wields his philosophy like a club--beating you across the head with it. My gosh, there is something to be said for being subtle.

**Sammie** · October 30th, 2002, 05:15 PM

Wow! Well you certainly feel very strongly about this, Orty.

Firstly - no-one is goona be ''hacked off' by you having different opinion from you - as long as you aren't bothered by a few opposing opinions!!

Personnally, I am gonna start with one disgreement at a time!

You say ''Heroes Die'' is ''preachy'' - i have to say that this is not something i picked up - exactly what do you think his message is, in this case??

**Solaar** · October 30th, 2002, 05:25 PM

Wow, I've asked for more info on this book and now I'm gonna get two sides arguing over it!!

Solaar
will definitely buy it just so he can get an opinion

**ChrisW** · October 30th, 2002, 05:26 PM

There is a message but it's not the one orty has mentioned. It's pretty obvious really.

**Ladijen** · October 30th, 2002, 07:30 PM

I haven't read any of Stover's work, either--I'll definitely be following this discussion.

Orty, is the book preachy in, say, the way Ayn Rand is preachy? I mean, where not only is the author's philosophy evident but it is so repetitious that if it was removed the book would be one half the size?

**Llama** · October 30th, 2002, 09:45 PM

Wow, he wants people to be BOTH Satanists AND nihilists? Cool! I totally missed this the first time around. Calls for a reread!

**Shehzad** · October 30th, 2002, 09:49 PM

And a REVERAND who preaches Satanism and nihilism? Now that's sweet!

To be honest, I didn't feel that Stover was preachy. In fact I thought he was letting the reader decide. He didn't present a "good" vs 'evil" battle. In that sense maybe he was LESS preachy than others, since he writes more about human emotions than abstract concepts. In essence, he's more a humanist than a nihilist or satanist.

**estranghero** · October 30th, 2002, 10:12 PM

Wasn't that more evident in Blade of Tyshalle? I thought Caine's scenes with the Cainites were actually hilarious.

IMHO Heroes Die wasn't preachy for me since most lectures/ lessons go over my head when I read the 1st time. Sure, there were some ideas posited but the action scenes were the ones that kept my attention.

Orty: Why do you say he was a Satanist? Nihilist, I can understand why you got that impression. But Satanist?

**ChrisW** · October 30th, 2002, 10:12 PM

er am I the only one that thought that the overall message was against the caste system? That and selfishness pays

.

**Shehzad** · October 30th, 2002, 10:17 PM

Yes, but I don't think he was ever in-your-face preachy like, say Rand or Tepper.

**Solaar** · October 31st, 2002, 01:43 PM

Ordered my copy today! But its gonna take two weeks to arrive.

Anyone know why?

Solaar
in the uk

**Eventine** · October 31st, 2002, 03:49 PM

Shipping from the US.

I recently ordered it here to Oz and it took around 2 - 2.5 weeks. Haven't had a chance to read it yet and see what the hype is about though

**Solaar** · October 31st, 2002, 04:03 PM

Looks like I'm gonna have to bank on this debate to get the gist of it before I get the book.

Solaar
resigned to waiting

**Sammie** · October 31st, 2002, 04:50 PM

Originally posted by Solaar
Ordered my copy today! But its gonna take two weeks to arrive.

Anyone know why?

Solaar
in the uk

A-WHOO HOO!! Another one down

Solaar - did you order via amazon? Cos this is what i did - and the 2 weeks is shipping time, cos the book has to come from the states.

(Irritatingly, this means it is also a very SLIGHTLY different size from all the other books on your shelves............the only way to make your shelves look neat again is to get Shehzad (or insert alternative name here

) to recommend you a couple more good books that are only out in the states.......

)

Edit: In retrospect, the books actually came a lot earlier than they'd said, tho - if that makes you feel any better?

**Solaar** · October 31st, 2002, 04:59 PM

Originally posted by Sammie

A-WHOO HOO!! Another one down

Solaar - did you order via amazon? Cos this is what i did - and the 2 weeks is shipping time, cos the book has to come from the states.

Nope, not via internet. You think credit card companies will let me have one?!?! *sigh* thank goodness for bookshops...

Edit: In retrospect, the books actually came a lot earlier than they'd said, tho - if that makes you feel any better?

Does indeed.

But they did say that if I haven't heard from them in two weeks to chase them up!!

Solaar
not filled with confidence