Lois’s answer to “After recommending The Sharing Knife (my favorite) to my husband's family (I am American he is Germ…” > Likes and Comments
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Well, I started your books in German, back in the day. But even if the translation was good, the marketing and especially the covers (from Heyne, at that time) were definitely off-putting. I guess most people in Germany, when they enjoy your work (and there are many!) switch to the original English editions.
Yes, no question that my audience consists of readers who don't judge a book by its cover.
L.
I think Alli was saying that the Lakewalkers are interpreted by Germans as gypsies, regardless of the author's intentions. I suppose it's normal that the way readers interpret a novel varies widely from the author's intentions, in all kinds of ways.
@ JP --
Yes, always. People construct the reading experience out of a combo of two things, the lines of prose (which are the same for everyone) and the knowledge and experiences already in their heads, which are different for everyone. So in that sense, everyone reads a different book (or reads the book differently.)
Some readers are unaware of this, and assume that their reading experience is universal. More commonly, some readers assume that the sources they know about are the ones the author must have been thinking of, when the author may never have heard of them. Academics, who I think should know better, often do this, starting with their theory and then hunting for evidence, or "evidence" to support it, sigh.
Ta, L.
Indeed. When I see a man named Foix, in a country that's clearly analogous to Spain, I think, right, that's a Catalan name, and it's pronounced Fosh. Your intentions, I'm afraid, are beside the point; I live in Catalonia. 😛
(I just reread "Paladin of Souls" recently, and bumped it up from 4 to 5 stars. Splendid book.)
@Johanthan Palfrey, out of curiosity, what real life cultures did the two factions (Lakewalkers and Farmers) from TDK invoke for you as someone who was raised in a British vulture (correct me if I'm wrong, just going off your bio).
I ask because as an American (especially one who is part Muskogee) they both screamed Pioneers and Native Americans. I consider myself pretty culturally aware living in a culture not native to me, yet I was still a little broad sided by my MIL mentioning gypsies.
Also Louisa, if you happen to read this, were there other sources of inspiration you had for the Lakewalkers?
Alli, I must confess that I'm out of order commenting here, because I haven't yet read this particular series! I've read all of the World of Five Gods series (repeatedly) and most of the Vorkosigan series, but I'm not yet convinced that The Sharing Knife is my kind of thing. Gypsies exist throughout Europe, of course, although I think the word is regarded as pejorative, and they're officially known as Romani or Roma. They're more populous here in Spain than in the UK or Germany. I haven't come into personal contact with them, so I doubt that I'd readily associate them with people I encountered in fiction.
I remember starting the first of your books I read (back in the 80's) in German and then switching very quickly to the American paperbacks. A. they were way cheaper (important for students), b. more important, the translation wasn't really good, it was rather pulp market style and c. most importantly, I didn't want to wait years for it to be translated.
@ Alli : as an Austrian it also evoked settlers and Native Americans. But I read the books in English, maybe it's less clear in the German translation.
Lois' comment: "Academics, who I think should know better, often do this, starting with their theory and then hunting for evidence, or "evidence" to support it, sigh." I waxed indignant when at a con the Guest of Honor was told to his face that the academics knew better than he did what inspired a passage. Very indignant; the panel got up and left.
Will you be releasing eReader versions of The Sharing Knife series, since they are out of print and out of license?
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John
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Jul 31, 2021 11:41AM
Well, I started your books in German, back in the day. But even if the translation was good, the marketing and especially the covers (from Heyne, at that time) were definitely off-putting. I guess most people in Germany, when they enjoy your work (and there are many!) switch to the original English editions.
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Yes, no question that my audience consists of readers who don't judge a book by its cover.L.
I think Alli was saying that the Lakewalkers are interpreted by Germans as gypsies, regardless of the author's intentions. I suppose it's normal that the way readers interpret a novel varies widely from the author's intentions, in all kinds of ways.
@ JP --Yes, always. People construct the reading experience out of a combo of two things, the lines of prose (which are the same for everyone) and the knowledge and experiences already in their heads, which are different for everyone. So in that sense, everyone reads a different book (or reads the book differently.)
Some readers are unaware of this, and assume that their reading experience is universal. More commonly, some readers assume that the sources they know about are the ones the author must have been thinking of, when the author may never have heard of them. Academics, who I think should know better, often do this, starting with their theory and then hunting for evidence, or "evidence" to support it, sigh.
Ta, L.
Indeed. When I see a man named Foix, in a country that's clearly analogous to Spain, I think, right, that's a Catalan name, and it's pronounced Fosh. Your intentions, I'm afraid, are beside the point; I live in Catalonia. 😛
(I just reread "Paladin of Souls" recently, and bumped it up from 4 to 5 stars. Splendid book.)
@Johanthan Palfrey, out of curiosity, what real life cultures did the two factions (Lakewalkers and Farmers) from TDK invoke for you as someone who was raised in a British vulture (correct me if I'm wrong, just going off your bio).I ask because as an American (especially one who is part Muskogee) they both screamed Pioneers and Native Americans. I consider myself pretty culturally aware living in a culture not native to me, yet I was still a little broad sided by my MIL mentioning gypsies.
Also Louisa, if you happen to read this, were there other sources of inspiration you had for the Lakewalkers?
Alli, I must confess that I'm out of order commenting here, because I haven't yet read this particular series! I've read all of the World of Five Gods series (repeatedly) and most of the Vorkosigan series, but I'm not yet convinced that The Sharing Knife is my kind of thing. Gypsies exist throughout Europe, of course, although I think the word is regarded as pejorative, and they're officially known as Romani or Roma. They're more populous here in Spain than in the UK or Germany. I haven't come into personal contact with them, so I doubt that I'd readily associate them with people I encountered in fiction.
I remember starting the first of your books I read (back in the 80's) in German and then switching very quickly to the American paperbacks. A. they were way cheaper (important for students), b. more important, the translation wasn't really good, it was rather pulp market style and c. most importantly, I didn't want to wait years for it to be translated. @ Alli : as an Austrian it also evoked settlers and Native Americans. But I read the books in English, maybe it's less clear in the German translation.
Lois' comment: "Academics, who I think should know better, often do this, starting with their theory and then hunting for evidence, or "evidence" to support it, sigh." I waxed indignant when at a con the Guest of Honor was told to his face that the academics knew better than he did what inspired a passage. Very indignant; the panel got up and left.
Will you be releasing eReader versions of The Sharing Knife series, since they are out of print and out of license?
