ZeroWolf wrote:But then isn't your opinion about Roberts writing based solely on if you like the story?
Yes, it is. In my opinion the quality of the story is what determines the quality of the writer. Of course, writers can write good and bad stories, their entire body of work is what they should be judged on. And that's where I can't let Roberts have a pass. I have the entire run of MTMTE and I find it to be decent. It has good parts and boring parts. It was better toward the beginning, and seemed to get progressively worse, and ended with a disappointing arc. (Dying of the Light was atrocious, considering how good it could have been.) This is a trend that seems to be carried into Lost Light, and the lack of proper editorial supervision only highlights it more. Now, I understand that Roberts didn't start writing with MTMTE, but that's where the reboot occurs, so that's where I begin my evaluation. I should also clarify something else: I should specify that I don't think Roberts is a good comic writer. Maybe he's much better at other types of fiction. And again, all of this is just my opinion based on my history of being an avid reader of all forms of written literature. I wasn't trying to tell
Ironhidensh that he shouldn't like Roberts just because I don't. If it came off that way, my mistake.
Again, I point out, with all these talk of Roberts failings, shouldn't the editorial staff bare some of this blame? After all their job is to edit and keep oversight, unless of course they have no problems with the story which means it's down to personal perspectives. I guess what I'm trying to say is that just because you don't like their story decisions doesn't mean that you can call them a hack or anything like that. It just means that they've took the story where you don't think it should go.
If that's my opinion of him as a professional writer (which it is) then I absolutely can call him a hack. You don't have to agree, but my opinion is just that: mine. You think he's great? Okay. I will disagree, but I won't tell you that you can't call him great. It all depends on how one qualifies Roberts' work. What do you look for in his stories? If he meets those expectations for you, then you should consider him a good writer.
As for the editors taking some of the blame, I agree. But is MTMTE a typical Roberts story with better editing? And Lost Light is typical work without close editing? If so, then Roberts is still mediocre at best, except now there's no one there to correct his mistakes before the story makes it to the pages of a book. And that's where the responsibility of the editor is. My favorite story from the last 5 years is Dark Cybertron. It was a well-told and interesting arc. Whatever collaboration took place to get that written is what should be happening all the time.
Let me reiterate: these are all my opinions, in no way am I trying to force my point of view on anyone else. I'm just very disappointed in Roberts' work lately and it's giving me a bitter outlook.