Still, Dying Earth sounds interesting, and I prefer it as short stories. Some authors and works are just better that way, and this seems like it'd be the case, going by intuition. You're probably right. Dunno if it's better or worse that I almost never read the stories about the books/authors I read. On the one hand, I can at least argue little bias/influence apart from the source of recommendation. On the other, I guess it ends up with me looking clueless most of the time. "You read Brown, liar!" "No?" "Remember that book about NSA being attacked by mutating cryptogram double-teamed by two one-note nerds, with superfluous murderer and 'muahaha'-grade office intrigue in the background that led nowhere? That was Digital Fortress." "Oooooh. God, I'm so sorry you have to remember it." "Your rant was the best part of that road trip." Now we're watching Rocky and Bullwinkle.All of a sudden his shit's literature.
He's a terrible writer and you don't need to read him ever.