I'm a bit late to the party as usual, but I wrote a review of DJP's book when I was still doing my blog. About two years ago.
https://reuoq.wordpress.com/2016/11/19/ ... tion-2015/
Basically the same as what some other posters have written here - I've found him at worst rather flippant and abrasive in his online presence, and the book doesn't quite know what to focus on. Should it be "how to conlang", or about his own conlanging history? Or should it rather be, as the title suggests, a general history of conlanging? Like personally I don't need a beginner's linguistics primer, which is what most of the book really is, but then it's not about me really. I was indeed hoping for a look into the history of conlanging, but I think that's a different book.
I also reviewed "Advanced Language Construction", and I think my general view was that mark writes more compellingly than djp, but djp would have more universal appeal because game of thrones. Except for that one chapter in ALC that was written by someone else that I just couldn't get into.
DJP criticisms
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quinterbeck
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Re: DJP criticisms
I was under the impression DJP's book (not having read it myself) was 'general intro to conlangs for people who know almost nothing about linguistics'. I don't think it was really written for conlangers at all. A writer isn't going to make much money selling to such a small target audience as conlangers.finlay wrote: ↑Wed Sep 12, 2018 5:14 am the book doesn't quite know what to focus on. Should it be "how to conlang", or about his own conlanging history? Or should it rather be, as the title suggests, a general history of conlanging? Like personally I don't need a beginner's linguistics primer, which is what most of the book really is, but then it's not about me really. I was indeed hoping for a look into the history of conlanging, but I think that's a different book.