What is fresh in fantasy?
- Thread starter Tormenet
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Desdichado
Hero
Depends on what you're used to, I suppose. I'm actually into retro fantasy -- Robert E. Howard type of stuff.
Perdido Street Station is hailed by many as the biggest "new" thing in fantasy, but it just seemed like cyberpunk-fantasy to me. Nothing that hadn't been covered before by William Gibson in a more logical fashion.
The Iron Kingdoms campaign setting is a fresh take on fantasy without being too "out there" -- it's familiar enough to feel like home, but kinda like when you come back home after ten years or so of being away.
Perdido Street Station is hailed by many as the biggest "new" thing in fantasy, but it just seemed like cyberpunk-fantasy to me. Nothing that hadn't been covered before by William Gibson in a more logical fashion.
The Iron Kingdoms campaign setting is a fresh take on fantasy without being too "out there" -- it's familiar enough to feel like home, but kinda like when you come back home after ten years or so of being away.
I find the classics of the genre "fresh, innovative, [and] just plain cool." I apologize for the gratuitous irony, but I don't think you can complain about re-hashed fantasy if you haven't read Robert E. Howard, Clark Ashton Smith, Lord Dunsay, E.R. Eddison, Fritz Leiber, etc.Tormenet said:
Desdichado
Hero
Yep, exactly my point. Although I've always liked them, but especially lately I've been revisiting them with renewed interest. And compared to D&D fantasy like R. A. Salvatore and the like; those guys are miles beyond him in inventiveness, despite the 50-120 year old age of their stories.mmadsen said:
Mystery Man
First Post
Well, within the last 5 years would be 'fresh' for me....
Tad Williams - Memory, Sorrow and Thorn. I'd love to see this as a setting. Sithi just rock.
Robin Hobb - She does a real nice job on "gritty".
That's all I can think of that doesnt have the DnD logo slapped on it.
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Cthulhu's Librarian
First Post
I'll have to give a nod to Perdido Street Station. I also really enjoyed A Scattering of Jades by Alexander Irvine.
Both of these novels, IMHO, brought fresh and innovative ideas to fantasy. Neither of them uses the traditional psudo-medieval setting or standard characters that fantasy seems to require these days.
Both of these novels, IMHO, brought fresh and innovative ideas to fantasy. Neither of them uses the traditional psudo-medieval setting or standard characters that fantasy seems to require these days.
Dr. Talos
First Post
I'll have to land on the side that Perdido Street Station is not as good as the hype will have you believe. I will agree that China Mieville writes decently but the book comes off as trying to be too hip and fresh.
As far as fresh new ideas it has been rough since the publishers are looking for things that fit the fantasy mold. Gene Wolfe is always a good bet as well as Tad Williams. You should get a lot of inspiration from these. I have also though that using the themes from Dune would work well in a fantasy campaign.
It seems to be a trend in literature in general; they have run out of ideas and have basically fallen back on trying to twist old ideas so much that it has become predictable and boring.
Hopefully something new and exciting will come out in the next few years.
As far as fresh new ideas it has been rough since the publishers are looking for things that fit the fantasy mold. Gene Wolfe is always a good bet as well as Tad Williams. You should get a lot of inspiration from these. I have also though that using the themes from Dune would work well in a fantasy campaign.
It seems to be a trend in literature in general; they have run out of ideas and have basically fallen back on trying to twist old ideas so much that it has become predictable and boring.
Hopefully something new and exciting will come out in the next few years.
Varianor Abroad
Explorer
The High House, by Stoddard - Very innovative first novel about a young man who inherits a house that may just be the center of the universe. Quite possible to base a campaign on it. The fun part is picking out all of the famous novels that he alludes to.
The Briar King, by Greg Keyes. I thought that his Empire of Unreason quatrology was excellent. (In fact, someday I want to run a game inspired by that.) But Briar King has an amazing way with words that I didn't quite see in prior books. It's got a lot of traditional fantasy elements reworked into a whole new tapestry. I can't wait to finish it and read what comes next in that series. Where it might be good to adapt to a gaming setting is that there's politics and mystery mixed liberally with adventure.
The Briar King, by Greg Keyes. I thought that his Empire of Unreason quatrology was excellent. (In fact, someday I want to run a game inspired by that.) But Briar King has an amazing way with words that I didn't quite see in prior books. It's got a lot of traditional fantasy elements reworked into a whole new tapestry. I can't wait to finish it and read what comes next in that series. Where it might be good to adapt to a gaming setting is that there's politics and mystery mixed liberally with adventure.
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