What's up in fantasy?

[Numion]

There are falcons in LOTR?

Yeah when Gandalf rides one off the Orthanc, or is it eagle. My ornithology is a little off.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

So, is there anything you actually do like?

I thought I said. I think Terry Pratchett, George R. R. Martin and J. K. Rowling, for starters, are doing good work. While I think Glen Cook's Black Company novels are flawed, they embody a lot of what I like in fantasy fiction.

They have their own voices, are telling their own stories their own ways. While there will always be links to previous works -- I had a high school English teacher who claimed that the only stories in the world were Greek myth, the Bible and some Shakespeare, although that's obviously her exaggerating for dramatic effect -- each of them sat down to tell a story for its own sake, not because someone said "we need a Mercedes Lackey-style story, but with white lions" or "wouldn't it have been cool if Sauron just went to sleep for 100 years and Frodo's grandson had to create a new fellowship to beat him?"

If I want to read "The Hobbit," I'll re-read "The Hobbit." I don't need it regurgitated at me by an author who turns it into a trilogy and insists it's a new work.

I will read any genre. My favorite novel is "Lonesome Dove," I have the complete collection of "Little Fuzzy" novels and I have no problem picking up children's books, if they're entertaining, like the Spiderwick Chronicles.

New voices and fresh stories are what I'm interested in. If fantasy can't reliably provide that (nor sci-fi, for the record), there are plenty of other books out there I haven't read yet.

 

[SolitonMan]

I'm not sure what you should write, but I can tell you what I like to read. I don't care much about the uniqueness or innovation or inventiveness of a story as much as if it's a story told well, with interesting, well-developed and believable characters. Are there any stories that aren't derivative in some way? It seems to me that everything I've read is in some way drawn from something older. What really thrills me (or not) about a story is the way it's told - if it engages me, stretches my imagination, makes me happy or sad or angry, because I care about the characters.

 

[mmadsen]

I can't recall reading a fantasy novel written after 1985 or so, other than the Harry Potter books.

Anymore I spend my time with REH or ERB or HRH or the Professor or Jules Verne and some of their more obscure brethren.

Same here.

Until I've read the best adventure fiction of the last couple centuries, I'm not sure why I'd want to pick up the "latest" thing. If you haven't read Robert E. Howard, why are you picking up a random new book, hoping it will be decent?

 

[Raloc]

I had a high school English teacher who claimed that the only stories in the world were Greek myth, the Bible and some Shakespeare

The bible? How about not. Sorry, but the bible is a hugely derivative work. Claiming that it's one of the only "true" (or however you wish to phrase that) stories because it's original is completely illogical. I have a sneaking suspicion that your teacher was somehow biased.

 

[Darkness]

Hey, let's not turn this into a debate about the bible, whether pro or con. That would not only be off-topic, but quite likely also religious discussion.

 

[Eridanis]

Let's keep this discusssion on the safe side of the "no politics or religion" line, please. Carry on!

 

[jester47]

I had a high school English teacher who claimed that the only stories in the world were Greek myth, the Bible and some Shakespeare, although that's obviously her exaggerating for dramatic effect --

Your english teacher is right. There are only seven plots and they can all happen to a glass of water. Each of the things listed by your teacher cover all the themes. Man vs. Man is covered in all of them. The Bible gets man vs. God fairly well plus a smattering of others. The greek myths cover man vs. nature nicely, and Shakespeare hits man vs. himself. Plots combined with theme create a story. Those three samples of literature actually cover all the plots and themes in all their combinations showing some variations.

Case in point, the Hobbit is heavily inspired by Beowulf. Threre are numerous biblical and greek elements in the Lord of the Rings. Pretty much any other story you can find elements of the three primal canons in it.

Aaron.

 

[Raloc]

Right well, I'm not saying anything pro or con about religion, nor talking religion at all. I merely stated that the bible is a derivative work, which is relevent to the topic of writing, which is what this thread seems to be about. *shrug*

 

[jester47]

The bible? How about not. Sorry, but the bible is a hugely derivative work. Claiming that it's one of the only "true" (or however you wish to phrase that) stories because it's original is completely illogical. I have a sneaking suspicion that your teacher was somehow biased.

The teacher said "the only stroies" not "the only true stories." Most of Shakespeare's stories did not happen, and the same is true for Greek Myth, many of which are explanations of natural phenomenon. So if you are throwing out a baby, you might as well include the bathwater, eh?

Aaron