Feb 9, 2011

Where's the Intellegence?

The other day, I almost threw a fit when Aidan Moher posted on "A Dribble of Ink" "Are Fantasy Readers Dumber than Science Fiction Readers?". The title of the post comes from Jim Cormier someone made on Aidan's review of Daniel Abraham's "The Dragon's Path". The more I read the post, however, I found myself agreeing with what Jim has said. And this is what I have to say.
So, I ask, where is the intellegence in Fantasy? Where are the Daniel Abrahams and the R. Scott Bakers? Or even Steve Eriksons, Yoon Ha Lees, N.K. Jemisins? Do people really only care for the redundancy of Epic Fantasy? To twist the same thing until something new pops out? Well, it isn't really new, it's just different. It's really not different either. It's redundant.
It seems like the majority of Epic Fantasy publishers only want this kind of Fantasy, this sort of redundancy. However, Fantasy readers are smart, and I know a throng of such readers who want a change in this genre. I don't think we're being noticed. That, or we're not loud enough.
Either way, it's not the readers who are dumb. Fantasy is getting where it needs to be.

Feb 8, 2011

Through My Alter-Ego's Eyes: Thoughts on First-Person Narrative

The first first-person narrative prose I've read was Twilight. Since then, two years ago, I've been traumatized to read another first-person. The Magic of Recluce healed the wound a bit (I was forced to read it, buying it and realizing later that it was FPN, and already too late in returning it.), but I was still scared. Every story I read from Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Clarkesworld, etc. that was in the FPN, I turned the other cheek.
Until Saladin Ahmed.
I've said this so many times, but his story "Mister Hadj's Sunset Ride", was written in the FPN, and I absolutely love it. I've read some works by Nnedi Okorafor, and I loved it. Soon, I started reading, and eventually writing in the FPN.
Trying to write poetic lines in the Third-Person Narrative is hard. Even after writing in the TPN for years, it's hard. When writing FPN, it's easier, fun, and my lines come straight from the heart.
Yes, it is limiting to one character, but using the FPN can give other characters a sense of history and mystery. This too, is why I love FPN.
When writing in the FPN, first, be familiar with it. Just don't write about "I" and "Me", have the character talk, think, move, act, and share his or her philosophy. Read Saladin Ahmed, Nalo Hopkinson, N.K. Jemisin.
Writing in the FPN can be so rewarding, especially when it comes to characterization.
Alright, that's the end, now either comment or get off my blog!
Kudos!

Feb 7, 2011

To Redwall, Farewell

Today I read the news on Tor.com Fantasy's Facebook page. Brian Jacques, bestselling author of the 20+ book Fantasy series, Redwall, has died on February 5th, 2011 due to a heart attack over the weekend. He was 71.

Now, I have never read any of his books, having heard of him via Goodreads. I heard of his mice protagonists and how his stories were aimed at children. I heard about the man a month and a half ago.
So, even though I did not know him, nor his works, to honor his memory, I will begin to read the Redwall series.
Farewell, Jacques