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GMWestermeyer
Learned Scribe
USA
215 Posts |
 Posted - 02 Mar 2011 : 05:16:55
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I guess the 90s though I tend to think in terms of authors, not decades. I thought Elaine Cunningham was the best FR writer followed by Jeff Grubb. I wish Lynn Abbey had written more, but she has a lot of other work to keep her busy. But Rich Baker's Last Mythal books really blew me away and those are 00s I believe. After Elaine he is the best writer for FR elves.
Hmmm. Too bad the Realms has prodcued a good dwarven writer yet. At least, that i am aware of. I wish the dwarves had had a someone like Elaine writing novels about them back in the day. :)
quote:
Originally posted by Dennis
I received not a few recommendations to read Ring of Winter. I read the blurb and some reviews; I wasn't interested at all. And what's with the ridiculous talking wombats, anyway?
(all IMO though that should be obvious)
Ring of Winter is a good novel but not a good FR novel. I'm a big fan of the lost worlds/exploratory fiction idea (I'm active in Space:1889 fandom), and this is a fine example. It would have worked extremely well set in Masque of the Red Death with Cimber travelling to a lost island. Actually, very little would have been needed to change it to that setting.
As an FR novel it has the wrong feel, it is sort of anachornistic though since it is in an imaginary time and place that isn't quite the right word.
Anyway, I really like the novel, just an off feel for FR.
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"Facts are meaningless. You can use facts to prove anything that is even remotely true."
Homer Simpson, _The Simspons_ |
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ElaineCunningham
Forgotten Realms Author
2396 Posts |
Posted - 02 Mar 2011 : 17:23:43
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Thanks for the kind word, GMW. I would love to write something that focus on dwarves. In practical terms, however, the "bearded women" notion is one of the main deterrents to a focus on FR dwarves in novels.
Elves are slender, graceful, beautiful, eternally young. Dwarves don't fit the widely accepted image of beauty. That matters, perhaps more that it should.
A while back, I read an article about the making of the movie "Avatar." Early concepts for the Na'vi race were more...alien. It was decided that one of the criteria for Na'vi design had to be a positive response to the question, "Would I hit that?"
Trust me, I would love to write about a dwarven warrior who was more Sean Connery than comic relief. For that matter, the typical dwarven characters of honor and valor and sheer physical hardiness provide a solid foundation for a male protagonist, physical appear aside. But few readers want to envision short, stout, bearded women for 326 pages, no matter HOW handy they are with a battle axe.
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Dennis
Great Reader
9933 Posts |
Posted - 03 Mar 2011 : 06:00:12
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quote:
Originally posted by GMWestermeyer
I wish Lynn Abbey had written more, but she has a lot of other work to keep her busy.
Agreed. I thoroughly enjoyed her The Simbul's Gift.
quote:
Originally posted by GMWestermeyer
quote:
Originally posted by Dennis
I received not a few recommendations to read Ring of Winter. I read the blurb and some reviews; I wasn't interested at all. And what's with the ridiculous talking wombats, anyway?
(all IMO though that should be obvious)
Ring of Winter is a good novel but not a good FR novel. I'm a big fan of the lost worlds/exploratory fiction idea (I'm active in Space:1889 fandom), and this is a fine example. It would have worked extremely well set in Masque of the Red Death with Cimber travelling to a lost island. Actually, very little would have been needed to change it to that setting.
As an FR novel it has the wrong feel, it is sort of anachornistic though since it is in an imaginary time and place that isn't quite the right word.
Anyway, I really like the novel, just an off feel for FR.
I sampled the first chapter. Nah, too bland for my taste. I moved on after those excruciatingly boring first few pages. |
Every beginning has an end. |
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Caolin
Senior Scribe
769 Posts |
Posted - 04 Mar 2011 : 21:17:23
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quote:
Originally posted by ElaineCunningham
Thanks for the kind word, GMW. I would love to write something that focus on dwarves. In practical terms, however, the "bearded women" notion is one of the main deterrents to a focus on FR dwarves in novels.
Elves are slender, graceful, beautiful, eternally young. Dwarves don't fit the widely accepted image of beauty. That matters, perhaps more that it should.
A while back, I read an article about the making of the movie "Avatar." Early concepts for the Na'vi race were more...alien. It was decided that one of the criteria for Na'vi design had to be a positive response to the question, "Would I hit that?"
Trust me, I would love to write about a dwarven warrior who was more Sean Connery than comic relief. For that matter, the typical dwarven characters of honor and valor and sheer physical hardiness provide a solid foundation for a male protagonist, physical appear aside. But few readers want to envision short, stout, bearded women for 326 pages, no matter HOW handy they are with a battle axe.
It really saddens me to read this. Even though I understand the reality of what the marketers say. There is a reason I will never be able to watch Avatar all the way through. It is very obvious that they played to the lowest common denominator in their projected viewing audience. It's sad when artists are forced to lower their standards to reach those who can't understand. They should be aspiring to higher standards so as to challenge their audience and raise the collective understanding. So there is my rant.
As for a story about a female dwarf protagonist, I feel that if the story is well written it could be about slime mold and people would read it. I am sure if you wrote it Elaine, it would be an amazing story indeed. But, I think the desire is there for a dwarf centric novel. If only WoTC would see it. |
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90s or 00s
