Posts tagged ‘fantasy’
A LEGENDARY WRITER IS GONE
I’m sure all lovers of science fiction and fantasy know that Ursula K. Le Guin has left us at the age of 88 to explore the next plane.
I enjoyed reading her work and often thought her name could be a character in her writing.
I’ve enclosed a review of her life.
URSULA LE GUIN
I recently read an article in the New York Times concerning Ursula Le Guin, a renowned writer of science fiction and fantasy, and her enshrinement in the Library of America.
Included in this article was a speech she gave concerning the state of publishing and the value authors must seek for their work. For those writers out there, I hope you find it educational and rewarding.
Sorry this link doesn’t work. But if you are interested, go to The New York Times site. You can read a limited of articles for free. For writers and readers of science fiction, this work is valuable.
STRUGGLING TO GET IT WRITE: WHAT DOES A DRAGON LOOK LIKE?
For those rare individuals following this blog (actually, they are not rare as opposed to not vocal) I know I have been off purpose for some time, but the world is so fucked up I had to voice my opinion. Will that stop, you can bet your ass it won’t. While on this detour, I have been writing, submitting and been rejected. Some of the rejections were good with constructive comments on my work.
But now I am venturing into unknown territory, picture books. After picking yourself off the floor, and are assured there has not been some shift in the earth’s orbit effecting of its inhabitants, (that might be a story), this is serious stuff.
The work is Dragon Eggs, a cross between Dr. Sues and Roald Dahl. I cannot share it with you, although I wish I could, for once work appears online some publishers won’t touch it. Therefore, this piece must wait for acceptance. As we all know, that could be centuries, but I’m a patent guy.
Here are my initial thoughts on how a dragon appears, subject to change.
First size, huge, its eye is beyond the size of a standard window. The color of the mother is a mottled green and blue. The babe is blue. When fully mature, the dragons are green. This indicates that the mother is young.
The dragon’s babies and adults have huge membranous wings capable of flight. When not being used, the wings are tucked down on their back. The wings are a deep red.
The adults somewhat resemble a T Rex, but the front legs are longer and the snout is more pointed than the famous dinosaur ending with a blunt snout. Upon both opening the mouth, both adults and babes have menacing sharp teeth. And when the adult opens its mouth, there is an occasional puff of smoke.
That’s it. Tell me what you think. And for those who have seen dragons, tell me if I am close.
A SECOND LOOK AT GEORGE R.R. MARTIN
Those of you who follow this blog will remember, in the past, I have expressed negative opinions on George R.R. Martin’s series, The Game of Thrones. I felt, and still do, that the novels were overwritten. If they were shortened, the story would move along at a much interesting pace. In my opinion, the description of the character’s clothes and other details were far beyond necessary. While talking with a friend, I found that he also had a problem reading these novels, and had an interesting observation. He commented that the novels were really screenplays, providing details needed more for a visual representation of the story than what the novel required.
These are opinions of the author’s works of fantasy. Now I would I would like to express my limited exposure to the Martin’s science fiction.
Due to a local library’s overflow of books, I inherited a book of Martin’s science fiction work published by TOR in 1985, with the individual stories first published during the 1970’s. The first and best story, Nightflyers, was a read I highly recommend. All of the stories making up this anthology are worthy of a lover of science fiction’s attention.
From reading this the brief amount of Martin’s science fiction, I think his writing in this genre is superb and definitely plan to read more of his efforts, if I can find them. I found the stories in Nightflyers to progress at a rapid pace and entertaining.
My opinion of this author has suffered a turnaround. This is the fault of forming an opinion until all the facts are known.
HARUKI MURAKAMI: HIS EARLY EFFORTS
This Japanese author writes the type of story I love to read. His tales describe a mundane Japanese life, but include an element of fantasy and unreality.
I have read a great deal of his work, beginning with Kafka on the Shore, then journeying into his beyond and past works; a career with efforts I have never found disappointing. Wind/Pinball were his first attempt at writing. If only I could have reached this level in my first attempt, or for that matter my last. I feel there is something that exists in writing which defies explanation. These stories are a prime example.
Please read this work. For if you are a first-time Murakami reader you will become addicted to his style. If you are already an addict to his work, you will see the beginning of a voice destined for greatness.
GEORGE R. R. MARTIN VS JIM BUTCHER, PADDING VS ACTION
In my last piece where I discussed how my approach to reading a book has changed since becoming a writer, I mentioned that I noticed that some authors overwrite. They add a vast amount of unnecessary detail which pads, and in my opinion, slows down the story.
I, on the other hand, feel I don’t give enough detail. I have had stories rejected where the editor said that it wasn’t a story but an outline. I hope to remedy this and will discuss it my approach to the ‘fix’ in a future piece.
The example of an author that gives far more detail in his stories than I feel is necessary is George R. R. Martin. I know this may ruffle some feathers and that he is all over the bestseller lists, but I stand by my observations.
I have read a couple of his books and what I find is an opulence of description that is totally unnecessary. If there is a banquet, he describes in great detail what people are wearing. There is nothing wrong with this, but to go on and give the history of garments and belt buckles I find does not add anything to the story and slows down the action to a crawl.
Another fault I find in his very popular series is a total lack of advancement in technology and the life of the characters. In one story he talks of a sword that has been in the family for a thousand years and is in use by the current generation. In the course of a thousand years, shouldn’t some advance been made in warfare, for better of for worse.
I have read another fantasy series, The Codex Alera, by Jim Butcher. His stories are fast paced and not padded by details that add nothing to the story. His characters use ‘furies’ which are natural powers of the earth. In one story he explains that the culture once used an advanced technology which is now long forgotten. Since the discovery of the ‘furies’ the technology became obsolete. I find this detail more satisfying than believing that no advancement has occurred in a thousand years.
These are the observations I have made as a writer. If you want, let me know how right or wrong you think I am.
Walttriznastories's Blog 