Comments on: [GUEST POST] Helen Lowe on Having Fun with Epic Fantasy: Making the Grand Tour

By: SharonS

SharonS — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 13:30:23 +0000

I don't read a lot of Fantasy or Sci-fi because the "world" gets in my way sometimes. The ones I have read and loved found that perfect balance between the physical journey and the personal journey of the characters. Like Lord of the Rings. I recently bought The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms in hopes of reading it soon. I am also looking forward to the next installment of Heir of Night!

By: Helen Lowe

Helen Lowe — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 04:39:46 +0000

Paul, As I said in response to a comment on my personal tribute to Diana Wynne Jones on March 30 (here--http://helenlowe.info/blog/2011/03/30/diana-wynne-jones-1934-2011-a-personal-tribute/) "I think everyone loves 'The Tough Guide to Fantasyland'!:)"

By: Helen Lowe

Helen Lowe — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 04:32:21 +0000

Andrew, in a way you are talking about the 'character development vs cool ideas' discussion that was the subject of a recent Mind Meld right here on SF Signal, which I very much enjoyed being part of---and I think all the 'Melders' without exclusion, opined that the best SFF and Fantasy was where the cool ideas and elements happened in conjunction with great character development. But in this post I was wanting to begin exploring some of the classic tropes in a fun way 'for their own sake.'

By: Paul (@princejvstin)

Paul (@princejvstin) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 01:49:56 +0000

And we should mention that the Grand Tour idea was codified in the classic Tough Guide to Fantasyland by the late Diane Wynne Jones.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 23:20:58 +0000

For me both elements need to be present - the exploration of the physical world either by covering new ground, or learning more about where you are definitely needs to be balanced with learning more about the characters.

I am far less interested in stories where the characters themselves just become secondary vehicles, (or even worse mouthpieces) that facilitate exposition of some idea about a world that the author thinks is cool.

This is a trope that you see more often (in my opinion) in things like "military sci fi" (although there are some counter examples here! Hands up for Joe Haldeman!), but can still be a problem in epic fantasy.

Definitely not in the examples you mention though.