Comments on: The Fantasy Novelist’s Exam http://dragonwritingprompts.blogsome.com/2006/11/04/the-fantasy-novelists-exam/ Writing prompts for speculative fiction writers of all ages. Sun, 12 Oct 2008 01:40:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=1.5.1-alpha by: brandelion http://dragonwritingprompts.blogsome.com/2006/11/04/the-fantasy-novelists-exam/#comment-108 Wed, 07 May 2008 17:52:16 +0100 http://dragonwritingprompts.blogsome.com/2006/11/04/the-fantasy-novelists-exam/#comment-108 I think it's safe to say Tolkien was the Mack Daddy of the fantasy genre. After Tolkien came Gygax, and then a scad of knock-off RPG's, fantasy novels, and later novels made into movies. Tolkien was an original; his life's work has inspired so many. But the geek in me has to point out that many of the characters, creatures, and settings in fantasy, including Tolkien, were inspired by or directly taken from folklore and fairytales as well as previous fiction, ie: Lovecraft - who himself borrowed from Dunsany. I know; it's the obvious point. But I had to make it; it's a compulsion. The bigger point is that Tolkien and all who came after recycled a mythos that, for all we know, has been recycled for eons. Thanks for the list, it was a fun read. I think it’s safe to say Tolkien was the Mack Daddy of the fantasy genre. After Tolkien came Gygax, and then a scad of knock-off RPG’s, fantasy novels, and later novels made into movies. Tolkien was an original; his life’s work has inspired so many.

But the geek in me has to point out that many of the characters, creatures, and settings in fantasy, including Tolkien, were inspired by or directly taken from folklore and fairytales as well as previous fiction, ie: Lovecraft - who himself borrowed from Dunsany. I know; it’s the obvious point. But I had to make it; it’s a compulsion. The bigger point is that Tolkien and all who came after recycled a mythos that, for all we know, has been recycled for eons.

Thanks for the list, it was a fun read.

]]> by: Dragon Writer http://dragonwritingprompts.blogsome.com/2006/11/04/the-fantasy-novelists-exam/#comment-60 Tue, 21 Nov 2006 09:54:11 +0000 http://dragonwritingprompts.blogsome.com/2006/11/04/the-fantasy-novelists-exam/#comment-60 I know what she means. I can't imagine reading it again after having read and seen (and played) so many ripoffs! It's astounding how many people he inspired. I think it would be fun to write a fantasy novel including every cliche. Maybe next NaNoWriMo! I know what she means. I can’t imagine reading it again after having read and seen (and played) so many ripoffs! It’s astounding how many people he inspired.

I think it would be fun to write a fantasy novel including every cliche. Maybe next NaNoWriMo!

]]> by: Sandra Dodd http://dragonwritingprompts.blogsome.com/2006/11/04/the-fantasy-novelists-exam/#comment-59 Tue, 21 Nov 2006 09:11:29 +0000 http://dragonwritingprompts.blogsome.com/2006/11/04/the-fantasy-novelists-exam/#comment-59 What a fun list! A teenager I know and like very much and who is a great reader waited until her mid teens to read The Lord of the Rings. She told her mom and me that she hadn't liked it much--there was nothing new in it. That was VERY amusing. She had read so many derivative novels she thought Tolkien just wasn't very original. What a fun list! A teenager I know and like very much and who is a great reader waited until her mid teens to read The Lord of the Rings. She told her mom and me that she hadn’t liked it much–there was nothing new in it. That was VERY amusing. She had read so many derivative novels she thought Tolkien just wasn’t very original.

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