[Pluvious]

I'm just curious what kind of fanatasy novel people would most like to read?

If you had a choice of plot, character, and setting-what would you like to read about?

A strong, motivated character with skills already mastered? A developing character? A character with limited natural abilities-a little guy that does good? Many points of view? One point of view only?

Do you want to know about the bad guy's plans through point of view? Everything, or only a few tid bits?

Do you like the medieval setting? A partial medieval? Knights? Castles? Ancient cultures like Rome or Egypt? Renaissance? Guns or cannons?

How about fighting and wars? A lot? Very little and with the writer implying that war and killing are wrong in some way? Duels? Epic battles? New and exciting descriptions of weapons and armor? Tactical warfare? Descriptions of each cut and thrust? Showing the reader where the skills are learned and how? Expertise like marksman or martial artist?

Magic? Fireballs and lightning? Unity and science? Elemental magic? Astral magic and astrology? Book learning? Do you want to know specifics or keep magic mysterious? Should there be a lot of magic or very little? Really powerful magicians? Should magic be learned like any other skill in the world?

PLot twists and mystery? How important is it to be kept guessing? Is predictability good? Should the writer strive to make ever concept new in some way? Or maybe just a few really inovative changes?

Creatures and monsters? Weird or animal like? Lots of monsters or just a few? Powerful? Dragons? Hidden or all over?

Religion? Monotheistic or Poly? Spiritual or impracticle? Rituals interesting? Gods and fate?

Really weird fantasy stuff? Or keep it like it was in history but just add magic and some assorted other changes?

Anything else?

[FitzChivalry]

Heh, i think you got enough questions there for more than one thread....
But I'll try answering some.

It's interesting to see a character that develops its skills through the years, but usually i find that my better liked heros are the competent ones who kick ass, like Zelazny's, Moorcock's or Gemmell's.

I'm a big fan of mystery, a book with mystery makes the story a lot more interesting for me, so i don't have to know exactly what the bad guy is planning. Actually i'd rather keep guessing with the good guy what exactly is going on.

My favorite settings is a medieval european setting, like 12th century England, France or Germany. Throw in some heretics or barbarians to threaten the huge castles and the knights and i'm happy.

I absolutly love big wars, nations colliding, soldiers die, etc. but too much use of it will make it not so fun, the war should be a climax point of a sort.
I like less descriptions of every cut and thrust in a duel... that's pretty boring. so I'd say tactical warfare is my thing. Duels should happen but the descriptions shouldn't be too detalied.

In Magic i don't think the system really matters, you can create many different kinds of cool magic systems, but it should be logical. Not magicians who can destroy all the bad guys with one spell but rather not because they are tired right now.

The more sub-plots the better, and the more mystery the better, that's what keeps me reading Jordan although i don't really like the characters and the writing style.

With monsters and creatures i feel the same as i feel about magic. You can probably create any sort of order you like and make it good, but make it logical. Making huge evil monsters that can tear down mountains but don't attack human habitations for some dumb not logical reason don't work.

Religion is usually cool to have too, although it isn't necessary, interfering gods can ruin the balance of a good story and if you have gods that don't interfere you need to find a reason that sounds good to why they don't... guess it's like magic and monsters, use wisely.

That's my likings.

[Maya]

i can't really pinpoint what i like in a fantasy story really i like loads of different types of fantasy and also mythology. everything you mentioned i like but my favourite has to be novels set in an earth-type world with plenty of wizards/mages/sorcerers whatever you want to call them, and a sense of history.

[Lani]

Well, I prefer characters that are just developing they are usually the most interesting ones to read about, though sometimes already skillful character is a good thing too.
As well I prefer when there are many points of view from different characters, but all the characters are staying together and not spread out in different dirrections.

I would prefer guessing what a bad guy is doing, because if you know it kinda spoils fun for you.

I like medieval settings. Knights are fine, but usually I prefer when fantasy book has it's oun names for different ranks. And the customs should be different than in historical Europe.

I like fighting as long as there is not too much of it. I just don't like to read long boring scenes that describe fighting techniques and strategy. I would prefer it as simple as possible and the idea fot the book definetely shouldn't be put in fighting.

For magic I prefer that it would be inborn talent, but not a rare one and only with studying people should be able to use their abilities. The magic should be explained, but not extremely detailed, so there would be some mystery in it. There should be a limited amount of magic in a book, because if there is too much it becomes boring.

Reader should be left guessing, and predictability is not a good thing in a book. It is much more interesting to read a book when you cannot definetely say what would be the end.

Religion is good, but in a small amounts. I don't think Gods should interfere and just be kept as a part of customs.

I also prefer something that doesn't repeat our history. Wierd fantasy stuff is what I like.

Well, that what I think.

[Keyoke]

Well, I dont have alot of time today, but, I wanted to give a little insight on what I like in a Fantasy book..

A Sense of WONDER. Yes, as long as I am wondering, or amazed at the world, I dont care what is in the book. =)

But, what attracts me to a new book? I have to say, I do like the giant war thing.. Nations colliding.. Politics, etc..

I also do enjoy alot of magic.. I found the Runelords to be a great combination of both war and magic..

Keyoke

[wynterfel]

I usually prefer my heroes to be flawed - angry, restless, impatient, a cynic even. Something like Thomas Covenant or Cherryh's Morgaine or Roberson's Del and Tiger or even the dark Gerald Tarrant of the Coldfire Trilogy. No goody two shoes ala Superman hero for me http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif

I usually prefer a first person or third person point of view.

A developing character much like Richard in the SoT keeps me engrossed.

I much prefer not to know what the bad guys plans are - in fact I love fantasy stories where the true bad guy isn't revealed right away and plot twists that keep you guessing what happens next.

Magic and Monsters are of course part and parcel of most fantasy stories but I don't want the story to revolve around these things but rather to focus on the characters themselves. It'd be fun to add gods to the story and have the heroes interact with them somewhat like in Jo Clayton's Drinker of Souls Trilogy.

As for settings I prefer historical settings with a fantasy twist much like Feist's Empire Novels.

Yeah I like really weird fantasy stuff too - something that would stretch the imagination but at the same time is still believable. I mean that's the lure of fantasy stories isn't it? http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif

[Barbarossa]

Well this a long one:

Characters: i like grey characters most, who aren't clearly good or evil, like Tyrion in a SoIaF. I prefer if the develop as characters, not necesarrily in skill. I hate it if a peasant boy becomes master-wizard/swordsman in 6 weeks (like Rand).
They should always have limits, no superheroes for me.

magic: the more mysterious and rare the better. LOTR and SOIAF are good examples.
There should be internal logic though.

Monsters: in moderate amounts and mysterious too

Religion: as part of society a lot, not as a kind of magic

fighting: yes please, but sort of realistic, if the heroes fight some should die too. I hate nothing more than a little questor group hacking through armies without losses.

Background: historical please, and some every-day life. Not only nobles please.
Gritty details, no idealized middle ages.
SoaIaF for a good example Midkemia for a bad one.

[wolfshead]

I read and enjoy many types of fantasy writing, but I particularly enjoy those set in pseudo (or real) medieval times, ancient Britain etc., as long as thr author has done some reasearch and isn't just 'winging' it. I like magic but not if it's too overstated and 'showy'. Big battle scenes are great if done well. I'm not big on dragons or unicorns, because so few use them well--they've becomes 'stock' fantasy characters. i love Tolkien's elves, but so many have tried to use similar elves in their book that they, too, have become a cliche.

[Umesha Chalanie]

Whoa. Talk about long! D'ya know how long it took me to read through all that? But it's probably the best topic (and the most useful for us aspiring fantasy writers) in the forum.

Okay. Where to start? Of course, the beginning is always good.

A balanced combination of character, setting and plot, probably more focused on the former two. The character because it is they who live (hopefully) through the happenings and the setting because that's what makes fantasy fantasy. The plot, to me, is not the be all, end all, because even some not-so-great storylines make better-than-great stories.

The character...I think a developing one, because it's the most interesting. You can be with them while they evolve and change, growing from innocence and niavity to experience and stemming from that, strength.

Mystery's don't exactly appeal to me, but they can make the overall story more interesting. So I'll say - if I know who the bad guy is and if I know he (or she - don't want to be sexist) is bad but don't know their plans then all's well.

I like the setting of medievel with characters that are more liberated than they were at that age in history. Put me in never-ending green fields, lush enchanted forests, quaint little towns and breathtaking magnificent castles and I'm close to heaven.

War. The hard bit. It's a great topic, but usually, you can't find a good sory with war as its main theme. More often than not, I think it provides a good backdrop for a story to develop. And of course, I love my happy endings, so I have to say peace wins in the end. Not without a reasonable number of deaths, though.

And magic! What a fantastic word. I adore magic, all kinds, from elemental to astral to religous to well, you get the idea. Magic, like so many things in this world (and others) come in many forms - and many different stregnths. It is best for the author to address more than one type, even though that'd probably be a hard job.

Sub plots are excellent! Otherwise, the book is like a cheesy TV soapie - one problem, nothing else, until it is solved and another one convieniently happens to come along. A bit of guesswork and a lot of twists are also good.

Invented creatures, that are new or old, mythical ones. A variety of sizes, ways of thinking and so on, with different looks and just - different. You don't want the characters to be humans with different coloured skin and pointed ears and that's it.

Religion is good, although I don't like those books whose them focuses on it. It makes you almost take sides. I think spirituality is a lot more interesting, rituals are okay but not the stupid ones - you know what I'm talking about...anyone read Gormenghast?

Keeping it like history is a tad boring. New stuff is good stuff.

Actually, I just wrote that for no reason, 'cause I don't care what it is like, as long as it's good. Make it whatever you like, as long as it's good. But that just goes for everything, doesn't it?

[This message has been edited by Umesha Chalanie (edited January 01, 2001).]

[Cadfael]

I am not a writer of Fantasy, but my pet topic about the ingredients for a good fantasy book is that there should be no scientific technology... just magic.

For instance... the new Shannara book, Isle Witch is part of the fantasy genre, but the whole plot has been blown apart by the introduction of technology, to me this is now a Sci Fi book, (gasps of amazment around the forum)still good to read though. I have the same trouble with The Dark Tower by Stephen King. I just think it belittles a good fantasy book to the mundane. Don't get me wrong, I love SF, but I want a fantasy book to present the story, not try to explain things away with modern machinery.