[Sirkana]

I love maps in books, even though I am a rubbish map-reader. They give you a general idea of the world in which it is set, can be useful for reference and also sometimes very beautiful, if well done.

[Werthead]

Not wanting to spoil anything, but is there any conceivable spoiler along these lines other than the old - Oh, my god, it's our world after some cataclysmic event??????

Ha, I was thinking at one time of writing a story set on Mars after it had been terraformed and then the SF society had collapsed, leaving a primitive society in place there, and maps would have given it away a bit early (such as having a 12-mile-tall volcano and a fault in the ground six times the length fof the Grand Canyon), but I ran into headaches about the gravity being much less and after a few generations the combination of gravity and weak air pressure would result in the people not really looking like typical humans any more, which might be a giveaway. Still a nice idea though.

[Joe Abercrombie]

Ah, well, you see, gigantic artificial gravity generators have been buried deep within the hollowed-out core of the planet along with the terraforming equipment, unbeknownst to the majority of the now medieval-style populace (and the gullible readership, of course). Only a few old geezers jealously guard the secrets of remotely controlling these devices to produce feats of 'magic'. They call themselves 'wizards'.

Naturally, the climax of your trilogy (a trilogy, right?) takes place in the gargantuan underground vaults wherein these ancient machines are housed. The heroes finally manage to stop the machines, bringing an end to the tyranny of the wizards, only to find they have in fact brought an end to the tyranny of a breathable atmosphere.

Man, I should do this for a living.

[Werthead]

Ah, well, you see, gigantic artificial gravity generators have been buried deep within the hollowed-out core of the planet along with the terraforming equipment, unbeknownst to the majority of the now medieval-style populace (and the gullible readership, of course). Only a few old geezers jealously guard the secrets of remotely controlling these devices to produce feats of 'magic'. They call themselves 'wizards'.

Naturally, the climax of your trilogy (a trilogy, right?) takes place in the gargantuan underground vaults wherein these ancient machines are housed. The heroes finally manage to stop the machines, bringing an end to the tyranny of the wizards, only to find they have in fact brought an end to the tyranny of a breathable atmosphere.

I think I prefer my original thought, which was that space frogs were behind everything. As for length, it was going to be a nine-book series with a prequel quintology set two thousand years earlier and than a trilogy to link the two up and then a sequel series (seven books seems about right) ghost-written by someone else. I think readers will want at least that much material.

[Hobbit]

Space Frogs?

(Thoughts of V: The TV Series spring to mind... shudder)

I thought it was the Space Squids that were behind everything. That or The Mekon. :D

Mark / Hobbit

[mjolnir]

Werthead Wrote:
I think I prefer my original thought, which was that space frogs were behind everything. As for length, it was going to be a nine-book series with a prequel
quintology set two thousand years earlier and than a trilogy to link the two up and then a sequel series (seven books seems about right) ghost-written
by someone else. I think readers will want at least that much material.

Oh, at the very least. But what about the additional prequel trilogy which chronicles the rivetting backstory of the series's most popular character? And, apart from the seven book sequel series ghost written by someone else, there ought also to be a line of novels set in the same universe which you "coauthor" with other writers, revealing more essential information about the world surrounding the main action, while telling more "fascinating tales" in the "bestselling world millions have come to regard as a second home". Five or so of these would probably do in a pinch.

Oh, oh! And the novel or series which retells the story from the point of view of the space frogs. "Why did they kill millions? Why did they act so cruelly? They had a reason, which shall now be revealed." The Space Frog Chronicles? The Cantos of the Celestial Frog? The Frogonomicon, parts 1 through 5? The Amphibious Codex?
________
3 SERIES (E21) (http://www.bmw-tech.org/wiki/BMW_3_Series_(E21))

[Joe Abercrombie]

Frog of War?

[Salsa Dip]

I'd buy it!

[Werthead]

I was thinking of The Frog Itself, Before They Are Frogs, Last Argument of Frogs and Frogs Are Best Served Cold.

Shall we stop now?

[Avi_stetto]

I enjoy maps, but they're not necessary for me in the story. I tend to enjoy them more on an artistic level than a factual level. For example, the only picture hanging in my bedroom is a map of Middle-Earth. It's not a reference, but a decoration.

I like drawing maps, too. They're good exercises in line work. I was looking through an old sketchbook yesterday and came across a map. It was fun just to look at and to grimace at the flaws.