[Metosblat]

I just relized while watching 60 minutes (topic being mad cow disease) that fantasy series have a considerable lack of Plagues and diseases affecting they're worlds. Most Fantasy series are set in medievil times and I was under the impression that illness was very common in those days. The only series i've ever read that described a plague that was destroying a whole country was David Eddings' Mallorean.

[Lani]

Well, Temple of the Winds in SoT had plague too. Also I remember several books of by Dave Duncan who had plagues in their world plus some other fantasy I've read had it too.
I wouldn't say it's that uncommon.

[Cadfael]

Moretta's Ride by Ann McCaffrey was also about a plague

[This message has been edited by dennizm (edited March 18, 2001).]

[Lady Fox]

How about Stephen King's The Stand. I know his books are usually classified as thriller/horror, but I have always thought of The Stand as more fantasy than horror.

[FitzChivalry]

The Stand is about modern days though so it's pretty irrelevant.

I'd say that autors should use plagues when it serves the story, but they don't have to use it just becasue it was more common in older times.

[Rob B]

The Stand can be 'classified' as a lot of things, including fantasy, but I see your point FC.

However, in The Dark Tower the world has "moved on" which can be considerd like a plague since the world is de-volving.

[Zeddicus Zul Zorander]

MORTALIS by R.A. Salvatore has the plague in it.

[Metosblat]

I'm not talking about one of those "plagues of darkness" (insert evil laugh) almost every fantasy book has one of those. I'm talking about an actual disease that they describe and have to find a cure.
The Stand's plague was pretty cool.

[Pluvious]

Yes, they don't have enough talk of nose picking in fantasy novels either. And I know they picked their noses in the middle ages...you can't tell me they didn't.

[Charles]

I am studying Medieval History right now, and I don't think we have ever talked about a single soul picking his or her nose, so it must not have happened. If you can prove it, then I will believe you, but until then, it never happened. Also, Islam and Christianity and the Gauls, and many other things have been discussed in the class, but very few of those are in fantasy novels.

I do not believe the nose picking has any relevance to what was being said about the plague. The plague would be something that could be instituted into a fantasy novel, whereas someone picking his or her nose would not be very relevant unless they found a magical booger that transported them to different lands or gave them the power to fly or something like that..

[This message has been edited by Charles (edited March 18, 2001).]