[cgw]

I think that in general (meaning more than 50% of the time) authors keep the characters moving though different locations and cultures as filler rather than advancing the plot.

For example in Lord of the Isles, Drake introduced a couple locations/characters/cultures that really had nothing to do with the plot and advanced the characters very little (in other words it was filler).

I like the Belgariad as much as the next guy, but the excuse to run all over the world was a little thin. At least it advanced the plot which is more than I can say about the Malloreon.

I have read very little Goodkind and Jordan but I get the impression that they just run their characters around the world meeting all these different cultures/creatures.

OK point at LotR. Most people, including myself, would not say that Tolkien lacked imagination. I differentiate between the above and the necessity to move the characters to where the action is.
I just feel that some authors use the technique as filler where better authors could advance the plot on it's own merit.

GRR Martin has stuff going on all over the place but he has different main characters in those places. In God Stalk Hodgell managed to have the entire book take place in one city.

[Eventine]

Perdido Street Station takes place all in one city as well....

The whole travelling quest thing has two reasons in my mind:
1) Homage to old travelling stories like the Odyssey, etc. It gives the author a chance to add their own flavour to an established plot style.

2) World building. You're a fantasy writer. You've got this massive world constructed in your head. You want to show it off to your mates (and readers). How do you do this your orphan boy destined to be king stays in the one shack the whole novel? You can't. So you march him around the countryside to show off all the cool locales you have invented.

some writers do it better than others. Some don't do it at all (PSS case in point - although I'm convinced a major part of Mievilles goal is to show of the city, and I must admit it is well characterised - if you can apply that term to a place)

[milamber_reborn]

I understand why Jordan does it, cause he's showing that the whole world and loads of people are effected by what's happening. (won't give anything away)

[allanon]

I love traveling! No voyage=no fantasy IMHO.
Especilly in books by Eddings I love traveling, because characters meet differet people and cultures and find friends ("neighbours", Sparhawk would say) in awesome places (Mishralk ak Tull for example).
Without voyage, the fantasy loses it's nature of description of faerie lands and magic - so it loses itself, I think.

[lacorte]

I think the whole travelling idea is needed within the morjority of fantasy stories. Yes, in some cases it is used a a filler (Jordan is a prime suspect for this in books 6-8 of WoT), but if your going to write more than one book then IMHO you need to do some travelling otherwise I feel your really limiting yourself. I haven't read the books mentioned in the above Posts but are any of them series? I have read books that do limit the locations and I've found that they tend to orientate towards politics, which in some cases is fine, you tend to find it takes away from the whole fantasy atmosphere.

I'm no expert, not even a minor author, I just like the simple idea of moving around, which can really allow you to submerse yourself into a world, and just maes it really that more interesting.

[cgw]

Eventine
Thanks for bringing up the Odyssey. I noticed it sitting on my shelf after I had written the above.

The traveling is a fantasy staple and works great in a lot of books. It is just that sometimes an author with less ability makes it seem like crutch.

[Bond]

"Yes, in some cases it is used a a filler (Jordan is a prime suspect for this in books 6-8 of WoT)"

WHAT!? Perhaps I got the books mixed up or am forgetting what happened in them but if there is one thing I hated about book 7 it was that it spent so much time in Ebou Dar. I wanted them to move on and quickly!!! If there is a WoT book that I would fault for travelling it would be the first Eye of the World because it went from one end of Randland to the other basically to introduce the locales. What I love about Jordan is that there are usually so many thing going on simultaneously that he doesn't need to spend time commenting on the travelling from one point to another unlike someone like Eddings which is always focused on the same motley band. When one setpiece is finished with Jordan, he can just pan to the other usually equally suspenseful plotline.

[Mamb]

In Redemption of Althalus, Eddings uses travel as an integral plot device. each character comes from a different region and has a role to fulfill in a specific place. Personally i find this a great way to render the world in which the book takes place

[Shanoncia]

No voyage=no fantasy IMHO.

I couldn't have said it better myself. Fantasy is about new worlds, unknown cultures and different peoples. IMO, it takes an author of greater skill to create so much complexity and diversity through out the story's plot and and theme, and again 'IMO' I think it makes the story much more interesting.

[allanon]

I also find it great, Mamb ;)
Shanonica got the point.