Fantasy "Literature"

[Pluvious]

I was wondering if any would be authors are interested in reading/writing fantasy that is more than simply "entertaining"?

What I mean is would you be excited about a genre fantasy series that was considered literature and action packed? I suppose Tolkien is considered literature, although I'm more curious about an author that analyzes humanity and truth then someone who is more of a scholar (anyway, this post is not a post about Tolkien).

I'm asking because I love epic fantasy but I also enjoy sophistacted analysis of the way people are in our world. Combining the two has always seemed natural to me but most fantasy authors tend to concentrate on world building and plot and forget about messages and meaning.

I like to read novels where insight forces a smile and conflict takes me on an emotional ride. Intellect and Emotion in one neat package-what could be better?

[Bardos]

I agree, Pluvious. That's what I, too, try to do with my writing. Combine Emotion and Intellect/Philosophy. I can only hope I'm doing it right. All people don't agree with the same stuff. I mean what is philosophy for me or you, maybe crap to someone else and vica versa. (E.g., I know people who think that Tolkien has nothing special to tell.) But I think the key is to go deep into the situation you are writing about without making it too obvious. What I mean is that your philosophy, thoughts, and emotion must appear through the story, not directly have two characters talk about things they wouldn't normaly talk about in a given situation.

For example, thought I liked Gene Wolfe's Book of the New Sun, sometimes I wondered "Would this guy think those things *now*??"

[Ozzie]

This is just the kind of approach I try to take with my work at the moment it's the tone of the story that I'm having a little trouble keeping though.

I've been trying to add a lot more depth to my characters but an action scene (say a fight or a flee/pursuit scene) feels very two-dimensional (which I'm not disapointed with, this instant no-nonsense accessability adds to the dramatic tension, I think) and the transition back to emotion filled scenes feels a little "jerky".

I've also been attempting to bring more apparent intelligence to my characters.......but I'm finding that in displaying this intelligence I'm having my characters involved in long, sometimes sprawling conversations:rolleyes: .

Just a few thoughts out loud.........

[Gary Wassner]

That is exactly what I try to do with my books. I hope that they make the reader think and wonder and reread. As the series developed, the books became more and more literary, and a number of publishers thought they were a bit too literary for the average fantasy reader. I took that as a compliment, and I eventually found a publisher who understands what I am doing!

[milamber_reborn]

My stories are not action packed. I have fight scenes and the odd battle, but I prefer the introspective approach, getting heavily into the thoughts of the characters.