Alan campbell/ Stephen Hunt - moment of clarity

**LeStat** · July 21st, 2009, 02:14 AM

I just realized few things.
Today with Canadian/Australian fantasy boom I realized how though it is to be a good writer - How hard it must be to impress, to make a good story and come up with creative world.

Not many can make a classic storyline with not many fantasy elements and pull it of (GRRM).

It requires good thriller, good characters, and twists and turns... Most writers go other way - want to create different world, something new - Stover, bishop, Windermere, mieville, Erikson...plus steam punk books...it is getting harder and harder but i like new concepts and ideas. I mean you can put arsen lupen, casanova, poirot, jason burne or sherlock holmes in any setting and make it good but I like new.

This 2 authors just gave me another insight. authors can borow and integrate ne w ideas from
1)computer games - planscape torment, warcraft, oblivion, fallout, ufo...
2) ANIME CARTOONS - trigun, beepob, the third, black lagoon, and of course anime like big 0, battle angel, death note,GITS, samourai champoolo, LAST EXILE, KINO's JOURNEY (Last exile and Kino's journey are good for couple of great books as a concepts) fullmetal alchemist, darker then black...hundreds and hundreds of anima with concepts of parallel universe + action and fantasy, obsession with AI...

I mean if you want ideas watch anime - they borrow and then broden up the concept just like authors do.

Integrating classics like Jules V., Little prince, philosophy, and borrowing elements from few anime, other writers can just make incredible books. Integrating known into something new is for me creating art not theft.

Stephen Hunt integrated aloooot and it is great.

**algernoninc** · July 21st, 2009, 09:16 AM

no, i'm not going to make fun of your spelling, English is not my first language and probably i make myself a lot of exotic utterances...
If i understand correctly, Jules V is probably Jules Verne and I'm a great fan: i think i read each of his books at least three times in my early teens. And you seem to like authors who take a familiar concept/cliche and drive it in an unexpected direction or brings it up to modern standards. I'm interested because "The Courts of the Air" will probably be the next book i pick from the TBR pile and i will see what tickled your fancy.

you might try Michael Swanwick "Iron Dragon Daughter" for more steampunk.

**LeStat** · July 22nd, 2009, 01:48 AM

unfortunately I'm no better when writtiing in my mother tongue... we can call it dyslexie ...

I liked iron angel(Campbell) even more...

I recommend watching last exile anime, If u like steam punk that is great anime...

**NickeeCoco** · July 22nd, 2009, 07:54 AM

I loved Stephen Hunt's The Court of the Air. However, I know some people don't like the ending. It's literally deus ex machina, but I had no problem with it, personally. I thought it was fantastic. So, when I saw The Kingdom Beyond the Waves at the bookstore, I picked it up. I was slightly disapointed. It wasn't nearly as good as The Court of the Air. I enjoyed it, but not as much. I haven't read his latest, The Rise of the Iron Moon, but it is on my TBR pile, I'll just wait until it's in paperback.

**LeStat** · July 22nd, 2009, 08:44 AM

And anyone read alan Campbell's books? Really good stuff, first book was ok, but second book is just great.

Great charachters, good story, great world and easy to read...
There is another interesting author. Have some ambiguous feelings about his work though - jeffery thomas (punktown books).

Of this three I like Campbell most(just a bit over Hunt's work).

At the moment I'm reading neil stephenosns "anthem" - it is more SF then fantasy(well it is SF), but it has steampunk feeling about it, maybe it is just because of steampunk in contamination of my brain sells of late.

Hm - btw. Aren't all of todays books integration of ideas before them?

**Werthead** · July 22nd, 2009, 03:46 PM

With Campbell it was a case of fantasic Book 1, good Book 2 and Book 3 was a bit meh. It has one of those really lame endings that any writing class would tell you to never, ever do.

Spoiler:

Time travel means that all the deaths and sacrifice unleashed in Books 1 and 2 are undone in favour of a neat and happy ending where Deepgate was never destroyed.

Still, it's all a learning curve. He can write and he can create good worlds. Looking forward to his next trilogy.