The World I Want To Create -- A Description Of My Novel In Progress -- A World Long Sundered
Fantasy and Sci-fi
The two are rarely wed. So many awesome fantasy and sci-fi novels have influenced my life, they become part of you on a deeper level. I've rarely read a book within these genres that I didn't like, but a few authors will always stick with me: Frank Herbert, C.S. Lewis, Tolkien, Terry Brooks, Raymond E. Feist, Robert Jordan, Piers Anthony, Terry Goodkind, Isaac Asimov are but a few.
I love them all.
But what I really love is when the two genre's combine. It really doesn't happen as often as I would like to see. I think this is, in part, because it's rather difficult to pull off. Frank Herbert's Dune series, Robert Jordon's Wheel of Time, and Terry Brooks Shannara series skirt the border sometimes. Also, the Shadowrun universe and Piers Anthony's Apprentice Adept series definitely plays with such a duality.
It is in this tradition that I have set my own world in.
A World Long Sundered
The story starts on a broken and desolate planet, Sapphyre is a skeleton of a once vibrant and magical world. Much of what was, is no more. My first chapter gives the reader hints to the world's condition but more will be revealed in later chapters.
Although, not apparent from the get-go, Sapphyre is a part of a much larger universe. For some yet unknown reason, the world of Sapphyre had remained hidden from the expanse of sentient life that inhabited the vastness of space. A long history of events bridging multiple planets and solar systems is in place long before we come to the main protagonist.
Auryn Riggs is as about as broken as the world around him. Even though he initially remembers little of why the world is in the state it is, self-consciously he believes he played no small part in its downfall. He is unaware of the extent of the world's deterioration, and inwardly he is convinced that it has nothing to do with him.
In order to escape from his prison, Auryin will need to remember more than just his past. But he will often ask himself if it is a past worth remembering...
A Request From The Community
As previously stated, combining both fantasy and sci-fi into an enjoyable experience is not easy. Meshing both magic and technology is undeniably not a new concept but surely an enjoyable one.
My question out to the community is this:
Of the worlds that combined both fantasy and science fiction, which were your favorite? What aspects made them so and why?
I would love to hear back from everyone. Also, if anyone is interested in giving me their honest opinion of my first chapter of A World Long Sundered, you can find it here. I know it is a bit of a read, so let me thank you all in advance!
Some images provided by https://pixabay.com/
Tolkien is my absolute favorite if he falls under this category. But I do have to catch up with some other authors from these genres.
Absolutely! I love Tolkien's work especially when we look at the time frame of when he wrote. People attribute Tolkien to being the founder of fantasy since there was so little of it written then. I believe that Tolkien was actually of friend of C.S. Lewis and they would banter ideas back and forth. Now, as fantasy and sci-fi writers, we have a lot more sources to draw inspiration from. Which makes it that much more amazing that Tolkien and similar authors created what they did. Their writings withstand the test of time.
My TTL series is fantasy/paranormal. It's outrageous that so many agents/publishers tweet their (#)MSWL as wanting new talent that "blends and combines genres," but they're seldom willing to read past a query that suggests such a thing. I understand how difficult it can be to market a book that doesn't fit neatly into a particular section at the bookstore. But we're living in the 21st century. Readers are hungry for more. For better. For deeper and richer and more profound. The best way to give them that is by transcending expectations.
well said Rhonda!
That is an interesting concept. Since I've never had to deal with publishers (yet), I would not have anticipated such a hurdle. I do think it's the books that bridge genres that have the unique ability to attract readers that have different areas of interest. Thank you for your wonderful opinion!
:-) One thing I never have a shortage of is opinions. LOLOL
Works for me! My self confidence has a lot of holes in it. I use other peoples opinions to plug up the leaks. :D
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