Dante on 22/1/2009 at 04:07
It's great! And I'm not just flattering. I'll have to read it several more times to catch it all because I'm terrible at digesting this sort of stuff. I've reread (e) and (f) about a hundred times; for some reason they keep sticking out when I think about it.
I'd never noticed the significance of Morgan le Fay's name, despite my passing interests in Arthurian legend. :erg:
Of course, as you can see from my shallow fascination I'm no literary theorist, and I'd never have noticed a connection between Keats and Tolkien. I remember reading "Ode to a Grecian Urn" for school last year and being bored to death with it. :laff: But as a writer and aspiring world builder much of what you wrote is bouncing around in my head; thank you very much for sharing it.
I haven't looked at the Templar paper yet. History is my forte though, so I shouldn't have to actually concentrate on it while I read. Concentrate on a history or literary essay? Never! :p
Herr_Garrett on 22/1/2009 at 07:45
Just read something new about that: Tolkien used the word fëa when referring to 'soul'. Does it ring a bell? :D
Anyway, I loved the Templar stuff because a) I love them anyway, and b) I held the presentation on October the 13th. Nice co-incidence there. :D
Beleg Cúthalion on 22/1/2009 at 08:45
But you forgot the sergeants. :tsktsk: People almost always forget the sergeants.
Herr_Garrett on 22/1/2009 at 09:20
What do you think "serjeant" is? :p:D
Beleg Cúthalion on 22/1/2009 at 13:53
Yeah, but aside "took part in battle" there isn't much. AFAIK they were twice the number of knights and at least equal in numbers in battle. What I really mean is that it looks often (and I'm referring to much more superficial Templar references, not what you wrote, but artworks and Templar-like things in computer games) like this elitist only-knights club. The Assassins being only assassins is probably the same thing but people tend to forget the complexity of things.
(note to the author in spe) :p
Herr_Garrett on 22/1/2009 at 14:44
Well, as far as I know, the sevants and the serjeants were on the "same level", sort of. But certainly they were far more numerous then your actual Knights. For instance, the knightly entourage inclued at least a dozen men, the Knight being only one of them. The lone "knight errant" was invented in the late, 16th-17th century romances, and gives a pretty false picture about the whole chivalric stuff. A knight alone was deader than fish in the Sahara.
Herr_Garrett on 29/1/2009 at 07:52
Got your point (altough I actually think that the picture just looks as if it was taken in a desert, the seabed looks like that, too.), but fishes don't just hang around, breathing sand :D They still live in water for most of the time. Yes, I know that there are species of fish that can kill dogs and climb trees, but nevertheless,
nevertheless, the general statement that fishes spend the majority of their life in water and that it is crucial for their proper life functions, is sound and proved. :p
Anyway. I was metaphorically speaking, aye? :cheeky:
Elster on 29/1/2009 at 23:55
hmm already so much said, i have not really much to add, just one advise:
Keep it simple.
Lots of authors make the mistake of too much complexity in their novels, the average reader should always understand what is going on. So add details, but not too many and point somehow out what is important, for example if two nobles discuss politics which are just not important for the plot and only exists for the details, but you don't point it out the reader will always wonder what this was about and possibly loose the track.
Besides of that, think about who your target readership is, some people want to have big, showy fights in novels (i just love big showy fights ^^) or thriller like suspense or intrigues... it's just like with movies, remember your target readership and write for them.
i never had much literature classes (in fact i'm more about chemestry and late german history) but i read a lot, really a lot of sci fi and fantasy and it just always pissed me really off when i didn't knew what was going on because of lacking explainations or because the plot became overcomplicated or worse, the author wrote whole pages about boring, not plot related details.
I hope you will get a good thief novel done, there aren't very many of that kind.
gunsmoke on 30/1/2009 at 15:18
Thanks. I am always looking for new Thief links, and that is certainly an excellent one. I appreciate it.
