Jump to content

Epilogues And Conclusions To Long Stories


littlemag126

Recommended Posts

ok, so like every time i finish a long series it almost always feels like (to me) that there is not enough of a conclusion.  Like i really dont care if the epilogue is 4 chapters long i just want to know what happens next.

Like the characters usually just went through a chaotic time in their lives and im interested in how they move on.  

 

that being said i really dont even need formal writing on anything.  Just give me like a list of the character names in encyclopedia format and give a brief description of what they end up doing. 

 

 

For example SPOILERS FOR MALAZAN BOOK OF THE FALLEN WILL TRY TO BE VAGUE

 

at the end of the 10th book of the malazan you get a brief glimpse of some of the main characters at a funeral ceremony, and i mean brief, like 5 pages at most.  i still have no idea where the heck the malazan armies are gona go, where the Parans are gona end up living, or even what they will do with the wrest of their lives.  Like come on... i just saw these guys go through hell, now i want to see them get to relax, but i get nothing, 

 

all im asking for is something to give my mind a rest, like he went to letheri to serve in their military or some random stuff, i just always feel like there isn't enough closure, like 11000 page story with a 10 page epilogue, like lskjdf;lkj give me some more please, heck i could probably read like 150 pages worth of epilogue at that point

 

SPOILER WHEEL OF TIME VAGUE

like what the frick 14 book series with like the most pathetic excuse for an epilogue ive ever seen

 

 

Anyone else feel like this? Like the series took so much time to reach the climax but then had no winding down what so ever?  

I feel like this is an issue with big epic fantasies that should really stop happening (although maybe wheel of time and Malazan is too small of a sample pool lol)

The point is even though the final book concludes the whole series they only write an epilogue the size of a 1 book conclusion, rather than an epilogue for a ten book series.

 

 

 

Semi-related: This desire for more content is also why i think more fantasy authors should write something in the style of the silmarilion, where it seeks to outline the course of history in the world and simply tell the reader what happened.  Like the silmarilion is only 250-300 pages but it covers a thousands of years in the world and is extremely rewarding to read after the lord of the rings because that backstory gives you a better lens through which to view the main story.  

like if sanderson wrote a history of the Desolations in Roshar (starting from the beginning until sometime after the events of stormlight) with the style of the silmarilion i think it would be great.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"Tell me how did he die?"

"...I will tell you how he lived"


This is the heart of the issue I think.  Epilogue can be vague at times and not offer the complete closure we always want but the point of the story is to take us in the lives of this characters and on their journey.

How they fought
How they loved
How they lost
how they cried
How they accomplished


Where they ultimately end up at the end is interesting to know to say the least but most stories are about the journey not the destination.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Chaos locked this topic
Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...