Gabriele

Fine, I so needed a slashy plotbunny. I already thought they should have had more fun sharing a prison cell. *insert little devil smiley here*

Yep.

I second that suggestion, it's more powerful. Except you mean he surveyed the surroundings for pursuers, but then you should mention that and make it two sentences.

This forum has some funny autocorrect when it comes to - even mild - swearing.

Oh, nice thread. There are some cool stories lurking here. Though I'm not sure animancers are something I would want to meet at night. OK, here's some of my stuff: Never to Return (historical fiction, 3rd century AD), beginning of the Prologue (Syria): The wind blew hot from the desert again. Titus Calidius, optio of the third cohort of the II Parthica, wrapped his scarf around nose and mouth to prevent inhaling the red dust, and stared out at the plain of pebbles and sand stretching before him. The mountains in the distance, where the Roman army had been defeated by the Sassanids six months ago were hazy, though Calidius' memories had not faded. Now the emperor Severus Alexander licked his wounds in the comforts of his palace in Antiochia, while the survivors of the II Parthica had to man the watchtowers in the middle of nowhere. Eagle of the Sea (also hist fic, 1st century AD), beginning of Madalric's plotline (Germania, near the Rhine): The sound of pursuit, the heavy breathing and the thudding steps of several men came nearer. Madalric ran on, ignoring the sharp bite in his side. His heart pounded, his breath came in gasps, sweat bathed his body. Keep your stride, Madalric told himself, don't think, run. If he could reach the river, he would be safe. His legs hammered on, the light steps of the best runner of the Batavians long having given way to a desperate struggle. Fallen leaves and dry grass rustled under his deerskin shoes, low branches and treacherous roots grabbed at his legs; snakes in league with the goddess Nerthus to catch the sacrifice. Beginning of part 2, Aquila's plotline (Britannia/Caledonia) Marcus Aquila found himself in a half-sitting position, his back against the trunk of a tree. His wrists and ankles hurt with the tight thongs that bound him, and his shoulder burned like fire where a spear had pierced it, angling its way beneath the collar opening and the segmentata plates. Blood still trickled down his chest. His lips felt dry and his vision blurred from exhaustion and the loss of blood. Beyond Dark Mountains (hist fic, again 3rd century AD, Britannia and Caledonia): Cailtharn stood amidst the carnage. His grip on the sword relaxed and the point sank towards the ground; a few drops of blood splattering on the muddy earth. He blinked the sweat out of his eyes and looked around. The battle was over. And they had won; Talorcan had been right. A Land Unconquered (hist fic, early 1st century AD; beginning of the famous Battle of the Teutoburg Forest): "Curse the German rain," Varus muttered and drew his cloak closer. The path was slippery with mud, and an icy north-west wind drove the rain into the faces of the men who plodded along with their heads bowed. A creak and curses told Varus that one of the carts had got stuck again. He considered sending the pioneers ahead to build a log road, but it would slow them down even more. "How long did Arminius say this difficult part of the track was?" Lucius Eggius rode up to the general. "Chariomerus sends word the train is no longer in contact with the main column. Those ox wains get stuck even worse than the mule carts. And his cavalry can't flank the train, with the Hunta river flooding the meadows; he says he keeps his squadron to the rear of the wagons." "He is that far back? That won't do." Varus and his staff had passed the area in early morning when the rain was but a drizzle and the grass no worse than lying heavy with wetness. Now it was less than two hours to dusk, the sky low and leaden with clouds bursting in windswept torrents. "Gnaeus Numerius," he called over his shoulder, "get your men back and help the train along. Cut some of those damned trees and cover the worst of the mud holes." The chief engineer saluted and turned his horse. Further back in the column commotion arose as another rider pressed through. Varus recognised Cassius Chaerea. What was the matter now? "Publius Quinctilius, my general," Chaerea called, "the Nineteenth is under attack!" Forged at the Fighting (historical Fantasy, based on 10th century Europe), beginning of the Prologue: The Veil opened before Asic of Sichelstein and the stag leapt into the grey mists. Asic's horse shied but he urged it on. That stag was his, Veil or not. He could feel the familiar cold seeping into his clothes, covering the leather jerkin and his gloves with rime. He took the bridle between his teeth, ripped the slippery gloves off, tucked them into his girdle and drew his sword. It was a gift from Beyond the Veil; the only weapon allowed in the hunt here. The blade glowed with a faint blue that grew stronger. Stronger than ever before, and Asic knew this hunt would be different. Kings and Rebels (Fantasy, probably a series), beginning of Roderic's plot arc: "I will lead the sortie myself." Girart Sinclaire d'Andeliac, Marchion of Cataives, held his arms out so his squire could fasten the vambraces. Alerot made one last attempt to dissuade his lord from this folly. "Lord, your son ...." "I do not need the aid of my son," Girart interrupted him in a harsh tone. "I do not intend to sit here and wait out the siege until he marches his army up from Strivelyn." "As you wont, lord," Alerot answered in a soft voice. "Do you want me to carry your banner?" "And watch my back, right?. Like I am too old to fight but you are not." But there was a hint of genuine warmth in Girart's smile. "Yes, I would want you by my side." Beginning of Alastair's plot arc: In the grey evening, the lake shone the colour of molten lead; the mountains merged as darker shadows into the twilight. Resting his arms on the tower parapet, Alastair O'Duibhne inhaled the cool breeze that carried a faint tang of salt. He had missed that smell; missed the high mountains sheltering the cold, dark lake. A week after his frenzied return from Gallicaine, the death and funeral of his father, the inauguration of his brother as tuathach of the clan, this was the first moment he had to himself, the first moment to mourn. The wind dried his tears and fanned the plaid out behind him; the fierce welcome of a Riatan winter. He was home at last. A strand of auburn air blew across his face, the colour a heritage from the mysterious Merlinus Emrys, their legendary ancestor. It had run in the family ever since, it was said, and now it had come to Feradigh O'Duibhne's younger son, not the older. And with it, as only Alastair himself knew now his father was dead, the knowledge of a secret and dangerous power, and a dire responsibility.

Lol, ideas have never been my problem. I got a whole garden full of plotbunnies. It's more like time to write them all since my speed is more GRR Martin than Sanderson. That said, I've been 'guilty' of writing some fanfiction myself. First as teenager and before I even knew what fanfiction and Mary Sue self inserts were, and I hope Tolstoy's ghost never finds out about me saving Andrej in War and Peace. The other was much later when I had started my own stuff but co-administered and edited a now defunct LOTR fanfiction board, one with quality standards and a proper submission process. I wrote some stories for that myself and I admit to some slashy undertones. I read a lot of LOTR fanfiction too, and the quality varied from dang good to abysmal. Several writers of that board have moved to their own fiction, so it can be a starting point. And some do it just for the fun and don't have any ambitions about original fiction. If it makes people happy, why not. The one caveat I have is that if an author explicitely states he/she doesn't approve of fanfiction, that should be respected at least re. presentation on the online media. I think if it's a good start of a writing career or more a hinder of creativity is a personal thing and a question of what you want: just having some fun, or indeed starting a career as writer. In case of the latter, fanfic should perhaps be restricted to a short learning phase. But I suppose if you get plotbunnies, you will move on, and the process of writing seems to attract those like spren.

I loved how Erikson just threw me in there without a guidebook. I found it was actually Fantasy that challenged me the way I'm else more used from authors like Dostoyevsky. But I love ASOIAF, too, and felt a bit the odd one out on Westeros for liking both series. Well, I also like historical fiction (though not the romance-y stuff of a Philippa Gregory, more the epic time portrayals of a Sharon Kay Penman or the battle fun of a Bernard Cornwell or Robert Low) and my taste is all over the place anyway.

Deadhouse Gates starts a totally new arc with new characters (except for one or two) and a new setting, so you don't need to have read Gardens of the Moon. House of Chains (book 4) continues that arc while Memories of Ice (book 3) continues the one from Gardens, though House sort of brings both together, so I suppose it is easier to read after Memories. Midnight Tides starts the 3rd main arc of the series and is independent of the first four books. Some people have recommended to read Deadhouse Gates, House of Chains, Gardens of the Moon and Memories of Ice instead of the publication order. Personally, I still prefer the latter because of those hints you don't need to understand the respective books but are part of the overall world.

What I find interesting is that Malazan gets quite some votes here while ASOIAF is less popular. On the Westeros boards Malazan is seen more negative on average. Do Malazan and Stormlight Archives have more in common than Malazan / ASOIAF, Stormlight / ASIOAF?

What this world is missing is politicssprens. But then, what I love about these scenes is that it is about honour and not politics. I got ASOIAF for the latter.

Oh, I forgot one. Anything by David Gemmell.

Faramir (Book version, of course, not the scriptscrewer's travesty.) OK, there's a number of other favourite characters, several from Malazan (Anomander, Ganoes Paran, Coltaine, Whiskeyjack ....), Jaime Lannister, Athos (again, book version and not the drunkard he's in all the movie ones), Geralt Tarrant. Dalinar is growing on me, too. Let's just say I got me my own harem.

He's in that 'I will stop once this stressful stuff is over'-stage. 'And when my father finally tells me he loves me and is proud of me.' I've met some docs who said they'd stop drinking alcohol once that internship with the 48 hours shifts was over. It's a typical self-delusion.

Yeah, that book made me even hungrier than ASOIAF.

Some good stuff here. I'd add Kate Elliott's Crown of Stars (7 books of epicness and finished) and Elizabeth Moon's Paksennarion books esp. for girls who like Tamora Pierce. J.V Jones series beginning with Sword of Black Ice - the only problem is that it's not finished and she makes GRRM look fast. And Katherine Kurtz' Deryni books (4 trilogies and some sequel stuff). Celia Friedman's Coldfire trilogy; Lois McMaster Bujold, Vorkosigan series (ok, that one's SF, but Miles rocks). And for the sake of good old memories, some Marion Zimmer Bradley books. Paul Kearney, Monarchies of God (avaliable in 2 omnibus volumes) Adrian Tchaikovsky, Shadows of the Apt series (10th and final book will be out in summer; Fantasy meets Steampunk) John Marco, Tyrants and Kings (an ok trilogy, imho) Joe Abercrombie' First Law, and Brian Ruckley's Godless World trilogy, if you like your Fantasy dark with a cynical streak. Brian McCleallan's Powder Mage - eagerly waiting for book 2.

Speaking about which, I wonder if there are plans to have some company make shardblade replica. Not that they would be much use in a fight without stormlight but they surely would look cool in a collection.

Most blog reviews I've read also mention the Cosmere, esp. now with it appearing more obviously in WoR.

Try being a GRR Martin fan then. Though I'm firmly in the camp of those who think he should take the time he needs. He'll never be a fast writer, cats or not.

Or when you write a fight scene with magically enhanced / cursed swords and wonder if that's too close to shardblades and Nightblood.

The amount of writing Brandon does, in addition to the other stuff like signings, writing courses and such, is amazing. I suspect he got a bunch of cats to help him (Ongoing joke I have with a friend about our writing speed. I'm slow and have no cats, and she's fast and takes in stray cats left and right, so I told her she made the cats help her writing in exchange for opening the food cans for them. )

And to add to the confusion we get historical fiction with all the historical characters and battles right there, but with angels and devils on top of it, like Mark Alder's new book that's going to be out this month. Well, I take whatever combination as long as it's a good read.

When Kaladin says, "honour is dead," and jumps into the pit to help Adolin. Yeah, and Dalinar offering his shardblade for the bridgemen. And Kaladin's realisation that Elhokar is Dalinar's Tien. Aragorn and Éomer meeting on the Fields of Pelennor. The Malazan series is full of great scenes: Coltaine's death, Whiskeyjack killing the prisoners himself to spare them from being trapped forever in Anomander's sword, Anomander's sacrifice, Trull Sengar weeping after the battle at High Fort ... "King in the North!" and the dragon song at the end of A Game of Thrones. Damien allowing Tarrant to feed on his fears in Friedman's Black Sun Rising. Hagen of Tronje releasing Ruedger from his oath so Ruedeger can fight for his king against Hagen (Song of the Nibelungs) Kjartan holding the dying Bolli (Laxdoela saga). There's a bunch more but those just popped up in my mind.

Yeah, Guy Gavriel Kay is very low on magic, as is Jacqueline Carey in her Kushiel series (though that one got some sex). GRR Martin, as mentioned, has magic only in the background in the first books. You might also look into historical fiction. There's a lot out with all the fun aspects of recent Fantasy, politics, big battles, grey characters and sometime even heroic deeds. I can give a list here if people want. EDIT: Just noticed this is the Creator thread. Such a list should probably go into Other Books.

Thank you. In Real Life the only one with whom I can talk about Fantasy is my nephew. Though there have been some chance encounters in the commute bus from the station to the north university campus with people reading Fantasy - somehow it's more popular among the natural science people.