Some thoughts on the direction Fantasy seems to be heading -- present and future.

[BookStop]

I could go on and on forever but its raining gently here on my little tin roof, and that always makes me sleepy, especially in winter, here in my warm cocoon

And you say 'most people don't live in the midst of beauty'.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

In every city you have to deliberately ignore aspects of your environment - the feel of the air on your pores - the harsh unyielding feel of concrete - angles that slice up the space around you into neat and restrictive parcels and blockages - the constant sound and smell of traffic - the constant presence of too many other people, none of whom you know. Most people can become accustomed to this and some thrive on it - but for many its just something to be endured or not thought about.

But not everyone does live in the city, and many who do wouldn't move if you paid them.

I don't know what it's like in Australia, but in this country around every major city there are vast suburbs. You can work in the city and still have a place to go away from the concrete and angles and sounds of traffic and pressure of humanity. Even if you're poor and live in an apartment, you can walk down the street and see grass and gardens and maybe not pass another person for half an hour (more if you take your walk in the early morning or early evening).

Even in the city there are parks and museums and other places where you can find beauty. In fact, it's the convenience of such things that keep many people in the city.

It's popular now to dwell on the negative -- even, in many cases, to seek out the ugly and the frantic and the soul-deadening. We don't have to live that way. And we don't have to think that way either, but again, many go looking for books, movies, games, and the companionship of people who re-enforce and validate that kind of thinking.

And I don't say that we should ignore the horrible things in life, but neither should we exaggerate them or glorify them or take a perverse pleasure in them. There is more to life than that, and we need to be reminded. We need more balance.

 

[The Procrastinator]

I think I define city differently than you, T. Suburbs count, in my book. (I know the suburbs can be pleasant or at least OK, btw). Do you feel there is no connection between urbanisation (and suburbanisation) and the "decline of the wonderful"? I feel that there might be - I could be wrong of course. I haven't thought properly about it yet. My feeling is that the imbalance you speak of is exacerbated by the "de-natured" forms of our modern lives. Grass and parks and trees and gardens are great but they are "tame", if you understand me - they are nature expressed through a human filter, not nature herself. Nature says something to us (maybe not all of us) at a subliminal level - she built us after all and we are made to be in her - and there is something satisfying about the forms of chaos, the unpredictability, the complexity and the cruelty of the natural world that goes far beyond the aesthetic. Perhaps you could say she puts you in your place - and maybe there's a lot of people these days who don't know what that place is. And before someone gets out the flamethrower, I am not speaking literally about the above.

Bother, I am running out of time - we're having power issues out here (on the farm) so my computer time is limited at present. Will come back when I can and rave on some more - I'm not explaining well and must dash.

 

[svalbard]

This is an interesting topic for debate and something I have pondered over for many years. I can only go on how I have changed in my literary tastes in fantasy. First of all there was Tolkien and his two greatest works, The Hobbit and The Fellowship of the Ring. He created a fantastical world that hinted at the myths of our own past and yet you knew you were in a different world, where in the end the Light would win through. You took joy from that, at least I did anyway. Tolkien's creation has being expounded upon by other writers.

Some have done this to some success. I would say that authors such as George R.R. Martin, Tad Williams and Steven Erikson are bright examples of this. They ground their worlds in a quasi-medieval setting, with all the grime and horror of those times. At the same time certain characters will rise above the quagmire of filth to strike a blow for what we as readers and lovers of fantasy need. Truth and right.

I will appologise(sp) for the short reply, but I am tired and need some sleep. I will come back and add some more to this later.