Andrew Moore's Blog, page 93

Sword and Sorcery

Polearm and Politics
Cannon and Cathedrals
Rifle and Ribaldry
Catapult and Castle
Dagger and Daiquiri
Crossbow and Cross Stitch

On Book Numbering

Make sure to number the first book in a series "001" so everyone knows you're confident in it.

Spicing It Up

To change things up in your fantasy story, go through and change "wielded" to "manipulated." Then change them all back before anyone finds out what you did.

Addendum

By good reason, I mean the villain is looking for some ancient artifact that will make him absolutely shredded. Whether he gets it and the hero has to fight him at full power, the hero gets it, or some underling gets it to become the true main villain I leave up to you.

Physique Reminder

Unless you have a good reason to against this, your story's villain should be absolutely shredded, just an unbelievable specimen of musculature. This is true in all speculative fiction genres including alternative history.

Adaptation Corner

Q. What genre of videogame should the Recluce books be used in?
A. Shop sim. Q. What about The Dark Is Rising?
A. 3v3 tag fighter.

The Obligation of History

Once upon a time, when the demon's power and influence seemed too strong for anyone to bear, a hero gripped the radiant sword forged in the strange country where earth and non-earth meet. Manifold dangers he overcame by his will and his tireless arm till at last even the demon fell. The people rejoiced and vowed forever to remember the name of . . .
The court historian's pen paused. "What was that name again?"
"Craddy. I don't think it's so hard to remember." The hero Craddy's feet kicked below his chair.
"None of that," the court sculptor chided.
"Craddy. That just doesn't do it for me." The historian licked his pen. "I have it. 'The name of Kemesh.' That sounds more heroic."
Craddy's morose expression drew another rebuke from the sculptor, but there was meaning behind it. "You can think it sounds like anything you want, but the sword magic I learned in the sacred land cannot be invoked without my name, by the oath sworn on the unseen mountain which no man may reach but one. I'm talking about myself here."
"You do like to do that, yes."
Even a hero could become irritated. "You asked. I'm giving you an exclusive scoop here as a reward for everything your kingdom did to help me."
"Yes, yes, we're ever so grateful, Kemesh."
And generations later, when a different kingdom conquered the world using overwhelming sword magic, none knew whence came the name they used to invoke it or why Kemesh's legacy availed nothing.
Finis

Science Fiction Society Discussion

Will poetry come back in the future? Almost certainly not. Unless the authoritarian government bans most kinds of music including the ones with lyrics! Bam! Science fiction is saved. There's some good stagnationcore right there. That future society can't even pilot mechs with music. They'll be sitting ducks for any aliens.

The Unsolved Problem

In those multipilot mechs, what do the other pilots do? Dai-Guard had an answer for that, but most of the time, the show just uses those characters for episode plots like when one of them quits the team. Plus! It seems like two-seaters should be common, but that's so only in Super Robot Wars.

Exploring Mythology

Did you know there were these dudes that had 100 hands? That's too many. In your next fantasy story, or scifi if it involves extensive bodily modification, eight hands will do.