Allison Symes's Blog - Posts Tagged "fantasy"
The Role of Books/Stories
What is the role of books/stories?
For me, the primary role is to entertain and provide some escapism, especially when life is being particularly grim.
A good book will take you into its world and for a while that gives you a breathing space. Somewhere to just be for a bit before facing reality again. The benefits of that can't be overstated.
I can understand real life stories and misery memoirs. I hope the writers found the writing of these to be enormously beneficial but this material is not something I can read.
I either want to escape into another world completely (via fairytales, The Lord of the Rings, Narnia, Discworld etc) OR, when I want to get my teeth into non-fiction, I want some good solid history. I love history when it is told as a story (which is why I adore Simon Schama's History of Britain series).
A good story, and this includes non-fiction told as a tale, should have a point to it but I'd like to bang the drum for stories "just" being entertaining. To me there's no "just" about it. A story doesn't have to be "worthy" to be of benefit.
A story does just have to live up to the promise of its opening lines. And that's challenging enough!
For me, the primary role is to entertain and provide some escapism, especially when life is being particularly grim.
A good book will take you into its world and for a while that gives you a breathing space. Somewhere to just be for a bit before facing reality again. The benefits of that can't be overstated.
I can understand real life stories and misery memoirs. I hope the writers found the writing of these to be enormously beneficial but this material is not something I can read.
I either want to escape into another world completely (via fairytales, The Lord of the Rings, Narnia, Discworld etc) OR, when I want to get my teeth into non-fiction, I want some good solid history. I love history when it is told as a story (which is why I adore Simon Schama's History of Britain series).
A good story, and this includes non-fiction told as a tale, should have a point to it but I'd like to bang the drum for stories "just" being entertaining. To me there's no "just" about it. A story doesn't have to be "worthy" to be of benefit.
A story does just have to live up to the promise of its opening lines. And that's challenging enough!
Other Worlds in Books
All books take us to other worlds. Yes, even non-fiction, given that can enlighten us to aspects of life in this world and increase our knowledge, making us see this world in new lights.
But for fantasy and sci-fi especially, what is it about their settings which convinces you to “suspend disbelief” while reading the story?
For The Lord of the Rings (though this applies to many other stories too) it was the portrayal of the characters which made me believe in the settings.
Hobbits are small so it makes sense for them to live in something like hobbit holes.
I was also convinced by the peaceful tranquil setting of The Shire especially when contrasted with the dark world of Mordor. To have both of these elements in the book made sense to me. One represents good, the other evil.
No world is perfect, even in fiction. Contrasts work for me.
And we can all understand the wish to defend one’s home, even more so with world events right now. So again I get the setting and the wish to defend that.
I don’t need to know every little thing about the setting but I do need to know enough to understand why the characters love it.
But for fantasy and sci-fi especially, what is it about their settings which convinces you to “suspend disbelief” while reading the story?
For The Lord of the Rings (though this applies to many other stories too) it was the portrayal of the characters which made me believe in the settings.
Hobbits are small so it makes sense for them to live in something like hobbit holes.
I was also convinced by the peaceful tranquil setting of The Shire especially when contrasted with the dark world of Mordor. To have both of these elements in the book made sense to me. One represents good, the other evil.
No world is perfect, even in fiction. Contrasts work for me.
And we can all understand the wish to defend one’s home, even more so with world events right now. So again I get the setting and the wish to defend that.
I don’t need to know every little thing about the setting but I do need to know enough to understand why the characters love it.
The World of Books
I can’t imagine a world without books. I don’t want to either. But that does not mean I need my stories (whether I write them or read them) to be solely set in this world, a planet we know.
I love fantasy, fairytales, and sci-fi. These story worlds can show us something of what we are like. Stories set in the future show us what we could be.
I love the way books can take us anywhere - past, present, future - and any setting - known or fantastical.
While some fantasy worlds are easier to understand than others, I find I’ve got to salute the imagination behind them all.
What is a book without imagination behind it? Blank!
Yes, there has to be imagination behind non-fiction works too. How does the author conjure up, say, a historical world which will intrigue present day readers? They have to think of the details which will draw us into this world.
I love historical fiction and non-fiction. I remain thankful I live in the era I do, for all its faults, but I can explore past worlds via books. Safest way to to do it too. I really would not fancy being at the court of Henry VIII, say, but I can explore that world thanks to books.
The world of books is an amazing one - any time, any place, anywhere. There is also room for more worlds to be invented in fantasy and sci-fi too. The only limit is our imagination. Books encourage us to develop that imagination.
I love fantasy, fairytales, and sci-fi. These story worlds can show us something of what we are like. Stories set in the future show us what we could be.
I love the way books can take us anywhere - past, present, future - and any setting - known or fantastical.
While some fantasy worlds are easier to understand than others, I find I’ve got to salute the imagination behind them all.
What is a book without imagination behind it? Blank!
Yes, there has to be imagination behind non-fiction works too. How does the author conjure up, say, a historical world which will intrigue present day readers? They have to think of the details which will draw us into this world.
I love historical fiction and non-fiction. I remain thankful I live in the era I do, for all its faults, but I can explore past worlds via books. Safest way to to do it too. I really would not fancy being at the court of Henry VIII, say, but I can explore that world thanks to books.
The world of books is an amazing one - any time, any place, anywhere. There is also room for more worlds to be invented in fantasy and sci-fi too. The only limit is our imagination. Books encourage us to develop that imagination.
