Thomas Locke
For the past several years I have grown increasingly concerned over the all-pervading darkness that nowadays forms the core of both character development and story within the fantasy and science fiction genres.
Last autumn, Publishers Weekly held a global forum on where science fiction and fantasy were headed in New York publishing. Several key elements were brought to light by a panel that included some of the largest publishers and editors in these fields. Here are the four points I found of crucial importance.
First, in this last publishing cycle—from January to June 2014—not one book has been released in either fantasy or science fiction that hearkens back to the classical heroic structure of by-gone days.
Second, both of these genres have become redefined by the electronic game industry, which is soon expected to top Hollywood films in terms of both profit and revenue.
Third, the key impact of e-games on both character and story theme was described as 'grey-scaling'. This means there is no longer room for either heroes or villains. This is important in e-games because the player is offered the chance to take on every role. None are deemed wrong, or bad. All are equally valid.
Fourth, the classical story structure has been deemed passé. This formed the basis for JRR Tolkein's Lord of the Rings, and for CS Lewis and the Narnia series, and has its roots in the ancient Greek heroic structure, many of which were told as fantasies.
Long before this conference confirmed my growing suspicions, I felt the question these NY publishers overlooked was, What has happened to the readers of classical fantasy and science fiction? Are they all satisfied with the direction that New York has chosen to take?
I do not disagree with the new direction as a concept. But I fundamentally dispute this mind-set of exclusively focusing on the new, the dark, and the hopeless.
Twenty months ago, I began working on a pair of new projects. They were so far removed from anything I had ever done before, I feared there would be no chance of finding a publisher. But the ideas ignited me to the point where I really needed to follow this creative passion.
The first was a fantasy, which follows the original Greek concept of ‘epic’. Nowadays the term has been redefined to basically mean nothing more than, long. Originally, an epic tale was one where the principal character sought to achieve a quest. The hero’s journey, both externally and his need to conquer inner demons, formed vital life-lessons for the audience.
My aim with this fantasy, EMISSARY, was to fashion an epic that would suit modern tastes. I threw out what has become the standard format for fantasy novels, with their long-winded descriptions and elaborate settings. Instead, I used the sentence structure and pacing of a mystery. It is tight, with what I hope will be seen as a smooth and seamless action-flow that leads to a satisfying crescendo.
The second of these projects was what is nowadays referred to as near-time sci-fi. Near-time sci-fi is a story that takes place in today’s world, but one where reality is drawn around the unseen corner. A perfect example is Jurassic Park, where dinosaur DNA is extracted from amber, inserted into frog embryos, and the monsters are returned to a modern earth setting. My near-time sci-fi is TRIAL RUN.
Both of these projects adhere to the original Greek structure of inherent value, what in Hollywood today is referred to as ‘leave-behind’.
In EMISSARY, the principal character rises from nothing to forge an alliance that has profound and far-reaching impact, simply by accepting the challenge of his own self-worth.
The theme of TRIAL RUN is that of hope through love, beyond time and earthly bonds, and finding strength where none exists on a logical basis. As you are no doubt aware, the themes themselves hearken back to the early classics.
Last autumn, Publishers Weekly held a global forum on where science fiction and fantasy were headed in New York publishing. Several key elements were brought to light by a panel that included some of the largest publishers and editors in these fields. Here are the four points I found of crucial importance.
First, in this last publishing cycle—from January to June 2014—not one book has been released in either fantasy or science fiction that hearkens back to the classical heroic structure of by-gone days.
Second, both of these genres have become redefined by the electronic game industry, which is soon expected to top Hollywood films in terms of both profit and revenue.
Third, the key impact of e-games on both character and story theme was described as 'grey-scaling'. This means there is no longer room for either heroes or villains. This is important in e-games because the player is offered the chance to take on every role. None are deemed wrong, or bad. All are equally valid.
Fourth, the classical story structure has been deemed passé. This formed the basis for JRR Tolkein's Lord of the Rings, and for CS Lewis and the Narnia series, and has its roots in the ancient Greek heroic structure, many of which were told as fantasies.
Long before this conference confirmed my growing suspicions, I felt the question these NY publishers overlooked was, What has happened to the readers of classical fantasy and science fiction? Are they all satisfied with the direction that New York has chosen to take?
I do not disagree with the new direction as a concept. But I fundamentally dispute this mind-set of exclusively focusing on the new, the dark, and the hopeless.
Twenty months ago, I began working on a pair of new projects. They were so far removed from anything I had ever done before, I feared there would be no chance of finding a publisher. But the ideas ignited me to the point where I really needed to follow this creative passion.
The first was a fantasy, which follows the original Greek concept of ‘epic’. Nowadays the term has been redefined to basically mean nothing more than, long. Originally, an epic tale was one where the principal character sought to achieve a quest. The hero’s journey, both externally and his need to conquer inner demons, formed vital life-lessons for the audience.
My aim with this fantasy, EMISSARY, was to fashion an epic that would suit modern tastes. I threw out what has become the standard format for fantasy novels, with their long-winded descriptions and elaborate settings. Instead, I used the sentence structure and pacing of a mystery. It is tight, with what I hope will be seen as a smooth and seamless action-flow that leads to a satisfying crescendo.
The second of these projects was what is nowadays referred to as near-time sci-fi. Near-time sci-fi is a story that takes place in today’s world, but one where reality is drawn around the unseen corner. A perfect example is Jurassic Park, where dinosaur DNA is extracted from amber, inserted into frog embryos, and the monsters are returned to a modern earth setting. My near-time sci-fi is TRIAL RUN.
Both of these projects adhere to the original Greek structure of inherent value, what in Hollywood today is referred to as ‘leave-behind’.
In EMISSARY, the principal character rises from nothing to forge an alliance that has profound and far-reaching impact, simply by accepting the challenge of his own self-worth.
The theme of TRIAL RUN is that of hope through love, beyond time and earthly bonds, and finding strength where none exists on a logical basis. As you are no doubt aware, the themes themselves hearken back to the early classics.
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