Glossaries and Maps

[Samuel , Director]

Glossaries and maps in technothrillers. Useful or unnecessary? Increasingly, (especially in the Mark Greaney era of Tom Clancy thrillers) maps, cast lists and Glossaries regarding terminology have become common.

Are they needed increasingly? (when the book is 756 pages perhaps?) or are not needed and if anyone wants to find out about particular aspects of the narrative can simply get a laptop and web search away to their hearts content?

[[deleted user]]

I would say that maps can add to a technothriller, especially if the action is in some obscure corner of the planet. Unfortunately, the geography standards of many today are not what they should be. However, the map should be easy to use and very legible, in order not to confuse the reader.

[Samuel , Director]

Maps and cast lists are perhaps useful depending on certain factors. If the book is your traditional Clancy style door-stopper, then such a list helps readers keep up with who is doing what.

As for maps, Greg Barron, a group member added them in his second book which takes place in much of North East Africa especially around the Somalian inlands, for the very reasons you've put forward.

[Samuel , Director]

Glossaries on the other hand.....most of the bestsellers like Brad Thor have never found need for them. The man himself constantly has stories about how many of his readers have a laptop next to them so they can search up whatever term or piece of kit they come across in the books.

[Tyler]

I like the idea of a basic layout like Flynn would do on the inside of the hardcovers. But if you can't keep up with the cast then either the author failed at descriptions or added too many and made it overwhelming. The glossary of technology and terms is for rookies and shouldn't be there. Takes away from the book. My opinion.