SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion
note: This topic has been closed to new comments.
Members' Chat
>
Former Introduction Thread
message 1951:
by
whimsicalmeerkat
(new)
Apr 25, 2011 07:03PM

reply
|
flag

That sounds like a challenge for writers. Maybe some kind of adventure urban fantasy where the non-humans and weird elements are depicted in shades of grey?


I've read a fair bit of UF, and I can't say I've ever considered any of it dystopian.

I have to concur on the issue of Urban Fantasy not being dystopia. Having dark, gritty elements in your story, as well as adversarial forces, doesn't make a dystopia. A dystopia is an entire world, an entire reality, which is set up to be as unconducive to the human spirit as one can. It is the precise opposite of a utopia, which is a fulfillment of human ideals and accomplishments.
Urban Fantasy worlds, while gritty and sometimes even Gothic, don't warrant the title dystopian because society and people, on the whole, do not tend to be perfectly obstructive, oppressive, or destructive.
I really want to read a Dystopian Urban Fantasy now. Someone find me one.

The other, also from the desk of a Russian author, is my favourite, wonderful The Master and Margarita which, despite it not coming off as a dystopia, is a satire of obstructive bureaucracies, Communism, and oppression, and is thus a dystopia by the very definition of the term.
I've actually already read the entire Night Watch series, and seen the first movie(which was chock full of "wtf?"). Didn't seem dystopian, really. More of an "If Dresden were born Russian, what would happen?" than anything.
May have to give your other suggestion a try though :)
May have to give your other suggestion a try though :)
Was it me? Did I do it?
YOU CAN'T PROVE ANYTHING
YOU CAN'T PROVE ANYTHING

FWIW, I find that adding emotes of some sort often let people know the tone you are aiming for. Smilies, winkies... or the ever popular *enter emotion or action of choice between asteriks*. (I'm a fan of *snerk*, personally.)
If there is still a misunderstanding of intention, one could always respond with something along the lines of "LOL guys - I know UF isn't really dystopian... I was just making a clever yet snarky comment about the state of our world today."
And we could all go "Ohhh. How droll!" And laugh together, both over the wittiness of the response, and the silliness of the misunderstanding.
Or you could just act like a crazy person. It worked for V, afterall, and that is dystopian.
Of course, I could be completely wrong. I may be barking up the entirely wrong tree. It wouldn't be the first time, and I'm sure it wouldn't be the last. It's hard to tell sometimes... *snerk*

"
AND Urban. There you go.
V is Dystopian Urban Fantasy. *snerk*

YOU CAN'T PROVE ANYTHING"
Of course it's you. It's always you. Who else would it be?

V is Dystopian Urban Fantasy. *snerk*"
So it is. Well, it takes places in a city, anyway. (Though I tend to use the looser definition of contemporary urban when I think UF.)
So, there ya go, Ala. (Though you could just watch the movie. The movie's better.) ;)
***
ETA: Scratch that. V is not UF because it's not fantasy.
I was wondering when someone was going to say that...
That V isn't fantasy.
Also, I rather enjoyed it.
Also, I rather enjoyed it.

I've hated others much more. I'm going to avoid being drawn further into this conversation though. It always goes poorly by the end.

Agreed. And I watched every single episode too. LOL
That season (series?) finale was AWFUL.
@Colleen. Drat! You're right. It's more of a sci-fi. So maybe it's a DUSF. This gets better and better. *big grin*
I was talking about V for Vendetta, too.

Also, I rather enjoyed it."
I wasn't sure if it was that or the 'the movie's better' comment.
I stand by both statements, though. ;)
And, yes, I was also talking V for Vendetta and not that other V. I never watched V, the old one or the new one.
It's ok. I, too, hated the new V series.
I fondly remember the original one, though. But I'll never watch it again so as not to ruin it.
I fondly remember the original one, though. But I'll never watch it again so as not to ruin it.


I wish by all that's holy that people could learn to express themselves without resorting to being crude. Swearing is usually an indication that someone has either run out of useful expressions or has too low an IQ to command a decent command of the language.
My late partner could swear for an hour straight without repeating himself nor using a "bad" word. Now THAT's a man who could express himself.

Careful, Chris, you just labeled yourself. (ROFL-CGU)

(For the record, I have no desire to get into an argument about the superiority of some words over others or a contest over the extent of my vocabulary and ability to express myself.)
So how about that local sports franchise, eh?
Yeah, I don't follow sports that closely.
I enjoy watching a game now and then, but barely know the names of the players.
I enjoy watching a game now and then, but barely know the names of the players.

I wish by all that's holy that people could learn to express themselves without resorting to being crude..."
Not a big fan of foul language myself, but here I reckon Denae is just having a damn good crack at making text convey intonation. But I like the spirited debate and lovely snidey asides, please keep them coming, I've snickered my way through this thread enjoying it all.
Oh and by the way WTF is ROFL-CGU, I'm starting to feel very old and computer illiterate.

Which made me think of that commercial with the old lady, "I've fallen and I can't get up!"

Which made me think of that commercial with the old lady, "I've fallen and I can't get up!""
Damn it, that must be an American advert, I'm all curious as hell now.
Hope you all like my restrained British cussing.
This topic has been frozen by the moderator. No new comments can be posted.
Books mentioned in this topic
Rosewater (other topics)The Song of Achilles (other topics)
The Eye of the World (other topics)
Gardens of the Moon (other topics)
The Fated Sky (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Varun Sayal (other topics)Stanley Schmidt (other topics)
Margaret Atwood (other topics)
Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley (other topics)
Roald Dahl (other topics)
More...