Topic of the Week/Month - Do Not Go Gently into that Big Sleep
(Dylan Thomas + Raymond Chandler = subject line win)
Happy Belated Halloween! I hope everyone''s holiday was safe, fun, and spooky (not necessarily in that order).
As you might know, today and yesterday mark many cultures' observance of the Day of the Dead (El Dia de Los Muertos), which made me think of a weighty topic we've never discussed, one of life's two inevitables (the other being taxes).
Or is it inevitable? In fantasy literature, death is not always a one-way trip. Characters can be resurrected by any number of means and are often transformed into something more powerful than what they were before.
*resists urge to quote Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars*
Is that the case in your books? Is death permanent, or is it a gateway to a better or worse life? In your worlds, what factors decide who lives and who dies? How do your characters cope with this transition? How does it change them physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually?
If writing and reading can be a form of therapy, does urban fantasy help us wrestle with our fear of death, by having it occasionally be optional, but also by showing us that there are worse fates? Does urban fantasy "tame" death by making it ever-present? Is death even one of the best sources of comedy?
As always, Members and Watchers alike are encouraged to share in the comments. Note: since this is such a complex topic, Members, please feel free to share your thoughts in a separate post if you prefer.
Have a great week!
--Jeri Smith-Ready
Happy Belated Halloween! I hope everyone''s holiday was safe, fun, and spooky (not necessarily in that order).
As you might know, today and yesterday mark many cultures' observance of the Day of the Dead (El Dia de Los Muertos), which made me think of a weighty topic we've never discussed, one of life's two inevitables (the other being taxes).
Or is it inevitable? In fantasy literature, death is not always a one-way trip. Characters can be resurrected by any number of means and are often transformed into something more powerful than what they were before.
*resists urge to quote Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars*
Is that the case in your books? Is death permanent, or is it a gateway to a better or worse life? In your worlds, what factors decide who lives and who dies? How do your characters cope with this transition? How does it change them physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually?
If writing and reading can be a form of therapy, does urban fantasy help us wrestle with our fear of death, by having it occasionally be optional, but also by showing us that there are worse fates? Does urban fantasy "tame" death by making it ever-present? Is death even one of the best sources of comedy?
As always, Members and Watchers alike are encouraged to share in the comments. Note: since this is such a complex topic, Members, please feel free to share your thoughts in a separate post if you prefer.
Have a great week!
--Jeri Smith-Ready