(no subject)
Of late, I have realized I don't hate fantasy anymore. It is certtain that I no longer generalize blindly where it is concerned, thanks largely to Elizabeth Bear's Promethean Age books (buy Ink & Steel!).
Recently though, I have read in rapid succession Maledicte, Iron Angel and Kushiel's Dart, the latter a book I ignored for five years because I assumed it was shite chick-lit with fantasy trappings. It is deep and weighty and easily the best-written first novel I've ever read from any author. Also, the S&M scenes are totally hot. The rampant Francophilia did make me twinge. Constantly.
Anyway. Maledicte is the story of a god-possessed murderer dropped into a shark tank of limp-wristed sociopaths. Iron Angel is about a lot of things (and a far superior book to Scar Night) and Kushiel's Dart is just plain sumptous.
The three books have somthing interesting in common i.e. the manner in which gods are represented. Rhys of Iron Angel is flowers and knives. In most mythologies, gods have domains of considerably greater specificity. Rhys' is beauty and cruelty locked in a yin-yang tangle of thorns and glittering edges. His truest worshippers are a cross between Spartans and Kavandi practioners (and there's a very good reason why.)
Consider then Baxit, god of reason and indolence, from Maledicte. Little is said of him, seeing as the lead character spends almost all her time possessed by Black-Winged Ani, goddess of love and vengeance. Nonetheless, you see how he fills the slot that would held a god of wisdom in a more ordinary pantheon. Or Naga, god of creation and avarice. Note how in each case the concepts are balanced in opposition without being direct antitheses.
This approach pleases the same part of my brain that likes it when Z-list supervillains are streamlined till they gleam and characters with seemingly crappy powers use them in intelligent and effective ways. Gods of more obscure concepts allow the writer to mine depths and power without having to drill into the same cliches we see even in real-life religions. How does one defeat a God of War in battle? The answer of course is that you can't, not without making a mockery of the whole idea. How do you outmaneuver a Goddess of Wisdom? Same problem. On the other hand, when you have less choate concepts, things get smoky and weird and postmodern and usefully messy.
Note carefully how I do not mention Kushiel's Dart. Marvel as I flee before your suspicious gaze.
PS
On the Google Should Know This front: shiftblades are a riff on Tridic Metal. Coincidence is possible but in this instance, unlikely.
Recently though, I have read in rapid succession Maledicte, Iron Angel and Kushiel's Dart, the latter a book I ignored for five years because I assumed it was shite chick-lit with fantasy trappings. It is deep and weighty and easily the best-written first novel I've ever read from any author. Also, the S&M scenes are totally hot. The rampant Francophilia did make me twinge. Constantly.
Anyway. Maledicte is the story of a god-possessed murderer dropped into a shark tank of limp-wristed sociopaths. Iron Angel is about a lot of things (and a far superior book to Scar Night) and Kushiel's Dart is just plain sumptous.
The three books have somthing interesting in common i.e. the manner in which gods are represented. Rhys of Iron Angel is flowers and knives. In most mythologies, gods have domains of considerably greater specificity. Rhys' is beauty and cruelty locked in a yin-yang tangle of thorns and glittering edges. His truest worshippers are a cross between Spartans and Kavandi practioners (and there's a very good reason why.)
Consider then Baxit, god of reason and indolence, from Maledicte. Little is said of him, seeing as the lead character spends almost all her time possessed by Black-Winged Ani, goddess of love and vengeance. Nonetheless, you see how he fills the slot that would held a god of wisdom in a more ordinary pantheon. Or Naga, god of creation and avarice. Note how in each case the concepts are balanced in opposition without being direct antitheses.
This approach pleases the same part of my brain that likes it when Z-list supervillains are streamlined till they gleam and characters with seemingly crappy powers use them in intelligent and effective ways. Gods of more obscure concepts allow the writer to mine depths and power without having to drill into the same cliches we see even in real-life religions. How does one defeat a God of War in battle? The answer of course is that you can't, not without making a mockery of the whole idea. How do you outmaneuver a Goddess of Wisdom? Same problem. On the other hand, when you have less choate concepts, things get smoky and weird and postmodern and usefully messy.
Note carefully how I do not mention Kushiel's Dart. Marvel as I flee before your suspicious gaze.
PS
On the Google Should Know This front: shiftblades are a riff on Tridic Metal. Coincidence is possible but in this instance, unlikely.