A big rambly rant on Narnia

[caramelsilver]

Narnia fandom really has two fandoms. If you don’t believe me, then you are not in the Narnia fandom. It took me awhile to understand this and it took me even a longer time to get to terms with this. As a reader I think it’s great, but as a writer it makes me very frustrated because I don’t know which camp I’m in. Let me explain

Comments

[notoriousreign]

There are totally two fandoms in the Narnia fandom. With me I noticed that on ff.net they go by canon and can be pretty elitist when it comes to the movies. Anything different from the book, even if they're expanding on a certain scene, RUINS IT FOREVER. (I for one loved how in the first movie they expanded on the air-raids.)
The fandom on livejournal is open to pretty much everything and brought slash and incest into the story, pretty much dubbing it a fandom like every other (it's official now xD).

With me I don't know which side I'm on. I'm not very happy with some of the changes they're doing on VDT and on PC, but it doesn't make me hate them. And I adored the first movie!

So yeah, I can see your problem has more to do with fanfiction, but once I saw the topic I was like "I KNOOOW". =P

[caramelsilver]

I am sooo glad that I'm not the only one who thinks so.

And I agree that they are very elitist over at ffnet. Or, to be more correct, they are very elitist at the Lion's Call and they post their fics at ffnet.

And I adored both the movies and I love all the fics that have resulted from it and I don't understand all the hate. Just tag it with movieverse and avoid it if it annoys you so much.

[notoriousreign]

A lot of fics make it clear that it's movieverse. I mean, the second you see Suspian you should know it's movieverse. I don't see how Lucian is any better. =P

(I'm actually content with both.)

[caramelsilver]

Oh, but Lucian is totally canon (or at least have some basis in canon) haven't you read VOTD? /sarcasm.

I don't see it. I, personally, really don't like Suspian (stupid ship name too) not because its not canon, but because I couldn't see it, and the kiss at the end was unnecessary.

[katakokk]

Have you seen both types? It's rather hard to mesh the more book-based with the movieverse fic. And writing both types is just confusing.

[caramelsilver]

It's very hard to mesh! And my head is getting all weird and my characters is getting all... fucked up.

[caramelsilver]

Well I can. But I'm starting to feel that my heart might not be all in it and it gets a little heartless and... flat. But yeah, it's not like I'm quitting that part of fandom, but I might be picking sides.

[katakokk]

OH GOD I know what you're talking about. I don't know if you've seen some of my more recent fic (my narniaexchange and some England!fic) but when I posted the England!fic over at FF.net the first thing I got was backlash for being OOC (because Peter wasn't a perfect gentleman and because Lucy was angry). And while at the same time I enjoy some of the book canon, it's inconsistent and unrealistic, and with the movies there's just a greater reality and depth.

I don't even want to post my narniaexchange over at FF.net for fear of what the book canon elitists will think. :/

[caramelsilver]

I'm so glad that I'm not the only one who thinks so.

I didn't know you posted on ffnet! Also have I missed one of your fics? Link?

I knoooow! I was actually scared of posting my narniaexchange fic there. They HATED the fact that Lucy got drunk.

And yeah, I love the books, but the movies gives me character development!! And for some reason Lewis wasn't very fond of character development.

[katakokk]

Oh god how would they take Jadis in my narniaexchange? *hides at thought*

Um, I'm on my brother's iToucb right now so I can't link directly, but if you go to my fic journal, suridasu, and scroll down the first one is called "the only things that echo" (Lucy POV) and the companion piece is "our lost kingdoms" (Peter POV).

And yeah, Lewis' characters don't really grow except for when made necessary by plot (Edmund's redemption, but we don't really get to see that, not really).

[caramelsilver]

I think they would either love it or be so shocked they won't know what to say. (I, at least, thinks its awesome!)

Then I shall go and read those now.

Edmund is the most dynamic character in the whole series- which is also why I like him the best.

[redsilverchains]

I have been waiting for a big rambly rant like this because, some of the reasons you stated? Are why I’ve been so hesitant to go crazy in the Narnia fandom for so long.

the fandom that write fics based on the books and their fics are nice and pretty sugary. With straight off battles and the good people are good and the bad people are bad, and there are not many grey-zones. There’s no… meta in their fics. Here, Peter is a nice guy, and Lucy has never been drunk in her life. You get my drift.

Then there is the fandom that sprung up after the movies came out, on LJ. They talk and interpret and are not satisfied with the Narnia C.S Lewis wrote about.In my experience with the latter fandom I’ll say that there aren’t just two groups. Far as I know, there are people in the bookverse crowd who are also brilliant in world-building, based on the books alone. I myself devoured a lot of the movieverse fics that sprung up after LWW came out, and…I still prefer the bookverse, thinking in it, writing in it. Not because I am feeling like I’m

[caramelsilver]

I guess you are right about the two groups. I guess it's just that to me, the fics that came after the first movie isn't really movieverse because it was so much like the book. Like, you don't tag it movieverse just because you used Orieus and the ages from the movie, do you? (I didn't at least.) And you are right, there are tons of great bookfic! I am not saying otherwise. Elecktrum has the best fics I've ever read (and I have to keep reminding myself that her fics are not canon) and she only posts her fics on ffnet