Adapting Myth or Creating New?

[OZ]

I have yet to meet a male reader who could stand Polgara.

I have sometimes wondered if Polgara was the inspiration for Jordan's obnoxiuos women. Of course none them bother me as much as some of Modesitt's horribly self centered females.

For what it's worth, I like both authors. That is why I find the obnoxious creatures invading the stories and causing all sorts of problems for the characters that I like so disturbing.

Back on topic. I love either adaptations of myths or new creations as long as they're done well. My personal gripes are adaptations of myths that pretend to be new creations or new creations that pretend to be myths.

[newtinmpls]

AdamPepper: Words on a page is a good start.

Mark Foley: How DO you get the silly youngsters to stay still long enough?

My brain is still warped from gaming last night, so I read it as "wards on a page" and it makes me think about using some innocent as carrier for a magical effect. Does "purloined letter" count as mythical? Probably not, only archtypal or cliche at best.

[Figging Mint]

Eh.  Sorry.  I was being terrible.     That should probably have 3 rs in it.

[AdamPepper]

Well, speaking just for myself, I don't physically print the things out until and unless a publishing professional wants it in that format, so "words on a page" is not strictly accurate and I'm just OCDish enough not to use it.

How about words on a screen?

[Figging Mint]

Well, speaking just for myself, I don't physically print the things out until and unless a publishing professional wants it in that format, so "words on a page" is not strictly accurate and I'm just OCDish enough not to use it.

It might be time for this link   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdpudWL5i68  again. 

[Snowleopard]

Polgara was a very strong woman.  I've got no problem with that.  (But then being a lady I don't think there are enough good strong women characters.)
The one who drove me nuts was Ce-Needra - talk about spoiled and self-centered.   Grrrrrrr.
A male who could write strong female characters that didn't make you grit your teeth was
James Schmitz.  The Witches of Karres (the first one not the second one done by someone else), The Tuvela also known as The Demon Breed.  And the women in a number of his short stories.

[OZ]

I have read ( and enjoyed ) The Witches of Karres. I am not familiar with The Tuvela. Is it worth checking out?

[Snowleopard]

I have read ( and enjoyed ) The Witches of Karres. I am not familiar with The Tuvela. Is it worth checking out?

I think it is.  The main character is a woman who has to deal with an alien incursion on a water world in the midst of a giant storm that will keep her from getting any outside help for awhile.  And the aliens under cover of the storm have messed up communications in that area.
Her only help is her pair of giant bio-engineered Otters - they can speak and are fairly smart.  (One reason why I love the story - I love otters)

[OZ]

Thanks. I'm always looking for something new to read. I will have to check it out.

[newtinmpls]

Polgara was strong, but I perceived that she had reasons (and good ones) for the things that appeared to be cruel - which many folks I knew didn't think were 'enough' or she was 'too mean' or something like that.

As for C'Nedra, she was so in character, I didn't care so much what the character was, if that makes any sense.

[Snowleopard]

Yeah, Ce-Needra was in character but I really, really don't have much time for that kind of character.
Hey Oz, don't know if you've read it but do try Roger Zelazney's - A Night in The Lonesome October.
 The premise being that on those Halloween Nights when there is a full moon a group of people will meet - some to open the door to Lovecraft's Elder Gods - some to keep the door closed.
The chief closer down through the ages is a man named Jack who is under a curse involving a knife.
All the closers and openers have animal familiars and the story is told by Jack's familiar a dog named Snuff.
It's a hoot and a half.  Dracula, the Wolfman, Frankenstein and his monster, and Sherlock Holmes are all running around London.  I do highly recommend it.  In fact I wish someone would turn it into a movie - would be very cool.

[OZ]

I actually have read that one. I like Zelazny and that one was really fun. It sounds like there is a lot of overlap in what we like to read. Thanks Snowleopard.

[Breandan]

I would say it depends on how it fits into your storyline. The setting and background I have been tasked with writing for another RPG- and the contract also stipulated a minimum of three novels should they option them- is based directly in existing ancient legends and lore. So, I have to do extremely detailed and extensive research into those pre-Christian religions and cultures that I am unfamiliar with (since the setting involves several European, African, Asian, Oriental, American- north and south- and Australian indigenous religions, and my expertise is on the European ones) and get it right. The last thing I want is a ton of nastygrams from thousands of angry Hellenes in Greece because I screwed up something basic about the Olympian Gods. If the core of the storyline is not based in a specific mythology or requires precise accuracy, get creative. A good example of a blend of legends throughout history that has been "tweaked" with significant creative license is Feist's Fairy Tale.

A second point to remember- and I touched on this a bit above- is that a lot of those ancient religions and their attendant mythologies are STILL practiced today, and many of the followers of those ancient faiths- or their derivatives- are likely to be in your target audience. Granted, not all of them are thin-skinned purists who will show up on your doorstep if you bugger up a deity's name. Hell, I went to see Thor with a couple of Theodisc (Norse/Germanic heathens to whom Thor IS one of their Gods) fully expecting them to burn the theater to the ground and blood-eagle somebody. I was surprised, they loved it (granted, largely because it showed their Gods in a pretty positive light, and never specifically said they weren't Gods), so if you get the gist right and are flattering or fair, they will likely let the details slide. I know a lot of Ásatrú and Theodisc Dresden fans who

(click to show/hide)

actually cheered the portrayal of Valkyries and Odin in the last two novels

, so there's room for fudging without irking the followers of the indigenous faiths. Now that he

(click to show/hide)

has introduced the Fomóirí into the mix, I am a bit on pins and needles to see how he will treat the Gods of my people, the Túatha de Dannan, since the Fomóirí are their ancient enemies (when they weren't knocking each other up, at least with the pretty ones out of the Fomóirí) and a core part of our faith (Sinnsreachd).

So, you can even hook readers in by working into it little by little over the course of a novel or series of novels.

My $0.02 anyway

[Snowleopard]

I actually have read that one. I like Zelazny and that one was really fun. It sounds like there is a lot of overlap in what we like to read. Thanks Snowleopard.

Great minds run in the same rut???
Seriously, glad to help.  I love turning people onto books that I enjoy.
While it's not fantasy if you like snark and history you might check out
Lindsey Davis - Marcus Didius Falco series.  Really quite good.
Stories are set in ancient Rome in the time of Vespasian.
Marcus is basically a PI but they have a different name for it and are very
looked down on in Roman society.
The first book is _ The Silver Pigs.

[The Corvidian]

I would say it depends on how it fits into your storyline. The setting and background I have been tasked with writing for another RPG- and the contract also stipulated a minimum of three novels should they option them- is based directly in existing ancient legends and lore. So, I have to do extremely detailed and extensive research into those pre-Christian religions and cultures that I am unfamiliar with (since the setting involves several European, African, Asian, Oriental, American- north and south- and Australian indigenous religions, and my expertise is on the European ones) and get it right. The last thing I want is a ton of nastygrams from thousands of angry Hellenes in Greece because I screwed up something basic about the Olympian Gods. If the core of the storyline is not based in a specific mythology or requires precise accuracy, get creative. A good example of a blend of legends throughout history that has been "tweaked" with significant creative license is Feist's Fairy Tale.

A second point to remember- and I touched on this a bit above- is that a lot of those ancient religions and their attendant mythologies are STILL practiced today, and many of the followers of those ancient faiths- or their derivatives- are likely to be in your target audience. Granted, not all of them are thin-skinned purists who will show up on your doorstep if you bugger up a deity's name. Hell, I went to see Thor with a couple of Theodisc (Norse/Germanic heathens to whom Thor IS one of their Gods) fully expecting them to burn the theater to the ground and blood-eagle somebody. I was surprised, they loved it (granted, largely because it showed their Gods in a pretty positive light, and never specifically said they weren't Gods), so if you get the gist right and are flattering or fair, they will likely let the details slide. I know a lot of Ásatrú and Theodisc Dresden fans who

(click to show/hide)

actually cheered the portrayal of Valkyries and Odin in the last two novels

, so there's room for fudging without irking the followers of the indigenous faiths. Now that he

(click to show/hide)

has introduced the Fomóirí into the mix, I am a bit on pins and needles to see how he will treat the Gods of my people, the Túatha de Dannan, since the Fomóirí are their ancient enemies (when they weren't knocking each other up, at least with the pretty ones out of the Fomóirí) and a core part of our faith (Sinnsreachd).

So, you can even hook readers in by working into it little by little over the course of a novel or series of novels.

My $0.02 anyway

Technically, I think he has already introduced them, or at least two of them; Mother Winter, and Mother Summer.