tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8983687699975451453.post6928699590363653578..comments2024-01-02T16:42:15.732-05:00Comments on Redlines and Deadlines: Grounding Urban Fantasy in RealityECPI Editorshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00569261288668237013noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8983687699975451453.post-60136397866913124072010-09-09T15:50:31.397-04:002010-09-09T15:50:31.397-04:00Good points. I can see that there's a lot invo...Good points. I can see that there's a lot involved in wordbuilding in open worlds...creating laws and norms for supernatural beings.Laura Bicklehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02498043274943334697noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8983687699975451453.post-26515185173891333962010-09-09T14:26:33.553-04:002010-09-09T14:26:33.553-04:00I kind of like the half-open worlds, where humans ...I kind of like the half-open worlds, where humans KNOW the fantastic ones are there, but they tend to oppress them. (Elizabeth Donald's Nocturnal Urges series from Cerridwen is terrific on this theme: vampires do the scut work, the sex work, hazardous manufacturing, etc)<br /><br />Or the fantastic ones are facing trouble after staying hidden so many centuries, like Charlaine Harris.<br /><br />I like writing an open world, where HR has guidelines about species size and lunchroom portions, where special tile keeps the centaur accountants from making too much noise, where pixie street gangs roam and have Sugar Anonymous meetings. (yes, still working on that universe)<br /><br />But, I want a good sense of the urban part as well. Give me a real city, make it almost a character in its own right. LKH uses St. Louis to great effect. Elizabeth Donald (above) uses Memphis. And both of theirs feel real, like overlays in my mind on the physical city when I'm there.Angelia Sparrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13195112449945205248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8983687699975451453.post-65341944184075751562010-09-09T10:22:26.146-04:002010-09-09T10:22:26.146-04:00I like both open and hidden worlds. Really it depe...I like both open and hidden worlds. Really it depends on the book. The only thing known to put me off with a UF is when there are so many different species running amok and so many different kinds of powers/magic being flung around the book feels cluttered. <br /><br />I've picked up a few like that. It's not that they're bad books, they're just too overwhelming for me to stick with. There's a lot to be said for balance. I agree with that 100%.Cora Zanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09461246984192089505noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8983687699975451453.post-10866167955797527252010-09-08T22:17:53.681-04:002010-09-08T22:17:53.681-04:00So I wonder if more readers prefer the "open ...So I wonder if more readers prefer the "open world" or the "hidden world" when it comes to urban fantasy or paranormal stories?<br /><br />RaeleneECPI Editorshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00569261288668237013noreply@blogger.com