two styles
Mar. 23rd, 2009 07:44 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kippurbirdI have been reading the Obsidian Trilogy by Lackey and Mallory. In reading it, I've noticed that it's similar to the Inheritance Trilogy. Except that it's what the Inheritance Trilogy should be. Both stories are about a young boy who is if not destined the only one of his kind that the Forces of Good have to fight the Forces of Evil. The Evil is Evil with no real redeeming value (at least according to what the text says in Eragon's case). The Good are Good with no chances for falling into Evil. There are the Elves which are Perfect. Huge armies gathering to stop the Evil Overlord. All the traditional cliches that makes up good fluff reading. After all one of Mercedes Lackey's traits is Good is Good and Evil is Evil.
However this is where things stop being the same.
The Hero of the Obsidian Trilogy is Kellen a fifteen year old boy banished from his home city for practicing forbidden magic. He discovers a sister he didn't know existed and that he is what is known as a Mage Knight. A type of wild mage, the forbidden magic he was practicing, that is "created" for battle. Because of this special magical ability he's able to quickly learn how to fight and use a sword as well as other weapons.
The city Kellen came from is extremely xenophobic and ridged. They don't allow change and non-citizens to enter the city. Things that they aren't allowed to change include things for example like ribbons for women's hair, the patterns and colors have to be approved and books written mustn't be too disturbing. Nothing that is too drastic a change is allowed because then the people of the city might not be "content". The city is ruled by mages and it is they who control what can and can't be allowed. They have what is called High Magic which is very structured and nothing at all like wild magic which can pretty much be done on the spot.
The villains are demons who like to torture for entertainment and are generally evil. The queen and her son are even lovers. The Queen has started her plans to Take Over the World and stopping her is what the books are about.
And here we have one of the biggest differences. The Queen hasn't taken over yet. She's not passively sitting in her throne room doing nothing. She does things. And not only that we see her do things. We see her plots in motion, we see her slowly thinning the armies down and taking control of the mage city. Half way done with the final book and I don't know how they're going to stop her. She seems to have them blocked at every turn.
This is exciting! I want to know how they'll triumph. I know they will, but I don't know how! The Good Guys are stuck in a horrid winter, the elves have had to evacuate three of their cities and that's putting a strain on the other cities resources. One of the cities has been seriously infected with a plague and the King among them. The heir is only five years old and he and his mother are in a fortress that is protecting all the pregnant women and the children. A fortress that may run out of supplies before spring. There are shadow elves which can bring the demon's monsters pass the elf wards into their lands. All of this is happening at one time!
What is happening in the Inheritance trilogy? Eragon is going around talking to people and Nasuada is playing emo chicken. There is no threat hanging over their heads. Galby's army isn't bearing down on them. There is no rush. Nothing for them to fight against, nothing for them to stop. It's static and frozen. The army just sits there twiddling their thumbs.
Kellen and Eragon are two completely different creatures as well. For starters, Kellen appears to have a soul. He has emotional responses to things. He gets frightened and worried. At times even feels despair. The first time he killed people he threw up and was traumatized. He frets about the nameless people under his command, fearing sending them to their deaths. Eragon has no reactions. He's always blank. He doesn't get satisfied or angry. He's accepting of what happens. He allows things to happen to him. Just like the rest of the book, he's completely static. His reactions never linger and never connect to anything else. Eragon doesn't wonder about what the enemy will do next. Kellen is constantly trying to out think them.
The elves are also different. Sure they are both perfect but their cultures are completely different. Paloini's elves are free from what could be considered our societal restraints. They're free to have sex with whomever they want with no commitments. They don't eat meat because they care for all living things (except for plants) and don't want to see them suffer. They seem to do what they want and don't have any real organization. It's practically anarchy! Not that this is necessarily a bad thing, but it feels like a hippie commune. On the other hand Lackey's elves are bound by traditions. They put great stock in polite society. They don't ask questions because a person might not want to answer them. They never discuss what they were coming to talk to a person about right away because it would be rude. They talk a lot about tea and the weather. They drink a lot of tea. Also they don't see themselves as better than humans. Just different. The elves have had many years to perfect their crafts, but they don't have magic like humans do and they realize this.
I had more to say... but my brain fried. Perhaps more later. When I finish the book.
However this is where things stop being the same.
The Hero of the Obsidian Trilogy is Kellen a fifteen year old boy banished from his home city for practicing forbidden magic. He discovers a sister he didn't know existed and that he is what is known as a Mage Knight. A type of wild mage, the forbidden magic he was practicing, that is "created" for battle. Because of this special magical ability he's able to quickly learn how to fight and use a sword as well as other weapons.
The city Kellen came from is extremely xenophobic and ridged. They don't allow change and non-citizens to enter the city. Things that they aren't allowed to change include things for example like ribbons for women's hair, the patterns and colors have to be approved and books written mustn't be too disturbing. Nothing that is too drastic a change is allowed because then the people of the city might not be "content". The city is ruled by mages and it is they who control what can and can't be allowed. They have what is called High Magic which is very structured and nothing at all like wild magic which can pretty much be done on the spot.
The villains are demons who like to torture for entertainment and are generally evil. The queen and her son are even lovers. The Queen has started her plans to Take Over the World and stopping her is what the books are about.
And here we have one of the biggest differences. The Queen hasn't taken over yet. She's not passively sitting in her throne room doing nothing. She does things. And not only that we see her do things. We see her plots in motion, we see her slowly thinning the armies down and taking control of the mage city. Half way done with the final book and I don't know how they're going to stop her. She seems to have them blocked at every turn.
This is exciting! I want to know how they'll triumph. I know they will, but I don't know how! The Good Guys are stuck in a horrid winter, the elves have had to evacuate three of their cities and that's putting a strain on the other cities resources. One of the cities has been seriously infected with a plague and the King among them. The heir is only five years old and he and his mother are in a fortress that is protecting all the pregnant women and the children. A fortress that may run out of supplies before spring. There are shadow elves which can bring the demon's monsters pass the elf wards into their lands. All of this is happening at one time!
What is happening in the Inheritance trilogy? Eragon is going around talking to people and Nasuada is playing emo chicken. There is no threat hanging over their heads. Galby's army isn't bearing down on them. There is no rush. Nothing for them to fight against, nothing for them to stop. It's static and frozen. The army just sits there twiddling their thumbs.
Kellen and Eragon are two completely different creatures as well. For starters, Kellen appears to have a soul. He has emotional responses to things. He gets frightened and worried. At times even feels despair. The first time he killed people he threw up and was traumatized. He frets about the nameless people under his command, fearing sending them to their deaths. Eragon has no reactions. He's always blank. He doesn't get satisfied or angry. He's accepting of what happens. He allows things to happen to him. Just like the rest of the book, he's completely static. His reactions never linger and never connect to anything else. Eragon doesn't wonder about what the enemy will do next. Kellen is constantly trying to out think them.
The elves are also different. Sure they are both perfect but their cultures are completely different. Paloini's elves are free from what could be considered our societal restraints. They're free to have sex with whomever they want with no commitments. They don't eat meat because they care for all living things (except for plants) and don't want to see them suffer. They seem to do what they want and don't have any real organization. It's practically anarchy! Not that this is necessarily a bad thing, but it feels like a hippie commune. On the other hand Lackey's elves are bound by traditions. They put great stock in polite society. They don't ask questions because a person might not want to answer them. They never discuss what they were coming to talk to a person about right away because it would be rude. They talk a lot about tea and the weather. They drink a lot of tea. Also they don't see themselves as better than humans. Just different. The elves have had many years to perfect their crafts, but they don't have magic like humans do and they realize this.
I had more to say... but my brain fried. Perhaps more later. When I finish the book.
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no subject
Date: 2009-03-24 03:00 am (UTC)I think the word you're looking for is "rigid"?
Also, how are the elves Perfect if they're being run out of their cities, they can't do magic like humans, and they don't constantly act superior? Sounds like a well-balanced fantasy race to me.
Currently slogging through Brisingr, ~150 pages in. Still too much description/needless scenes, and the "emotional" bits are very pedestrian. Not worse than Eldest, though.
I read one of Lackey's books once, The Elvenbane. Characters were a little too one-dimensional, but the writing was all right.
no subject
Date: 2009-03-24 03:11 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-03-24 04:29 am (UTC)The difference is that Novik does a great job characterizing her dragons and displaying the different breed, their temperaments, their individual talents, their quirks (they love gold and jewels, and treat them like security blankies) and the bonds formed with their riders (which, if the riders don't love them, can be downright abusive).
What's more, she fully explores all sorts of societal repercussions from having a dragon air-force -- whether dragons are enslaved, what happens to the dragon if his/her rider is treacherous, women's roles, how the top brass see the dragons, and who gets to be exposed to a hatching dragon egg.
The first book is almost entirely made up of the main human character -- who is a mature, sensible man with military training -- getting to know his dragon and connecting to him. It's very sweet, actually. And there's no Evil Force That Is Evilly Evil Becuz It's Evil, just the clash between England and France, thank God.
no subject
Date: 2009-03-24 04:30 am (UTC)Then again, about half of Lackey's works seem to be collaborations!
no subject
Date: 2009-03-24 10:46 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-03-24 03:34 pm (UTC)Ah, I remember, it was X-Play, in their amusing Eragon video game review.
http://g4tv.com/xplay/videos/14689/Eragon_Review.html?detectflash=false&
I've been meaning to try a Mercedes Lackey book, but I've heard such mixed reviews it makes me hesitant.
no subject
Date: 2009-03-24 03:35 pm (UTC)You're right. I think now the word I was looking for was perfectionist. They're perfectionists.
I think the word you're looking for is "rigid"?
>.> Maybe?
no subject
Date: 2009-03-24 03:36 pm (UTC)While most of her series do seem to be collaborations I think it helps with some of her weak points.
no subject
Date: 2009-03-24 03:37 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-03-24 03:38 pm (UTC)She used to be a fan fiction writer.
no subject
Date: 2009-03-24 03:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-03-24 07:14 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-03-25 04:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-03-26 02:53 am (UTC)Yay, English Elves! :D Finally, to be represented...