Incanus
Auror
For me, one of the great attractions of fantasy is a writing style that leans toward an ‘older’ language feel. Good earthy, medieval sensibilities mixed with a generous dose of the colorful and fantastic. I think this can be done lightly–while aimed at a modern reading audience, it contains merely tinges and wisps of an older style. What I’m NOT talking about here is using “thee, thou, thine,” or anything of that sort.
Roughly, I would guess that about one-third of genre readers would dislike the style to some degree, one-third would appreciate the style to some degree, and the remainder could take it or leave it. Is that reasonable, or am I way off?
Here is a fairly typical sample of a descriptive passage, from a short story I wrote a couple of years ago, and edited last year:
There doesn’t seem to be anything overtly ‘old’ about it other than a few specific nouns, but neither is it modern sounding to my ear.
Does anyone have any thoughts about this type of style? Or, am I even describing my own style accurately?
Roughly, I would guess that about one-third of genre readers would dislike the style to some degree, one-third would appreciate the style to some degree, and the remainder could take it or leave it. Is that reasonable, or am I way off?
Here is a fairly typical sample of a descriptive passage, from a short story I wrote a couple of years ago, and edited last year:
He turned all the way around. A fort loomed just behind him–a rough motte-and-bailey castle, its earthworks piled high. Columns of smoke rose up from various points within its circumference. There was a lowered drawbridge of stout timbers only several dozen paces away, but the scorched and blackened hulks of the gatehouses on either side still burned. Gouts of flame working on the remains cast a lurid light on the roof of smoke above.
Against the backdrop of the corpse-laden field, movement drew his attention. Several figures in tattered cloaks moved about the corpses. One stood and turned its head from side to side, evidently ensuring its safety. It hastened a few steps and stooped again, hovering over another dead body.
There doesn’t seem to be anything overtly ‘old’ about it other than a few specific nouns, but neither is it modern sounding to my ear.
Does anyone have any thoughts about this type of style? Or, am I even describing my own style accurately?