Higher Ed in Fantasy Fiction

[bjza]

I'm looking for representations of university life and academia in fantasy literature. This is more late medieval to renaissance than most fantasy, but I know of a handful of examples and I'd like to have more on hand. I'd also be keen on representations of the birth of scientific thinking, even if it's not set in a university, if it isn't of the gnomes-inventing-wacky-anachronisms variety.

A few coming to my mind, like the maesters in ASoIaF, which I'm interested in seeing developed further when Sam's plot picks back up, and the middlest section of Canticle for Liebowitz, where the conflict between secular and monastic educations re-emerges in the world. But it's China Mieville's fantasy work that stirred my thinking. He often features characters on the outskirts of academia or whose educational experience is the equivalent of a higher degree. Sometimes their work is glossed over (Bellis in The Scar) with a few colorful technical terms thrown in, and sometimes more integral to a plot (Isaac in Perdido).

If you could add any other examples (and consequently, add to my reading list), it'd be much appreciated.

 

[Russ]

The "rebirth" of science etc that we know as the renaissance is well dealt with in a fantasy setting in Arcanum by Simon Morden.

There are some parts of the book that I think are weak, but his handling of this issue is quite enjoyable. It is not a key thing at the beginning of the story but it becomes important later on.

 

[Vandor]

Pillars of the Earth and World Without End both have references to the early medieval universities you mentioned. There aren't many specifics and it is a historical fiction, but it gives the appearance of a melding of religious study and early-approved!-scientific practice. Again, mainly for members of the clergy and select nobles who could afford the time and resources.

Wheel of Time has a the protagonist acting as a patron of scientific experimentation, where his schools are more of research based than educational, though there are followers of certain ideas. It's more merit-based. You form a proposal, get funding, and if it shows promise within a certain amount of time, you get more funding and resources. They manage to build telescopes, cannons, basic steam engines, and a few other things that all play into the plot somehow.

It seems that a society needs to be able to devote people and resources solely to research and learning, which means prosperity and security are a must. Also, a progressive minded populace wouldn't hurt, and you have the science/magic rivalry that tends to pop up. In Terry Brooks' Shannara, most people blame science for the 'Great Wars' of ancient times, and so very few people trust it at the beginning of his works. The more current ones have science favored over magic once more, as no one really trusts the magic users of the world, who are either demons, outcasts, or manipulative druids. Come to think of it, there was a school of study in the Druid's Keep, for magic, before it gets wiped out and never recovers.

 

[buyjupiter]

Terry Pratchett springs to mind. Especially the Rincewind books and Unseen Academicals. Granted he was a satirist, so take his approach to uni life with a grain of salt. Although there will always be a soft spot in my heart for the librarian...

Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar books often feature the schools of her world, whether the character is becoming a herald or a knight. Learning is very important in her world.

Also, Trudi Canavan's world features a lot of university life. One of my favorite characters, Sonea, operates as a healing magician within the guild and her story is very fun in the Ambassador trilogy.

 

[Trick]

The Name of The Wind and Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss feature University life, more heavily in the second one, with a combination of semi-magical and scientific development by the MC, Kvothe, and others, though it is not the books' focus. Also, they're great books.

 

[Addison]

Diana Wynne Jones' "Year of the Griffin", the sequel to "Lord of Darkholm", shows a cast of interesting characters attending an academy of magic. It's even more interesting as during the course of the story we see how the magic education was founded, how it's been streamlined to produce under-educated wizards, until the story's characters revitalize the old ways.

Also, if you're looking for differences in classes and teachings, "The School for Good and Evil". One big castle divided over a lake and a bridge, one side teaches the heroes, the other the villains and they all learn different things in different ways.

Hope this helps. Happy Writing!

 

[thecoldembrace]

The Soulforge by Margaret Wise has young Raistlin involved in school, which I very much loved. Of course already mentioned is The Name of the Wind and Wise Man's fear.


-Cold