How Epic Fantasy Writes So Many Characters at Once

[pmmg]

As one who went back and named a lot of unnamed characters, I will say, I feel it added a bit more stage business, and gave me another way to address the characters in the scene other than 'the first guard said'. I find it helped to color out the story...I think...

But, there are still some characters with no names in the tale.

 

[Romy]

other than 'the first guard said'

As with Tolkien above, it adds weight to the world. It is only about 20 people walking around.
While the shire seems a bit of a small lost part of the world, nobody is really interested in, we do know it contains several families of hobbits. A family can be anything from a household to several generations.

You can also think about how and when to use them...
In life, I am very bad with names and rarely use them, it takes me very long to learn them and you get one chance to get it right... But this gives an impression of not being interested in a person.
A teacher that still knows your name after decades... usually does not mean you were the best at school.

Imagine the head of the guards, he knows guard 2, 'hi Tom' but not the one next to him. He might not know or he might not care.
At the entrance to the castle, everybody greets Tom, nobody the other one. That might say something about Tom...

 

[JBCrowson]

Okay, throwing down a few caution flags. Keep in mind that we've got guiderails on discussions of religion and we're skirting pretty close to the edge.

Yup, reckon we crossed the demilitarised zone about 10 posts earlier.

 

[ThrillhoBaggins]

I love the idea of a traditionally large cast, it just adds a lot of complexity. All of my adventures involve parties.

 

[Gurkhal]

I love reading about huge casts of characters. I've read fantasy which are more slimmed down and streamlined in regards to world building and characters.

The slimmed down and streamlined ones didn't engage with me and I felt myself wondering why there was so much empty space in the world and around the main characters? What was going on in the world, I didn't get a good answer since I never get to hear or see things that didn't affect the story directly.

Give me a Asoiaf or WoT any day above a story which cuts too much of the "unnecessary" fat from the world or story.

 

[A. E. Lowan]

I love reading about huge casts of characters. I've read fantasy which are more slimmed down and streamlined in regards to world building and characters.

The slimmed down and streamlined ones didn't engage with me and I felt myself wondering why there was so much empty space in the world and around the main characters? What was going on in the world, I didn't get a good answer since I never get to hear or see things that didn't affect the story directly.

Give me a Asoiaf or WoT any day above a story which cuts too much of the "unnecessary" fat from the world or story.

I've got 500 idiots from the Books of Binding living rent free in my head. It's a multigenerational family saga and good lord, it's a big family. And then there's the city itself. You'd be in heaven. lol

 

[Gurkhal]

I've got 500 idiots from the Books of Binding living rent free in my head. It's a multigenerational family saga and good lord, it's a big family. And then there's the city itself. You'd be in heaven. lol

Yeah, I should probably check it out.

 

[pmmg]

I've never counted y characters, but I have a bunch. Probably not 500 though, but maybe.

 

[ThinkerX]

I tend to go with POV 'anchor characters' who associate with a multitude of other characters.

In 'Empire,' Tia, a wealthy young woman hunting for a noble husband, hangs out with the aristocracy and hangers-on. Rebecca, her maid and minstrel, seeks out other entertainers. Sir Peter Cortez hangs out with knights and warriors. Kyle, a ser drafted into the army and trained in magic, pals around with peasants, veterans, and minor magicians. These circles often intersect.

It is much the same in 'Labyrinth War' - Sir Curtis has his knightly comrades, Chip the scout has his team, and so on.

 

[Prince of Spires]

I've got 500 idiots from the Books of Binding living rent free in my head.

You should charge the idiots rent. See if they stick around. It's your head after all, even if it's a shared space.

 

[JBCrowson]

You should charge the idiots rent. See if they stick around. It's your head after all, even if it's a shared space.

Reminds me of the story about a young independent MP who attended the House of Commons (UK) for the first time. He sat on the back benches beside a long serving MP and announced that he was going to put a sign above his head saying "to let". "Unfurnished, presumably" was the reply.