Mythic & Mythopoeic Fantasy

[Krissy]

Hi, i was wondering if anyone is writing what they would consider as mythic. Not just epic fantasy but truly mythopoeic, similar in scale to Tolkien's grand legendarium?

Thanks

 

[Gurkhal]

Not me.

I have considered and sketched some on turning Greek myths into stories but I went in the direction of historical fiction as opposed to fantasy in that regard.

 

[Krissy]

Greek myths are fascinating, please tell me a bit more, without sharing too much detail on your work. Was there a specific Greek myth that drew you in?

 

[pmmg]

Could be, I have certainly written enough words to compete with Tolkien.

How would the two be different, Mythic vs Epic?

No Greek mythology here, I'm afraid. I made up my own mythos.

 

[Incanus]

Sometime about 15-20 years ago, I was really into the Silmarillion, and I had been reading the early drafts of it in the History of Middle Earth book series. So, I worked on my own similar myth cycle for quite a while, maybe a year or so. I wrote out about 80 pages of material, but abandoned it eventually--mostly because it was way too much like the Silmarillion. Also, it just didn't seem like something people would read. Many folks struggle with the Silmarillion as it is, so why would they spend time reading a cheap copy of it?

I admit there were times when it was fun to work on. They were neat ideas to play around with.

So how about you? Have you been developing a myth? How is it going? What is it to be used for?

 

[pmmg]

I only read the Silmarillion when I was in my 50's. Reading it then, it seemed much more like a huge prolog, and not much else that would really interest me. I was surprised that it contained the LOTR in it. Why did I read it? Well...as I have said many times, I read as a type of homework. That one seemed like one I should have read, so I did.

But yes, no reason to put it all on us. What have you done OP'er that makes this all of interest to you?

 

[ThinkerX]

I have characters whose long-ago escapades became myths of a sort. (Avatars of Lovecraftian ods masquerading as mortals.)

I suppose that the Traag War would also be viewed as an epic mythic conflict by later generations. Several of my characters are veterans of that war, though they viewed it as more of a 'nightmare' than anything else.

 

[Gurkhal]

Greek myths are fascinating, please tell me a bit more, without sharing too much detail on your work. Was there a specific Greek myth that drew you in?

Sure, there are no secrets in this subject.

I wrote up an outline to the myth of Actaeon (Greek Aktaion) around a hunter-cult of Artemis and a outline for the life of Cadmus (Greek Kadmos).

This story about Cadmus turned into a tetralogy, I called "The Easterling" composed of:

Purple Prince (Cadmus' life in Tyre as the son and heir of the king with introduction of characters, the situation and sowing the seeds of character development and so on)

Purple Wanderer (Cadmus exile along with his mother and full siblings from Tyre and their wanderings and adventures in the Aegean, including picking up people and seeing some people depart from Cadmus until they arrive at the place of the town/citadel of Thebes and there overthrow the warlord Drakon who resides there)

Purple Warrior (Eight years of war with the Drakonlidae, Aeolic raiders, a favored son, but not the heir, of the king of Athens who fancies carving out a kingdom for himself in Boiotia and against the king of Orchomenos before Cadmus is victorious and most of the native enemies of Cadmus are reconciled with his rule and Cadmus takes a woman of the Drakonlidae named Harmonia for a queen)

Purple King (Cadmus as king of Thebes and ruling, raise his children, nourish his relation with Harmonia and prepare his heir to be king after him, before Cadmus and Harmonia departs for Illyria as they grow old and Cadmus can see the impatience in his heir to become king and so leave the kingdom before that impatience turns violent, Cadmus does neither wish to be murdered by his son or have his son killed for treason)

 

[Krissy]

Sometime about 15-20 years ago, I was really into the Silmarillion, and I had been reading the early drafts of it in the History of Middle Earth book series. So, I worked on my own similar myth cycle for quite a while, maybe a year or so. I wrote out about 80 pages of material, but abandoned it eventually--mostly because it was way too much like the Silmarillion. Also, it just didn't seem like something people would read. Many folks struggle with the Silmarillion as it is, so why would they spend time reading a cheap copy of it?

I admit there were times when it was fun to work on. They were neat ideas to play around with.

So how about you? Have you been developing a myth? How is it going? What is it to be used for?

I'm in the process of developing my own mythology. currently eight months in and I've only reached the coming of mortals, but i have most of the mythos sketched out in notes. Hopefully I'll get to publish my work some day. I know it's different from a lot of stuff out there, and because it starts from the beginning of creation, it is truly mythic.

 

[Krissy]

Do you not find it fascinating to understand the background to LOTR? to know about the Valar and the Maia and why the world is the way it is? I thought most fans of fantasy nowadays were into all the details.

 

[pmmg]

I'm in the process of developing my own mythology. currently eight months in and I've only reached the coming of mortals, but i have most of the mythos sketched out in notes. Hopefully I'll get to publish my work some day. I know it's different from a lot of stuff out there, and because it starts from the beginning of creation, it is truly mythic.

Unless there is reason to publish a compendium (like the silmarillion) it probably will never be shared.

For me, I will post it up on the website when I release the books that they matter in. I do have a long time line, and a listing of the major deities of various peoples. Its funny, but I started off by boldly stating there were seven gods, but now I am way past thouse. As the story expands, so to the tales of the gods and what they mean to different people. Some of them got way more screen time than I thought they would, but none has made a physical appearance in the story. I was watching the Vikings as I wrote book four. There was some influence from that.

But for me, not really LoTR so much. I mostly tried to avoid using him as a model.

 

[pmmg]

Do you not find it fascinating to understand the background to LOTR? to know about the Valar and the Maia and why the world is the way it is? I thought most fans of fantasy nowadays were into all the details.

I am personally greatly impressed at his creation. He went way overboard with the lore, but I am thankful that he did. He has been an inspiration to many.

 

[ThinkerX]

Many of the old fantasy epics used to include a chronology (timeline) in the back.

 

[pmmg]

Yes, but they did not have the internet to post them on.

When I finish Book 5, I may include the timeline. I am not sure yet. But I will put it up on my website, with a bunch of other stuff.

My website if pretty close to what I want, but I really need a coder to make it super smooth. At the moment, I am tired of spending so much money. I am holding back for a while.

 

[Krissy]

Yes, but they did not have the internet to post them on.

When I finish Book 5, I may include the timeline. I am not sure yet. But I will put it up on my website, with a bunch of other stuff.

My website if pretty close to what I want, but I really need a coder to make it super smooth. At the moment, I am tired of spending so much money. I am holding back for a while.

Are you a published author?

 

[ThinkerX]

Are you a published author?

Pmmg is the author of 'The Eye of Ebon,' currently available on Amazon.

I am the author of the 'Empire' series, along with 'Labyrinth War' and 'Empire: Southern Heat,' all available on Amazon and elsewhere.

 

[pmmg]

Yep...self published. I dont think I would prefer it any other way. While I cannot speak for other published authors, I put a lot of effort into being of professional. Its costs a bunch of $$$, but that okay, I dont need to retire... If you want to see my journey from page 1 to published, you can check out my tread More Scribbles...

A few others I follow are:

Where to go from here... <--by Thinker X. In it we logs his various ad and publishing efforts. One of the best resources on the site.
Trouveres <--which follows the journey of Skip Knox
The Muse of Occosia <--Where Incanus has just begun his journey.

Authentic <--might also want to look at this thread. Thinker and I have put up a bit about getting reviews in there.

These may be the best threads on the board. A lot of real butt in chair and what it takes in those.

At present only my book1 is out, but book 2 is getting prepped for production. Should be out soon.

Since I got Cancer, I changed my SIggy, but my book used to be listed there. But you can find it here:

The Eye of Ebon <--I can even make it free on Kindle if you would like to buy. I only ask that you leave a review.

 

[pmmg]

I was wondering if you could explain Mythic vs Epic fantasy?

 

[Josh2Write]

Hi, i was wondering if anyone is writing what they would consider as mythic. Not just epic fantasy but truly mythopoeic, similar in scale to Tolkien's grand legendarium?

Thanks

I've never really thought about it. I'll have to do more thorough research to see if any of my stuff falls into that category. Thanks.