Every book I read tends to have a Glossary of Terms which includes a listing of characters, places, and factions. Do you feel this is an "easy out" or a necessary tool for books that contain a vast amount of characters, nations, races, etc?
Would you rather read:
"The giant ogier rubbed his chin in thought." Knowing you could always go to the Glossary of Terms to get a brief description of what an ogier is, or
"The giant ogier, hailing from the swamps of Netti, rubbed his chin in thought."
I know you can always do the second with a glossary. The reason behind the question is based on the number of races and nations I introduce into my story. To start describing each race, the nations the hail from, and their exact attitude towards other races feels a bit cumbersome. Especially when introducing a new character.
"Tomas stared at an ocean of his peers while he collected his thoughts."
vs
"Tomas stared at an ocean of his peers of the realm of Entias while he collected his thoughts."
Opinions?
Would you rather read:
"The giant ogier rubbed his chin in thought." Knowing you could always go to the Glossary of Terms to get a brief description of what an ogier is, or
"The giant ogier, hailing from the swamps of Netti, rubbed his chin in thought."
I know you can always do the second with a glossary. The reason behind the question is based on the number of races and nations I introduce into my story. To start describing each race, the nations the hail from, and their exact attitude towards other races feels a bit cumbersome. Especially when introducing a new character.
"Tomas stared at an ocean of his peers while he collected his thoughts."
vs
"Tomas stared at an ocean of his peers of the realm of Entias while he collected his thoughts."
Opinions?