First Crusader Challenge, ROW80 and Tolkien versus Fantasy

Hey there fellow crusaders, and partners in the Round of Words in 80 Days!






My goal for the Round of Words was to edit at least a page of my novel, Out of the Water, every day. I'm on about page 62 of 178, 54,808 words of 136,787 - and the finished novel is only supposed to be around 120,000 words! Slacked off a little here and there last week (pub quiz, anyone?) but at least was writing missing scenes on pen and paper when not editing.

The first crusader challenge was posted on Friday! Here are my replies, which include a secret, a lie, an interesting quirk, an annoying habit, one of my best character traits, and one of my favourite things in the whole world:
I never bloviate but I crack my knuckles. I listen well to others. My hero is not a dashing blade; he's a wandering ragged stranger, but he's kind. I can't wriggle my nose like a rabbit, though I can bend my pinkie all the way to the back of my hand. I had a dream once where my sister, my grandmother and I were fuliguline, and we soared over the water. O! the sound of the sea waves crashing in unceasing rhythm on the sand...
I may have revealed something about me that isn't strictly true. Can you guess which of the above it is?

Now then, for those of you that are writers and/or readers of fantasy, there's a really interesting discussion going on in the blogosphere. Sam Sykes first drew my attention to it when he linked to the original article - where, in a nutshell, Leo Grin claims that modern fantasy doesn't hold a candle to Tolkien and Howard.

I happen to think that not many writers - fantasy or not - hold a candle to Tolkien, but that's just my personal preference, and the bloggers and authors that responded to the original article all had valid rebuttals on why such comparisons ultimately don't even need to be made at all:
Magemanda wonders how the author could conveniently skip over mentioning women writers.
Adam states that the author of the article missed the point of Tolkien completely in stating that he wasn't nihilistic.
And he-reads-The-Lord-of-the-Rings-every-year-too! Joe Abercrombie asks why all these divisions and groupings have to be made in the first place.

Comments

Cleveland said…
Hello Crusader!

I believe the lie is the bending pinkies.
Bryan Russell said…
Ah, the good ol' Tolkien debates.
G Blechman said…
I feel like it's really hard to write fantast these days and not take a bit from Tolkein. I mean, look at the Eragon series. There was so much excitement over it, but it's completely Tolkein inspired. I wouldn't say that it's impossible to be as good as Tolkein, but I think that no one will be just like him. You have to compare writers on a different spectrum, particularly older and contemporary ones.
Regina said…
Another crusader and follower stopping by. I would guess maybe the pinkie bending could be fiction. I like your post. Tolkein is a wonderful writer.
Talli Roland said…
Nooooooooo! I hope you don't crack your knuckles! That sound drives me mental. :)

Hope you're having a great weekend, Deniz.
Danette said…
Hi Crusader-- Not a whole lot of options on the lie part so I guess I'll go with the bending the pinkie thing too. Sounds too painful!

As far as the fantasy debate... who was it that said all fantasy is an attempt to go back to Tolkein?
Zan Marie said…
Hi, Deniz,
I'm guessing you haven't had fuliguline dreams. ; )
Hello Crusader!

Great job! I'm going with the listening part, not because I know you well enough to say so, it's just a guess. And everyone else picked the pinky bending. haha!
C.Farrell said…
Well done on your ROW80 updates, keep up the good work. :)
alberta ross said…
Tolkien eh - he is a difficult act to follow I think because he wasn't really a writer - his world, language and cutures were firmly based in his acedemic world. He was a serious student and expert on all these - the stories I feel were almost incidently to his main passions. I have him read His fellowship every eighteen months since I was fifteen - I wont tell you how old I am but the 6th decade is all around me!!

I hope your lie was the cracking knuckles - I have two friends that do that - horrid!! it was a good challenge wasn't it? - I enjoyed playing with those random words
Tanya Reimer said…
I'm guessing the lie is bending the pinky, I've been trying for a few minutes, and it's hard.
Jemi Fraser said…
I hope the lie is the pinky because that would be creepy!! :)
Nas said…
Hello fellow crusader.

Just dropped by to say hi and introduce myself. It was fun to read your answers!
Deniz Bevan said…
Hey there fellow crusaders! Should I reveal the lie here? Nah... I'll wait a bit and tell all in my blog post on Tuesday.

I never have figured out who said it, but that quote always sticks in my mind "all modern fantasy just rearranges the furniture in Tolkien's attic."

Though I agree, it's unfair to compare apples with oranges; not every current fantasy author is trying to follow in his footsteps.
Savannah Chase said…
Hello fellow crusader...Hmm I think the pinkies thing might be untrue.
Donea Lee said…
Happy Monday, fellow crusader! Hmmm...I'm going to guess that the not quite true fact is about your finger? :) And while Tolkien did create kind of the quintessential alter-world, there's never a be-all/end-all to imagination, imho.
Carolyn Abiad said…
I'm calling you out on the fuliguline bit. :)
Deniz Bevan said…
Thanks for coming by Savannah, Donea and Carolyn!
Actually, the pinky thing is true...
Marieke said…
Sweet, I completely missed that discussion! :D

Nice to meet you fellow Crusader! :)
Alyssa Fox said…
I'm a fellow crusader and new follower. Nice to meet you. I think the lie is about your pinkie.
Deniz Bevan said…
Lovely to meet you, Marieke and Alyssa!
Deniz Bevan said…
Commenting on my own post just for clarification: the author of that quote is Terry Pratchett!