Preludes and Interludes

LoLth

I don't know what you think of these type of books. I never really liked the idea of a prelude (especially in heroic fantasy). Why? Well, you know for a fact that the main character survives (assuming he's the main guy in the normal books of course).. take Druss the legend for example. Gemmell brings out a successful character, messes around, has him set up as a hero while hinting at an eventful past then, when the course is run, he releases a prelude detailing druss in his youth. Big adventures happen, tension rises, the climax is almost there when Druss faces certain doom.... ehhh, well, he can't die can he? If he dies then the proper books , which you've already read, couldn't happen.

Same with interludes.
I just finished Feist's Krondor the assassains. A leave the brain behind, this is fantasy by formula, the reader feels nice and familiar witht he fantasy setting type of book. It is a good read for exactly that reason. BUT, it just isn't up to scratch. The two main characters are ones that feature prominently in later fantasy events already detailed in the Serpentwar and the inter-war books. So, life threatening situation? nah. Get maimed or horribly disfigured.. well there's never a mention of a missing arm later on in the world's events so we know that can't happen in the interim.
The lack of 'new' events, suspence I guess would be a close description - you might not be biting your nails with nerves during a Feist book but you are interested in knowing what will happen -, just makes you criticise the writing itself a bit more. The Pseudomedieval phrases mixed with modern humour get corny and annoying. The expressions and delivery gets repetitive (just how much dry wit can one person have?). The plot is basic (almost formula). And it leaves an intro to another book where world domination is threatened... well, we pretty much know that isn't going to happen after the events of the serpentwar saga...
Read this book if you really want to finish your collection of Feist, otherwise, steer clear. You'll only be disappointed.

So, here I am all forlorn and disillusioned. And it's all the fault of authors bringing out preludes and interludes. Dragonlance preludes (ooooh, will Raistlin die?) , Gemmell preludes (Druss etc.) , Star wars preludes (Anakin - do we worry for the boy's life...hmmm, do we really care when he's that annoying?), Feist (the Krondor series inspired by the lure of a computer RPG that accessed a new share of the market)...

I reckon, if an author can't put enough of a feel into his setting and characters so that they are convincing WITHOUT requiring a detailed life history then the character isn't worthwhile. Also, which is better, finding out that the hero's background is completely different from the hero you imagined or being allowed to draw your own conclusions and actually use that lump of greyish jelly in your skull?

Ah, monday morning rant. The Flahavans way to start the day.....

Pretence

You could also argue that the use of preludes gives a deeper understanding of how a character cames to be, but ultimately you know the result before hand, suspense is gone out the window.

This is how I found Star Wars E1, you know what its building up to and you don't really give a s**t about the sub-plots as its only padding for the real story..........which you know the conclusion of before you see it

I was going to try and argue a point against you just to make things interesting, but I'm afraid I have to agree.......pointless really....unless your some sort of fanatic

Shiminay

Talking of Feist...
The events in the 2 Krondor books (with Dash and James) are mentioned in the Serpent War saga a number of times, so for me, it was quite cool to be able to go and read about it.
It's only very recently I've started to read, so I suppose I'm still at the early stages of "liking everything" cause I don't know any better
Taking that into accound, I really liked all the Rift War/Serpent War stuff. Looking back , I can see the formula. Pug starts off as the young fella and becomes the greatest magician in the world. Erik von Darkmoor becomes the best general (or whatever) in the Crimson Eagles and wins the war for the Kingdom. Grand, but as LoLth said - leave your brain at the doorstep and kick back and enjoy...

On an aside, I'm reading Mistress of the Empire at the moment - last in the trilogy set in Kelewan and now that I think about it, it's the set pattern over again - little Mara of the Acoma takes over as she's about to become a Nun (or whatever). It's just that little bit different with the colaborative work of Janny Wurts - lacks some of the really annoying things I felt Feist wrote (i.e. telling you a characters history *again* in the book).

In summing up - Feist is a good read if you just wanna read for the hell of it.

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All the best,

Dav
@B^)
My page of stuff

Illkillya

are you talking about prequels and stuff? I know whenever i finish a big epic book with a happy ending, its totally disappointing when it all ends, just as it is getting good. I could read loads of more chapters of them just doing nothing
its great having the same characters again, because you know them so well, but its annoying how you don't get to experience the peace, because in the sequel its all chaos again

Draco

Eddings is the arch-criminal in the preludes thing. Belgrath the socerer filled in a few gaps, for on the whole you knew most of the story. Polgara the Socress - FEMINIST TRIPE! BURN IT! DON'T READ IT! - (sorry, I hate it with a passion) was just written as a money spinner. I haven't bothered with the Rivan Codex, but I've heard it is pretty awful. As for formulaic, the Belgarion and Mallorian are pretty much the same as are the tamuli and the elium. Formula is good when you just want to be entertained, but Eddings takes it too far.
That said, I've read the Tamuli and elinum 3 or 4 times.

Draco