I've mentioned on a few different spots already that my genre of choice for both this year and last is Arthurian fantasy. For those of you unfamiliar with such a thing, lemme 'splain: Arthurian fantasy is, as it sounds, a combo of Arthurian lore (King Arthur, the Knights of the Round Table, etc.) and fantasy. I know that this isn't exactly a popular subgenre, but I'm doing my best to write in such a way that it's approachable and interesting, rather than some confusing, half-buried history lesson.
So, are there any other Arthurianites out there? At all?
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NaNoWriMo's resident Arthurian freak. <3
Sir Mordred was framed! Spread the word!
2008 -- The King's Raven. (Failed.)
2009 -- Storm-Wanderer.
83,099 / 50,000
Okt 3, 2009 - 02 14
I've always been interested in writing something like this, but I've never been real sure I could do it all justice.
----------2005, 2006, 2007 - WON
2008 - FAILED
2009 § The Sidereal Rose
http://thesiderealrose.blogspot.com/
5,270 / 50,000
Okt 3, 2009 - 02 34
That was my biggest downfall for last year. I spent too much time worrying that I wouldn't be able to match up to all the awesome Arthurian novels out there or that I wouldn't be able to get it all "right" that I never got past the 10k mark. Honestly, the glory about Arthurian fantasy is that the lore itself is so steeped in mystery and uncertainty that you can play around with it all and make it your own. The best example of that (that I'm aware of) would be the Arthurian/Aksumite Cycle by Elizabeth E. Wein, starting with The Winter Prince. It's not fantasy at all, but it's an excellent instance of bending the lore to make an interesting story.
----------NaNoWriMo's resident Arthurian freak. <3
Sir Mordred was framed! Spread the word!
2008 -- The King's Raven. (Failed.)
2009 -- Storm-Wanderer.
11,362 / 50,000
Okt 3, 2009 - 02 46
I'd love to do something like this, I just love the magic of merlin, but theres so many already, and I haven't even started to read any of them, I just know the general stuff and am a self-confessed BBC Merlin obsessive lol. If I did do this, I think I would just be writing it for myself.
----------JulNo 09- Super Beings- Win!
Nano 09- Elliot Spencer- ??
83,099 / 50,000
Okt 3, 2009 - 04 08
Sounds like something I should really get my hands on. Thanks.
----------2005, 2006, 2007 - WON
2008 - FAILED
2009 § The Sidereal Rose
http://thesiderealrose.blogspot.com/
0 / 50,000
Okt 3, 2009 - 05 18
I absolutely love folklore and mythology of all kinds, and have been strangely fascinated with the Arthurian myths, and the plethora of literature it has spawned for years. I love how it has almost become a living myth again, with modern writers continuing to shape and contribute to the existing lore with their own tales. So yup, I'd consider myself a hard-core arthurianite!
My first ever nanowrimo novel (I'm getting pretty excited about taking part!) is going to take a lot from the arthur myths. Instead of being a typical romantic epic, though, it's set in modern england and will draw from the numerous english legends of sleeping warriors, waiting to be awakened, lying beneath hills and barrows. Many of the warriors have become arthur and his knights, although the archetype pre-dates him and probably draws from very old beliefs. But then the 'original' arthur myths are all entangled with stories and symbolisms thousands of years old.
Great to see someone with a love for all things arthur! Good luck for next month.
41,948 / 50,000
Okt 3, 2009 - 07 16
Well... not my NaNoWriMo. But my long-term novel has the main character HEAVILY inspired by Authrian legend.
The FMC, Brandi, is you normal average girl (she really really is. Oddest thing about her is her passion for poetry, and that will never actually help her) until her friend is attacked by a guy wearing armor and who has a spear. This brings about a major wtf moment, since this takes place in the modern day world. Well, she tries to get him away from her friend, he knocks her out, she hears a voice in her head asking her why she is fighting, she says to protect her friend, blah blah blah fastforeward. She grips onto what she thinks is a pipe, attacks the guy again, and it turns out to be a sword that makes the guy retreat due to a lucky hit.
Anyway, through this she eventually discovers that Faerie exist, they simply moved underground (a la the Labyrinth style) and still intermingle with humans. She finds out the sword name is Caladbolg (which, if you have studied the legends BEHIND Excalibur, than you know where I am going with this) and it is what is called a 'pact sword'. This means that to the fey, she is royalty among humans, a diplomat and protector for her kind. The title which has been traditional for such people is 'King of Man'. A girl has never had the sword before.
She doesn't find out until much, much later that Caladbolg's name changed many times throughout history. And that it was also known as Excalibur at one point. Many things about Brandi are defined by this, and she essentially becomes a modern day king Arthur. Just with her own style, and no political power in the human world. *shrugs* But yeah, Arthurian legends are awesomely fun. I did have one of the fey be related to Merlin (since he was supposedly half) but I threw that idea out of the window as he started to evolve.
----------Even in literature and art, no man who bothers about originality will ever be original: whereas if you simply try to tell the truth (without caring twopence how often it has been told before) you will, nine times out of ten, become original.
0 / 50,000
Okt 3, 2009 - 17 53
Oh, I love the Merlin tv show too, and I hope NBC decides to pick up the second season!
I once had an idea for a role-playing world which would be based loosely on the Arthurian legends. I was going to give "Arthur" two sons - the Light Prince, who is a fair skinned blond resembling his mother, and the Dark Prince, who is an olive skinned brunette resembling his father. The Light Prince is the heir apparent, but he doesn't want to rule; he'd prefer to join the clergy or something. The Dark Prince wants to rule, and is unaware that his brother will most likely abdicate in his favor when the time comes.
And the reason for "Morgana's" antipathy toward "Arthur" is because their father's first wife, Morgana's mother, was an elf. She died and the father remarried and had Arthur. Morgana should have been queen by law, but it's also against the law for half-breeds to be the ruler, since they can't produce heirs. So Arthur became king instead. Morgana feels that's unjust - she can't help who her mother was!
Ya know, maybe I'll write this up some November....
----------5,270 / 50,000
Okt 3, 2009 - 18 40
Wow, I wasn't expecting so much feedback! This is awesome, you guys. All of your ideas sound fantastic. RoseClown, that would definitely be something I'd read. And good luck with your first NaNo, Ratatosk~!
I'm a huge fan of BBC'd Merlin too. XD I actually got the original idea for this year's novel from that show. It's going to be more serious and dramatic, though. (Season two is coming out awesome so far; I'm watching it on the Internet. Bad me, I know.)
----------NaNoWriMo's resident Arthurian freak. <3
Sir Mordred was framed! Spread the word!
2008 -- The King's Raven. (Failed.)
2009 -- Storm-Wanderer.
75,073 / 50,000
Okt 3, 2009 - 19 07
I'm an Arthurian addict. Usually I've got something going related to the Round Table. I'm free right now, but that probably won't last long. I just can't get away from it.
On the bright side, if anyone has any questions at all about the legends and lore, PM me. There's a 95% chance I'll be able to answer it.
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Okt 3, 2009 - 19 41
Internet??? Where where where!?!?!?
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~] >^.^<_) [*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
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* Cats are proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy
5,270 / 50,000
Okt 4, 2009 - 14 33
Lady Pendragon -- Haha, I know what you mean! I'm actually having a terrible time with the fact that I can't include Mordred in my novel this year. XD I'm going to try to mention him at least once, in a vision or something, so I won't go completely without my fix.
Moondragon -- I watch it on merlin-streaming.blogspot.com. Hasn't failed me yet. ;D
----------NaNoWriMo's resident Arthurian freak. <3
Sir Mordred was framed! Spread the word!
2008 -- The King's Raven. (Failed.)
2009 -- Storm-Wanderer.
42,300 / 50,000
Okt 10, 2009 - 19 14
My story has a lot of different threads, so to speak. Arthurian legend is one.
----------99,150 / 50,000
Okt 22, 2009 - 13 01
This year I'm doing another Athurian novel. I did one -- which I'm still rewriting (fifth version and counting) about Mordred as a NaNo (and won), did one about Guinevere (and won -- that one I would like to rewrite, too), and this year I'm focusing on Gawaine and Agravaine and Gaheris, and Lot, an idea I've been playing with for a while, so it should be lots of fun to write.
Yay for all the other Arthurian legend people out here!
5,270 / 50,000
Okt 22, 2009 - 18 46
I'm still on my first draft of my Mordred novel. It's a bit of slow going, but I'm working at it! I'm considering doing a Lancelot novel next year, since I've seen plenty of modern Guinevere novels but none that take Lancelot's point-of-view. I also have an idea in the works dealing with Mordred's sons, Melehan and Melou.
Notice how Arthur never gets the spotlight anymore. XD
----------NaNoWriMo's resident Arthurian freak. <3
Sir Mordred was framed! Spread the word!
2008 -- The King's Raven. (Failed.)
2009 -- Storm-Wanderer.
42,300 / 50,000
Okt 22, 2009 - 18 55
My Main Female character is the Lady of the Lake. Some of my villians are Mordred, Morgan le fay and Merlin. Excalibur takes a major role and other bits of the legends are refrenced.
----------76,800 / 50,000
Okt 25, 2009 - 20 45
It's been a long time dream of mine to write in the Arthurian genre. I've been obsessed with the cycles since I was a kid and Arthurian fiction is one of my all time favourite genres to read. I'm not sure I could put it through a Nano though.
This year, I'm working on a story that I abandoned last year that just refuses to go away. Its heavily inspired by Marion Zimmer Bradley's Avalon series - strong female characters, pre-christian religions etc etc, but set in a completely fabricated world. It was only yesterday that I considered making it play alongside Arthurian tradition, as in having the traditional aspects of the legend as a type of background story happening in different parts of the country, maybe have visiting secondary characters pop in and out. But, I'm just not sure---- I think I'm too much in love with Arthurian tradition and would want to treat it carefully, too carefully for the kind of abandon that Nano demands. There's still 5 days to think about it though....
In the meantime, my fave Arthurian fiction authors are, Marion Zimmer Bradley - Mists of Avalon is the greatest book ever; Mary Stewart's Merlin Trilogy is also wonderful, though I haven't read the other that go with it to make up the Arthurian Saga. I also really like The Winter King by Bernard Cornwall.
----------"Find the next word. Write it down. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat." - Neil Gaiman
9,304 / 50,000
Okt 26, 2009 - 03 42
Sound's like there's some interesting ideas.
I admit, never been that intrerested in Arthurian lore, but since I started watching BBC's Merlin my mind has changed but I couldn't write an original novel based on it. It would end up a Merlin/Arthur fanfic based off of Colin Morgan and Bradley James' representations of them.
38,819 / 50,000
Okt 27, 2009 - 17 53
My story this year is actually a Modern-day Arthurian Mystery story. Hopefully I'll be able to manage. I've tried to do an original fic in the past and not managed, but this time, I feel really good about my story idea, and I have a good outline to start with, so that should help a lot. :)
I've always loved Arthurian Myth, and two of my favorite classes when I was in the University involved Arthurian mythos. It's exciting to be able to use all that in an original story.
Sounds like I'm not the only one, either. Lots of great ideas in this thread.
----------2005: Chrysalis - winner!
2006: stalled out
2007: Draco's Dreams - winner!
2008: The Sultan's Slave - winner!
2,046 / 50,000
Okt 27, 2009 - 19 30
i've always wanted to do a story involving sir marrok, the knight who is also a werewolf and was mentioned in a total of like ONE line in all of arthurian literature.
6,660 / 50,000
Okt 28, 2009 - 18 06
YES!
Just wanted to stop by here and say that, although I will NOT be writing an Arthurian Fantasy this year, my love and admiration goes to all those who do. I salute you, fellow Knights and Dames, and I already intend on reading some of your novels. I'm so pleased to see others with a shared interest in Arthurian Literature. : )
6,660 / 50,000
Okt 28, 2009 - 18 07
Double Post. Sorry. x C
15,002 / 50,000
Nov 2, 2009 - 19 43
I have always loved the Arthurian myths, and some of the modern tales they have inspired (Harry Potter series, Lord of the Rings, and so many others.) I love legends and myths. I had no idea this was an actual subgenre of fantasy. I had originally planned to write the first book of a sci fi series I want to do, but my Arthurian tales wouldn't wait. Glad to know I'm in good company!
----------Llynara :)
(a character name actually, inspired by the Welsh spellings)
"If you see someone without a smile, give them yours." :)
0 / 50,000
Nov 3, 2009 - 05 37
Yes. Yes. Yes. I am thinking of doing a retelling of Arthur / Guinevere / Lancelot - although i can't promise it will be any good it will certainly be fun!
----------1,064 / 50,000
Nov 3, 2009 - 06 58
Cool! For a school project I have to study Arthur but I am doing it about the Celtic Arthur, not the one with Lancelot and everything.. But for my presentation I'm going to write a story about Arthur (in dutch though).
For my nano I started to write about Mercurius Artaius (I've read that he was an god, but I also read that its just "king arthur") because I think the name is really cool. Artaius<3.
11,617 / 50,000
Nov 3, 2009 - 10 58
King Arthur appears in my story, but it is not an Arthurian fantasy.
----------Elonna
You never know how far you can go until you start the journey.
31,044 / 50,000
Nov 6, 2009 - 10 24
My Nano this year is tied to Arthurian Legend... It's basically a story of the origin of Excalibur and it's journey to the Stone in which Arthur finds it. ^.^
----------0 / 50,000
Nov 6, 2009 - 17 31
Me-long long fascination with the historical Arthur of Roman Britain after the collapse of the RE, mythical Arthur of Welsh legend, and the medieval Arthur of the courtly romances, kicked off by malory, TH white, MZ Bradley, etc. It's just such an incredible story-still being told after *counts quickly on fingers and toes* 1500 years? sheesh.
I have a long abandoned vampire novel based on: the Grail quest (of course) and Sir Perceval's sister, who accompanied him on the quest (in one version of the romances) but died of overgenerosity to a lady who required virgins' blood to renew her youthful beauty. How could I not go there? Hmmm, come to think of it, I should dust that off;)
0 / 50,000
Nov 6, 2009 - 18 09
Long long fascination and love for historical Arthur , (post Roman Britain) Mythical Arthur (medieval Wales and Northern Britain), and the High Medieval courtly romances' Arthur (France) and all the popularizations since- Malory, TH White, Steinbeck, MZ Bradly. I might be obsessed.
That said, I also have a long abandoned vampire novel inspired by: the Grail Quest (of course;) and the unfortunate failure of a little known Quester- Perceval's sister, who died of overgenerosity to a Lady who required virgins' blood to regain her youthful beauty- how could I not go there? in fact, I should probably dust that off one of these days...what do people think of the idea?
oops, double post because the first never showed up. Till now. Sorry!
25,718 / 50,000
Nov 8, 2009 - 10 35
I'm not doing an Arthurian fantasy but my wolf shape shifter character is named after Sir Marrok
37,912 / 50,000
Nov 8, 2009 - 13 47
2 points.
1. If anyone is into Hellboy, the current story has some mind-blowing Arthurian connections.
2. My story, a prequel to "The King of Elfland's Daughter," has a scene where a minstrel (in fact, the King of Elfland) sings at a banquet for a beautiful woman about to wed the Lord of the Vale, and I chose an Arthurian theme for his song--Lancelot singing to Gwenevere:
Gwinevere thou fairest of all in the West,
Thou calleth the dove o’ the wild to rest
Upon ringletted finger, and its trembling breast
Your grace and sweet virtue confessed,
Your grace and sweet virtue confessed.
Arthur the blameless thou faithfully wed,
Who for the care of the country has bled,
Who but for the Albion crown on his head,
Would worship your grace and sweet virtue instead,
Would worship your grace and sweet virtue instead.
How many trials in the tournament field?
In how many Wars shall I offer my shield?
And pray, will the wound in my heart be healed,
If your grace and sweet virtue should yield?
If your grace and sweet virtue should yield?
I have a spell the twilight would obey,
----------A charm to keep night away from the day,
But my great runes which none can belay,
Your grace and sweet virtue would easily stay,
Your grace and sweet virtue would easily stay.
Alveric
("The Lake-Isle of Two Kings" and "High, Windowless Tower." Forthcoming.)