May 4, 2004

Alternatives to Fan Fiction
speedcorn

Hello,

Before I begin, this article is in no way intended to demean the Tolkien fans who choose to write or read fan fiction. That being said...

I propose that no matter how good the fan fiction, it will always be perceived as being inferior to Tolkien. The biggest problem with fan fiction is not that it isn't as good as the original, but that it is simply different from the original. Since we all originally discovered Middle Earth through Tolkien's words and Tolkien's style, that is what we come to expect whenever we read about Middle Earth. As a result, when our expectations are not met, we tend to be disappointed with the result and that disappointment gets converted into a feeling that the fanfic is somehow inferior to Tolkien. I believe it is for this reason that so many hardcore Tolkien fans disliked PJs movies; simply because their high expectations were not met (and could never be met).

Admittedly, the vast majority of fanfic is inferior, however, I am sure that there are some extremely talented writers out there who are very capable of surpassing Tolkien's skill.

So, as an alternative to reading about more Middle Earth, I prefer to read about new worlds and discover new characters. I thought I would list a couple of the series that I most enjoyed:

1.--------------------------------------
A Song of Ice and Fire by George Martin (3 books with a 4th on the way):

A Game of Thrones
A Clash of Kings
A Storm of Swords
A Feast for Crows (in progress)

At one time I thought I would never find a book I enjoyed more than Lord of the Rings. Then I found this series. The author throws every convention of story telling out the window so the reader can never predict what is going to happen even a paragraph in advance. His world of Westeros (including the history leading up to the events of this series) is incredibly well thought out and revealed very gradually throughout the books so that you're always left wanting one more piece of the puzzle. Read these books and I gaurantee you won't be disappointed. A warning though, on your first read you will be overwhelmed by characters and will be very confused for the first few chapters. That's normal and eventually the feeling will pass.

2.--------------------------------------
His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman (3 books)

The Golden Compass (or Northen Lights)
The Subtle Knife
The Amber Spyglass

This series is currently being developed by New Line as their next major fantasy epic. It all starts out so innocently with an adventurous and rebellious little girl (Lyra) overhearing something that she was wasn't supposed to hear and it soon becomes a story so huge that it affects all worlds (even those that are right next door and we don't even know about). The heroes are a couple of children who question authority when others would silently obey and make choices based on what they feel rather than on what they are expected to do. Plus it has armored polar bears, who are truly one of the greatest fantasy creations ever.

3.--------------------------------------
Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling

I know, I know. A lot people don't like this series, but in fact there is a reason why its sold hundreds of millions of copies...It's a great series. To be honest I don't like it nearly as much as 1 or 2, but I thought I would throw it in there anyway. And the first two movies don't really do the books justice. In fact the books don't get really great until the 3rd book. If you can make it to that one I predict you won't be able to stop reading. And no its not just for kids. I was in my twenties when I started reading it.

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So those are a few books to keep even the most avid reader busy for a while. If anyone has any comments please say so. I also apologize for so shamelessly promoting non-Tolkien works on a Tolkien message board, but I think if a few people end up reading any of the books I've mentioned it will be worth it.

Speedcorn