Double Delight With Traditional and Indie Books

Our panel project, A Drift of Quills, is still in its infant stages, but I look forward to our posts on the first Fridays of the month. My fellow Quills are fun to work with, and I love seeing what responses each of them have to the topics we’ve selected. I hope you do, too! Without further ado…

C.M.J. WALLACE

For this month’s topic, we decided to identify one traditionally published and one indie-published fantasy novel that we enjoyed and explain why. My fellow Quillers won’t know this until they receive my portion of our post, but I have a great deal of difficulty reading indie work because of the poor editorial quality and have finished only a few of the many I’ve tried. I’m not saying that traditionally published books are all well edited; far from it. But as a rule, they’re in much, much better shape than indie books. (By the way, we recused ourselves from reading one another’s books and I haven’t read any of their work; my comments don’t apply to their writing!) I edit for a living, which means I look for errors in grammar, structure, punctuation, continuity—the whole shebang. But I don’t actually look for them: They leap out at me, and that makes it impossible to ignore them as I read for pleasure.
Therefore, I haven’t found an indie fantasy story I like.

My favorite traditionally published fantasy author is Stephen R. Donaldson. His Mordant’s Need series, which includes The Mirror of Her Dreams and A Man Rides Through, is one of the most satisfying fantasies I’ve ever read. (And yes, it’s well edited!) The language is beautiful and evocative, which is difficult to find these days. In fact, some of the most popular books of the past decade are devoid of rich prose and barely rise above the fourth-grade reading level typically used in newspapers. I truly don’t understand the attraction.

But I digress.

Donaldson’s tale rests on a solid foundation of back story that adds intricate layers of realism, which I believe is a must for any narrative that strives for depth. The heroine, Teresa, is wimpy and at times spineless—the Donaldson books I’ve read lack strong female characters in general—but I otherwise like the series so much that it doesn’t detract terribly. Although she is one of the main characters, she shares the stage with a man who does make a fulfilling hero despite his flaws and helps compensate for her shortcomings.

I prefer complicated plots, and the author delivers. The kingdom is at war, mysterious saboteurs are trying to bring it to its knees from within for reasons unknown, the protagonists and the mad king may be more than they seem, and the heroine has entered Mordant through a mirror in our world (very Lewis Carroll, and a device I’ve been in love with since I first read his books).

But the primary reason I love Mordant’s Need is that the series brings alive another world, as any good book should, taking me out of time and place and firing my imagination. And I can visit as often as I like.

MOI!

Oh, decisions, decisions…! Choosing just two fantasy novels is nearly like asking me to pick my two favorite children. Still, there are a certain number that qualify. One would think that with all the thousands of books available, I might have a lot more favorites, but all too often I find myself throwing my hands up in disgust at issues that plague traditional and indie books alike: weak plots, poor editing, cardboard characters, and a lack of voice. In fact, the last hair-tearing book I read was traditionally published, and I kept wondering what the company did with their editors. On the indie front, I’m starting to see a noticeable division between those publishing because they can and those who are serious about this writing business. I will confess, if the cover is horrible, the chances of me reading it are extremely slim. The cover represents what’s inside. Yes, I must first be intrigued with pictures.

So you can imagine my squeak of delight when I saw the cover of Brood of Bones, by indie author A.E. Marling. The artworks is by Eva Soulu, and I’d like to have that print hanging in my house, it’s so lovely. The book didn’t disappoint, either. A magic-wielder afflicted with a sleeping disorder is caught up in a fantastic terrific whodunnit. The setting and the magic are skillfully portrayed; the characters are complex and not always predictable. The main character, Hiresha, struggles not only with her sleeping problem, but with the past that has formed her; her position is her armor and her purpose. Maid Janny is a gem of irreverence, while the Lord of the Feasts is both charming and terrible. The deposed arbiter of the city is exasperating at the same time she is delightful, and the two city leaders (a pair of priests representing different deities) are not what they might seem. The formatting and editing are first-rate—and I’m picky, so you can relax on that count.

Traditional-wise, I think Michael Whelan became one of my favorite fantasy artists when I came across The Dragonbone Chair, first in the Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn series by Tad Williams. Three wonderfully thick books long (the paperback publication of the third was divided into two volumes), the series has yet to be knocked off its pedestal as my all-time favorite epic fantasy. The world Williams describes is intricate and deep, with a rich (but not overwhelming) history. The characters—well, it’s easy to forget they’re the product of someone’s imagination. There are complex cultures and races, folklore, humor, tragedy and growth all masterfully blended into the grand conflict of Good against Evil. The power struggle between the heirs to the throne and the presence of three magic swords might sound like standard fare, but it’s just so darned well done! Toss in alliances, betrayals, politics, epic military battles; then factor in world building and character development, pacing, and emotional impact, and by golly, if you haven’t read this, what are you waiting for??

PATRICIA REDING
Author of Oathtaker

There is no shortage of traditional published fantasy works from which to choose a favorite. Even so, a single one comes to mind. It is a work I’ve read—I think five times now—and it is the one that encouraged me to write myself (not because I could hope to match it, but because it made me hungry to experience the process). That work is Terry Goodkind’s Sword of Truth Series, which begins with Wizard’s First Rule.

I am fascinated with Goodkind’s ability to keep me on the edge of my seat, constantly turning pages, waiting with bated breath for the next thing to happen—because there is not a moment in which something is not happening. With heart hounds, dragons, wizards, sorceresses, the Seeker of Truth, the Mother Confessor, horrific villains, and so many more creatures and characters, some wholly new and unique, Goodkind’s story is utterly spellbinding. From this series (which I estimate runs 8 – 10,000 pages), I can readily name more than 50 “main characters.” These are characters central to some portion of the story, characters I got to know throughout the series, characters I may love or hate—but will never forget. Add to this Goodkind’s ability to weave elements of the story—sometimes beginning with a mere mention early on and then reintroducing that element volumes later when it becomes a key ingredient to the overall story—and you have a truly great series. For this reader, Goodkind is unmatched.

As to indie published fantasy works, I admit that I have not read all that many, but one I found particularly well done and entertaining was The God King (Heirs of the Fallen Book 1), by James A. West. Notwithstanding the fact that this work makes use of names with (what to me are dreaded) apostrophes (“Geh’shinnom’atar), and notwithstanding the fact that the work includes “dead people walking,” (two things I generally highly dislike reading or reading about), I found The God King quite enjoyable.

West’s voice is intriguing, his word pictures are carefully painted, and his word choices clever in that they help to create a unique alternate world. West’s characters were honorable at times, quirky at times, but always consistent and in the end, believable. Perhaps the highest praise I could offer in this regard is that West drew, in The God King, a genuinely legitimate lead woman character. She was firm in the face of danger, was committed to helping to overcome evil, and was a full member of the otherwise all-male “team.”

KRISTIE KIESSLING
Author of the short story, Sanguis Dei and a poetry collection, Light and Dark

When browsing through the “cheap seats” (read: FREE) of indie books, I came across the short A Circle of Iron by Greg Benage. Taught from childhood that “we don’t judge books by their covers”, I nevertheless found myself intrigued. I’ll be honest, if the cover turns me off, I move on. Perhaps it was the simplicity, the colors, I can’t really even say. Maybe it was the title that bears a striking similarity to a 1978 martial arts movie. But, it was free, (and still is) so I snatched it up. I expected poor writing, poor characters, poor … well, everything. I wasn’t disappointed. Let’s face it; indie publishing is writers putting their work out there (often) without benefit of the many years of savvy that traditional publishing provides. We’re doing this on our own, working our way through the ropes and hoping we find mentors along the way. It is a gritty, sometimes dark business. A Circle of Iron is gritty and dark with bounty hunters chasing down and slaughtering blood drinking wights. It is a fantasy full of violence set in the world of Eldernost.

Note: I did not solicit Kristie’s kind words about my book, but you should take her advice and read it. 😉 I have read and enjoyed Hood by Stephen R. Lawhead, and several books from Terry Goodkind’s Sword of Truth. I am filling in the missing volumes slowly, with gently used editions. I also happen to own Mordant’s Need. And now I find myself wanting to dash to my library (all the way across the room) and read ALL of these books again, as well as books 2 and 3 of Lawhead’s series, which is entitled The Raven King. I have them! I just haven’t quite got to reading them yet, much to my husband’s disgruntlement.

And how fun to discover the Quills treasuring the same books I do…

How about you? Give us a pair (or two or three!) of your favorite books, one indie and one traditional. Go ahead and add to our towering pillars of Books to Read! We’d love to hear from you.