The Wood Beyond The World Forum Politics

I am delighted to see the lively discussion on two hot potato subjects, so it is time to throw in a third: politics.

As with religion and sex, I find many fantasy writers gloss over politics. They use simplistic systems, often a monarch and avoid the intrigue inherent to any political system.

My series is focused on an island which has a monarchy. Yet there is a civil branch that is elected to come up with laws and edicts for the masses. Which the monarch can accept or reject. Yet the island has been plunged into a civil war because the brother of the Queen feels she has given up too much of the throne's power. And there is a growing republican movement on the island. Which my main villain is using to his advantage to gain control of power and rule the island.

So where do you feel politics fits in your fantasy writing? Or in general with the current state of affairs in published fantasy? Let the discussions being!

Leah has a very politically oriented world and storyline. I was immediately drawn in not just from her style of writing, but the complex storyline itself and I am glad to have stayed with it because she has taught me a thing or two about adding this aspect to my own work, and has politely beat it into my head.

I will admit, the politic's of my world play a back burner role to the main storyline of. But how can I bring the readers along if I do not also introduce the politics which are powerful driving forces of any society. I suspect that as the story progresses it will become more detailed and entrenched. Not so much in the first book, but book two deals more with the politic's between the elvin and the human races. Book three, the politic's of internal strife and a monarchy that is overthrown. And each book will have its own politic's of that storyline, but they all still point to one ending...the survival of that country, and the defeat of evil.

I don't think my politic's really point to anything specific of what is happening in the world today, but then, I have not given it alot of thought as of yet. Perhaps it is because I am not much of a political beast myself, even though I follow it in the news and by reading. I find politic's interesting, but I do not particularly find politicans interesting. The scam artist seem to rise to the top in politic's. lol.

Nick.

I LOVE politics in fantasy. I think it's a really important part of everyday living (in a relatively safe society, at least) and since it plays a huge role in reality, why shouldn't we write about it in our fantasy? A country in my story is in the grip of a brutal dictatorship, another is an oligarchy in which the leading few don't trust each other and are constantly waging silent 'house wars' against each other, and inexorably the main characters get sucked into the intrigue. There are some monarchies, but for the most part I use other ways, since monarchies are so overdone and it's kinda hard to put intrigue in there, unless you go for the stereotypical 'bad guy lusts for the crown' scenario. There are Republics with a President/Emperor/King/whatever you want to call him that has either a group of advisors or a full-blown senate, and just like in real life there is so much opportunity for drama there: corruption, betrayal, bribes, shady deals, alliances, etc. Eventually, politics play a humongous role in my story. Also I think if a fantasy writer has a good, plausible system of politics in place in his world it makes it more realistic and readable, IMO.

Computer seems to be working okay tonight, so I'll try a longer post.

My stories are founded on as realistic a political framework as I feel I should burden readers with. They have to be political, because the protagonists are diplomats.

The first two books are set in the Kingdom of Vaaseli -- a feudal society, with republicanism developing among tradespeople, craftsmen, and the more educated nobility.

The political Alliance of four nations is founded on the Teachings of Alidor, a prophet and mage of Albrahar who travelled to and taught in Ravella. (I tried to post about this stuff a couple of nights ago, but Explorer kept shutting down on me.) Alidor's teaching is based on both revelation and reason, and provides an ethical framework for the use of mind-powers common in my world's population, guiding both individual and communal behavior. In Albrahar and Ravella Alidorism is a state religion -- essentially a kind of Jeffersonian Deism -- it's the official religion in Vaaseli too, but many older beliefs persist in all levels of society, submerged, but still influential. In Xanthia a wide variety of religious traditions coexist with and even influence Alidorism, which is supported by the government mainly for political reasons.

The Ravellan League has a republican form of government that goes back to before the time of Alidor. It's pretty much like our modern western democracies. The intelligensia in Vaaseli are trying to move their nation to a similar system -- though there's going to be some conflict, because two of the leaders of these progressives are the heir to the throne and his betrothed. They haven't quite realized what democracy can do to their royal perogative, or the multiple levels of conflict they'll encounter, when traditional feudal lords, peasants, and skilled and educated townspeople get inolved in the political process. Added to the mix is a traditional people living pretty much untouched by these conflicts in the far north of their kingdom -- untouched until . . . .

Well, you'll have to read the books.

All of this is the framework for the personal journeys of several young diplomats, particularly Lord Timu Maarinen of Vaaseli and Wythe Weaver of Ravella. So far. There are storylines for other characters too. I've got enough material to last me the rest of my life.

Another comment.

I got back into fantasy partly via the sci-fi of Orson Scott Card, and I think that's where I saw the political connection and realized what fertile ground it could be for me. I was raised on radical politics by definitely socialist, labor-organizing parents, and I've never stopped exploring serious political theory. What passes for "politics" in the US is a joke, as far as I'm concerned. I try to ignore it. (Though I do my best to vote for the least of evils in every election.)

I have to admit that the plot of True Minds hinges on the old Evil Grand Vizier convention -- but I hope the larger political and spiritual background redeems the cliche at least a little. My other storylines are more sophisticated.

I do like the monarchy myself but I do feel it has to be a truthful monarchy. In general most families don't rule for more than one or two generations (sometimes less). That being said I also have to agree there is never a case where every country is ruled by one there are always in a standard fantasy world (technology wise) republics, city states, despotisms, theocracies(sp) etc. Personaly though I have to say I am a fan of guild syndicate rule.

Hmmm... I'm not very politically minded in my work, although I enjoy books that have a thick thread of realistic political action (but not overpowering). I generally do not enjoy political fiction stories, whether they are fantasy or not, and so if I am going to read one the characters need to be strong enough for me to follow them through.

In The Ancient Child, the countries surrounding Hannaw once united in order to bring down the Sovereign when he first came into power. Since they have not been able to, and since he has left them alone for a couple centuries, they began to quarrel amongst themselves and separated into their own political structures, effectively forgetting that they need to be united to defend themselves as best they can against the terror the Sovereign could cause if he wishes to. When Nemma flees to these countries, he will wish to.

However, even though I will/have plotted out the political aspects and implications of the story events, the reader will only be exposed to what they need to in order to complete the rounded view of the characters� stories (if that makes sense!).

I too have been influenced by Leah�s work, as it reminds me to ensure that I take the political aspects of my story as seriously as all other aspects.

Cool discussion guys,

Scribble

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I quite agree. My first volume has a lot of politics because of the civil war and the main villain's attempt to topple the ruling House. Yet once the action moves to the main elven enclave, the focus on politics becomes more subtle because Aillil is an outsider and has no part of the elven political structure. But throughout the series, until Aillil returns home, the human politics stays as a background thread. Then it comes back to the front burner.

Yet politics is not just aspects like the government. There is cultural politics that also has to be considered. And potentially religious. It is nice to have the "global" political aspects but the fun stuff is the subtle internal politics.