Coincidentally, while Googling potential blog titles yesterday, I came upon a number of Inkling connections, some I was familiar with, others that were new to me. The most intriguing was a young adult fantasy series: The Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica, by James A. Owen. The first novel, now on my "to read" list, is called Here, There Be Dragons. Apparently, the three main characters, John, Jack, and Charles, are meant to be fictionalized versions of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and Charles Williams. I didn't need to read anymore to figure out that this would be a fantasy story of how these three fantasists were inspired to create their fantasy literature. (Meta-fantasy?) Seems like a familiar trope, somehow, although I can't exactly put my finger on where else I've seen it (Becoming Jane? The Hours? Not fantasy, but quasi-fictionalized portrayals of the lives of artists), or if I have. I've certainly thought about writing a similar story, but again that's not to say I didn't get the concept from somewhere else. Nevertheless, it seems like a fun read that's right up my alley.
It's marketed as young adult fiction, so I'll be interested to see the extent to which these books provide some kind of commentary on or inter-text for the works of the three author/characters. If there's a genre in which YA fiction can also be serious literature, fantasy is it. Mixed editorial reviews on Amazon, and generally rave reader reviews. I'll post my own after I've read it. I have a feeling it will make it's way onto my Kindle this weekend, since I'm just about finished with Kristin Cashore's Graceling.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Genesis
So maybe I'll start and sustain this blog... we'll see. The idea's been kicking around for a while, and I'd like to do it. But then again, there are a lot of things I've liked to have done but haven't. I specialize in starting grandiose personal projects; there are about seventeen of them on the back burner right now. I'll try to keep this one cooking, with the hope that it will spark the others back to life.
PG
PG
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