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Malarion Candidate | joined 17 February 2004 | 22 posts

kellhus == good guy?? posted 17 February 2004 in The Darkness That Comes Before ⟩ kellhus == good guy?? by Malarion, Candidate

I don't think he did. Bakkar cleverly never revealed any concrete facts about Kellhus. He has allowed us to build up our own opinions/prejudicies about this facinating character. view post

Best character posted 28 February 2004 in The Darkness That Comes Before ⟩ Best character by Malarion, Candidate

Bugger, that was me who posted above.
Guest be damned.
Stupid boy never logged on.
Bah! view post

About the books posted 28 February 2004 in The Warrior Prophet ⟩ About the books by Malarion, Candidate

I read it on a crap holiday. It was one of the highlights, let me tell you. Another book I read was Feist's "Jimmy the Hand".

Aaargh. Dammit, I write better than that! view post

Release Dates posted 03 March 2004 in The Darkness That Comes Before ⟩ Release Dates by Malarion, Candidate

Due to the fact that I don't like the UK covers at all, I'll be sending for the Canadian editions of these books. They are so much cooler. I also don't like waiting. <!-- s:P --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_razz.gif" alt=":P" title="Razz" /><!-- s:P -->

Anybody else hate the UK cover? view post

Other authors you enjoy posted 03 March 2004 in Author Q &amp; A ⟩ Other authors you enjoy by Malarion, Candidate

Going on what was said a little earlier, I find myself in full agreement. It bugs me when fantasy writers dry to drive modern ideals down my throat (masses of female soldiers in the army etc, modern democracy). The fact people have called your work sexist is irritating. Your story is set in a ancient society. In our world, visably powerful women were rare. Why do reviewers forget that time and time again. Maybe they should be reading SciFi or some other shit. view post

Now Reading... posted 14 March 2004 in Off-Topic Discussion ⟩ Now Reading... by Malarion, Candidate

GOTM is a great book. It gets better as it progresses (and I keep going back to it to reread certain scenes).

Presently reading Erikson's latest Malazan book, "Midnight Tides", which is now building up nicely (nearly finished). Its not his best (book 3 is, imho), but its still better than most fantasy out there. Great info galore in this book. Its heavy in exposition and I'm loving it (who said expocition was a bad thing). view post

World-building posted 14 March 2004 in Writing Tips ⟩ World-building by Malarion, Candidate

I think the only way to get the right map is to draw one, work on it, think about your story, and decide where this map works against it. Once you have done this, redraw it, go through the same procedure and keep repeating it. Its unlikely you'll get it right first time (or second etc), but its necessary.

Also, before your start right down all the conditions you require for your map (key cities, countires, areas for potential battles etc). This will help guide you. And never complete it entirely. Allow blanks. You'll need the freedom to expand when you get writing.

As for getting the geography right...

Thats a hard one. How hard depends on the scale of your map. If you're drawing the whole world then its a difficult problem. If its just an area then the task is a little easier. Perhaps the best start is to work out the direction of the prevailing rains. From there you should be able to work out what areas are wet and what are dry etc.

Hope this helps. view post

More laudations... this time from a very important group posted 14 March 2004 in Interviews and Reviews ⟩ More laudations... this time from a very important group by Malarion, Candidate

A fantastic result for a first book. Bakker is on his way to joining Erikson and Martin (and deservedly so, imho). view post

Great News - and please post what work you are all doing. posted 15 March 2004 in Writing Tips ⟩ Great News - and please post what work you are all doing. by Malarion, Candidate

Just thought I'd say thanks. I hope to post some of my stuff once you free this section up (and a brilliant choice for the method of posting - I hate it when its pasted onto the forum). Hope we get something going with this, and I'll give what help I can (and hopefully Bakker can lend us his wisdom <!-- s:wink: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_wink.gif" alt=":wink:" title="Wink" /><!-- s:wink: --> ).

I've written 43 chapters of my first book (still being editted) and I'm on the 10th of book 2. Book 1 (like most fantasy these days) is only the first part of my tale.

Book 1 - "A Faceless Shadow"
Book 2 - "Champions of Carnage" view post

Great News - and please post what work you are all doing. posted 16 March 2004 in Writing Tips ⟩ Great News - and please post what work you are all doing. by Malarion, Candidate

Hehe.

Doubtlessly if I somehow convince someone into publishing these stories the publisher will decide the titles for me aka LOTR's trilogy.

Its a working title and might (like everything else) change.

Anyway, who else is writing something and what's it called? view post

My Book - A Faceless Shadow posted 19 March 2004 in Member Written Works ⟩ My Book - A Faceless Shadow by Malarion, Candidate

Ok, I'll post up the first chapter of my first book. Let me know what you all think.

I'm a would-be and as yet unpublished author, so don't be too cruel on me (although if you think it all a pile of crap, let me know why).

<!-- s:) --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" title="Smile" /><!-- s:) --> view post

Great News - and please post what work you are all doing. posted 19 March 2004 in Writing Tips ⟩ Great News - and please post what work you are all doing. by Malarion, Candidate

I used to hit the magic 100 pages before losing heart and scrapping it all. It actually took the inspiration of changing who was the main character to get the ball rolling. I've never looked back (ok, I'v looked back occasionally, but never to give in). view post

The LOTR Films posted 21 March 2004 in Off-Topic Discussion ⟩ The LOTR Films by Malarion, Candidate

Ok, just wondered what the views of the people on this forum were towards these films (and Scott's, if he's reading).

Personally I was pleasantly surprised. The first film blew me away completely. I felt a lump in my throat by the care I saw put into this film. Fantasy (which means everything to me) was finally getting the respect it deserved.
Ok, I can hear the complaints. The story wandered from the book etc. But still...think how it could have been.

Iain McKellan was absolutely amazing as Gangalf. I cannot image that character now without his face. It was perfect.
Saruman? Lee was immense.

So many good actors playing the part, not the actor (aka Stallone etc).

My only real anger were this (and it revealed Jackson's abilities - great film maker but victim of poor storytelling - and these weaknesses plagued the book too).

It suffered from a lack of a strong villian. The Witch-King was very much underplayed. The scene when he rises from behind the dead Fell Beast was amazing...but too late. We'd not gotten to know this monster, so we never cared about his death. In fact, the entire Wraith thing was pretty badly handled (and in some ways, I blam JRR himself).
The search-light Sauron was fuckin annoying.
Legolas pissed me off from the start. All his over-the-top scene were off putting.

Still, my favourite movies of alll time.
Gandalf was awesome.
Gollum was mind blowing.
The imagery took my breath.
etc

What did you all think? view post

My Book - A Faceless Shadow posted 30 March 2004 in Member Written Works ⟩ My Book - A Faceless Shadow by Malarion, Candidate

It's going slowly. <!-- s:wink: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_wink.gif" alt=":wink:" title="Wink" /><!-- s:wink: --> 43 chapters in book 1 and 13 chapters done in book 2 and can I see the end? <!-- s:twisted: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_twisted.gif" alt=":twisted:" title="Twisted Evil" /><!-- s:twisted: --> <!-- s:roll: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_rolleyes.gif" alt=":roll:" title="Rolling Eyes" /><!-- s:roll: -->

Glad you liked it. I'll post chapter 2 and a map (if I can). view post

My Book - A Faceless Shadow posted 30 March 2004 in Member Written Works ⟩ My Book - A Faceless Shadow by Malarion, Candidate

And the map...
well, a link to it.

[url:1pnuk26n]http&#58;//www&#46;gazler&#46;com/users/malarion/downloadmap&#46;jpg[/url:1pnuk26n] view post

Great News - and please post what work you are all doing. posted 30 March 2004 in Writing Tips ⟩ Great News - and please post what work you are all doing. by Malarion, Candidate

A prayer for the souls of the dead, I think. view post

My Book - A Faceless Shadow posted 31 March 2004 in Member Written Works ⟩ My Book - A Faceless Shadow by Malarion, Candidate

Just thought it would be a better method, given the size of the file. Didn't try to post it. view post

A few questions posted 06 April 2004 in Author Q &amp; A ⟩ A few questions by Malarion, Candidate

Dear god, they're trying to dumb-down the British edition!
I thought that was an American thing.
Glad I had my copy shipped across the Atlantic now (plus the cover design etc is much better in the Canadian release). As I'm getting done with book 2. Got to keep things consistant. <!-- s:wink: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_wink.gif" alt=":wink:" title="Wink" /><!-- s:wink: --> view post

A few questions posted 07 April 2004 in Author Q &amp; A ⟩ A few questions by Malarion, Candidate

Don't take this the wrong way, mate, but the fact you have made a mistake makes me happy. Its nice to know you are human.
I'm (attempting) to write a book myself and I've been having logistical nightmares with army numbers, dates, the time required for messages to reach one side of the nation to the other, and just god damned piecing the whole thing together.
There is hope for us all (and the fact that such a mistake - which few of us will probably ever notice bothers you is a sure indication of the pride and quality you are putting into this story, which bodes well for us readers).
HAve fun sorting it out for the second edition. <!-- s:D --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_biggrin.gif" alt=":D" title="Very Happy" /><!-- s:D --> <!-- s:P --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_razz.gif" alt=":P" title="Razz" /><!-- s:P --> view post

A few questions posted 09 April 2004 in Author Q &amp; A ⟩ A few questions by Malarion, Candidate

Six fingers on my wifes hand wouldn't be that great. Another set of rings would be demanded. <!-- s:cry: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_cry.gif" alt=":cry:" title="Crying or Very sad" /><!-- s:cry: --> view post

Getting the words down. posted 10 April 2004 in Writing Tips ⟩ Getting the words down. by Malarion, Candidate

Sorry to hear about your dispair, Sovin. Imagining is a fun bit about the writing process, and the easiest...sometimes. Given practise, however, I think you'll eventually find that the writing part will eventually grow to fill that role. I was the same as ou once, completely embittered against my own style, but keeping at it makes a real diference. Type away a complete pile of rubbish, by all means, and then bin it. After that you'll find you've stepped up a league. Writing, like everything, is not easy. Practice makes perfect.

And so I'll add my agreement to what Euron said. Get it all down, and then go back and edit. If you edit entirely as you write you'll never get going.
Also, and this is important in Fantasy writing. Get your world right. Get your story right. Work..work...work...work on it. It will take an unimaginable amount of dedication to succeed.

In my case, I've been working on it since I was 10. I'm now 27 and I'm still learning.

Never give in. view post

It's Finally Here! posted 21 July 2004 in The Warrior Prophet ⟩ It's Finally Here! by Malarion, Candidate

Just got it. Going to read book 1 first to refresh my mind. On holiday in a couple of weeks so its an ideal time.
Still love those covers. Glad I had them shipped over. view post

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