bedlamsbard (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
bedlamsbard) wrote2009-04-01 02:37 pm
bedlamsbard) wrote2009-04-01 02:37 pm
Entry tags:
I blame Sarah Connor and Nancy Botwin
...the colonial fantasy novel is now going to include Lady Lucy Loring (oh god, I know), the single mother of the four siblings who raised them and was completely kickass awesome after her noble husband Colonel Richard Loring died/went missing only a few years after the penal colony he was governing was abandoned by the government.
Because. Everyone should have a strong mother figure who raises her kids to be awesome. It also makes me make the siblings slightly younger, which I like if only for the complete cultural FAIL that happens later, what with the home government coming back and all. And makes it MUCH more logical for them to be raised as -- to some extent -- royalty, without them all having the authority dropped on them at once. Because that makes no sense whatsoever, especially considering that Jaime (the oldest) was originally, like, somewhere between twelve and fifteen when Richard died (and the mother originally died in childbirth), and it's a PENAL COLONY; the hardened criminals aren't going to listen to soldier boy's kid, you know? But his wife, now -- strong-willed woman, four young children, abandoned in the wilderness with a bunch of criminals -- now there's something.
Also, this means I can make Jaime, like, somewhere between five and eight when Richard drops that whole, "Take care of them. Take care of them all," thing on him AS HE'S DYING (Jaime is probably the most screwed up of the siblings), and also means that the Loring siblings are much, much scarier because they've had more time to get that way. There is a lot of culture shock. It's basically Narnia without the wardrobe. Or the magic. The incest is there, though.
And, you know, me being me, the most pressing question is: guns or no? Because I'm kind of torn. (And then the question becomes, I don't want, like, rifles and flintlocks and that sort of guns, I'd want to skip that stage and go straight to the automatics. (Maybe?) But that just brings up the question of, "Wouldn't they have the technology to, you know, not lose people?" And then on the other hand, that kind of negates the whole point of it being colonial fantasy. OH LORD HELP. Maybe we'll just go back to...WWI tech? Or back to Napoleonic Wars tech? Or just go to swords and bows?)
So, clearly, research for Lucy Loring's personality is going to involve me watching more Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles and Weeds. Strangely, I am perfectly okay with this. I'm not sure how much of a role she's going to play in the story, but it's going to be interesting.
Because. Everyone should have a strong mother figure who raises her kids to be awesome. It also makes me make the siblings slightly younger, which I like if only for the complete cultural FAIL that happens later, what with the home government coming back and all. And makes it MUCH more logical for them to be raised as -- to some extent -- royalty, without them all having the authority dropped on them at once. Because that makes no sense whatsoever, especially considering that Jaime (the oldest) was originally, like, somewhere between twelve and fifteen when Richard died (and the mother originally died in childbirth), and it's a PENAL COLONY; the hardened criminals aren't going to listen to soldier boy's kid, you know? But his wife, now -- strong-willed woman, four young children, abandoned in the wilderness with a bunch of criminals -- now there's something.
Also, this means I can make Jaime, like, somewhere between five and eight when Richard drops that whole, "Take care of them. Take care of them all," thing on him AS HE'S DYING (Jaime is probably the most screwed up of the siblings), and also means that the Loring siblings are much, much scarier because they've had more time to get that way. There is a lot of culture shock. It's basically Narnia without the wardrobe. Or the magic. The incest is there, though.
And, you know, me being me, the most pressing question is: guns or no? Because I'm kind of torn. (And then the question becomes, I don't want, like, rifles and flintlocks and that sort of guns, I'd want to skip that stage and go straight to the automatics. (Maybe?) But that just brings up the question of, "Wouldn't they have the technology to, you know, not lose people?" And then on the other hand, that kind of negates the whole point of it being colonial fantasy. OH LORD HELP. Maybe we'll just go back to...WWI tech? Or back to Napoleonic Wars tech? Or just go to swords and bows?)
So, clearly, research for Lucy Loring's personality is going to involve me watching more Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles and Weeds. Strangely, I am perfectly okay with this. I'm not sure how much of a role she's going to play in the story, but it's going to be interesting.
no subject
IT SOUNDS *THAT* AWESOME.
I vote for Napoleonic tech. It feels fitting, cos you've got to have the significant tech advantage to do srs Imperialism. This is only slightly because I just read all five Temeraire books in a week. (Are you aware of the Sharpe series? Lots of Napoleonic gun action in that - and Sean Bean!)
Also? GO DO YOUR HOMEWORK.
no subject
Oh, but the thing is that the Athenians managed it back in the day, and there have been Greek colonies forever, so you don't really need THAT significant of a tech advantage. I'm kind of playing with the idea of bringing in a little bit of magic, too -- I'm not sure how much, though. Maybe just the Scott Lynch amount in The Lies of Locke Lamora -- little things, some odd combinations of magic and science, etc. And then the locals are nonhumans? Although in some way that seems to be giving in to the cliches about colonialism, that the natives are lesser beings than the conquerors. *winces* But it's interesting.
I am aware of the Sharpe series! I am slowly working my way through them. And Temeraire, yum. I haven't read the fifth one yet; I'm waiting for it to come out in paperback so that my set will match (and also it will be cheapter), but I tore through the first three VERY QUICKLY when they first came out, then the fourth one when that followed.
...homework?