Mar 24
Ursula K. LeGuin’s political science fiction novel The Dispossessed has as its subtitle “An Ambiguous Utopia.” But screw that. Isn’t this a whamdoodle of a cover? Twin worlds, close enough to touch, one lush and green, one red like Mars but cratered like the Moon, done up in a riotous rainbow of colors? (I’ll do …
Sep 25
British author Michael Moorcock created a series of stories, novels, and metanovels about albino warrior Elric of Melniboné, referenced by me here. In that series, the made-up language was surprisingly consistent. Sometimes ridiculous, sometimes grandiose, the words Yyrkoon, Imryyr, and Xiombarg conjure up a sort of Solomon’s Demons / Chinese never-never land beyond time and …
Jun 05
I did not think too much of Richard K. Morgan’s fantasy novel The Cold Commands, but I do admire the care the author put into his naming systems for the trilogy. Each culture of his universe — Kiriath, Yhelteth, League, Majak — has its own naming conventions, and all are distinct from each other and …
Apr 17
Since it’s the week before Easter, here’s some more Lapine words with generated meanings. Lapine Words Airn Avathru Elnurd Elnarn Esclay Flayarn Flysith Fouthu Frainda Frowtha Hith-ru-Hrin Hliefrag Hlothlev Hlymbroi Hrussu Lembrath Ifrai Nolfai Norp Noospet Olief Oori-elth Piambre’ Pru-thaing Sith-Mo Sivra Slesayn Thivlal Thrap Thooflong Vrelthai Vulflay Vyloo …
Apr 10
In the mid-1970s British Author Richard Adams forever re-defined the talking animal fantasy with Watership Down. “A group of adventurers flee their doomed city… and they are rabbits” was one of the taglines. Thrust into the wider world, they encounter predators, roads, hostile or indifferent humans, and unfamiliar territory as they search for a place …