As far as fantasy authors go, I'd have to say that my biggest influences are China Miéville, Joel Rosenberg, and Richard Knaak.Count me in as one of the bazillions of boys who in his early teens admired Huma for the paradigm of a paladin and emulating him over and over in my RPGing. That said, looking back on Dragonlance fiction as an adult, two things strike me. They are quite superficial, ultimately, and second, to emulate their iconics in an RPG is bound to fail. Huma is a solo player's dream of an RPG experience, but he's ultimately too self-occupied and focused on his own mission to be a team player.
You know, The Legend of Huma was the book that got me into Dragonlance fiction, but I still feel like Knaak's shared-world work (at least, back in the day - haven't read his latest stuff) was hugely surpassed by his original material. The Dragonrealms (especially the first couple: Firedrake, Ice Dragon, and Wolfhelm) presented a really fun and well-put-together setting, and drilled the "dragon as intelligent, superpowerful ruler" archetype into my head. If you can pick up copies of them somewhere, I'd highly recommend it.
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You know, The Legend of Huma was the book that got me into Dragonlance fiction, but I still feel like Knaak's shared-world work (at least, back in the day - haven't read his latest stuff) was hugely surpassed by his original material. The Dragonrealms (especially the first couple: Firedrake, Ice Dragon, and Wolfhelm) presented a really fun and well-put-together setting, and drilled the "dragon as intelligent, superpowerful ruler" archetype into my head. If you can pick up copies of them somewhere, I'd highly recommend it.
Now, for my two-pence worth, If I had read Knaak first, I would most likely not have gotten into Dragonlance. It's not that he's a bad author (I've certainly read worse), it's just that he's not my flavour of Fantasy. For me it's more Raymond E. Feist, Asprin/Abbey, REH, Piers Anthony, Andre Norton, Katherine Kurtz and Lord Dunsany, etc. (boy, am I showing my age again, lol) - but not Knaak. (And I keep meaning to pick up Perdido Street Station)
But hey, then and again, if everybody liked the same thing - it'd be a pretty damnned boring world =)
Vive la différence!
That James Sutter is one good looking fellow.
He looks like something of a young pup, too.
But on topic, this is what I find interesting about these interviews, learning the commonalities and differences we have with the tastes of the staff members, and perhaps knocking into some new material.
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Now, for my two-pence worth, If I had read Knaak first, I would most likely not have gotten into Dragonlance. It's not that he's a bad author (I've certainly read worse), it's just that he's not my flavour of Fantasy. For me it's more Raymond E. Feist, Asprin/Abbey, REH, Piers Anthony, Andre Norton, Katherine Kurtz and Lord Dunsany, etc. (boy, am I showing my age again, lol) - but not Knaak. (And I keep meaning to pick up Perdido Street Station)
I'm a fan of a lot of those authors as well - I've probably read my age in Asprin and Anthony books, easily - but they hold a different spot in my head, and don't enter as much into my ideas on campaign setting design. But yeah, it turns out there are a LOT of fabulous SF authors out there, and picking just a few out of a hat can be tough. I often find it easier to note who influenced me first than who influenced me most. :)
He looks like something of a young pup, too.
I realized the other day that I've worked at Paizo for 20% of my existence....
Grits teeth.
Hell, there's twenty percent of my existence I can't even remember anymore...and that's not because I was a baby for those years.
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I'm a fan of a lot of those authors as well - I've probably read my age in Asprin and Anthony books, easily - but they hold a different spot in my head, and don't enter as much into my ideas on campaign setting design. But yeah, it turns out there are a LOT of fabulous SF authors out there, and picking just a few out of a hat can be tough. I often find it easier to note who influenced me first than who influenced me most. :)Now, for my two-pence worth, If I had read Knaak first, I would most likely not have gotten into Dragonlance. It's not that he's a bad author (I've certainly read worse), it's just that he's not my flavour of Fantasy. For me it's more Raymond E. Feist, Asprin/Abbey, REH, Piers Anthony, Andre Norton, Katherine Kurtz and Lord Dunsany, etc. (boy, am I showing my age again, lol) - but not Knaak. (And I keep meaning to pick up Perdido Street Station)
Influenced me first? Hans Christian Anderson and the Brothers Grimm - and I'm not talking about the sanitized, politically correct garbage that gets published nowadays, but the old original gruesome, gory collected fairy tales (kinda funny, considering most horror fiction/films bore me, lol) (Thanks the gods for growing up in Germany)
Grits teeth.
Hell, there's twenty percent of my existence I can't even remember anymore...and that's not because I was a baby for those years.
Ditto =)
I realized the other day that I've worked at Paizo for 20% of my existence....He looks like something of a young pup, too.
Ah sweet youth.
I turn 21 in a few weeks. Oh cool, I've been a dm for 25% of my life so far!
:p
I've gotta say, James, some of those things you mention conceiving of for Golarion that got de-sci-fi'd sound pretty freakin' cool to me. I'm not sure exactly how they would have fit, but I think that they're amazingly cool. In particular, the idea of a forest of tesla coils or a a magical particle accelerator? Both freakin' sweet concepts. But considering how well people received magical locomotives a few years ago, I can understand why they weren't kept in those forms. Kinda sad, really.
I've gotta say, James, some of those things you mention conceiving of for Golarion that got de-sci-fi'd sound pretty freakin' cool to me. I'm not sure exactly how they would have fit, but I think that they're amazingly cool. In particular, the idea of a forest of tesla coils or a a magical particle accelerator? Both freakin' sweet concepts. But considering how well people received magical locomotives a few years ago, I can understand why they weren't kept in those forms. Kinda sad, really.
Thanks, DoS! The truth, though, is that there's definitely a time and place for those sorts of things, and cramming them all into Varisia right at the start would have made our world seem very different. I've since learned that the craziest science-y ideas are best parceled out one at a time, so as to not invite beatings from Wes and Jacobs. :) If you look through the gazetteers for Belkzen and Kyonin, though, you should still see evidence of weird science here and there...
I'm still looking forward to the yet unannounced Kaer Maga book.
You and me both. :)
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Well Mr. Sutter,
I totally agree with your approach on Sci-Fi. The more science in the science fiction, the more credible the work. Staying close to the science also helps the author in keeping with the current issues that are being debated. That was H.G. Wells claim to fame.
I really dislike fanciful sci-fi that uses current pop science topics without addressing the hard questions. Star Wars: Attack of the Clones skirted this issue horribly.
I prefer that the science and its effects are addressed credibly in a science fiction novel. Not that a little fun isn't bad, but "using" an issue such as cloning (that our society is questioning) should strike a cord in every reader. If my story has clones in it, you better believe that I will tackle the big questions.
So, in that regard, I completely agree with you. The more real the science, the more believable the fiction. Good science fiction explores the applied (or theorized) science and its ramifications for good or ill.
Magic for presto! sake, just seems like a great opportunity for someone who sells CGI money shots, aka Harry Potter Movies :(
Not sure if they ever discussed the actual source of magic. Sort of like having light bulbs without knowing about electricity.
David,
Thanks for including the Hermea banner with today's blog.
SO much better than more of Sutter's mug. ;)
David,
Thanks for including the Hermea banner with today's blog.
SO much better than more of Sutter's mug. ;)
I actually didn't choose the Hermea banner, I'm not sure who did. Sutter, maybe?
I actually didn't choose the Hermea banner, I'm not sure who did. Sutter, maybe?
Yeah, I figured having pictures of myself on the blog two days in a row might seem a wee bit egotistical. :P
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Yeah, I figured having pictures of myself on the blog two days in a row might seem a wee bit egotistical. :P
I actually didn't choose the Hermea banner, I'm not sure who did. Sutter, maybe?
Yeah! That would have been excessive. Especially the Rugged Mountaineer or the Guitar Gawd photos! We can only stand so much kewlness at one time. :)
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Yeah, I figured having pictures of myself on the blog two days in a row might seem a wee bit egotistical. :P
I actually didn't choose the Hermea banner, I'm not sure who did. Sutter, maybe?
Actually, it is nice to know so I can spot you at PaizoCon.