Looking for some help

[vg_ford]

I'm working on a chapter about magical creatures for an upcoming DMP book, and wanted to get some suggestions from the vast LJ mind out there.

1. What books did you think the magical creatures (whether MCs or not) were well-done?

2. What books did you think the magical creatures (whether MCs or not) were poorly-done?

I'm curious to see what people say. I've got a few that I enjoy personally, but I'm having issues finding any that I don't think were well-done. Help?

And yes, this can be posted elsewhere. Folks can also email me at vg_ford at yahoo dot com.

Thanks in advance!!!

Comments

[suelder.livejournal.com]

I see what you mean - I first thought of magical creatures that I liked:

the fire lizards from Dragon-singer by Anne MacCaffrey - liked them better than the dragons. Not that I hated the dragons, but I liked the fire lizards much, much better.

I also liked the Companions in Mercedes Lackey's Arrow of the Queen. They were neat and mysterious and probably reincarnated heroes from the past - but she never comes out and says that. I liked the bondbirds much less - from the Mage Wind series. I guess because they seemed like weaker copies of the Companions.

If I can think of more, I'll post again.

Suelder

[vg-ford.livejournal.com]

And that's it. You always think of the ones you LIKE.

Thanks for the ones you posted, though! :)

[magicalbookworm.livejournal.com]

1. Tamora Pierce's novels. Her Tortal series, she takes has a very nice twist to the magical creatures :)

2. Now this question is hard, I think I'm going to have to go with serises like Dragonlance and the forgotten realms etc, not that they're bad, but that the seem to use magical creatures in the way they were first made and don't go out of those bounds to create something new :)

[vg-ford.livejournal.com]

Good answers! I'll look both of those up - thanks!

[fencerm2.livejournal.com]

Now I know its not a novel, per se, but honestly, the various Dungeons and Dragons Monster Manuals and assorted books present what I have found to be really pretty definitively well done magical creatures.

But then, that might be cheating.

Tolkien - elves, orcs, etc - he set the standard.

My fuzzy thoughts, for what they're worth.

Sleep now, maybe...

[vg-ford.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[lupagreenwolf.livejournal.com]

Well done: The fey in Charles de Lint's urban fantasies; the sedim in Storm Constantine's second Wraeththu trilogy

Not so well done: Mercedes lackey's elves in her various urban elves stories--reallllly stretch mythology (a male banshee? WTF?) and incredibly saccharine.

[vg-ford.livejournal.com]

Thanks - I hadn't heard of the Constantine books, I'll have to check those out.

[lupagreenwolf.livejournal.com]

Technically the Wraeththu themselves are magical beings, mutated from humanity, and quite magical in nature.

[vg-ford.livejournal.com]

Interesting. I think my library has the books - they definitely just went on my TBR pile.

Creatures

[kn0-1.livejournal.com]

are you doing another DMP how to book?
Am I not allowed to do squidges anymore due to poor quality? aaawww:(

No love for Anne...

BTW, re: MC. I am going for the ol' children's book, The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle.
Loved the Unicorn, Red Bull, Butterfly and Harpy. Non MC fave, Mommy Fortuna.

The Dark Crystal (Paperback)
by A. C. H. Smith, David Odell
Who couldn't love the Skeksis. Especially the Chamberlain. I also felt Augrah, The Mystics & Kira were my faves.

Re: Creatures

[vg-ford.livejournal.com]

LOL! We haven't gotten that far yet (we're still pulling chapter ideas together) but don't worry - I'll suggest it to my co-editor when we get that far.

Ooh, I totally forgot about the Skeksis!!! Good call!