Re: OT: elves and jinn (was Re: [...] THE WORLD OF THE JINN)

--- Wesley Parish <wes.parish@...>
wrote:

> That's one of the things that infuriates me
> about "Assembly-Line Fantasy" such
> as one endures in the Dragonlance books, etc.
Without knowing exáctly what Jorg means, I can't
make judgements there. Though I must say that I
find the usage strange. John reminds us that
these "Elves" were once part of Ill Bethisad; and
I don't think I ever really found out why they
should be called Elves there either! In any
event, I'd like to hear how they're comming
along.

I do agree with you on the mass market fantasy.
Dreck! So much of it.

> The Elves in the LOTR are so
> much more than human in many respects it can
> come as a shock to realize that
> a mere mortal, Beren, marries one of their
> greatest, Luthien, daughter of the
> Maiar (Nature Spirit - subgoddess) Melian, and
> the Elven King Elu Thingol.
Agree. I read somewhere that Elves could be
looked on as ideal humans; sort of like Adam -
perfect in all his prefall glory.

> Occasionally one finds an author who at least
> attempts to understand, and they
> also are pleasures to read - Ursula Le Guin
> springs to mind, also Gene Wolfe, and a few
> others.
I found a good one that explores the questions of
what it means to be Elf: Dennis McKiernan's "Eye
of the Hunter". With all its problems, M. does do
quite a bit of looking into the Elvish mindset.
He is clearly influenced by T (right down to the
lovable (but entirely too cute) halflings), and
there is some attempt at conlanging as well. I
think it largely comes down to slightly altered
Greek, but anyway! Too preachy at moments, but on
the whole a fairly worthy read just to see what
makes the Elves tick.

Padraic.


=====
- Nos côsez yen fin xristianós et trancouil

- Côsez-el a Ddon!

--

Ill Bethisad --
<http://www.geocities.com/elemtilas/ill_bethisad>


Come visit The World! --
<http://www.geocities.com/hawessos/>







.