Would it be wise to bring in any type of philosophy/ is there a god? into a fantasy novel? I'm just wondering because I'd like it to have many different qualities that different people would like. Thanks for any feed back.
It's your book, do what you want with it. Will it sell? Will you be able to find an agent/publisher who will be interested in it? Probably. There's a match for just about every ideology, philosophical beliefs, and religion.
Why not? Those are common themes in stories, just as they are in life. You may have noticed that religious folks aren't too keen on fantasy anyway. Just google "Harry Potter book burning". Those who actually read fantasy are likely to enjoy a well written soul-quest type of story. . And if your hero finds "God" in the end, all the better. And most atheists I know are open to the idea of spiritual journey, regardless of how it ends, because the stories can be interesting and/or enlightening, whether you believe in god(s) or not. Just about all books have some measure of philosophy somewhere. Most good stories have a specific theme, which is usually rooted in some kind of philosophical/spiritual tradition/theory. The only difference between typical fantasy fluff and what you propose is that the latter will be more carefully developed. It's like asking "should I give this serious thought?" To that I have to answer, every aspect of your story is worth serious thought. That is how good stories are created, The only way it's a negative is if your story becomes too "heavy". If you force an idea upon the reader, it might discourage those who don't agree with you. But if you treat the story like an exploration, that's very different. Then it's an adventure, and that's what fantasy is all about.
I've read your comments and those on the closed thread that Cogito posted. Both are very helpful. I've come to the decision that it will be dangerous to do so, but I'm still going to. I'm not an expert in philosophy, but I've got some mixed opinions on this topic that I think could interest some readers and maybe anger a few more So, I'm going to meddle and bring it in gradually perhaps chapter by chapter. But that will be in the third draft. Thanks a lot and I'll let you know how it goes in like...an eternity... Thanks
If you don't know much about philosophy, you can find plenty of stuff on whatever topic it is you're looking for. Also, I am a philosophy major and love discussing it, so if you want to talk about anything philosophical pertaining to your book or just something in general, you can PM me. I'd be more than happy to chat with you.
I think with any theme it is important to look at it from several angels, especially if it is theological. You do this by having different characters in the story share their views, through action or dialog. This way the reader doesn't feel preached at, but feels like they are observing a debate between people. How the story ends will sort of say who won that debate. Unless you purposely end the story so that it leaves the debate open.
That's nice thridwind, I will definitely do so once I finish my second draft. Good idea arch, I'm thinking of having one of my characters pray a lot and the others to comment on it so that my readers don't feel irritated.
There is no prblwm with this, and in fact fantasy novels sometimes already have an element of this, look at Phillip Pullmans his dark materials trilogy, which although not offering a philosophical sense makes it clear on its stance on religion, or the works of cs lewis, in which christian allegory is used within the narnia novels, to allow the reader to think deeper into the subject
I don't think there's anything wrong with implementing philosophy, or rather, philosophical ideas, into your novel, in fact, I can't really understand why you'd think there would be. A philosophical approach is the basis for so many forms of literature, be it in song, poetry, or novels. It's also often a really useful way to analyse your work because it brings up questions about your characters and their actions that you may not have considered at first. Expanding and exploring your character's ideological beliefs and values can only be a good thing, I think. If this can then be translated from raw theories and ideas to something tangible and specific within your novel, you can make it a really positive experience for the reader, who can then take away with them certain thought processes and values, which stem from your writing.
Sure,do it. Make sure you handle it well though. Paolini tried to do it in Eragon and it really bogged down the story (I think it was the second book).
