Well, I asked my brother what he thought of it, but I didn't get a very good response. I was hoping somebody who doesn't constantly shoot down my ideas could give an unbiased opinion of this plot idea. So it would be set in modern day, maybe late 90's and would focus on this group of people who nickname themselves 'Dream Walkers'. the Dream Walkers are able to link up subconsciously, like when they are asleep, with other Dream Walkers and interact, in this world called the Dream World. There, they can morph their surroundings like a lucid dream, and possess supernatural powers and what not. This is where it get complex. There's two kinds of Dream Walkers: Knights, and Kings. The Kings are a source of energy for Knights, and the Knights morph the world around them using the energy of the Kings. The Dream Walkers realize that if they kill a Knight's King they take the energy of the deceased King and give it to their King, making them stronger. So, the Dream Walkers turn on each other, and try to hunt everyone else down. Some Dream Walkers are defending themselves and others are attacking. Knights can also take power from a regular human in order to fight, but doing this kills the regular person. In writing format, it would episodically follow different King/Knight teams, and how they survive or die. Ultimately looping around to the destruction of the Dream World. I dunno... My brother told me that it sounded like a Grade 2 story trying to be dark. What do you guys think?
Bah, your brother doesn't know a good plot when he hears one. I like it. It's definitely complex--I had to read this several times to wrap my head around it (but then again I'm not the brightest star in the sky) so I think you'll need to be very clear and consistent when writing. But this sounds like it has the potential to be a refreshingly original story.
It sounds like a great idea to me! And yes it does seem like a very original story, you could turn it into a very good piece of work!
I think it has potential. The only thing is, all this increasing the powers by killing another and taking theirs, is a bit like a video game, so it would have to be told well, rather than just "accumulating the points" angle. Sure, some Knights are greedy, but others want peace, stuff like that.
Aww, I just got all nostalgic - the initial premise reminds me of a kids show I used to love called Potsworth & Co, about some children who used to meet up in their dreams and go on adventures I think the plot sounds fine, though to state the obvious it's all about how you write it!
Sounds like an interesting idea to me, anyway. It may be more interesting if this battle for the dreamworld has been raging for a while and this group of friends become entangled in fighting the biggest power in order to keep their kingdom from being destroyed. It certainly sounds like a great platform for some amazing imagery.
I was all set to be all, "Just write it, ideas don't mean anything unless you write them!" ... but yeah... Yeah, I wasn't prepared for that. I'd personally be careful with the whole "dream walkers" thing. Not only is the linking very Inception-esque (and Nolan wasn't even original with that), and it just brings Dreamkeepers (a comic I used to read) to mind. You've got a brilliant basis with the Knights and Kings thing there (why would you have two kinds of Dream Walkers if they're controlled by people? Seems a bit unfair, really), so there's no point confusing the plot with clichés like dreams. Dreams are a badly used device in fiction nowadays. It sounds like the basis for an absolutely awesome chess-based political thriller. And don't you yawn when I say political! Action-y politics exist. Action-oriented chess politics. Anyway, all that ass-kissing aside, you should work on this, but I suggest you rework that whole dream thing. That does make it sound very... children's fiction. To be honest though, even with all that going through my head, I can't get this out of my head as a game idea. This would be the perfect basis for a strategic chess piece-based MMO in multiple dimensions. Think Miegakure meets Warcraft (not World of).
Plot ideas are worthless in themselves. What you do with the concept to turn it into a story is all that matters. A story is well written, or it is not. Many of the best books ever written are built around mundane story concepts.
I thought it sounded like a great idea. One of the things that I was curious about was whether their strength has any meaning outside the dreamworld or if maybe the dreamworld effects the real world?
I think it sounds like a really interesting idea. Did you take the idea of Knights and Kings from chess pieces? If so, it would be worth considering maybe bringing in other elements, such as Queens, or Rooks, who have different skills and need to be dealt with in a different way. This could give you more options and break up some of narrative.
I like the idea. It sounds interesting. Obviously all that matters is what makes it to the pages, but I like the potential.
This is exactly what I was going say. I love the idea of expanding upon this with other pieces. Maybe refer to basic humans as Pawns? Bishops could be non-aggressive Dream Walkers? Rooks being the bodyguards of the Kings? And Queens being a source of power for the King, like some kind of spiritual battery? I'm just spitballing but I can see this snowballing into quite a piece. Depending on how you write it of course . Nice idea though.
The film 'Inception' leaped to mind when I read your idea. It's an interesting idea with the Knights and Kings, for a unique twist. However, I would find it difficult working the 'subconscious' dream world and and how it affects reality (if at all). Does the fact that they interact on a subconscious level mean the participant has no idea what they really are?
The plot sounds fine, but everything changes once you get down to the actual writing. As long as you have relatable characters and a plot that moves forward, the details can work.
Read "Night Warriors" by Graham Masterton. Just for style reference, this book contains similar elements and it might be worthwhile looking into. He executed this by showing the story from two factions: 1- the Night Warriors = People who link up in other peoples dreams to fight a demon. One is the Keymaster, who provides power to the others who are: a light archer (different arrowheads for each occasion), the 'Slide Boxer) who rides a disc and punches with ethereal fists, and... um... sorry I read it ages ago. and 2- the real world cast. The story is seen through by a detective. This really brings everything into perspective, give a "real" feel to the world. This 'real' perspective is what makes it a book adults can read.
Strangely enough, I didn't think Inception from reading this, I thought Highlander. There can be only one! Anyway, lots of potential here. If you decide to pursue the idea I hope you'll post part of it in the workshop. Sine the story would take place in two distinct worlds, both waking and dreaming, there's a lot of room for some interesting conflicts. Good luck!
You could even write it like a crime/thriller. You could follow a knight who is THE FIRST to kill a king. He could almost be a serial killer of the dream world. That is a good setup for a strong protagonist. A real life investigation could be happening when people start dying in their sleep. The cop involved could even be a knight, simultaneously fighting this serial killer from both the real and dream realms. Yeah... you should write your story. I'd read it.
Sure it's complex, but concept of that sort isn't? I think it is an interesting idea, and I bet it will work when you have time to explain it in a book. is there a meaning behind the names of the knights and the kings? It became a little mixed up in my head, but maybe that's just me...
