Creatures, creatures, everywhere

[alanajoli]

We're finally close to finished with the Rosuto-Shima Bestiary (tentative title) to accompany Steampunk Musha RPG. Rick Hershey has been producing some great illustrations (along with choosing the major content, then handing synopses over to me to expand). We've been working on this project on and off since October, I think, and it's nice to see it finally coming together (with the help of a couple additional contributors, including Peter C. Spahn, who is much better versed in the Iron Gauntlets rules than I am, given the number of books he's written for PIGames).

I also, in my procrastination, watched Shrek again. After having read several volumes of Fables in trade paperback last week, it's amusing to see the fairytale spin in a completely different (and more family friendly) fashion. Reading Fables again after having read "The Sisters Grimm: Fairytale Detectives" series made me wonder if Michael Buckley had read the comics before being inspired to write his novels. Some of the characters end up being very similar (some, of course, not similar at all). It would never have occurred to me, for example, to include Little Miss Muffett as the wife of the Spider--but she appears that way in both the comics and in the children's series.

If anyone has particularly good recommendations in the "fractured fairy-tales" genre (for lack of a non-Bullwinkle term), I'd love to hear them. That whole concept never gets old in my reading life.

Comments

[caitrin.livejournal.com]

Have you read the Mercedes Lackey series starting with The Fairy Godmother?

[alanajoli.livejournal.com]

I completely need to! I've been meaning to pick it up. :)

Holly Black?

[mechristy.livejournal.com]

Holly Black's Tithe and Valiant are both quite good. They aren't as directly related to specific fairy tales, but both are evocative of common fairy tale themes and parallels to specific tales could easily be drawn.

The Game by Diana Wynne Jones is in more of the fractured-mythology genre, but is very good. In that same genre I just read (and didn't rally like but had to keep reading) John C. Wright's Orphans of Chaos and Fugitives of Chaos.

Re: Holly Black?

[alanajoli.livejournal.com]

Holly Black is my rolemodel. She's amazing. And that's only from having read her "Spiderwick" stuff. :) I keep meaning to get to Tithe (especially since Ironsides just came out--which I think is in the same world); I've actually borrowed it from the library and had to return it because I haven't had time to read it.

I'm aware of Diana Wynne Jones, as well, but more for young people's fantasy in general. I'll keep The Game in mind. Wright doesn't ring a bell, but I may pick him up--though if you didn't particularly like him, I may skip. I know you have good taste.