Quote:
Originally Posted by Mnemosyne
What I find to be an irritating trend in non-realistic literature is this need to come up with scientific explanations for everything that is beyond the reader's understanding. It was cool when Anne McCaffrey did it, but I hope no one will disagree with me when I say that the "midichlorian" explanation of the Force killed a lot of the fun of Star Wars.
Where did this need to rationalize everything come from?
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I've had some first had experience of this, actually. In a writing work-shop I submitted the prologue to a book I'm writing. It contained a scene with some fire doing some very odd things (burning through stone, worming through streets and setting people on fire without killing them).
Someone said "Fire doesn't do this!"
I tried to explain that it was significant to the story and that "Later in the tale it will be revealed that the fire itself is a living thing."
They asked "How do you explain that scientifically?"
"I won't.
"
They were horrified.
It has occurred to me that some who are unfamiliar with fantasy get very used to stories where everything is explained and they walk away from it thinking "Well, that was all very nearly sorted out". Not that there isn't some merit in this, but I think it is more of a delusion and fantastical thinking than dragons and wizards. This is where, in my opinion, fantasy triumphs in its depiction of things that are simply true, full stop. There is always mystery and enchantment, not everything is explained.
There's that good quote from Sean Penn, "When everything gets answered, it's a fake. The mystery is the truth".
I think that enchanted items illustrate this idea very effectively. They are more than tools to defeat the enemy, they have stories and mysteries behind them and almost become characters in their own right. Gurthang, the black sword, even gives us a little speech.
