Comments on: What I hate about galactic empires http://www.deborahteramischristian.com/writing/hate-empires/?source=rss&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=hate-empires Fulmination, Ruminations, and Snacks from a Resurgent Author Sat, 04 Feb 2012 14:48:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Teramis http://www.deborahteramischristian.com/writing/hate-empires/comment-page-1/#comment-34 Teramis Thu, 22 Jan 2009 04:41:16 +0000 http://www.deborahteramischristian.com/?p=718#comment-34 >>I think it’s possible to examine big questions and do profound things in space opera based on the descendants of terrans<< Very true, but that is exactly my point: this is done incredibly frequently. Personally, I'm ready for the less comon alternative to be more thoroughly explored. I think two major reasons Terran-derivative settings are used (almost by default, it would seem) is because they are easy for writers to write (compared to the alternative), and "comfortable" for readers to get lost in: we understand the tropes, we understand the culture, nuances, and subtext. In short, people can relate to such stories easily. I'm not convinced, though, that that is necessarily *more* easy than the non-Terran alternative (the phenomenal success of Star Wars itself being a case in point). In order for readers to relate to *any* setting and assortment of characters, at the end of the day there has to be some good storytelling to put that all across, no matter its derivation. >>I think it’s possible to examine big questions and do profound things in space opera based on the descendants of terrans<<

Very true, but that is exactly my point: this is done incredibly frequently. Personally, I’m ready for the less comon alternative to be more thoroughly explored.

I think two major reasons Terran-derivative settings are used (almost by default, it would seem) is because they are easy for writers to write (compared to the alternative), and “comfortable” for readers to get lost in: we understand the tropes, we understand the culture, nuances, and subtext. In short, people can relate to such stories easily.

I’m not convinced, though, that that is necessarily *more* easy than the non-Terran alternative (the phenomenal success of Star Wars itself being a case in point). In order for readers to relate to *any* setting and assortment of characters, at the end of the day there has to be some good storytelling to put that all across, no matter its derivation.

]]> By: Bill G http://www.deborahteramischristian.com/writing/hate-empires/comment-page-1/#comment-32 Bill G Thu, 22 Jan 2009 03:39:17 +0000 http://www.deborahteramischristian.com/?p=718#comment-32 I think there's something to be said for these non-terrestrial based tales, but you're right that very few authors go there. Vernor Vinge did in <i>A Fire Upon The Deep</i> and he did it very well, showing us a galaxy spanning internet that was profoundly different from ours but had recognizable characteristics. On the other hand, I think it's possible to examine big questions and do profound things in space opera based on the descendants of terrans. Lois MacMaster Bujold has done great things with her stories of Miles Vorkosigan, for example. Heinlein dug deeply into the big questions with some of his space operas, and Asimov combined humans with creatures from another universe in <i>The Gods Themselves</i>. I think there’s something to be said for these non-terrestrial based tales, but you’re right that very few authors go there. Vernor Vinge did in A Fire Upon The Deep and he did it very well, showing us a galaxy spanning internet that was profoundly different from ours but had recognizable characteristics.

On the other hand, I think it’s possible to examine big questions and do profound things in space opera based on the descendants of terrans. Lois MacMaster Bujold has done great things with her stories of Miles Vorkosigan, for example. Heinlein dug deeply into the big questions with some of his space operas, and Asimov combined humans with creatures from another universe in The Gods Themselves.

]]>