Kirith Kirin by Jim Grimsley. I've not really started it properly because, firstly, the map at the front is the worst thing I've ever seen (I could have done better, and I have, as I've said before, the artistic talent of a drunken elephant), and secondly: appalling, appalling names (of people, places, things). Witness: Jiiviisn, Fysyyn, Mikinoos, Wyyvisar.
He's going for a Tolkienesque effect, with all the attention to detail, I think, but the thing with Tolkien is that he really did that well - the names didn't make you think he'd just scrawled down some random letters - they were elegant - somehow organic. In other words, they didn't smack you right between the eyes and cause you to feel a deep and lasting nausea. If you can't do it well, don't do it at all, ya know? Nick some names from mythology instead and tweak them - it won't hurt as much, it really won't.
This is just a little rant, really...and I realise I sound like a horrible snob. I haven't read the book yet, and it might be great, but the one thing that will almost always put me off a fantasy novel is hideous names - because their effect on me is practically physical - and almost always indicative of a Bad Fuckin' Book. And these are truly ugh. |
