drowning city precursors
Nov. 6th, 2008 11:20 amThis is mostly for Nick. As per our conversation the other day, here's a list of the books that are a huge influence on The Drowning City, which would be great for reading if he wants to help me work out the story in the future. These are listed roughly in the order I encountered them.
Matt Wagner, Mage: The Hero Discovered - originally it was a more shameless rip-off of this combined with New Orleans nostalgia, and would have stayed in the trunk, but then Alecto popped up into my mind on the morning of 9/11 with her much more interesting path through the city.
Greg Bear, The Infinity Concerto/The Serpent Mage - lots of stuff here and there. I refer to Alecto's opening narrative as having come in straight off of "Death's Radio"; this is an image I got from Bear's book!
Gail Baudoino, Gossamer Axe - influenced my thoughts on the way time in the twilight realm of the elves is endlessly recycled
Iain M. Banks, Use of Weapons - because Alecto is just another weapon to the elves
Terry Pratchet, Lords and Ladies - a nice meditation on the dichotomy between sickly-sweet nice elves and the dangerous, mercurial Fair Folk
John Gardner, Grenden - monster-as-protagonist
Ian McDonald, King of Morning, Queen of Day - especially the second half; the heroine's magic sword was an influence on the visuals surrounding the gun in the Drowning City-related 24-hour comic I failed to finish. The paracosmic craziness of the alien worlds in the end may or may not also end up in Drowning City...
Plus of course all the PERSONAL LIFE ISSUES already cited.
Matt Wagner, Mage: The Hero Discovered - originally it was a more shameless rip-off of this combined with New Orleans nostalgia, and would have stayed in the trunk, but then Alecto popped up into my mind on the morning of 9/11 with her much more interesting path through the city.
Greg Bear, The Infinity Concerto/The Serpent Mage - lots of stuff here and there. I refer to Alecto's opening narrative as having come in straight off of "Death's Radio"; this is an image I got from Bear's book!
Gail Baudoino, Gossamer Axe - influenced my thoughts on the way time in the twilight realm of the elves is endlessly recycled
Iain M. Banks, Use of Weapons - because Alecto is just another weapon to the elves
Terry Pratchet, Lords and Ladies - a nice meditation on the dichotomy between sickly-sweet nice elves and the dangerous, mercurial Fair Folk
John Gardner, Grenden - monster-as-protagonist
Ian McDonald, King of Morning, Queen of Day - especially the second half; the heroine's magic sword was an influence on the visuals surrounding the gun in the Drowning City-related 24-hour comic I failed to finish. The paracosmic craziness of the alien worlds in the end may or may not also end up in Drowning City...
Plus of course all the PERSONAL LIFE ISSUES already cited.