Subcreation Fictional World Construction From J R R Tolkien To Terry Pratchett And Tad Williams
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Subcreation: Fictional-World Construction from J.R.R. Tolkien to Terry Pratchett and Tad Williams
Author: Stefanie Schult
language: en
Publisher: Logos Verlag Berlin GmbH
Release Date: 2017-01-26
The doctorial thesis argues that the term Subcreation with its revised and broadened definition, in part differing from J.R.R. Tolkien's original term sub-creation, may be used for the discussion of the making of fictional worlds in literary discourse. The successful conception of a fictional world depends on the reader's willing suspension of disbelief. This depends both on the author and his skilled composition of the world and all its aspects, as well as on the reader's acceptance of this invented fictional world. The author needs to create a narrative with an inner consistency, which is crucial to achieving the effect of the reader's immersion in the fictional world. The fundamental aspects that an author needs to realize to achieve successful Subcreation have been structured into and analysed in four categories: Language and Linguistic Variation, Physiopoeia, Anthropoeia and Mythopoeia. Furthermore, this thesis shows that, as contemporary examples of fantastic literature, both Tad Williams's and Terry Pratchett's fictional worlds are successfully created through the realization of these aspects of Subcreation. Apart from commenting on the success of the subcreative process, this thesis also remarks upon the cultural influences both authors include in their writings. While both may be considered Anglophone in a general categorization, Pratchett's Discworld retains a feeling of 'Britishness' that is not to be found in Williams's Otherland. The thesis proposes several approaches to Subcreation that may be studied subsequently. So, for example, it may be possible to determine the success of an author's Subcreation by collecting empirical data. Apart from literary works this field of studies may also include other media.
Spaces and Places in the Fantastic
Author: Kristin Aubel
language: en
Publisher: Cambridge Scholars Publishing
Release Date: 2025-06-12
This book is an interdisciplinary collection of essays examining the spaces and places central to fantasy, science fiction, and horror across literature, film, television, art, and video games. By employing new and interdisciplinary approaches, this volume highlights the intricate interplay between setting, imagination, and cultural context in the fantastic. Through its diverse themes and texts, it provides a comprehensive overview of contemporary research on how spaces both function in and shape fantastic storytelling. What unites these essays is their sharp observations of the complex workings of fantastic geographies and their ability to challenge and contribute to preconceived notions and existing research. The included essays explore how fantastic landscapes – from soundscapes and digital worlds to bodies in and as spaces – shape identity, reflect social ideas and norms, and challenge perceptions of the real world. Contributions from international scholars address a wide range of topics, such as queer and digital spaces, cartography, and the fine arts, offering fresh perspectives on the construction, poetics, and functions of fantastic geographies. The editors are united in their research interest in the fantastic and literary geography. The essays collected in this edited volume are based on a conference they organised in 2022 at TU Dortmund University, Germany.
Gaming and the Divine
This book formulates a new theological approach to the study of religion in gaming. Video games have become one of the most important cultural artifacts of modern society, both as mediators of cultural, social, and religious values and in terms of commercial success. This has led to a significant increase in the critical analysis of this relatively new medium, but theology as an academic discipline is noticeably behind the other humanities on this subject. The book first covers the fundamentals of cultural theology and video games. It then moves on to set out a Christian systematic theology of gaming, focusing on creational theology, Christology, anthropology, evil, moral theology, and thanatology. Each chapter introduces case studies from video games connected to the specific theme. In contrast to many studies which focus on online multiplayer games, the examples considered are largely single player games with distinct narratives and ‘end of game’ moments. The book concludes by synthesizing these themes into a new theology of video games. This study addresses a significant aspect of contemporary society that has yet to be discussed in any depth by theologians. It is, therefore, a fantastic resource for any scholar engaging with the religious aspects of digital and popular culture.