Elves and Dwarves and Orcs

Since I started writing FROSTBORN, the books occasionally come in for a bit of criticism since they are epic fantasy with elves and dwarves and orcs and some of the other trappings of traditional fantasy. This was quite deliberate on my part, since I always wanted to write a big epic fantasy with elves and dwarves and orcs, but never had the chance until now.

But I think this post is a better answer to it. Key quote:

This constant replenishing of the reading public means nothing ever grows old. It means your stories will be out there to be rediscovered over and over again. And it means we have to stop worrying about genres being “tapped out.”

I think what really happens is that agents and editors get weary of the same stories. They just decide one day that they’ve seen enough of this theme or setting, and it’s time to move on. They chatter on about this at conventions, and so it becomes self-fulfilled prophecy. Meanwhile, a new reader is being born. Someone else just turned to the last page. The process is still happening, still happening. These people are going to want new books to read. Whether that agent thinks those books are needed or not, I’m going to write them.

Since the second FROSTBORN book sold its 1,000th copy in December, I think it is fair to say that at least some people want an epic fantasy with elves and dwarves and orcs. And that I’d better get cracking on writing more of them. 🙂

-JM