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General Discussion / Re: Member birthday calendar
« Last post by xiagan on March 25, 2019, 08:09:30 PM »Happy belated birthday, Dom! 
March 26, 2019, 02:35:33 AM
Recent Posts
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Fantasy Book & Author Discussion / Re: Torture/Cruelty
« Last post by Rostum on March 25, 2019, 07:22:46 PM »I have a real problem with how people treat animals now. Dogs tend to be baby substitutes are no longer trained and walked on puppy training leads. Cats are kept by vegans, not allowed out and forced to eat a meat free diet ensuring they are niether healthy or sane. And this is not animal cruelty?
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Fantasy Book & Author Discussion / Re: What are you currently reading?
« Last post by Rostum on March 25, 2019, 07:09:38 PM »Quote
So which fantasy books have smut in? Just asking for a friend.
wolfies gonna read PR
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Fantasy Book & Author Discussion / Re: Torture/Cruelty
« Last post by Skip on March 25, 2019, 06:38:36 PM »It makes sense to me, especially with the modern mentality. People were less doting on animals in earlier centuries.
Anyway, my notion is that animals are more helpless. In most situations, a human could (or is presumed to be able) to fight back, whereas an animal can't. Generally speaking we're talking about domesticated animals. I don't think it's the same reaction if the animal is a tiger or some such. Exceptions abound, of course, but I do think that it accounts for the difference.
Anyway, my notion is that animals are more helpless. In most situations, a human could (or is presumed to be able) to fight back, whereas an animal can't. Generally speaking we're talking about domesticated animals. I don't think it's the same reaction if the animal is a tiger or some such. Exceptions abound, of course, but I do think that it accounts for the difference.
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General Discussion / Re: Depression, Struggles and Light at the End of Every Tunnel
« Last post by ScarletBea on March 25, 2019, 05:34:45 PM »I'm not sure if people outside the UK can access this, I really hope you can.
This half hour program called "The digital human" is broadcasted every Monday. Today's episode, called "Haven", was amazing, I listened to it while driving home from work and just missed the first 10 minutes or so.
It relates to a life online, to how people can create relationships online and have wonderful friends, and help each other... all the things that so many of you, present and past members, have done for me, ever since this thread was created.
A big hug and kiss of thanks to all my *real* friends
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0003jst
This half hour program called "The digital human" is broadcasted every Monday. Today's episode, called "Haven", was amazing, I listened to it while driving home from work and just missed the first 10 minutes or so.
It relates to a life online, to how people can create relationships online and have wonderful friends, and help each other... all the things that so many of you, present and past members, have done for me, ever since this thread was created.
A big hug and kiss of thanks to all my *real* friends
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0003jst
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Fantasy Book & Author Discussion / Re: Torture/Cruelty
« Last post by Eli_Freysson on March 25, 2019, 03:59:16 PM »PS: I especially hate it when it comes to animals.
This is something I've never understood. Not that I approve of animal cruelty; I just don't get why a lot of people can tolerate a character who does awful things to innocent human beings, but then turn on him the moment he kicks a dog.
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Fantasy Book & Author Discussion / Re: Torture/Cruelty
« Last post by Magnus Hedén on March 25, 2019, 02:48:15 PM »The question I think a writer should always be asking themselves when deciding what to put in and leave out is always the same: does the narrative structure require it? A gritty torture scene might be a pivotal point in the development of a character, and we might have to live through the awfulness as experienced by them to understand why they come out different on the other side. In that case, there's a reason for the scene to be unpleasant for the reader.
But in another case, if all we need for the story to move forward is to know whether or not the torture subject divulges a certain piece of information, then there's no need to describe the torture in gritty detail because it doesn't serve the narrative structure.
Doing anything for its own sake (grittiness for the sake of grittiness, sex for the sake of sex, description for the sake of description, etc.) means you are breaking away from the narrative structure that builds a story. Although it may sometimes be worth it in small doses, it cannot be done without a cost to the story.
But in another case, if all we need for the story to move forward is to know whether or not the torture subject divulges a certain piece of information, then there's no need to describe the torture in gritty detail because it doesn't serve the narrative structure.
Doing anything for its own sake (grittiness for the sake of grittiness, sex for the sake of sex, description for the sake of description, etc.) means you are breaking away from the narrative structure that builds a story. Although it may sometimes be worth it in small doses, it cannot be done without a cost to the story.
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Fantasy Book & Author Discussion / Re: What are you currently reading?
« Last post by DrNefario on March 25, 2019, 01:33:59 PM »I finished Sowing by Angie Grigaliunas a few days ago. It was so-so. It started kind of like a YA dystopia, but seemed like it might be developing a bit more nuance towards the end.
I'm now reading Level Up by Craig Anderson, a LitRPG I picked up for free a short while ago. It's kind of fun, and I think I'm going to blow through it quite quickly. It's about videogame mechanics spilling over into the real world. I was just looking for something quick - and ideally something I acquired this year, since I've been very bad about starting my new books - and this suited me well.
I'm now reading Level Up by Craig Anderson, a LitRPG I picked up for free a short while ago. It's kind of fun, and I think I'm going to blow through it quite quickly. It's about videogame mechanics spilling over into the real world. I was just looking for something quick - and ideally something I acquired this year, since I've been very bad about starting my new books - and this suited me well.
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Fantasy Book & Author Discussion / Re: What are you currently reading?
« Last post by Nighteyes on March 25, 2019, 01:31:14 PM »So which fantasy books have smut in? Just asking for a friend.
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Fantasy Book & Author Discussion / Re: Torture/Cruelty
« Last post by S. K. Inkslinger on March 25, 2019, 11:55:53 AM »Does it really make a difference? We've had many books from WoT to Black Company to Malazan..which do not have much/any explicit cruelty to humans or animals.
Even in cases like Jorg, Cosca or Glotka, I can still appreciate the flavours of the characters even without the overt cruelty. It's my opinion that many authors feels it adds grit to story...but all it does is make a dark story cheap. Like watching a proper horror movie vs a gore movie. You can get proper dark or grimdark fantasy without the overt cruelty / torture description.
PS: I especially hate it when it comes to animals.
I agree. Jorg and Glokta are alright, just the level of gore/ cruelty that made it gritty good. I've read some grimdark where it's just gore for the sake of shock value, and that's just make those parts pure rubbish, seriously.