When reading a high-fantasy novel, how much do you study the maps?

Cafe Society
41

I don’t really bother with them. I kind of treat it like LA time in 24. The characters get to places when they get there and I don’t really want to worry about impracticalities in this regard.

42

Real-life maps interest me much less than fictional maps. They’re useful, certainly, and I like to have maps of any area I’m going to be navigating in, but I generally don’t study them for their own sake.

43

But how far from Intercourse is Gobbler’s Knob? :wink:

44

[QUOTE=schnuckiputzi]
I don’t tend to be obsessive on maps, but I will check them to see where places are in relation to each other as I read through the story. In Song of Ice and Fire I was always trying to see where the children were in relation to each other. I’m in the middle of Stirling’s Meeting at Corvallis, and I keep checking the map in the front, but it’s hand drawn and needs to be about 3x bigger for my ageing eyes. :frowning:
[/QUOTE]

Here are some “real” maps of the area.

45

[QUOTE=Dr. Rieux]
But how far from Intercourse is Gobbler’s Knob? :wink:
[/QUOTE]

The more salient question is “How far from Intercourse are Blue Ball and Paradise?”

46

I study maps in fantasy books, both because I love maps, and because I wanted to draw them, once upon a time. I don’t have an artistic bone in my body, but I can do fantasy cartography fairly well.

I used to while away the time drawing up various maps of imaginary fantasy lands when I was younger.

47

[QUOTE=What Exit?]
I think maps really help. Maps and invented languages. Maps, invented languages and arch-type fantasy races. Maps, invented languages, arch-type fantasy races, genealogies, creation myths, etc. … Sorry about that.
[\quote]

Wouldn’t it have been quicker to write “Tolkien rocks!!!”

48

[QUOTE=Skald the Rhymer]

[QUOTE=What Exit?]
I think maps really help. Maps and invented languages. Maps, invented languages and arch-type fantasy races. Maps, invented languages, arch-type fantasy races, genealogies, creation myths, etc. … Sorry about that.

[/quote]

Wouldn’t it have been quicker to write “Tolkien rocks!!!”
[/QUOTE]

Yes, but not as much fun. :wink:

49

[QUOTE=What Exit?]
Yes, but not as much fun. :wink:
[/QUOTE]

But the professor does rock. Well, did rock, till September of 73.

50

I take a quick look before reading, then quick peaks back to refresh my memory if I get confused during the book. I don’t really consider it all that important, though. If they say they’re going east to Wherever instead of south to The Other Place, I usuallyl just shrug mentally and read on.