Oh dear. First, I've got people introducing me to Conan, now I've got to look at Gor? Sigh.
I got my start in writing over a decade ago, in fanfic. I'm not good at coming up with my own world. That's why I obsess on details with history. It's writing in an already defined world, like fanfic. I approached a panel at convention about writing for existing properties, but they told me my experience with fanfic wasn't real writing, and didn't count as experience. Others have convinced me, in the last few years, that that isn't true.
This is really, really good and doesn't suffer at all for lack of familiarity with the source material! I've been thinking for a while about reading Conan, in a "maybe after I finish this ever-growing pile of research books" way. Thanks for moving it further up my reading list... I'm looking forward to reading more of your work too!
I think of myself a recovering fanfic writer and probably have very similar reasons for going into history (I was already that writer who spent enormous amounts of energy trying to reconcile my fic with history as well as canon.) I'm certainly much more comfortable operating in something I recognize as an 'extended universe' than coming up with something completely new.
Oh dear. First, I've got people introducing me to Conan, now I've got to look at Gor? Sigh.
I got my start in writing over a decade ago, in fanfic. I'm not good at coming up with my own world. That's why I obsess on details with history. It's writing in an already defined world, like fanfic. I approached a panel at convention about writing for existing properties, but they told me my experience with fanfic wasn't real writing, and didn't count as experience. Others have convinced me, in the last few years, that that isn't true.
This is really, really good and doesn't suffer at all for lack of familiarity with the source material! I've been thinking for a while about reading Conan, in a "maybe after I finish this ever-growing pile of research books" way. Thanks for moving it further up my reading list... I'm looking forward to reading more of your work too!
I think of myself a recovering fanfic writer and probably have very similar reasons for going into history (I was already that writer who spent enormous amounts of energy trying to reconcile my fic with history as well as canon.) I'm certainly much more comfortable operating in something I recognize as an 'extended universe' than coming up with something completely new.
I'll admit that I've not read many Conan novels, but I have read all of the Gorean Novels that John Norman wrote.
Your style is reminiscent of his. His plainsmen were very much like Conan. I would say that you've captured Conan very well and Gor even better.