For those of you wondering what be happening with the latest slash upcoming SFFWorld anthology Welcome to Pacific City, focused around the theme of Heroes & Villains, well wonder no more! I mean, I’d like to give you an update on where we stand. Andrew Leon Hudson has just posted the table of contents for the anthology.
That that of year again. Anthologies! SFFWorld.com is running a brand new anthology project, and this time, it’s bigger and more complex than ever. It’s not just a collection of short stories. It’s a shared world. And it’s happening in a fictionalized metropolis on the west coast of the USA. The theme? Heroes & Villains.
A few weeks ago, I gave you a nicely decorated Tolkien-like version of the map depicting the Realms, the fictional world setting where the action and fun in The Betrayed takes place. While aesthetically pleasing and possibly intriguing, the new map did not add any details or reveal any new places. We shall remedy that in a jiffy.
Here’s something rather neat for you. As you know, my fantasy universe of the Realms has a map. It’s in the book, right there at the beginning. In the true spirit of olden times, I kept the map rather simple and vague, depicting only the major border lines and the bigger cities, so you get the feel where you are, but not the exact coordinates. No GPS in The Lost Words, I’m afraid. Still, due to semi-popular demand, I decided to create a special version of the map. Available in HD, or at least a big size with lots of pixels, you get the map in lovely colors, antique fonts and runic symbols. Oppan Tolkien style!
Today, I want to talk you about the fictional world setting shown in The Betrayed, better known as the Realms. For those of you who may have read the book, the little map at the beginning of it probably raises more questions than answers them. So let us talk a little on what the map gives us, and perhaps also briefly touch on the topic of how maps ought to look in a fantasy book. P.S. Some spoilers may occur without prior notice, so watch it if you intend to read The Betrayed one day.
