bhbhbhhh t1_jecnfwd wrote on March 31, 2023 at 1:10 AM

Reply to comment by SeriousQuestions111 in Finally reading Tolkien by jdbrew

> Or try writing about our world and capture all of its intricacies. Wouldn't be easy, right?

When I think about fantasy books that capture all the intricacies of their world, I don't think about The Lord of the Rings. I would say the saga really skimmed across the surface of the world. I never came away with a particularly meaningful image of what Gondor and Rohan are like as societies, what cultural quirks they have.

SeriousQuestions111 t1_jecnumx wrote on March 31, 2023 at 1:13 AM

I agree. Never said Tolkien achieved that, just explained why he didn't. I don't think it's even possible to be honest. Just put two people in a room and you could keep writing forever about what defines their lives.

bhbhbhhh t1_jecoi6e wrote on March 31, 2023 at 1:18 AM

Within regular literature, Emile Zola and Honore de Balzac set out to write epic cycles exploring through every section of French society. Such can also describe the project James Joyce set out on with Ulysses. In fantasy too I've read enough books that really set out to put their alternate realities on the page.