In historical fantasy novels, which do you think is more important, political conspiracy or magical duels？

[Empire145]

Dear authors, in my personal opinion, war should be the continuation of politics, so political conspiracy should be the main body of the story, and magic duels should be the seasoning. However, it seems that people prefer to watch exciting battles, so I wonder how you make your choices.

This is my novel. The background is the Holy Roman Empire region in the Middle Ages. The content is that the ghost of an era awakens in a new world for some reason and begins his conquest. If you are interested, you are welcome to read: https://www.scribblehub.com/series/2120645/empire/

 

[Eldoria]

Well, both can be compelling narratives. However, it's best not to make magical or political conspiracies the core of the conflict, especially if your fiction is character-driven. Some readers may be allergic to the word "political."

If you want to narrate a political conflict, it's best to do so gradually and organically. It's best to involve the protagonist in a political conspiracy with personal and emotional stakes.

For example, to protect a princess from an oppressive political marriage, a protagonist (the princess's older brother) is willing to fight the kingdom and/or take the princess away. This way, the conflict feels more intimate and relatable.

Conversely, making a political/ magical conspiracy conflict the main focus without personal stakes will make the story seem distant and neutral, even if it's epic.

 

[Hans.Trondheim]

Dear authors, in my personal opinion, war should be the continuation of politics, so political conspiracy should be the main body of the story, and magic duels should be the seasoning. However, it seems that people prefer to watch exciting battles, so I wonder how you make your choices.

This is my novel. The background is the Holy Roman Empire region in the Middle Ages. The content is that the ghost of an era awakens in a new world for some reason and begins his conquest. If you are interested, you are welcome to read: https://www.scribblehub.com/series/2120645/empire/

Whatever is the vision you want for your story should be given importance. If you want to play politics, then by all means, do it. The magical duels remain a great sidequest for the readers. Likewise, if you want to focus on magical duels, then political games will take the backseat as a background for coherent story-telling.

Or you can have both. Whichever you choose.

 

[CharlesEBrown]

The Holy Roman Empire - after the Paladins of Charlemagne or during their time?

If magical duels fit the variant setting, then, by all means, have as many as you can fit in to keep the masses happy. If you're going for something more historical, though, only healing magic and some divination would be in the hands of the "heroes" - and the enemies would have full access to a wide array of magical abilities. Duels would be unlikely at best, and a sign that somebody screwed up at worst.

The two main concerns should be: "What fits your vision?" and "What fits the altered setting?" - in that order. Then maybe "What do people appear to want out of a setting like this?" last (and most want Game of Thrones style sex scenes with just enough magic to be flashy and ominous).

 

[Jerynboe]

Focusing on politics is to create an entirely different type of story than focusing on magical duels, as is choosing to focus on both equally. As is focusing on character driven interactions with zero magical duels or political intrigue, at which point you have slice of life.

I’m pretty sure that if I were reading Game of Thrones and two characters got into a Brandon Sanderson style hard magic sorcery duel to the death with flashy but highly detailed combat maneuvers, I’d find it a bit odd. Potentially awesome, but odd.

Similarly if Dragonball Z suddenly had an arc about the backroom dealings and political favor trading that go into Bulma’s tech company lobbying to allow for the multiple literal space aliens and future robots in her friend group to have legal identities, that would be weird. Potentially awesome, but weird.

 

[Empire145]

两者都可以成为引人入胜的故事。然而，最好不要将魔法或政治阴谋作为冲突的核心，尤其是在你的小说以人物塑造为主的情况下。有些读者可能对“政治”这个词感到反感。

如果你想叙述一场政治冲突，最好循序渐进、自然而然地展开。最好让主人公卷入一场与个人和情感利益息息相关的政治阴谋中。

例如，为了保护公主免遭压迫性的政治联姻，主人公（公主的哥哥）甘愿与王国对抗，甚至不惜带走公主。这样一来，冲突就显得更加贴近人心，也更容易引起共鸣。

反之，如果将政治/魔法阴谋冲突作为主要焦点，而没有个人利害关系，即使故事很宏大，也会显得疏远和中立。

就算主角本身就是个马基雅维利式的君主又如何？事实上，这不仅仅是一场宫廷阴谋，而是一场地缘政治冲突。要知道，俾斯麦虽然思念着旧情人，但他依然在为统一大业而努力。所以我觉得这或许有点难，但冷酷的算计和人性的温情是可以共存的。不过，在某些决策中，尽量避免出现冲突。

 

[Eldoria]

就算主角本身就是个马基雅维利式的君主又如何？事实上，这不仅仅是一场宫廷阴谋，而是一场地缘政治冲突。要知道，俾斯麦虽然思念着旧情人，但他依然在为统一大业而努力。所以我觉得这或许有点难，但冷酷的算计和人性的温情是可以共存的。不过，在某些决策中，尽量避免出现冲突。

Well, my advice only applies if you care about your readers. If you want to write an epic narrative, that's your artistic decision. However, if you're considering who will be reading your fiction, then providing personal stakes is a common recipe for engaging readers emotionally.

 

[L1aei]

就算主角本身就是个马基雅维利式的君主又如何？事实上，这不仅仅是一场宫廷阴谋，而是一场地缘政治冲突。要知道，俾斯麦虽然思念着旧情人，但他依然在为统一大业而努力。所以我觉得这或许有点难，但冷酷的算计和人性的温情是可以共存的。不过，在某些决策中，尽量避免出现冲突。

如果你淨係想寫個好宏大嘅史詩故事，咁就隨便啦，自己高興嘛，係你藝術自由。
但係，如果你真係想讀者同你個故仔有感覺，咁政治或者魔法啲衝突，最好加啲私人嘅嘢入去啦，啲情感啦、啲關係啦、啲道德啦，咁先容易令讀者入晒心。

 

[Empire145]

Focusing on politics is to create an entirely different type of story than focusing on magical duels, as is choosing to focus on both equally. As is focusing on character driven interactions with zero magical duels or political intrigue, at which point you have slice of life.

I’m pretty sure that if I were reading Game of Thrones and two characters got into a Brandon Sanderson style hard magic sorcery duel to the death with flashy but highly detailed combat maneuvers, I’d find it a bit odd. Potentially awesome, but odd.

Similarly if Dragonball Z suddenly had an arc about the backroom dealings and political favor trading that go into Bulma’s tech company lobbying to allow for the multiple literal space aliens and future robots in her friend group to have legal identities, that would be weird. Potentially awesome, but weird.

I haven't thought about that, but how should I put it? Political demands and military conflicts should have been linked, right? It's just that I replaced guns and cannons with magic. Maybe some people will find it strange at first

The Holy Roman Empire - after the Paladins of Charlemagne or during their time?

If magical duels fit the variant setting, then, by all means, have as many as you can fit in to keep the masses happy. If you're going for something more historical, though, only healing magic and some divination would be in the hands of the "heroes" - and the enemies would have full access to a wide array of magical abilities. Duels would be unlikely at best, and a sign that somebody screwed up at worst.

The two main concerns should be: "What fits your vision?" and "What fits the altered setting?" - in that order. Then maybe "What do people appear to want out of a setting like this?" last (and most want Game of Thrones style sex scenes with just enough magic to be flashy and ominous).

In fact, it was during the Great blank period of the Holy Roman Empire. However, in fact. Everyone hopes to get everything from the negotiating table, although in reality, the sword is often better than the pen. But this usually requires sufficient embellishment; force is merely a bargaining chip（There might have been some issues with my input method before. I'm replying again. If it has caused you any inconvenience, I'm very sorry）

如果你淨係想寫個好宏大嘅史詩故事，咁就隨便啦，自己高興嘛，係你藝術自由。
但係，如果你真係想讀者同你個故仔有感覺，咁政治或者魔法啲衝突，最好加啲私人嘅嘢入去啦，啲情感啦、啲關係啦、啲道德啦，咁先容易令讀者入晒心。

是的，一般来说，人们对这些更有感触，也因此，以小见大也很重要

 

[L1aei]

是的，一般来说，人们对这些更有感触，也因此，以小见大也很重要

係呀，講真，啲人就係對呢啲嘢有感覺多啲，所以啊，用細嘢去睇大嘢都好重要啦…我要去訓一陣覺啦.

 

[TinaMigarlo]

why does this remind me of the time my buddy's gigantic widescreen TV accidentally had all the menu's in a foreign language. I hope I didn't accidentally hit a site "feature" somewhere to do this, because I'll never be able to find it to set it back.

 

[SwordSong]

Well, my advice only applies if you care about your readers. If you want to write an epic narrative, that's your artistic decision. However, if you're considering who will be reading your fiction, then providing personal stakes is a common recipe for engaging readers emotionally.

Yes, and to be honest, this is one of the reasons why I have a hard time getting hooked to a lot of high fantasy fiction.
A lot of writers seem overly eager to show off the world building and cool magic systems that the story basically opens with a giant infodump that's just not compelling.

Anchor it on an individual with understandable motive, and not immediately overexplain the factions, leaders, elaborate history, and uneasy alliances, or the ten-step tutorial on how the magic works in this world. Whether yo choose to go with the political conspiracy route or the magic battle route, let the mechanical details be revealed bit by bit.

 

[L1aei]

Yes, and to be honest, this is one of the reasons why I have a hard time getting hooked to a lot of high fantasy fiction.
A lot of writers seem overly eager to show off the world building and cool magic systems that the story basically opens with a giant infodump that's just not compelling.

Anchor it on an individual with understandable motive, and not immediately overexplain the factions, leaders, elaborate history, and uneasy alliances, or the ten-step tutorial on how the magic works in this world. Whether yo choose to go with the political conspiracy route or the magic battle route, let the mechanical details be revealed bit by bit.

Maybe that's why isekai is popular; easy to introduce the world fluff by having it be discovered firsthand by the protagonist who's just as lost as we all are.

 

[Empire145]

Yes, and to be honest, this is one of the reasons why I have a hard time getting hooked to a lot of high fantasy fiction.
A lot of writers seem overly eager to show off the world building and cool magic systems that the story basically opens with a giant infodump that's just not compelling.

Anchor it on an individual with understandable motive, and not immediately overexplain the factions, leaders, elaborate history, and uneasy alliances, or the ten-step tutorial on how the magic works in this world. Whether yo choose to go with the political conspiracy route or the magic battle route, let the mechanical details be revealed bit by bit.

Yes, the story is at the core, no matter where it happens. If you only care about the cool appearance, you are putting the cart before the horse

 

[MFontana]

Dear authors, in my personal opinion, war should be the continuation of politics, so political conspiracy should be the main body of the story, and magic duels should be the seasoning. However, it seems that people prefer to watch exciting battles, so I wonder how you make your choices.

This is my novel. The background is the Holy Roman Empire region in the Middle Ages. The content is that the ghost of an era awakens in a new world for some reason and begins his conquest. If you are interested, you are welcome to read: https://www.scribblehub.com/series/2120645/empire/

In a Historical Fantasy novel, the most important thing to me, would be the Historical Accuracy. (It doesn't have to be perfect, but it definitely needs to be within-reason for the time period being presented).
Everything else would follow from that, but the consistency of the setting. High or Low magic. (Low would likely be better for the Sword & Sorcery feel, if you're including it at all).
The narrative, however, should prioritize historical accuracy first and foremost, otherwise it really just becomes a Fantasy novel inspired by history, rather than a historical fantasy novel.
The politics of the world should match the setting and historical time period you're seeking to depict in the most reasonably accurate sense.
The same for the inclusion of magic. If it is relevant to the narrative, then it should be viewed under the historically appropriate lens, whatever that happens to be for the time period and setting you're portraying.

I'd also like to note that it isn't even necessarily a requirement for fantasy stories to include magic at all in order to be 'Fantasy' genre, and personally I'd favor less magic in a historical-fantasy setting, but if you want to include cool powers and such, might I suggest referencing Full Metal Alchemist (Brotherhood and the original manga/novels) for what could definitely make for an interesting take on a Historical Fantasy series.

Admittedly, this is just my opinion. You do what works for you.

 

[CountVanBadger]

...why are half the posts here in Chinese?

 

[Empire145]

In a Historical Fantasy novel, the most important thing to me, would be the Historical Accuracy. (It doesn't have to be perfect, but it definitely needs to be within-reason for the time period being presented).
Everything else would follow from that, but the consistency of the setting. High or Low magic. (Low would likely be better for the Sword & Sorcery feel, if you're including it at all).
The narrative, however, should prioritize historical accuracy first and foremost, otherwise it really just becomes a Fantasy novel inspired by history, rather than a historical fantasy novel.
The politics of the world should match the setting and historical time period you're seeking to depict in the most reasonably accurate sense.
The same for the inclusion of magic. If it is relevant to the narrative, then it should be viewed under the historically appropriate lens, whatever that happens to be for the time period and setting you're portraying.

I'd also like to note that it isn't even necessarily a requirement for fantasy stories to include magic at all in order to be 'Fantasy' genre, and personally I'd favor less magic in a historical-fantasy setting, but if you want to include cool powers and such, might I suggest referencing Full Metal Alchemist (Brotherhood and the original manga/novels) for what could definitely make for an interesting take on a Historical Fantasy series.

Admittedly, this is just my opinion. You do what works for you.

Yes, but in fact, for some matters, the public's perception is quite different from the historical truth, which makes the truth seem fabricated instead, like Lucifer and the like. When I was doing historical research, it was the same. The concept of tribal principalities was considered true at the beginning of the last century, but during the Cold War, it was found to be an incorrect statement. However, the public generally accepted this statement (including me), which is a bit of a headache. Fullmetal Alchemist is indeed a good work, but due to various reasons, I haven't read it until now. Now you did remind me