Extensive unnecessary backstories

Cynic · Post by **Cynic** » Wed Dec 01, 2010 7:15 pm

So what the fuck is up with the extensive backstories created in the appendices of "Lord of the Rings", and the backstories provided by Rowling for "Harry Potter."

I mean it is fun to know what the Potters did before Harry was born. But do I really want to know the three kids that Harry had and what their names were and why they were named so.

Is there really a need for me to know that Arwen lived for five bajillion years after Aragorn and then died a sad spinsster?

If you really wanted to write another story so badly, why didn't you just write one instead of providing a half-assed half-story that only frustrates the reader.

JigokuBosatsu · Post by **JigokuBosatsu** » Wed Dec 01, 2010 7:29 pm

Yeah, this is a terrible literary device. Epilogues are one thing, but the type of crap you see at the end of bad 'comedies' just needs to die.

tzor · Post by **tzor** » Wed Dec 01, 2010 7:43 pm

I can't speak for Rowling, but Tolkien died. I'm not sure when the appendixes were added, but I think they, like The Silmarillion were published after his death by his son Christopher using "extensive notes and unpublished manuscripts." Tolkien was 63 years old when his triolgy was publshed ... 6 years after it was finished. Most of the stuff was probably not meant to be published as is, but rather used to keep the story straight in published works, something Rowling I don't think quite understands how to do.

JigokuBosatsu · Post by **JigokuBosatsu** » Wed Dec 01, 2010 7:47 pm

though, speaking of Tolkein, "The Harrowing of the Shire" is a good example of how to do it right. You've got your "look how the PCs have changed" bit, but instead of being like the endgame scroll in an NES game, it's a separate narrative, and a good one. After all the marriages and crownings and whatnot, you are back in Halflingtown where you started, just in time for some asskicking.

mean_liar · Post by **mean_liar** » Wed Dec 01, 2010 8:52 pm

That's my favorite part of the entire series, and to me, the point of the trilogy. It offended me that it was removed from the movies.

Cynic · Post by **Cynic** » Wed Dec 01, 2010 9:24 pm

I used to be one of the hugest Tolkien fanbois out there. Not LOTR but Tolkien. I have like 15 books about the man. I can understand the whoel loving his world so much that he invested more time into it. But you can't seriously expect your readers to get enthralled by tiny ass Arwen the widow details.

At least stuff like "The Harrowing of the Shire" or the elves leaving are almost directly after the end of the actual story. The appendices seem like, so bajillion years passed, and then new stuff.

the Whole bajillion years things works in settings like "Dune" (not that well even there) because the setting is made to traverse time. I mean, you don't write a World war II story and then write about 2500 years later, they finally abolished nukes because we realized it was crazy dangerous. :-0

name_here · Post by **name_here** » Wed Dec 01, 2010 9:34 pm

That's why they're stuck at the end in a clearly seperate section. Putting that sort of thing in the main story is a huge dick move, though.

Zinegata · Post by **Zinegata** » Thu Dec 02, 2010 2:25 am

Appendixes are fine. Some people actually like stuff like charts and geneology trees.

I once wrote a Gundam fanfic that included an "Order of Battle" section at the end, detailing every unit and mecha that was in the story. After the forum I posted in closed down and I re-published the whole thing without the Orbat, I actually got requests to have the Order of Battle reposted.

Cynic · Post by **Cynic** » Thu Dec 02, 2010 3:49 am

Name_here: that's a really weak explanation. It's a little bit of a stretch but you could take your own idea and say that if someone divided a novel in Part 1 and Part 2, then you wouldn't need to read part 2 to know the whole story because it's in a separate section.