Companion Guide?

  • 7 Replies
  • 4404 Views

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Corwin

  • *
  • Emwama
  • Posts: 4
    • View Profile
« on: October 25, 2017, 04:14:57 pm »
This idea has probably been floated before...but what are the odds one of you very well read, very motivated individuals could put together a guide for this fucking series? I'd even pay for it. Self publish a PDF, start a Kickstarter, whatever it takes! Of course, I have no idea of the legalities of monetizing such a thing. I feel like "unofficial" biographies, fanfic, etc, etc get done all the time, although having Bakker's blessing would probably be the best course.

I raise this because there is soooo much information out there regarding every letter written, but it's all so spread out. The forum here, Westeros, TPB, AMA's, interviews, Wert's History of Earwa, that damned appendix in TUC. I'd do some fairly depraved things to have access to something that sorted information chronologically as it related to the text. I feel like I could develop a much better understanding of the books if as I read them, I had access to correlating notations. To have read that prologue the first time (or even the second) ... "This Sranc here - you could not pronounce its name - was our *elju*... our 'book,' you would say in your tongue. A most devoted animal. I'll be wrecked without it - for a time, anyway." Boy, would some extra-textual information have been great. And maybe a lot of people enjoy being thrown in with no navigation, but for me, and I suspect for others, being able to go back through a second or third time with a guide would be a very cool thing. Any takers?

Wilshire

  • *
  • Administrator
  • Old Name
  • *****
  • Enshoiya
  • Posts: 5935
  • One of the other conditions of possibility
    • View Profile
« Reply #1 on: October 25, 2017, 04:19:00 pm »
We've often discussed how cool it would be to have an annotated version of each book, which sounds like something close to what you're talking about. But that'd require a whole re-publication. A reader's guide would be awesome though.

And welcome to the forum :) .
One of the other conditions of possibility.

TaoHorror

  • *
  • Old Name
  • *****
  • Posts: 1152
  • whore
    • View Profile
« Reply #2 on: October 27, 2017, 12:01:16 am »
I've thought how cool it would be for someone who understand the whole thing to "read" it like House of Leaves reads ( if you haven't read HOL, a person finds the text and reads it, so he's making commentary as he's reading the story ... so when some parts aren't supposed to make sense, he validates it by saying stuff like, "what the fuck is that supposed to mean?" ... it's a great effect, funny and cool ).
It's me, Dave, open up, I've got the stuff

Madness

  • *
  • Administrator
  • Old Name
  • *****
  • Conversational Batman
  • Posts: 5275
  • Strength on the Journey - Journey Well
    • View Profile
    • The Second Apocalypse
« Reply #3 on: October 27, 2017, 05:00:21 pm »
I think it would be very hard to get anything official done in this respect.

Though, what Tao wants is kind of like the Almanac (limited though it may be, thus far).

I've always thought - and mentioned to the pertinent parties - that a quality iBook version would sell well.
The Existential Scream
Weaponizing the Warrior Pose - Declare War Inwardly
carnificibus: multus sanguis fluit
Die Better
The Theory-Killer

Corwin

  • *
  • Emwama
  • Posts: 4
    • View Profile
« Reply #4 on: October 27, 2017, 07:35:24 pm »
I think it would be very hard to get anything official done in this respect.

Though, what Tao wants is kind of like the Almanac (limited though it may be, thus far).

I've always thought - and mentioned to the pertinent parties - that a quality iBook version would sell well.
I wonder what it costs to produce something like that. I also wonder if grrm needed to give much input, he's pretty much a corporation at this point and probably has "people" that can make decisions about what information to include.

Speaking of grrm, wasn't there talk at one point about a SA series or movie? I imagine all hopes of official annotated editions or ibooks rest on the success of conversions to film.

I don't need (and would prefer not to have) things like The Consult Cookbook or the Scylvendi Wisdom Desk Calendar, but along with commercialization comes the hope that we would get something more immersive and helpful in understanding the series.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk


TLEILAXU

  • *
  • Old Name
  • *****
  • Exalt-Smiter of Theories
  • Posts: 731
    • View Profile
« Reply #5 on: October 27, 2017, 10:06:52 pm »
Just google if you forget something m8. Use the wiki, or google books, or ctrl-f through one of the pirated copies available online for specific things.

TaoHorror

  • *
  • Old Name
  • *****
  • Posts: 1152
  • whore
    • View Profile
« Reply #6 on: October 28, 2017, 02:02:48 am »
I don't need (and would prefer not to have) things like The Consult Cookbook or the Scylvendi Wisdom Desk Calendar, but along with commercialization comes the hope that we would get something more immersive and helpful in understanding the series.

I would actually buy those, LOL - I don't think Bakker would like me very much if he ever got to know me, I'm shamelessly commercial.
It's me, Dave, open up, I've got the stuff

Madness

  • *
  • Administrator
  • Old Name
  • *****
  • Conversational Batman
  • Posts: 5275
  • Strength on the Journey - Journey Well
    • View Profile
    • The Second Apocalypse
« Reply #7 on: October 29, 2017, 07:08:45 pm »
I wonder what it costs to produce something like that. I also wonder if grrm needed to give much input, he's pretty much a corporation at this point and probably has "people" that can make decisions about what information to include.

Fairly sure he and the two co-founders of Westeros were heavily involved in the writing and production of The World of Ice & Fire.

Speaking of grrm, wasn't there talk at one point about a SA series or movie? I imagine all hopes of official annotated editions or ibooks rest on the success of conversions to film.

Bakker mentioned on his blog Oct 2016 that someone had "optioned" (seems to mean purchased for a specific period of time) the rights to PON.

In the Q&A here and at ZDC Bakker revealed that it was Amazon who had optioned - and subsequently relinquished - the rights (makers of PKD's Man in the High Castle) and they later picked up three SFF rights to continue forward with.
The Existential Scream
Weaponizing the Warrior Pose - Declare War Inwardly
carnificibus: multus sanguis fluit
Die Better
The Theory-Killer