tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2125325709844932289.post8668179124533066541..comments2023-09-07T07:16:10.305-04:00Comments on Flights of Fantasy: One-word titlesMarian Pererahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15700524210146863718noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2125325709844932289.post-9743601757571001272010-03-07T19:06:24.410-05:002010-03-07T19:06:24.410-05:00Hi,
I keep trying to remember the title of this f...Hi,<br /><br />I keep trying to remember the title of this fantasy novel I read six or seven years ago, something along the lines of Sacrament (not the Clive Barker one), in any case a one-word title. <br /><br />The few things I remember about it are that it was the author's first book (I somehow managed to also remember the fact that the author was a former software developer), and the protagonist was a drunk who gets conscripted into searching for the titular artifact and runs afoul of a race of reptilian-like beings that can shoot fireballs out of their hands. Also, something about red gems or orbs... The author had a penchant for the word flagon, he must have used close to fifty times throughout the book.<br /><br />I know, this is probably vague and pointless, but it's nagging at me and I had to give it a shot.Catalin Alexandruhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09397979169252007606noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2125325709844932289.post-73660840785762020922010-01-21T01:49:47.455-05:002010-01-21T01:49:47.455-05:00You've already mentioned Neuromancer. Doctorow...You've already mentioned Neuromancer. Doctorow's Ragtime is another perfect one-word title.<br /><br />One-word titles are powerful because you have to put a lot into that one word, like you're crafting a poem. And yet, until I'd read your post I hadn't given this much thought at all, so thank you for that.Mary Witzlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06458299046574564155noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2125325709844932289.post-80589164326669023912010-01-11T12:27:49.689-05:002010-01-11T12:27:49.689-05:00I always plug "Motherstone" when i get t...I always plug "Motherstone" when i get the chance. :) It's the third in a trilogy of children's books by Maurice Gee: "The Halfmen of O", "Priests of Ferris" and "Motherstone" - they're thin volumes, but quite interesting.Octavianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2125325709844932289.post-71709895455854687022010-01-11T07:41:17.426-05:002010-01-11T07:41:17.426-05:00Octavia - I'm glad I started this topic, becau...<b>Octavia</b> - I'm glad I started this topic, because I'm being reminded of so many good one-word titles that suggest SF. <i>Neuromancer</i> is a perfect example of that. <br /><br />I hadn't heard of <i>Motherstone</i> before you mentioned it, but that's another title which would intrigue me enough to pick up the book.<br /><br /><b>Polenth</b> - There are short stories with single-word titles like "Time" and "Love"?<br /><br />I'm not sure that would even work for a flash fiction where the title was included in the word count. :|Marian Pererahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15700524210146863718noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2125325709844932289.post-12330454994527132892010-01-11T07:37:21.595-05:002010-01-11T07:37:21.595-05:00Neutral Fire - Oh yes, Mistborn is a good example....<b>Neutral Fire</b> - Oh yes, <i>Mistborn</i> is a good example. <br /><br />Also, while China Mieville's <i>Un Lun Dun</i> is three words, it could be combined into one with the same meaning - <i>UnLondon</i> and that would still hint at the genre.<br /><br /><i>Eragon</i>'s title was also a shrewd marketing decision. I've read that many people picked it up because they mistook it for "Aragorn" from <i>The Lord of the Rings</i>. Whether that's the case or not, it still suggests dragons and by association, fantasy.<br /><br />Glad you've enjoyed my posts. :) Unfortunately there are many more publishing scams besides PA, but PA is, IMO, the most inventive. They never fail to come up with new ways to bleed writers.Marian Pererahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15700524210146863718noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2125325709844932289.post-30423856969809255902010-01-09T01:24:34.680-05:002010-01-09T01:24:34.680-05:00Interesting thoughts, along with much of your, whi...Interesting thoughts, along with much of your, which I've thoroughly enjoyed reading. I've learned a lot. (much of which is about publishing scams, aka PA?)<br />One I thoroughly enjoyed reading recently is <i>Mistborn</i> by Brandon Sanderson. I feel that the title conveys some of the themes of the book rather well, mist is one, as well as being an unfamiliar and intriguing concept, which the book is filled with.<br />Another series that I really love is the Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini, which has all one word titles, <i>Eragon</i>, <i>Eldest</i>, and <i>Brisingr</i>. These all convey some the content well, but not about them specifically, but in relation to each other.<br />I dunno really.<br />~NFAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06441141676529710149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2125325709844932289.post-71812022240213732482010-01-09T01:06:57.194-05:002010-01-09T01:06:57.194-05:00"Perfume" by Patrick Suskind, "Grim..."Perfume" by Patrick Suskind, "Grimus" or "Fury" by Salman Rushdie, "Neverwhere" or "Coraline" by Neil Gaiman, "Dune" by Frank Herbert, "Gormenghast" by Mervyn Peake, "Neuromancer" by William Gibson, "Chrysalids" and "Chocky" by John Wyndham, "Faust" by Goethe, "We" by Yevgeny Zamyatin, "Love" by Angela Carter, "Motherstone" by Maurice Gee, "Genesis" by Bernard Beckett... there are heaps. And I love the title "Borderliners" by Peter Hoeg.<br /><br />The worst titles are, I think, mostly found in creative non-fiction: "Blah Blah Blah: The X That Changed The World".Octavianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2125325709844932289.post-25265199355630259822010-01-08T04:16:54.851-05:002010-01-08T04:16:54.851-05:00I don't usually like one word titles, unless i...I don't usually like one word titles, unless it's a made-up word. Real words lack distinctiveness.<br /><br />It's a bit more apparent in the short story world, when the one word is often something like 'Time' or 'Love'. It doesn't encourage me to look at the story.Polenthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14029549865473069051noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2125325709844932289.post-18312090964888318842010-01-07T01:34:53.730-05:002010-01-07T01:34:53.730-05:00I generally only have a dislike for several kinds ...I generally only have a dislike for several kinds of one-word titles: anything with an exclamation mark at the end; and any gerunds. This latter was because of the flood of crappy horror products with gerund titles that came after <i>The Shining</i>. Google "gerund titles" and you'll see what I mean.<br /><br />P.S. Did you get my e-mail?Nadreckhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05602907565647139166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2125325709844932289.post-25090185800144779762010-01-06T12:33:09.127-05:002010-01-06T12:33:09.127-05:00Addis,
Heh heh. Not exactly Watership Down-ish (...Addis,<br /><br />Heh heh. Not exactly Watership Down-ish (love that book, btw). Bunnicula is about a cat that suspects the new pet bunny is a vampire. <br /><br />Marian,<br /><br />Yes. Those are from Christie. I think Curtain is very nice symbolic title for Poriot's last hurrah.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2125325709844932289.post-30777848298394909182010-01-06T06:38:22.522-05:002010-01-06T06:38:22.522-05:00Writtenwyrdd - Single-word titles do seem more com...<b>Writtenwyrdd</b> - Single-word titles do seem more common in romance, horror and thrillers than in speculative fiction, for the reason you mentioned.Marian Pererahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15700524210146863718noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2125325709844932289.post-70313836467248134422010-01-06T05:49:02.378-05:002010-01-06T05:49:02.378-05:00Addis : I keep an eye out for speculative fiction ...<b>Addis</b> : I keep an eye out for speculative fiction set in the Middle East. Thanks for the recommendation!Marian Pererahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15700524210146863718noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2125325709844932289.post-16471237938931502612010-01-06T05:48:18.449-05:002010-01-06T05:48:18.449-05:00Bekah - I have to take that back, since I did find...<b>Bekah</b> - I have to take that back, since I did find three speculative fiction books in my collection with single-word titles that I like.<br /><br />1. <i>Deathworld</i>, by Harry Harrison. Technically, it's <i>Deathworld 1</i> (the first in a series), but the word alone could still make me pick up the book.<br /><br />2. <i>Dreamsnake</i>, by Vonda N. McIntyre. <br /><br />3. <i>Witchwood</i>, by A. R. Lloyd. <br /><br />None of those are words you'd find in a dictionary (I originally typed that as "fictionary" - Freudian slip?). But they're still single-word titles.Marian Pererahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15700524210146863718noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2125325709844932289.post-91683053167929414682010-01-06T05:44:11.089-05:002010-01-06T05:44:11.089-05:00Tasha, are those Agatha Christie's Nemesis and...<b>Tasha</b>, are those Agatha Christie's <i>Nemesis</i> and <i>Curtain</i>?<br /><br />I like those titles, especially <i>Curtain</i>, since that was Poirot's final case.Marian Pererahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15700524210146863718noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2125325709844932289.post-2806483382598136192010-01-05T16:06:17.092-05:002010-01-05T16:06:17.092-05:00Judith Tarr's Alamut is a fantasy set in the M...Judith Tarr's Alamut is a fantasy set in the Medieval Middle East. I adore it and reread now and again.<br /><br />Some non fantasy titles on my shelf:<br /><br />Filth - Irvine Welsh<br />Glyph - Percival Everett<br />Giant - Edna Ferber<br />Nausea - Sartre<br />Candide - Voltaire<br />PopCo - Scarlett Thomas<br /><br />lol @ Bunnicula. I can't help but think of Dracula meets Watership Down.Addishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07359285244083250171noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2125325709844932289.post-29120610057783421262010-01-05T15:41:38.277-05:002010-01-05T15:41:38.277-05:00Not just fantasy, but here are some:
Neverwhere
D...Not just fantasy, but here are some:<br /><br />Neverwhere<br />Dracula<br />Frankenstein<br />Mort<br />Nemesis<br />Curtain<br /><br />And probably my favorite one word title: BunniculaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2125325709844932289.post-61392571967272852242010-01-05T14:07:49.032-05:002010-01-05T14:07:49.032-05:00I can't think of any one-word titles in the sp...I can't think of any one-word titles in the spec fic realm that grabbed me. Perhaps the nature of speculative fiction almost requires that you have a bit of slant in the title, information in it that gives the potential purchaser an idea of what the book is about just to get them to pick teh book up?<br /><br />I was actually able to visit a brick and mortar store yesterday (not a common occurrence, as it's 120 miles away from my small town) and spent a half hour wandering about looking at random titles to see what looked interesting. Because you sure couldn't spend hours browsing all of them!<br /><br />And your post reminds me that there were some single word titles...and I didn't pick up any of those, so far as I can reall, as they didn't seem interesting.writtenwyrddhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02280711822302493122noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2125325709844932289.post-40408311518103207592010-01-05T10:10:03.162-05:002010-01-05T10:10:03.162-05:00That is an interesting question. I've thought ...That is an interesting question. I've thought about it and even consulted my bookshelf. The only one I have come up with is the beloved Socks from by childhood by Beverly Cleary.Bekahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17495796538020025891noreply@blogger.com