• Welcome to BookAndReader!

    We LOVE books and hope you'll join us in sharing your favorites and experiences along with your love of reading with our community. Registering for our site is free and easy, just CLICK HERE!

    Already a member and forgot your password? Click here.

FANTASTICA: A new age dark fantasy/parody-satire

S

Starchaser3000

New Member
The world of Fantastica is an enchanted magical land with politically social upheaval and racial divide. Two close friends, Shit and Dope, both of whom are from different origins and backgrounds, break the law of the land for partaking in the weeklong Pigshit festival. This special festival held annually for the peaceful common people and forest beasts that reside outside of the great city is disrupted by a military dispatch of cavalry troops dealing justice in the name of the cat emperor/demigod deity who has always ruled his provincial lands with an oppressive iron paw. This sets off the intricate chain of events that leads to the two friends being separated, and to individually embark on different paths of destiny. One is captured and taken into custody to be tried in a royal court of law. When the verdict is a life of servitude as a slave within the emperor’s palace, he eventually escapes with the help of a talking rat, and then risks being recaptured because of an unlikely newfound infatuation. The other goes on the cliché of the QUEST with some other misfit friends to gather an army from the outlying unruled territories to take on the emperor's military might & eternal reign. But first, he has to climb this massive mountain full of peril to attain a mysterious ancient power within a magically air suspended floating temple. This is FANTASTICA by Victorio Velasquez, the dark new age parody/satire/spoof series of the fiction/fantasy genre like no other before or after. Now available on Amazon.com
 
You didn't ask me, and it is too late in any event, but I have to say that parody doesn't have to involve mining the vulgar vocabulary for names. But I'm the square one here so don't mind me. Even so, I did have to say I'm not attracted.
 
It seems to me that it is a certain lack of creativity that leads one to use such names.
Also, I find the plot, as described above, hardly original and can't say I'm at all tempted to read this. The epic quest, albeit a much-used formula for many a book, can be used quite effectively to make a very engaging novel indeed. You, however, appear to fail in your attempt.
Furthermore, are you unsure what category label to assign to your work? The abundance of slashes lead me to that thought.
 
I admit what I have is not for everyone. And since I am basically making fun of basic plot elements of the fiction/fantasy genre anyway, I understand your feelings that I am not "original". And I like the names of my main characters. I mean I thought it would be even more lame to name them John, Sam, or stuffy names like Balthazar, Ignacious, or Bartholomew. Given the nature of my work, I would say the names fit perfectly. I'm OK with the notion that this might turn off some people. But as is I don't hear or read about anybody doing anything exactly similar to what I'm doing in regards to the level of sex & violence, drug and alcohol abuse with some of the characters, and touching upon political, social, and racial issues as I'm doing. So yeah, despite the standard criticism I have received over the years, I'm still convinced that what I got is very original compared to whats out there right now. Which is not much.

Yes the core elements are not original, which is my intention all along anyway. But I doubt there is a parody/spoof that is done the way I have done it. If so I challenge anyone to show me one there is. So far I just get people getting mad at me because they are unable to prove me wrong on the methods of my creative genius hahahaha!! I'm sure this forum is no different.
 
Something done differently, in a way that has not been attempted before, does not mean that the work is going to be a piece of genius.
 
Starchaser3000 said:
So far I just get people getting mad at me because they are unable to prove me wrong on the methods of my creative genius hahahaha!! I'm sure this forum is no different.
Click to expand...

It may be that you are wrong about the reason. It may be that you are spot on if you just put a period after "mad at me."

Starchaser3000 said:
So far I just get people getting mad at me
Click to expand...

Which is a good insight, but not a good sign for your writing.

Even if your book is genius, poor choice of words can put people off from reading it.
 
Polly Parrot said:
Something done differently, in a way that has not been attempted before, does not mean that the work is going to be a piece of genius.
Click to expand...

In all seriousness I really don't consider myself a "genius". Still, the goal of my work was to write the fiction/fantasy novel series that I have never saw and read. And I believe I have most certainly accomplished that. I have been criticized in the past for not thinking in commercial terms and not taking into account of what most fiction readers want to read. In pleasing myself along with the friends and family that already like what I'm doing, is all that matters to me. I admit that what I see as entertaining and humorous could be interpreted in bad taste. So for fiction readers that are into the standard cookie cutter, plot heavy and safe high fantasy stuff from pubs like Del Rey and TSR, my fiction/fantasy series is not for them. But for those that want to read something that is different and a change of pace from the typical worlds of elves, dwarves, and dragons, I believe what I have will entertain and amuse you in some way shape or form.:cool:



Peder said:
Which is a good insight, but not a good sign for your writing.

Even if your book is genius, poor choice of words can put people off from reading it.
Click to expand...

Then that means someone like you will hate the B-movie style dialogue in my book. If you don't like VA from old school live action Kung Fu flicks or random anime from the 80s and 90s then most certainly you will cringe at the considerable proportion of dialogue in my book.:)
 
Starchaser3000 said:
Then that means someone like you [Peder] will hate the B-movie style dialogue in my book. If you don't like VA from old school live action Kung Fu flicks or random anime from the 80s and 90s then most certainly you will cringe at the considerable proportion of dialogue in my book.:)
Click to expand...

It sounds like you have defined your target niche, so I'm not sure what your complaint is -- that I don't like your writing, or they don't like your writing? What does your target niche think of your writing?

You are right that my preferences lie elsewhere. So?

I have no complaint with an author who finds an audience.
 
Sorry about that. I just misunderstood you. But to answer your question, I would say I have had mixed reactions up to this point. The positive reactions of those that "get it" has been great, and I am excited to maybe get others interested. I know it will take time to do so. As you mentioned, a niche following would exceed my dreams since major commercial success for a first time amateur author like myself is unrealistic.

I'm prepared to be critically ridiculed since I have had my fair share of it already. But I would rather have a reader buy my book and read it first and then tell me how much I suck. I'm not saying there is anybody like this in this forum, but I can't stand it when certain people tell me that my writing sux and is unoriginal when they have not even read the whole body of work to judge it fairly. The whole "I'm way too smart to be bothered by whatever you have written" schtick is just plain annoying that's all. If people just say that its not really their cup of tea but still wish me good luck, I'm perfectly OK with that.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top