The Necromancer

[Former Member]

The Necromancer

 

 

 

This short submission acts as a prologue for a series, but what I ask of you is to be critical and tell me whether I should stick to my plays or make further tenative ventures into this unfamiliar world of writing. Be as harsh as you want...I'm ready for it...and besides, why should I write if the quality of my work is so low that I needn't bother?

 

I lay myself before the throne of judgement.

Edited April 27, 2009 by Nikolai

[W_L]

The judgment is still out; Eastern European Vampires are interesting and less romantic.

 

Necromancy is an interesting magic that transcends the realms of the Gods or God or even Satan himself, because you are defying an eternal law of nature, Death must comes to us all. I like the worn out look of the Necromancer; it is very believable.

 

As he is capable of raising the dead, what will his powers allow in the modern world? Perhaps spirits can seek justice through his acts in someways giving him a purpose in life. Perhaps, he can use it to bring back those that should not have died so early in life. Perhaps, he will learn a new truth about existence and death that will allow him to finally seek absolution and die peacefully after 500 years.

 

I like the possibilities and the concept, so I will wait for real judgment until later.

[Former Member]

Thanks WL...now perhaps you begin to understand my dislike of vampires

 

I'll let the story deal with the nature of necromancy...the rough sketch so far gives a more in depth look at necromancy (I'm a playwright...I can't let a rambling monologue opportunity go to waste now can I?)

 

As to his intentions? There's another couple of chapters floating around in my head, his motives soon will be clear...

[MikeL]

I would say get up from in front of the throne and get to work on chapter 1.

 

The prologue is very interesting and Wen has listed more possibilities than I could muster. Your writing held my attention and I appreciate your command of the English language; it is nearly flawless. That is not always found in on-line fiction, not even on GA with its higher standards.

 

Please give us more. I will be looking forward to the next installment.

[thatboyChase]

The first thing I noticed was you seem to solidify he is ancient. We understand he is ancient, he is a master of death. It goes without being said.

 

Also are you trying to bring up the generic view of a necromancer from a video game? The one that summons skeletons as a precession and creates creatures from stitching of the dead? He has been alive 500 years why hasn't he attempted Lichdom yet? If you're being canon with what scholars, whatever, have said about necromancy, he is still mortal. As a necromancer he just prolongs the actual process of "death" itself. Thusly why I asked if he is a lich or not.

 

My question is: Is this your version of necromancy, or literature/cultural version of necromancy? Or maybe a fantasy view. They are all very different things.

[Former Member]

As I stated in the note precluding the prologue, this story is likely to cross a number of popular conceptions and may offend some individuals (particularly when vampires become more prominant) So...

 

A necromancer aspiring to lichdom implies both an ambition to become more powerful and a satisfaction with their nature. Alexei is different in that he has no desire to be a necromancer, yet he has no desire for death...he is an aspect of death, similar to mythological creatures that exist as symbols of decay and death, but yet also speak of hope for they continue through all. Alexei has lived out his life in seclusion and a depressed...contentment almost. He would have continued as he was except

 

In a sense Alexei (and more characters to appear)are embodiments of my own skewed conceptions of necromancy, from which I draw video games, folk tales, mythology and other extraneous sources. Behaviour varies between different avatars of this 'black art'.

 

But I digress...Chapter One will appear sometime in the not too distant future and the last few lines will be made clear

[thatboyChase]

Well thanks for answering that, I look forward to more. This stuff can get incredibly creative and enjoyable to read.

[David McLeod]

First, please let me repeat a little of the review I left at the story, itself:

"...I suspect the author has tongue firmly planted in cheek: why else would we be treated to a necromancer's instructions to find "the cantrips...on the fourth shelf..."? ...that line was a breath of humor that illuminated the entire story..."

 

Second, some thoughts on your concerns that "this story is likely to cross a number of popular conceptions and may offend some individuals..."

 

I think it's fairly well understood that most of us are writing fiction, here, and that we all draw our inspiration from many sources. It's much easier to write within a set framework; it's much more difficult to stretch the framework and create something new. IMHO, the best stories are those that stretch the framework. As long as the world you create is internally consistent, as long as your characters act for reasons that are important and logical to them, then you may certainly make any rules (and break any canons) that you wish. Continue to create your own "skewed conceptions" and share them with us, please.

[Former Member]

It's taken me an age...but I've finally written Chapter 1/2 (depending on how you look at the prologue)

 

The Necromancer chapter 2

 

 

 

As before comments (no matter how harsh,critical or downright negative they may be) are welcome...feel free to discourage me from writing if it's not worth reading (not that I'm going to pay the slightest bit of attetion to you

[David McLeod]

Chapter 2: Very picturesque, nice balance of dialogue and exposition, interesting plot developments, fascinating use of imagination in melding traditional and contemporary ideas.

[Former Member]

Necromancer chapter 3

 

Once again my slow writing has finally reached a temporary endpoint for this chapter of Necromancer.

 

Enjoy...or not

 

 

[thatboyChase]

One of the only stories I am reading on here. I love it, chilling to the bone. Awesome. More please.

[Nephylim]

Thanks WL...now perhaps you begin to understand my dislike of vampires

 

I'll let the story deal with the nature of necromancy...the rough sketch so far gives a more in depth look at necromancy (I'm a playwright...I can't let a rambling monologue opportunity go to waste now can I?)

 

As to his intentions? There's another couple of chapters floating around in my head, his motives soon will be clear...

 

 

You dislike vampires We're not all bad.... althought that depends how you define 'bad'.

[Former Member]

You dislike vampires We're not all bad.... althought that depends how you define 'bad'.

 

I just dislike their romanticization. If we agree they're hideous monsters with no regard for anything but their own schemes and hungers I'm happy.

 

 

[Former Member]

Necromancer

 

Post-rehab I'm now releasing chapter 4...eagerly awaited of course

 

Let me know how the descriptions etc. worked for this chapter, all comments are welcome

 

Enjoy...or not as you will.

Edited December 19, 2009 by Nikolai