Posted: June 24, 1999 at 10:35:54: by Jerrie M. Adkins
: I actually feel that a really important thing that most of these writers take away and use in their own books is the story telling and world creation. A world doesn't have to mimic the Witch World, Ithkar, Yiktor, Janus or any place to echo the FEEL of that world. In Andre Norton's worlds there is a feeling that just outside of the pages there is a complete world. The pages describe one part of the world, one adventure as one (or two) people see that world. No need to minutely describe what is at the north pole of the world - unless the people are going there. No need to provide a detailed map of places that won't be visited. The map is in your head, and your mind. : Another thing that Andre Norton, and her adherents do very well is to take technology for granted. If someone in an Andre Norton book picks up a weapon, there is no need to describe exactly how it works, unless the character made that weapon. If someone uses a communication device, there is no long drawn out techno-babble description of how it works. This is an acceptance of how things are. Few in the real world really know how a telepone works. We use tools - and unless we are crazy enough, or desperate enough to fiddle with the guts of the thing, most of us replace broken tools. This sounds like the beginnings of an excellent article [or series of articles] clarifying various aspects of Andre's writing. It [or, preferably, they] should be posted to Andre-Norton.org as soon as possible [in other words, as soon as Irene has it/them written]. Jerrie, fan or Irene's writing [especially about Andre]
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