User Comments

1. 

   11/04/08

   dosyrosie

   I think if your hero originally belonged in the less advanced world then him returning there will not be a problem to himself. I assume that there will be a period at the beginning of the story where he is in the present world? Before he goes back? How about using flashbacks somehow, of himself in the fantasy world before? Even if the reader is unaware that it is the hero they are following in this fantasy world, it will help introduce them to the idea. Or I suppose the book could start in the fantasy world and the time in the present world is the flash back. Not knowing exactly the story it is hard to know what fits best and whether your character could use the knowledge he has gained in the present world to assist him?..

   [reply]
2. 

   11/04/08

   SweetViolet

   You can do a prologue of your protagonist in the fantasy world. Just a small piece of the story, but something that will be significant when he returns to the fantasy world.
   
   It doesn't have to connect up until he returns. You can keep the worlds distinctly different...you don't expect Mongolian herdsmen to have the same amenities as the people in Beijing, so both worlds can be distinctly different and the story still be believable.

   [reply]
3. 

   11/05/08

   arjunu

   Thank you dosierosy and sweet violet

   [reply]
4. 

   11/05/08

   GrimlyFiendish

   It might also help to have differences in culture and language clearly defined as well.
   
   A character in a fantasy world would not know the meaning of the word 'bogus' for example and a modern day person would have problems with a comment such as,
   
   "You would not speak to me thus if I was crested instead of cloven."
   
   Culture differences are also good plot devices. Shaking hands when greeting some is ok for us but may be taken as offensive in a fantasy setting. Look at the differences say between acceptable Western behaviour compared to that in Japan for example.
   
   Just as a question aside. If your fantasy realm has magic, would not an awakening hero in our world come to realize that he could do it here? Having him mugged in an alleyway only to turn round and fireball the thugs would be cool.

   [reply]
5. 

   11/05/08

   csiunatc

   Read the Thomas Covenant novels by Stephen R. Donaldson

   [reply]
   1. 

      11/05/08

      GrimlyFiendish

      Arrgh nooooo. You need Roget's Thesaurus to get through those. It still makes my brain hurt thinking about them now. Lord Foul was ganked and should sue.
6. 

   11/05/08

   arjunu

   Hey Grimlyfiendish, u've given a solid point. i think i shud take a look at my novel from that perspective. thanks. i can do lot more.

   [reply]
7. 

   11/06/08

   deoangel

   I think that your HERO can belong to the technically advanced world. The present day could be like 2030 or something. When he or she goes to the past, the hero can use the present day technology (or lack there off) to save the day. Like McGyver or something.

   [reply]
8. 

   11/06/08

   Xight

   The fun thing about fantasy, is that you can do whatever you want to make it plausible.
   
   I mean the hero could be from a modern area, enter some entrance, and end up in a fantasy land like chronicles of narnia. Sounds kind of like alice and wonderland too don't it? Evil Dead/Army of Darkness anyone?
   
   It could be different time periods like Dragons of Pern, where it was modern, and then devolved into a fantasy type atmosphere.
   
   It could be that the hero hit his/her head really bad and is dreaming it all which would make sense.
   
   None of it really matters. It just matters on how you transition the hero to where he/she needs to be. The journey in between is the fun part.

   [reply]
9. 

   11/06/08

   dsriharsha

   Good luck with your fantasy project.
   
   A single request though, please do not plagiarise plot/names/settings from Tolkien.
   I am a huge fan of Tolkien and work that draws heavily from Lord of the rings seems more of a cheap spoof to me even though it might be a good book on its own merit.

   [reply]
10. 

    11/06/08

    geekfabrique

    Instead of Flashbacks... Introduce characters and set up scenes in the fantasy world before your hero gets there. I'm sure when he arrives back in fantasy world he will interact with people in that world. So why not introduce them before he arrives. Fantasy novels often jump around between worlds introducing characters in this way.
    
    Although one world may have computers, sat nav and mobile communication the fantasy world might not need these because they have telepathy, use magnetic waves to navigate using sensitive nodes in their noses or calculate huge equations using collective brain power.
    
    Just my two cents worth.

    [reply]
11. 

    3/12/09

    TKXapathy

    well, you can use another way, like the world he came from can use magic to power technology or technology can be used to complement fantasy. You can read books from the Eberron series that uses the whole idea of magic and technology being used together.

    [reply]
12. 

    3/12/09

    Epicharis

    xkcd.com/483/
    
    ^Fiction rule of thumb

    [reply]