The problem with your average fantasy novel...

[Billy]

The names don't bother me. If they are too long or difficult I just don't attempt to pronounce them.

 

[Oberon]

Actually, what bothers me more about the AFN than the funny names is there seem to be so many "orphans" and this before the past 30 years of American cultural deterioration of the nuclear family ... Frodo was an orphan! Somehow, heroism is a function of disfunctional family life.

 

[Carlos]

It all depends on where you are from.

ARABIC
Azizah
Buthaynah
Fawziyyah
Huriyyah
Su'ud
Ya'qub

THAI
Benjakalyani

Native American
Kachina

DUTCH
Kaatje

SWEDISH
Viveka

I could go on. although not that many names with 15 consonants 5 apostrophes and no vowels

 

[magemanda]

Some authors tend to be able to rein in the bad taste/unpronouncable name tendencies...

David Gemmell tends to be quite sensible with his names, as does George RR Martin.

Tends to be the authors with the most to prove who get on the unpronouncable name bandwagon

 

[theallseeingeye]

Litany, I hope you've got a good lawyer, because this sort of thing just isn't on. What a 'coincidence' that your extracts should bear such a resemblance to the pieces from my Oligarchicon which were only recently posted here!

Plagiarism is frowned upon at The Book Forum. Right guys?

I'll see you in court!

 

[Carlos]

Litany, I hope you've got a good lawyer, because this sort of thing just isn't on. What a 'coincidence' that your extracts should bear such a resemblance to the pieces from my Oligarchicon which were only recently posted here!

Plagiarism is frowned upon at The Book Forum. Right guys?

I'll see you in court!

A'a'a'a'a'tit, a great place name, commonly know as Stuttersville

 

[oliverez]

Yeah, I think the idea is that if it's something you've never seen before, it should have a name you've never seen before.

But if in this fantasy world a deer is called a deer and a horse is a horse, there's no reason to call a rabbit with fangs a gibir'hir-ginoblis.

Now if it's Tolkien or something, and everyone speaks elvish, you can get away with stuff like that

 

[Brys]

I don't really have a problem with "unpronouncable" names if they're appropriate. Why should there be Western modern names in a setting that's much closer to a medieval European setting, or to a Russian setting, etc. Why shouldn't they come up with their own names, their own styles? As long as it's consistent, it's fine. I think it's generally laziness on the part of the reader when they complain about names being too difficult - of course there are exceptions, when some authors don't think about the naming of characters at all and put in apostrophes and give characters 5+ syllable names just because they think that's what they're supposed to do, but an example of the opposite is R Scott Bakker. His names include such as Anasurimbor Kellhus, and Cnaiur (with umlauts!), but they're entirely appopriate to the setting, so I don't have a problem with them. Clemens, on the other hand, has entirely inappropriate use of apostrophes (Wit'ch, el'vin, rock'goblin etc).

 

[Ryouko]

Fantasy authors decide names by mashing the keyboard, its a well known fact

Being the piano player than I am, I thought you meant a musical keyboard. Now that would give you some interesting names.

 

[ValkyrieRaven88]

XD. I see what you mean. I like names that sound exotic but are easy on the tongue as well. (Cute story, BTW.)

 

[pink shadow]

Clemens, on the other hand, has entirely inappropriate use of apostrophes (Wit'ch, el'vin, rock'goblin etc).

I know what you mean! I haven't read Clemens, but there are others who like to abuse apostrophes and it's the worst. Why call someone D'Natheil when you might as well write Denatheil? It's exotic enough, right?

 

[henrietta]

And sometimes Doris wants to scream at the top of her lungs and behead the barbarian war lord with her fiery sword of power and vengence.

I like that.

 

[KristoCat]

And sometimes Doris wants to scream at the top of her lungs and behead the barbarian war lord with her fiery sword of power and vengence.

I like that.

Ohhh, yeah. Totally. Doris had a very trying week.