I’ve been reading an enjoying the C.J. Cherryh FOREIGNER series, though I must say the last few books haven’t had a traditional structure of acts and a climax. The story just sort of unspools, and then she stops when there’s enough for a book, and the next book picks up — sometimes moments after the last one ended.
I had wondered about this style, and wasn’t sure it was entirely effective. I’m enjoying them because I love the characters and the culture of this alien world, but was it really satisfying for a writer not to have such firm control over the narrative.
Then I started writing this crazy Mass Effect fan story, and I began to see the appeal. I don’t want to stop spending time with Kaidan and Shepard as they deal with problems large and small, silly and significant. I want to go on. To see how Shepard reacts when he rides a horse for the first time. And copes with life in a big boisterous family, and realizes being a house husband may not be enough to keep him envolved, and gets asked to run for political office, and they make the decision to have a family.
There’s something about this picaresque approach that is so comforting. Unbidden new scenes and snippets of dialog pop into my head. C.J. has the stature to sell a series with this structure. I’m not sure many writers could get away with it.
But I’m certainly finding it fun on a project that can’t be sold, but is giving me immense amounts of pleasure.
