I wanted to do a historical fantasy for my NaNo this year and after much deliberation, I have decided upon 13th Century Mongolia. I'm spending most of October researching the culture and reading up about this and that; and I caught an episode of Going Tribal that was about a modern nomadic tribe in Mongolia. Anyway, is anyone else doing Mongolia (or perhaps a Turk empire? Timur-i Lang, maybe?)? Anything fun you'd like to share? Any good fiction novels you know of that took place in the time?
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1. 蒸気 (じょうき) jōki
- - n. water vapor, steam, etc.
2. 物語 (ものがたり) monogatari
- - n. tale, story, legend
5,400 / 50,000
Oct 11, 2008 - 13 33
I have to mention Conn Iggulden's excellent fiction series on Genghis Khan and his descendants. So far he's done three books on Genghis (Wolf of the Plains, Lords of the Bow, Bones of the Hills) and is planning to write several more featuring Ogedai and Kublai. They are quite accurate, very well-written and incredibly evocative of the time and place - you can practically see the horsemen galloping across the steppes as you read. Highly recommended.
34,820 / 50,000
Oct 11, 2008 - 14 58
Thank You! I will look into these next time I at Borders. I haven't quite decided who will be the main character of my story, so I don't know if I need to know a lot about the Khans yet, but I am hoping my AP World History background and a few of my history books and the interwebz will help me enough should I need to know more about them. I only know four of the Khans and I feel as though there was one or two more... but whatever.
BTW - Is the University of Michigan near you? I was thinking of applying to that school, it looks nice... but I know nothing about the area, so I don't know yet.
----------1. 蒸気 (じょうき) jōki
- - n. water vapor, steam, etc.
2. 物語 (ものがたり) monogatari
- - n. tale, story, legend
5,400 / 50,000
Oct 11, 2008 - 18 03
The University of Michigan is not only near me, it surrounds me. I'm a townie, I did my MA at Michigan, and I'm currently working part-time in various university offices. I couldn't escape it if I tried. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions about it! (Oh, and Borders is a home-grown Ann Arbor company - the flagship store is almost smack dab in the middle of campus. Definitely a plus if you're a book-hound like me...)
But yeah... Mongols.... I don't have any particular knowledge of them apart from what I've read in Iggulden's books, but I think it's a fantastic setting for some good storytelling. So much English-language historical fiction is based (understandably) on Western civilization, so it is always refreshing to stumble across people interested in branching out to different parts of the world.
34,820 / 50,000
Oct 11, 2008 - 20 14
Wow, that is awesome. *moves up past Gettysburg for the sake of it* I am a huge bibliophile, I could probably spend more on books than rent, if one wasn't necessary for a basic standard of living. And thanks for recommending the books, I'd like to read whatever else was produced on the subject. I was gonna do Korea, but I thought it was a bit too much like Japan (not that I have anything against Japan - I am taking Japanese History and Civilization at a local university, actually, I just feel like there is a horrible stigma attached to it). Still, maybe next year after I've started my class in East Asian History the temptation will be too great and I'll start that up.
And now for a month of unnecessary mental and research-based preparation!
----------1. 蒸気 (じょうき) jōki
- - n. water vapor, steam, etc.
2. 物語 (ものがたり) monogatari
- - n. tale, story, legend
39,064 / 50,000
Oct 12, 2008 - 02 26
My partner named Mulan, a Walt Disney movie.
I am not quite sure whether it is in the same period, but as the movie seems to have a mix of periods in chinese history anyway, maybe you could use some of it.
I looked on Wikipedia for Mulan.
34,820 / 50,000
Oct 12, 2008 - 11 55
Although I probably wouldn't cite a Disney movie for any sort of historical context anyway, that story took place in China - there was mention of the 'Huns' and Shan-Yu was a character, but there was really very little in either of the movies about Mongolia. I believe the villains of the second movie WERE Mongols, but... I really can't say I recall any of them being real characters, it was more about the romance of Mulan and Sheng, and the three princesses. Still, those were cool movies.
----------1. 蒸気 (じょうき) jōki
- - n. water vapor, steam, etc.
2. 物語 (ものがたり) monogatari
- - n. tale, story, legend
5,400 / 50,000
Oct 12, 2008 - 12 18
As long as we're talking movies, though, have you seen the movie "Mongol"? It was released last year - made in Kazakhstan with an international cast, supposedly the first part of a trilogy about Genghis Khan. It more or less follows the accepted knowledge about Genghis (apart from one inexcusable departure from reality involving him getting captured by the Chinese, but let's not dwell upon that). It's not particularly deep or anything, but the scenery and cinematography are BEAUTIFUL. Again, a great example of making a particular place and time visually come to life.
34,820 / 50,000
Oct 16, 2008 - 03 36
Can't say I've heard of it - but if I ever see it in the stores, I might buy it. And lol, he gets captured by the Chinese? How did they come up with that one?
----------1. 蒸気 (じょうき) jōki
- - n. water vapor, steam, etc.
2. 物語 (ものがたり) monogatari
- - n. tale, story, legend