Yes. The blog statistics here show search words and search engines, so I know how some have come here.
The search words today were "Is the Last Elf of Lanis suitable for children?"
yes. and no. it depends really...
...on the age, or maturity of the child.
The story is one of courage, honesty, honor and, most importantly, community and what it means to stand with your fellow human.
But there is some violence. I wouldn't call it gratuitous, but it is there. The story is about a family thrust into a time of war.
There is nothing I would call overtly sexual, definitely not lurid, not even suggestive. A boy realizes he loves a girl after she is kidnapped. An elf comes to have deep emotional feelings for a mysterious Archer, who is human. But nothing that would make this work rated R.
There is no profanity. Not even the made up kind. That kind of thing doesn't interest me as a writer or a reader. I find most real people who use a lot of profanity usually use it to cover how unintelligent they are. I am interested in intelligent people. Characters, in my story, appeal to the gods of their age, some may say something like "Oh, Eann!" but is a plea of desperation and not an oath, blasphemy, or curse.
The bad guys are scary. They are called 'garonds'. They're pretty much equivalent to what we know as the Neanderthal subspecies of humanity. Ape-like, but organized into efficient armies, their natural gentle nature has been twisted into a violent military by a Dark Wizard.
I don't think there isn't anything in my book that wouldn't pass on television. If you let your child watch regular TV, then my book is about that speed.
Now there are many adult themes in this book, and by 'adult' I mean 'mature', the idea of what it means to be in a nation, a family, a village. What is honor, cowardice, courage, and betrayal? These things might go right over a young child's head, but eventually, these are things that every person of quality must think about. So, I think 'that is a good thing' as Martha Stewart would say.
There is a little magic, if that offends anyone. This is, after all, a book in the genre of 'fantasy', so expect wizards, elves, magic swords, and magic beasts.
Characters die. This isn't the kind of story where everybody wins and gets to live happily ever after. That kind of story is called a fairy tale. My works are more akin to mainstream literature in that the characters are in real jeopardy in their fictional world. For this reason... you may shed a tear or two. But again, that is a good thing. People leave this world, and it's good to talk about it and think about it. It can make you cherish each other, and forgive each other, realizing how precious is this time we have.
Finally, and most importantly, this is a work of adventure, like The Wizard of Oz, The Lord of the Rings, The Martian Chronicles, Asimov's Foundation works, the book will take you away to a place that is imaginary but fully thought out. Like imagining a foreign land, this book will ignite the mind and fire the imagination.
I hope this helps.
Kurt
also I would add that I have tried to create several, very strong, female characters: two mothers, a grandmother, a young girl, and a female elf all who stand for themselves, fight as best they can, and grow and face difficulty.
Many of the fans of these books are women, and I think that is no coincidence.
The search words today were "Is the Last Elf of Lanis suitable for children?"
yes. and no. it depends really...
...on the age, or maturity of the child.
The story is one of courage, honesty, honor and, most importantly, community and what it means to stand with your fellow human.
But there is some violence. I wouldn't call it gratuitous, but it is there. The story is about a family thrust into a time of war.
There is nothing I would call overtly sexual, definitely not lurid, not even suggestive. A boy realizes he loves a girl after she is kidnapped. An elf comes to have deep emotional feelings for a mysterious Archer, who is human. But nothing that would make this work rated R.
There is no profanity. Not even the made up kind. That kind of thing doesn't interest me as a writer or a reader. I find most real people who use a lot of profanity usually use it to cover how unintelligent they are. I am interested in intelligent people. Characters, in my story, appeal to the gods of their age, some may say something like "Oh, Eann!" but is a plea of desperation and not an oath, blasphemy, or curse.
The bad guys are scary. They are called 'garonds'. They're pretty much equivalent to what we know as the Neanderthal subspecies of humanity. Ape-like, but organized into efficient armies, their natural gentle nature has been twisted into a violent military by a Dark Wizard.
I don't think there isn't anything in my book that wouldn't pass on television. If you let your child watch regular TV, then my book is about that speed.
Now there are many adult themes in this book, and by 'adult' I mean 'mature', the idea of what it means to be in a nation, a family, a village. What is honor, cowardice, courage, and betrayal? These things might go right over a young child's head, but eventually, these are things that every person of quality must think about. So, I think 'that is a good thing' as Martha Stewart would say.
There is a little magic, if that offends anyone. This is, after all, a book in the genre of 'fantasy', so expect wizards, elves, magic swords, and magic beasts.
Characters die. This isn't the kind of story where everybody wins and gets to live happily ever after. That kind of story is called a fairy tale. My works are more akin to mainstream literature in that the characters are in real jeopardy in their fictional world. For this reason... you may shed a tear or two. But again, that is a good thing. People leave this world, and it's good to talk about it and think about it. It can make you cherish each other, and forgive each other, realizing how precious is this time we have.
Finally, and most importantly, this is a work of adventure, like The Wizard of Oz, The Lord of the Rings, The Martian Chronicles, Asimov's Foundation works, the book will take you away to a place that is imaginary but fully thought out. Like imagining a foreign land, this book will ignite the mind and fire the imagination.
I hope this helps.
Kurt
also I would add that I have tried to create several, very strong, female characters: two mothers, a grandmother, a young girl, and a female elf all who stand for themselves, fight as best they can, and grow and face difficulty.
Many of the fans of these books are women, and I think that is no coincidence.
1 comment:
Also, if a parent has ANY concerns, the book is free (as of this date 7/24/2012). Download it, read it, judge for yourself. I am very involved in what media my son consumes. As a result I feel safe knowing that he has good taste, and high standards, both of which I helped instill in him. Every parent should be involved in what their child reads, watches, downloads, and listens to. And by involved I mean providing that media, consuming it themselves, and knowing what its impact might be, not just a casual awareness.
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