I had a general question about that didn't necessarilly fall under any of the categories elsewhere, so I came here: what is this 'magepunk' term I keep hearing people throw around? Can anyone think of any examples of magepunk literature?
I guess I'm fascinated by about up-and-coming movements in the arts, and if the term, 'magepunk' denotes what I think it does, then fantasy could be getting even better in the near future, and that's a comforting thought. Too many Chuck Palahniuk - cultists and Science Fiction critics are insistent that it's a dead genre with nothing of import to add to Post-Modern lit, and something to revolutionize it would do good to silence their complaints.
Here's what I've gathered so far:
Any fantasy setting that -
-Makes use of a confluence of advanced technology with magic
-Features characters that are distanced from society, reclusive, and self-reliant
-Often contains more political allegories than would other settings
-Includes unusually gaudy attire, rather than the typical cloak-and-sword
-Not dominated by gods
-Deeply influenced by Moorcock's writings, revolving around characters like the "Eternal Champion" and involving multiple planes of existence
Now then, I'd say you've pretty much got it down pat. I don't really know of any literature to speak of, but a lot of the newer Final Fantasy games are good examples.
