SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion

When a book has many characters with unfamiliar (especially non-Earth) names, do you appreciate a cheat sheet (e.g., a Preface), giving some idea of who's worth keeping track of? Or do you find that spoiler-ish or otherwise annoying?

I prefer them in the back of the book - so that they don't give away anything about the character in advance of the text. Then, if I need to refer to it, I can choose to, but I haven't stumbled across a name that hasn't yet been introduced in the story.

I remember consulting the one in the back on GRRM's so I don't mind but would rather at the back so it doesn't 'spoiler' me.

moved thread to correct folder.

Also, I don't mind a list of character up front. The whole Dramatis Personae deal.

But anything in-depth I'd prefer safely tucked in the back of the book.

It depends on the book. Those with numerous characters with strange names or those with linguistic difficulties, like Gaelic names, I want a dictionary with pronunciations and descriptions. I don't care where it is, as long as it's easy to find.

I remember the name list at the beginning of Kushiel's Dart and I just sort of did this eyeroll of sorts.

It spoiled some things and annoyed me just on the basis that even before I began it I was being saddled with a plethora of details to keep in mind.

As an editor who can't even remember his own name half the time, I try to discourage authors from throwing a plethora of names at the reader all at once. Each important character should be introduced with enough action and story centered around that character to "set" him/her in the reader's mind -- and if the character goes away for a while, when re-introduced there should be enough additional information to refresh the reader's memory.

Shanshad wrote: "I remember the name list at the beginning of Kushiel's Dart and I just sort of did this eyeroll of sorts.

It spoiled some things and annoyed me just on the basis that even before I began it I was being saddled with a plethora of details to keep in mind. "

That's why I skip over them and just start the book. If while I'm reading I stumble across a name I can't quite place, then I'll go to the list and read what it says for that one character. I think that's what the authors normally intend the list to be used for anyway. I won't read an introduction if it discusses plot points either. I can always go back and read it after I finish the rest of the book. I don't get hung up on the location of these things- no one is forcing you to read them first.

I will read the pronunciation guide if there is one, though. I hate having to guess how an especially unusual name should be pronounced.

Yeah, I like pronunciation guides, but I skip over the other lists. If the author doesn't do a good enough job of making the character stick in my mind, I'm not coming out of "immersion" to check any list.

I completely agree with the back of the book rule, but if you need to constantly check it, then the author has not done a great job with characterization. The feel and voice of a character should be recognizable in reading. I know the giant sagas of 10 books or more do need a guide just for memory purposes, but maybe thats why I have generally stopped reading those really long sagas.

Marissa wrote: "I completely agree with the back of the book rule, but if you need to constantly check it, then the author has not done a great job with characterization. The feel and voice of a character should ..."

I agree with this, but I generally would rather not have to use a "cheat sheet" at all. Sometimes it is nice to have if a book in a series is published a long time after its predecessor, but I would like to have the story flow easily once I start reading without having to stop to look something up.

I definitely use a cheat sheet when it's provided. Has to be at the back of the book though. I've been very slowly working my way through Wheel of Time, and the lists in the back have been invaluable. I don't look everything up, but the time between character appearances can be so long that sometimes you just need a reminder.

I rather dislike them. if author is unable to make you remember his characters without this list, it just indicates his inadequacy as a writer. as for pronunciation it's better to indicate it with a delicate footnote than a big sheet in the end of a novel. I had a dreadful experience with Bakker's "The Darkness That Comes Before" when it turned out that I've been reading half of character's names the wrong way. and I found it out only after reading 600 pages...

Iahel wrote: "I rather dislike them. if author is unable to make you remember his characters without this list, it just indicates his inadequacy as a writer. as for pronunciation it's better to indicate it with ..."

I can't imagine why I would need a sheet for pronouncing a character's name in a specific way. I pronounce them the way I want to pronounce them. The author's reasons or preferences should have nothing to do with the way I read it. The only place where it could matter is if two characters have names that are pronounced the same and it matters to the story, in which case it should be brought out in the story.