Abstract
Worldbuilding is an integral part of the science fiction and fantasy genres. A major challenge of these genres is introducing the setting to readers in a way that is natural and doesn’t overwhelm them. This can be done through a reader surrogate character, a character that is either new to the setting (such as Neo in the Matrix) or of the world, but separate from it in a meaningful way (such as Luke Skywalker in Star Wars). For Black Library, each book must be assumed to be a reader’s first dip into the 40K universe, making this character especially important.
Compounding this is another issue particular to wargaming literature, the need to have stakes for the narrative, while maintaining a status quo for the players’ games. This is particularly difficult with named characters, who, by necessity, cannot die or meaningfully change, eliminating danger and stakes from any book being read.
To solve both of these challenges, many 40K novels take advantage of including multiple point of view characters. This literary technique, known as the ensemble in theater and film, and multiperspectivity in literature, frees the authors, allowing them to set personal desires, needs, and losses for multiple characters. While we expect the setting to stay the same after reading a novel set in the Warhammer universe, the individual characters can have their entire worlds (figuratively and literally) changed through the course of the story. Multiperspectivity also ensures that there can always be at least one reader surrogate character.
This presentation will explore how Black Library authors use multiperspective storytelling to ensure that every novel can be a first introduction to the Warhammer universes and as a way of incorporating stakes into their novels.
Author bio
Gary Maixner is a librarian, game designer, and miniature wargaming enthusiast. In the past he has presented on such topics as game-based learning, vampire representation in wargaming, and rapidly prototyping games.
Gary is also joined for this presentation by Jason Peercy.
