Zelda Dungeon Talks: Would You Like To See Zelda Spawn It’s Own Novel Series?
Posted on April 19 2016 by Josh Tasaico
The Legend Of Zelda is a series with a very rich and deep narrative. The story behind each game and how they link together is truly one of the chains that make the series whole. To be completely honest I think a Zelda novel series would be great. I imagine that the best way they could do it would make a book for each game, going chronologically starting from Skyward Sword. If this was the way they decided to go then the timeline split would make the series even more interesting to read. All in all, I honestly think this is a great idea.
In this week’s edition of Zelda Dungeon Talks, various staff members will share with us whether or not they think a Zela novel series is a good idea and why they believe so. As always feel free to share you own opinion in the comments.
Jon Lett – View Profile
I feel like there are endless points of interest in the series that could be made into a whole novel, or even a series of novels with similar themes. Personally, I would like a detailed lore book on points between games, or even preceding the whole series. Lore and history on places other than Hyrule would be especially cool, as we do not hear much Holodrum, Labrynna, Termina, and Lorule history in the games that feature them. As a big fan of Lorule itself, I would love to see a full story about Lorulian legends, the lead up to A Link Between Worlds, or the aftermath of the return of its Triforce. There is certainly a lot to explore, and a novel or series of novels presents a great opportunity to delve deeper into this, and other locales from the series abroad.
Kevin O’Rourke – View Profile
A Zelda novel could focus on some new aspects of Hyrule and focus on a specific set of characters. What’s great about a novel series is that it could be entirely separate from the games and not have to be centered around a particular installment in the Zelda series. A novel that takes a look at the lore surrounding one of the races or interaction between races in the Zelda series would be interesting to see. Having a companion novel to a new installment in the series would be a great addition as well. Bundling that with a game would be a great way to boost sales and give players a chance to experience something that may not be able to be told in the form of a game. I’m all for there being a Zelda novel series.
Alexis Anderson – View Profile
Yes, yes, yes! You guys know that it’s the intricate plot of each of these wonderful games that makes me absolutely head-over-heels for them, and that would translate well into the written word. I had an editorial series (Piece of Heart) that analyzed elements from the series from a literary perspective, so I know that a Zelda novel would be chock-full of material that is ripe for annotation. Additionally, the gorgeous settings and landscapes in the Zelda series often have symbolic or thematic significance in and of themselves, so well written descriptions of them within a text would also have literary merit. I’d be interested to see which game or which characters a writer would select to form the basis of a Zelda novel (I myself think Link’s Awakening or Majora’s Mask may be best). And of course we’d have to consider whether the book was aimed more at bringing the reader on an adventure or presenting strong messages through analysis of the writing. Would it be plot centered, or character development centered? Would it be in the first person perspective so the reader could finally get an in-depth look at Link’s perception of his journey, or in third person and perhaps not focused around Link at all? The possibilities are endless and the series can be adapted in a multitude of ways, but if I make one thing clear I want it to be that I would read the life out of any serious Zelda novel produced.
