Can a long epic fantasy novel be without a corresponding world map?

[Mr magician]

Of course, there will still be detailed descriptions of the locations, countries, and relationships between them in the story, making it easier for readers to think about the environment of the story. However, there will not be a map of the author on the first page, and I hope this will leave more space for readers to imagine.Let each reader construct the appearance of that fantasy world's continent in their own mind.

 

[Naomasa298]

Sure, why not? Just describe the setting in relative terms. "The Mountains of Definite Doom are three days ride north of the Forest of Eternal Elven Ecstasy".

 

[Banespawn]

I'm sure there are epic fantasy novels that don't have maps, but maps are often an integral part of the story. Epic fantasies tend to take place across a large area of the world, if not the entire world, and we're talking about worlds that are completely different than the world we know.

Because these are completely different worlds, epic fantasies tend to have larger learning curves. Readers may have a lot of different place names thrown at them. Maps can help with that. Maps can also help the reader track the characters' progress for stories that contain travelogues.

I find maps to be helpful as well in writing the novel. They are a part of the worldbuilding and help to figure out where everything is in relation to everything else. I don't have to remember it all or refer to my notes. I can just look at the map and easily see the names of everything and the relative distances between each.

Personally, I don't see a benefit to not having maps. Letting the reader imagine it for themselves seems like more of a rationalization to avoid doing the work. You could create the map for yourself and then not include it in the novel if you really believe the reader's experience will be better for it.

Ultimately, you have to do what you think is best for your story. You can always add a map later if you change your mind.

 

[Stuart Dren]

You don't have to. I think epic fantasy readers tend to enjoy maps, though.

Some epic fantasies have a glossary of terms or character index too. Depends on how vast the story gets. Who was Dwayne again?

 

[X Equestris]

You can pull it off—I’m pretty sure there still isn’t an official map for the Circle of the World in Joe Abercrombie’s First Law universe—but like @Banespawn I question the value of doing so, since they’re very useful references for writers and readers alike.

IMO, the biggest value of not including a map would be the freedom to change details about bits of geography that haven’t been referenced elsewhere up to that point, which gives you flexibility when it comes to future plots.

 

[Naomasa298]

While it's not fantasy, Dune might as well be, and it's definitely epic. And there are no maps of its universe, even though it mostly happens on Arrakis or places within Arrakis.

 

[Rath Darkblade]

Like Stuart Dren said, you don't have to have a map if you don't want to. Tolkien drew a map for The Hobbit, and his son Christopher later helped him draw a map for The Lord of the Rings, because it helped him imagine the topography and keep track of locations and distances as he wrote.

Robert E. Howard hand-drew maps of the Hyborian Age, the setting for his Conan stories. He used them to ensure consistency in the geographical details and ethnological background of his Conan stories.

On the other hand, Sir Terry Pratchett didn't commission maps of the Discworld until 1993 ("The Streets of Ankh-Morpork"), about 10-11 years after he wrote the first book in the series, because he found them a limit to his imagination. But he grudgingly accepted that he had to have maps, otherwise some smart-aleck would find some tiny niggling "error" and complain.

In short (too late): you don't have to have maps if you don't want them. A map is like any author's tool (e.g. plans, beat sheets etc.). You can have one, but whether you reveal it to your readers is up to you. Let them revel in your artistic talent, or let them picture in their mind's eye what your world looks like. It's up to you.

 

[X Equestris]

Robert E. Howard hand-drew maps of the Hyborian Age, the setting for his Conan stories. He used them to ensure consistency in the geographical details and ethnological background of his Conan stories.

Which goes to show you can wring value out of maps as personal references without them ever seeing the light of day, because I’m pretty sure Howard’s originals were never published in his lifetime.

In fact, I believe the only reason we even have them is because he sent copies to P. Schuyler Miller after Miller sent him a fan map and chronology he’d worked out with a friend.

 

[Stauche Stimpson]

The only epic fantasy i've ever read was the practical guide to evil, i really needed to be switching tabs to a image of the map but all the complicated stuff about the movements of massive armies around the continent was to complicated for me to really digest as a reader.

i say a map is important if the characters are moving around the world.

 

[Mr magician]

Which goes to show you can wring value out of maps as personal references without them ever seeing the light of day, because I’m pretty sure Howard’s originals were never published in his lifetime.

In fact, I believe the only reason we even have them is because he sent copies to P. Schuyler Miller after Miller sent him a fan map and chronology he’d worked out with a friend.

Oh, I always thought Howard had made a map of Conan's world a long time ago, just like Tolkien.

 

[X Equestris]

Oh, I always thought Howard had made a map of Conan's world a long time ago, just like Tolkien.

He had a map, but as far as I know, he never had it published. All but one of the Conan stories he wrote in his lifetime were short stories, novelettes, or novellas published in Weird Tales, and the sole novel also ended up serialized there; it wasn’t and still isn’t common for additional materials like maps to be published alongside short fiction.

Also, Howard had drawn his map over a map of Europe, so the official Hyborian Age maps are based off Miller’s fan version, with some revisions to bring them in line. The Coming of Conan the Cimmerian has a scan of the copy Howard sent Miller

 

[Dante Dases]

While it's not fantasy, Dune might as well be, and it's definitely epic. And there are no maps of its universe, even though it mostly happens on Arrakis or places within Arrakis.

The edition I have has a map at the front. It has to be said, not the most referred-to of maps despite my frequent re-reads.

Going back to the original question: it's always up to you. I quite enjoy a good map, but I don't think they're absolutely essential in most cases. When I read Joe Abercrombie on the Kindle, I don't think there was a map. It wasn't any particular loss. Abercrombie's writing carried me along easily, I could put characters in their locations fairly easily, and that was a testament to the writing, which is the main point.

That being said, as a writer it can be so helpful to have a map for yourself. It can help you to work out journey times, economic connections, transport, you name it. I have one which I refer to, but it's very much for me and not my readers. If I can evoke my world without needing them to refer to a map, I've done my job. A good writer makes a map superfluous, if interesting.

 

[Naomasa298]

The edition I have has a map at the front. It has to be said, not the most referred-to of maps despite my frequent re-reads.

I have a different edition, which doesn't. I think the map is a modern addition.

 

[Dante Dases]

I have a different edition, which doesn't. I think the map is a modern addition.

It isn't! It's from the first edition in 1965. Subsequent reprintings seem to veer between its use and non-use. My version (2006 Hodder) uses it. In my UK browsings, every edition of Dune I've seen has it, but I don't know about elsewhere in the world. I had a look into it - Dorothy De Fontaine is the cartographer.

 

[Naomasa298]

It isn't! It's from the first edition in 1965. Subsequent reprintings seem to veer between its use and non-use. My version (2006 Hodder) uses it. In my UK browsings, every edition of Dune I've seen has it, but I don't know about elsewhere in the world. I had a look into it - Dorothy De Fontaine is the cartographer.

I also have a UK edition. Mine doesn't have it. I'll have to dig it out at some point.

In fact, I've never seen a map of Dune, and it hasn't detracted from enjoying the story, or making it particularly confusing. Admittedly, there aren't many different locations in it.

 

[Night Herald]

I don't see why not. I'm writing two fantasy series that are certainly both long and epic, and I don't plan on including a map with either one. It's not really feasible with all the dimension-jumping I get up to. But that could change! I love a good fantasy map, and I want to do at least some simple ones for my own use, to help with planning routes and whatnot. A map in a fantasy book is a nice bonus, but by no means an obligation if you ask me.