To multiverse or not to multiverse?
Hi, I’m Seth, the translator of First Immortal of the Sword.
Something I’ve run into, both as a reader and now as a translator, is allusions to authors’ past works. In other words, multiverses. How do you all feel about it? Do you prefer authors to build a multiverse spanning multiple novels, or do you prefer each new series to be a standalone work? What webnovel authors do you think handle multiverses best?
…and how would you like translators to handle spoilers for other works or connections to untranslated works?
As a reader, when I’ve read the author’s previous works, I appreciate the additional layers it adds to the story I’m currently reading, especially in works that aren’t sequels in the usual sense. Hunting for familiar faces and connections and trying to figure out how it all ties together can be really fun. I think IET handled the connection between Coiling Dragon and Stellar Transformations nicely. Er Gen’s works have connections you can hunt for, but still work really well as standalone novels. I’d have loved a Will Eternal even if I hadn’t read ISSTH first.
But when I’m not familiar with the author’s past works, I often find it really off-putting. Like, how much am I missing? Will there be spoilers for past works? Have I wasted my time reading something I lack the background to understand?
Even if I am familiar, I worry about how much time is going to be devoted to overarching lore that has nothing to do with the work I’m currently invested in. I know it’s not a webnovel (lol), but even though I loved the Stormlight Archive, all the Cosmere lore and connections were definitely my least favorite aspect of the series. It all felt remote and detached and I frankly just didn’t care very much. I wanted to read about Roshar!
As a translator, multiverses involve a delicate touch around spoilers (Xiao Jinyu’s previous work, the Prodigies War, this is still ongoing!) and a lot of coordinating to ensure consistent terminology. It’s nice sometimes to be able to just ask, “Hey, what should I call this guy?” But I am sometimes jealous of TLs working on standalones like Destiny in Cinders, aha.