Zero's thread got me wondering. My fantasy novel is currently titled "Queen's Justice" but I've been wondering if "Deceptions and Honor" would be a better/more intriguing title. The second title distills the main conflict of the story, and isn't conflict the reason we read the story to begin with?
So, anyway, does anyone have a preference between those two? Is either one good enough that you'd pick up the book to see what it's about?
Posted by hoptoad (Member # 2145) on :
Hi DebbieKW; I don't know if it is just me but I don't like titles that make me think, 'yeah, so what?'
'Queen's Justice', sounds like a British legal term, like 'Queen's Counsel' or the like and 'Deceptions and Honour' is very bland.
I would try to be much more specif to the story like 'Liar's Sentence' or 'The Liar-Queen' or 'Rook and Arrow" (is rook used in america to denote a swindler? ) or whatever. Don't be shy to use emotive language and get creative rather than trying too hard to be clever and mysterious. Just my opinion though.
Edit: PS: I much prefer a title that refers to a 'thing' or a 'person' than to an abstract concept.
[This message has been edited by hoptoad (edited April 06, 2007).]
Posted by arriki (Member # 3079) on :
First thing that came to mind were variations. There is nothing off balance in Queen's Justice nor in Deception and Honor.
Deceptive Honors
Posted by KayTi (Member # 5137) on :
I have a preference for more concrete terms in titles. Deceptions and Honor is just a bit too abstract. What about naming the world it takes place in? Deceptions on Anorra, for example. Or Lillith's Honor...though that's somewhat overdone and could conjure images of a romance...
Posted by Robert Nowall (Member # 2764) on :
I'd stick with "Queen's Justice" over "Deceptions and Honor," but not necessarily if something better came along. Keep a good thought, and if you're unhappy with what you've got, keep looking.
(I'd post the appalling things I'm using for working titles, but it'd just clutter things up here.)
Posted by Kazuo (Member # 5374) on :
Over those two, I would choose Queen's Justice. But, from the title, I would assume a historical/political novel, not fantasy.
Posted by Dulci (Member # 5051) on :
I'd also stick with "Queen's Justice" too, although maybe tag the name of the country behind the queen or her own name after: "Demari Queen's Justice" or "Queen Ani's Justice"...actually, come to think of it, I still like the original. If you could pull a generality like "Dead Queen's Justice" that would be cool.