Maps and Cast Lists in Books
Fictional maps are closely associated with fantasy novels, from Tolkien's famous illustration of Middle Earth to more recent ones in The Name of the Wind, below. I came across a map in my recent reads (not in a fantasy book, and it was a pleasant surprise) and it got me thinking about maps, cast lists and family trees, and how much these prefatory materials were effective in increasing my anticipation toward reading a book, and my enjoyment as I went on.
Epic fantasy novels are epic for several reasons, including the scope of time, space, and characters they cover. As I read, maps really help me keep track of where things are in relation to each other, but even before I read, a map tells me what the topography or climate might be like in specific places, and how the geography can potentially affect a character’s movement or personality. Having read nothing of the story yet, I already have a sense of where things will happen and where things could go wrong.
Map from The Name of The Wind by Patrick Rothfuss, (c) 2007.
A cast list can does much of the same—it preps me for what I’m heading into, and guides me through the experience. The one in The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton might illuminate little given no context, but it does set a strong and intriguing tone for the book. She calls it a “chart” with mention of planets and stars, evoking notions of astrology and mysticism. Tying these concepts to characters I’ve yet to meet and places I’ve yet to visit got me very excited to jump in. Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James has a creative one too, and if you don't mind mild spoilers, the four-page (!) dramatis personae could really whet your appetite for the book. (It also has a detailed map, and I just love a map and cast list combo).
Character chart from The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton, (c) 2013.
Though not strictly maps, mystery novels use blueprints to ground the reader to a more localized sense of place. Classics such as The Murder of Roger Aykroyd by Agatha Christie and The Chinese Orange Mystery by Ellery Queen encouraged me as a reader to consider layouts and physical distances in solving these locked-door mysteries. I did find myself regularly turning back to the blueprints every time a character claimed to be too far away from the scene of the crime.
Hotel Chancellor 22nd Floor Map from The Chinese Orange Mystery by Ellery Queen, (c) 1934.
Family sagas also benefit from prefatory materials as mentioned above. I especially enjoy the use of genealogical trees, such as the one in The Old Drift by Namwali Serpell, which follows the lives of three intertwined families in Zambia. Number One Chinese Restaurant by Lillian Li has a very thematic tree, one laid out in tables, just like a restaurant.
The boy’s family tree from The Old Drift by Namwali Serpell, (c) 2019
I can't remember the last time I saw a map or cast list in an SF work, and though they're not unheard of, they're definitely not as common (I would have loved to have a map for the Foundation books!). It's something I'm toying around with now—my current WIP is heavy on the SF but borrows from other genres, and it follows myriad characters through space and time. I think it would be fun, not to mention helpful for the drafting and revision process, to create maps and a cast list for it.