The Bookwyrm

I've always loved stories where there's some conflict among gods. Great forces that create and destroy worlds. But, because of the laws and rules that govern them, they find themselves limited to act in meaningful capacities in certain crucial times. This is when they start almost a game of pawns, but also far more than that. Mortal beings without the full view of the scope of the conflict are guided along frustrating and seemingly impossible paths to grow and learn and achieve what a higher force predestined them to. We watch plans unfold from the eyes of the pieces, real humans with emotion and desires, but willing to set those aside - or perhaps embrace them? - in order to carry out something for the greater good. These omnipotent beings lay plans upon plans in conflicts that span eternities, but in the end it all comes down to people not that much different than us wielding the power to shape reality in order to win a conflict for good. Eternal conflicts hinging on actions that happen in the relative blink of an eye.

This is the basis for some of my favorite stories; the Cosmere, for instance, especially the original Mistborn trilogy and Stormlight. Some of my favorite video games also utilize this concept, such as The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword and the first Xenoblade Chronicles. (Though in XC1 things go slightly differently than what I've summarized above...)

If I write a story ever, I'd like it to be along these lines. I already have a rough outline for a connected universe - my own Cosmere, if you will - that has a few elements of this plotline, but is also lacking in others. Namely, gods that would operate in these parameters, and laws that govern those gods that would require them to use mortals in order for their plans to work.

...I'm not sure why I typed all of this. I like ranting. And I suppose I want to start a discussion that may give me book ideas.

But yeah. Stories like this are cool.