Annoying Fantasy Trends

[Dr_Karl_R_Kroenen]

I struggle when the writer decides to dedicate sucessive chapters to a different group of characters. One bunch of hero's could be exploring the dealy mines of Uberak and reach a really cool cliff hanger point at the end of the chapter... can't wait to find out what happens to them next.... only the next chapter in the writer's telling you about some wedding on the other side of the continent that you really could not give a rats about.

Dragonlance did this so much. I like one story well told rather than 3 hit an miss affairs told in bite size chunks.

And I know I might cop some flak for this but please leave poems out of books.

 

[Mouseferatu]

I struggle when the writer decides to dedicate sucessive chapters to a different group of characters.

Really? I find it to be a very effective technique. Yes, there's a little bit of the "Argh! What's happening next?!" frustration. But as long as each of the different groups and stories are worth telling, I find it keeps the book going and keeps my interest piqued.

However, I agree with you that if one of the plotlines is cool and the others are boring, then it's a problem. But I'd say that's a problem with the book itself, not the specific technique.

 

[AdmundfortGeographer]

What annoys you when you read a fantasy novel.

Something that annoys me is the names of the ultimate bad guy gets. Why do they so often get names that reek "I'm eeevil!" What kinds of parents have such rotten judgement?

Another trend that triggers my arsonist trigger is when the author of fantasy tosses in 20th-21st century sensibilties and philosphies for which to use to preach at the reader. Not only does this cause me to dump the book, I put the author in my never-read-again list to be never trusted again.


Regards,
Eric Anondson

 

[Faerl'Elghinn]

I struggle when the writer decides to dedicate sucessive chapters to a different group of characters. One bunch of hero's could be exploring the dealy mines of Uberak and reach a really cool cliff hanger point at the end of the chapter... can't wait to find out what happens to them next.... only the next chapter in the writer's telling you about some wedding on the other side of the continent that you really could not give a rats about.

Try reading George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series (book 1 is called A Game of Thrones. You might change your opinion of this technique.

 

[Theron]

[Rant]

Many of my peeves were noted above. A personal one is when authors writing combat-heavy fantasy don't have the slightest notion of how medieval and renaissance ironmongery was used or how battles were fought. I'm not asking for encyclopedic knowledge here, and this isn't dark, secret information that only people with the proper credentials and an arcane handshake can access. Just simple stuff like:

Medieval weapons were relatively light in terms of weight. There's no such thing as a ten lb broadsword. At least not a wieldable ten lb broadsword.

Any weapon is deadly under the right circumstances. People whose business is to live and die by the sword know this and respect a poinard as much as a greatsword.

People wore armour for a reason, and it wasn't to make them look pretty and shiny. It was to keep them alive. It did this by keeping them uninjured. In a real combat situation, the first person wounded is probably the loser. If he's not hurt badly enough initially, he's slowed down enough to be picked off pretty quickly.

[/Rant]

 

[mythusmage]

Elves as anorexic pooftahs.

 

[Kesh]

*takes notes*

 

[The Other Librarian]

Is your gripe the sensibility or the preaching? I figure that in a fantasy, 2x century sensibilities are fine, maybe even warranted, as the author is trying to appeal to 21st century readers. In fact, I think this helps move the genre away from its more crapulent tropes. Too often fantasy fiction ends up using some stale generic fantasy sensibility that ends up saying nothing.

In terms of coming off as preachy, I guess that is just a failing of an author's subtlety. I agree that if you have an agenda, voice it carefully; no-one likes being pummelled with a "this is a song with a message" type approach.

Another trend that triggers my arsonist trigger is when the author of fantasy tosses in 20th-21st century sensibilties and philosphies for which to use to preach at the reader. Not only does this cause me to dump the book, I put the author in my never-read-again list to be never trusted again.

Eric Anondson

 

[Galethorn]

*Weeps as he burns his 2500-page manuscript detailing the adventures of Aeoloornwyndar, and his mighty giant-duck mount, Blackbill*

But seriously, I count myself as lucky to see so few of those gripes apply to the book I'm writing. Even better, they're all the 'bad if done badly' ones, and I'm using said elements well, in theory; Elves are wise and helpful forest dwellers who few living humans have ever seen, dwarves are surprisingly intelligent craftsmen and tacticians, there aren't any halflings, the main character is happy and well adjusted despite not being raised by his parents, and the prophecies are suitably vague and open to interpretation. Oh, and luck goes for the good guys as much as the bad guys...there's more, but I have places to do and things to go...

 

[BiggusGeekus]

I am, to this day, surprised at the number of villians who make an evil overlord mistake.

A bit of a tangent, but my favorite line in the movie Dogma was when the demon refuses to unveil his secret plan even though he thinks there is no way the heroes can do anything to stop him. The reason? "I've seen far too many James Bond movies."