Annoying Fantasy Trends

[Dark Jezter]

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?

True. If you live in a fantasy setting and your parents name you someting like "Damien Bloodreaver", I think you're pretty much destined to become an evil overlord.

 

[Tinker Gnome]

Hmmm, now that I think about it nothign will really turn me away from a fantasy novel unless for some reason I deem it boring.

 

[Sado]

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."

Thanks for posting that BG. I've been trying to find that list again for a while and forgot where it was.

 

[Neumannium]

I completely hate, and will not read books where the protagonist is a farmer who has no idea of his powers or ability.

I mean how stupid is the 'I've lived my whole life as a simple farmer, but now I'm the most powerful wizard/warrior on the planet' crap. Ugh. I get sick even thinking about it.

This means Rand al'Thor from Jordan, and the loser whatshisname from Goodkind.

You might say, "What about Tolkien -- Frodo was a simple hobbit..."...

This is true, but he was a simple hobbit throughout the books. He didn't suddenly turn into Galdalf with a vertical deficiency.

I'm so angry now, I'll have to go read some George R.R. Martin to soothe myself....

Neumannium

 

[Desdichado]

Most of the things mentioned here are only pet peeves if done badly, so I won't pick on them overmuch.

I do hate the thees and thous, especially from people who don't do it right! I mean, c'mon! Can't you browse a few chapters in the King James Bible, or Spencer's Faerie Queen or something to make sure you're not theeing and thouing incorrectly? I've seen so many books where the subject pronoun is used as an object, and it really gets on my nerves.

I'm not a huge fan of poor farmer boy who's really the chosen one, but it's been done well, even recently. Even Jordan's first few books were really good with that genre cliche, before he started spinning his wheels.

And another real pet peeve is evil Overlords who have evil Overlord names, with variations of dark or blood or somesuch in their names.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I hate it:

when the author references a historical occurrance (in the case of historical fantasy) and gets the chronology wrong.

when villains "aren't dead yet."

the hero REPEATEDLY does the impossible.

when multiple supporting cast good characters get into nearly identical struggles with bad guys in completely different parts of the book- see Steven King for egregious examples of this.

 

[drothgery]

when villains "aren't dead yet."

This one can be done pretty well, actually; see Glen Cook's Black Company novels.

 

[drothgery]

And another real pet peeve is evil Overlords who have evil Overlord names, with variations of dark or blood or somesuch in their names.

I always assumed evil Overlords with Evil Overlord names were using assumed names, so this one never bothered me much.

 

[LiKral]

I completely hate, and will not read books where the protagonist is a farmer who has no idea of his powers or ability.

I mean how stupid is the 'I've lived my whole life as a simple farmer, but now I'm the most powerful wizard/warrior on the planet' crap. Ugh. I get sick even thinking about it.

Wow, I thought I was the only one with this problem! Everyone I know that likes fantasy thinks I am crazy for that reason.
I love fantasy but there are so many darned farmboys. So, really, I love fantasy but I only actually like Tolkien and G. R. R. Martin.
I think one of the problems for me is that the farmboys are always so bland. They are heroic and good and blond and humble, and the best swordsman/mage in the land besides. They never have any weaknesses and there is nothing at all interesting about their characters. Even GRRM has this problem with the character of Jon. I wish for Jon to die in some bloody and pointless way.
It is Luke Skywalker syndrome.

 

[KenM]

Book series' that go on and on. *cough WHEEL OF TIME cough* "It will only be two more books, I promise": RJ, Right. :\