Farmboy Saves the World!

[JoeGKushner]

The first time I read about something like this was with Magician by Raymond Feist. Then there was the whole Eddings series. Then Rand from the Wheel of Time. Oh, and who could forget Geb or Sparrowhawk from the first Earthsea book. I'm sure I'm missing a few.

Anyway, do these types of heroes still appeal to people? These farmers coming in to save the world and all that or are people enjoying the more comlex characters that come with some background already written into them like Elric?

 

[Lazybones]

This is perhaps the most common device used in fantasy fiction. It's not really that surprising, when you think about it. Many people read fantasy as an escape from a reality in which they find themselves stymied or powerless (perceived or actual) to change or improve their lives as desired. Thus a hero who rises from modest origins to do great things evokes a sense of pleasure in the reader, who can enjoy the fantasy that they, too, may someday rise from their own limited situation to accomplish great things. Particularly popular seems to be the hero who appears to be a "nothing" but then develops some abilities/magic that transforms him into someone who can shape the world around him/her. Sometimes the transition is so rapid to be almost jarring (at least to me), such as in Feist's Magician, when the hero goes from being a total wimp to a super-power mage very quickly. I don't think I ever finished that one. Ditto for the Sword of Truth series, where the hero starts out as a "humble forest guide" (TM) and turns into this avenger-type with the Ultimate Artifact who also happens to be the son of the most powerful leader in the world.

Sometimes the link between Reader and Hero is even more direct; there are several fantasy series where the protagonists are modern humans (i.e. from our world) who are placed into a fantasy setting. See Rosenberg's Guardians of the Flame and Guy Gavriel Kay's Fionavar Tapestry for example.

As you can guess from the tone of the above, I'm getting a bit tired of this particular literary style. I think it can be done in a way that isn't overbearing; for example I enjoyed GG Kay's Sarantine Mosaic duology, although the characters in that one also go from insignificance to prominent positions in the circles of power in the Empire's capital city.

This is the same phenomenon that drives the success of lotteries and game shows, IMO.

 

[Zog]

They start at level one. Throughout the long series, they grow and develop. By the end, when it's time to save the world, they are level 20+.

I'd much rather read about someone making this journey and developing than reading about a character who is introduced as epic, and just doesn't have as much space to grow.

 

[JoeGKushner]

Well, sometimes it's not that long a journey. Pug is destryoing whole armies relaitvely quickly.

And as far as 'room to grow'... that sounds like something from an NBC special. Drizzt may not have improved dramatically as a warrior but he's had some interesting adventurers. Elric actually did have a lot of intellictual/emotional growth but it cost him his soul and universe.

Being powerful does not necessarily meant stagnent does it?

 

[Crothian]

no, but character growth is something rarely seen in books these days. Character growth through gaining power has got to be one of the easiest ways to do it. Pug might have been destrying armies , but even in the latests books he is still learning how to do more and to weld the power. He makes mistakes and learns from them; there are a few series that that does not happen.

 

[drnuncheon]

Heh...Star Wars, anyone? The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings? Loyd Alexander's Prydain Chronicles? Or even the myriad Shannara books. And for the 'people from our world', don't forget C.S. Lewis' Narnia chronicles.

Anyway, it's a fairly common literary metaphor for 'coming of age'. I suspect it tends to resonate more with younger readers, who are being pushed into an increasingly more complex world that they have very little influence over. Mix that with some characters in the same situation and a healthy dose of wish-fulfillment and you've got instant appeal.

J

 

[JoeGKushner]

no, but character growth is something rarely seen in books these days. Character growth through gaining power has got to be one of the easiest ways to do it. Pug might have been destrying armies , but even in the latests books he is still learning how to do more and to weld the power. He makes mistakes and learns from them; there are a few series that that does not happen.

Latest books? In Conclave of Shadows, Talon of the Silver Hawk and King of Foxes, Pug is like a guest star. Heck, I don't remember him being in the previous trilogy that much either.

 

[Crothian]

but it mentions some of what he is doing even as a guest star nad the forming of the utra good organization etc

 

[Hand of Evil]

And the role of Arthur will be played by...

I think it is a relation tool to place the reader into the role of the hero, to be more than they are. It is also a very simple way to build a character for the reader, farmboy is easy to understand, dark knight a bit harder.

It has grown old to me but then that may be due to my age and the number of books I have read.

 

[Crothian]

like all things in books, when done well I enjoy it. It is just that many writers fail to do things well and that makes these old cliches hard to stomach.