30 Days of Books Meme - Day 7

[uberreiniger]

Day 07 - Least favorite plot device employed by way too many books you actually enjoyed otherwise

I don't think it's a plot device per se since it rarely drives the plot forward... but it occurs often in fantasy novels and annoys me in a way that actual plot devices rarely do.

If it's a fantasy adventure and the protagonist is any kind of peasant/commoner or what have you, there will inevitably be a scene where he is musing on the fact that all his life he has wanted to go on an adventure. But now that he's on an adventure he realizes he doesn't like it because adventures are scary and full of hardship and unpleasant all around. Many authors great and small feel the need to do this, and while it may be a natural reaction for a person to have, it all sounds the same after a while.

Day 1 - A book series you wish had gone on longer, OR a book series you wish would just freaking end already
Day 02 - A book or series you wish more people were reading and talking about
Day 03 - The best book you've read in the last 12 months
Day 04 - Your favorite book or series ever
Day 05 - A book or series you hate
Day 06 - Favorite book of your favorite series OR your favorite book of all time
Day 07 - Least favorite plot device employed by way too many books you actually enjoyed otherwise
Day 08 - A book everyone should read at least once
Day 09 - Best scene ever
Day 10 - A book you thought you wouldn't like but ended up loving
Day 11 - A book that disappointed you
Day 12 - A book or series of books you've read more than five times
Day 13 - Favorite childhood book OR current favorite YA book (or both!)
Day 14 - Favorite character in a book (of any sex or gender)
Day 15 - Your comfort book
Day 16 - Favorite poem or collection of poetry
Day 17 - Favorite story or collection of stories (short stories, novellas, novelettes, etc.)
Day 18 - Favorite beginning scene in a book
Day 19 - Favorite book cover (bonus points for posting an image!)
Day 20 - Favorite kiss
Day 21 - Favorite romantic/sexual relationship (including asexual romantic relationships)
Day 22 - Favorite non-sexual relationship (including asexual romantic relationships)
Day 23 - Most annoying character ever
Day 24 - Best quote from a novel
Day 25 - Any five books from your "to be read" stack
Day 26 - OMG WTF? OR most irritating/awful/annoying book ending
Day 27 - If a book contains ______, you will always read it (and a book or books that contain it)!
Day 28 - First favorite book or series obsession
Day 29 - Saddest character death OR best/most satisfying character death (or both!)
Day 30 - What book are you reading right now?

Comments

[featherynscale.livejournal.com]

I think of that as being the "Kids, don't run away from home!" clause, and have sometimes wondered if fantasy authors were required to include it in their texts to avoid potential lawsuits against their publishers. "Little Johnny read about how much fun it was to walk a long way, and..."

[uberreiniger.livejournal.com]

It's always the farmboy-style character who has these doubts whereas soldiers, mages, and other adventuring professionals they run into along the way never do. So maybe the message is you can be an adventurer too... but only if you work hard and stay in school!

um, adventures are like HARD and stuff!

[lucretiasheart.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'd have to agree with you on that one. I think most modern people would find traipsing out in nature fighting bad guys to be very hard compared to say, a role-playing game. However!! Many of these characters from worlds where they farmed or mined or owned a tavern wouldn't be THAT spoiled. I think more of them would EXPECT real adventures to be hard, which is part of where the whole "glory- because, damn it, I SURVIVED" thing should come in.

Seriously-- stop making characters from other worlds/times be so much like US.

Re: um, adventures are like HARD and stuff!

[uberreiniger.livejournal.com]

At least you'd expect some farmboy hero to make the sensible observation that the whole crazy mess he's gotten into beats hell out of bailing hay and shoveling manure. Which it invariably always does.

Re: um, adventures are like HARD and stuff!

[lucretiasheart.livejournal.com]

Uh, YEAH! Big time! HELLO!?!

Re: um, adventures are like HARD and stuff!

[uberreiniger.livejournal.com]

To say nothing of the bodacious amounts of poontang to which heroes are entitled. You'll never get that down on the farm!

Re: um, adventures are like HARD and stuff!

[lucretiasheart.livejournal.com]

Ah-- yet another obvious thing that shouldn't be overlooked! "For those with glory, there shall be PUSSY!" Indeed yes. Of course! I mean really-- WHY even bother to go off on adventures to begin with? Do those former farm boys REALLY give a damn about saving their farms? No. Get real. A chance to gain status and with it, high quality tail has been a driving force behind male craziness since the beginnings of time. It is where adventure came from...

Why aren't you and I in charge of these things? *shakes head*

Re: um, adventures are like HARD and stuff!

[uberreiniger.livejournal.com]

Because then there would be too much poontang. Too much by far!

Re: um, adventures are like HARD and stuff!

[lucretiasheart.livejournal.com]

Oh...

Sumthin's always got to ruin the fun... |^(