Most common tropes/cliches in fantasy writing

[DelActivisto]

The most disliked at this point is probably the Chosen One cliche due to how contrived, common, and conceited it often feels. Especially if there is a Prophecy involved.

Not that any cliche necessarily weakens the story. Eragon was arguably the Chosen One in the Inheritance Cycle, but it worked all right. Mostly he was special just the only young dude with a dragon. Rand al'Thor was definitely the chosen one in the WoT series, which was also fine, but has now made people really tired of it.

Grand List of Fantasy Cliches | Silver Blade Magazine

What's your least favorite and which ones do you use anyway? And to be fair, this list is super inclusive, to the point of basically describing the entire fantasy genre. And you have to have a glowing sword in your story, or you're just not writing fantasy.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

My Abendau series was a deliberate reworking of the chosen one trope, which I passionately hate (the trope, not my reworking )

Essentially, I wanted to make the chosen one a real person, not the untouchable trope nornally presented. When he suffered, the reader needed to suffer to (I acheived that one, apparently ). But an important aspect of Abendau (all my books, to be honest) was secondary trauma. What happens to that chosen one's loved ones? How do they cope with this person who is their friend, their husband, son (well, um.... Perhaps not the best relationship to focus on, in retrospect), father...? What if the chose one can't just brush off their ordeal because of who they are.

I didn't get it all right - the first book made Kare too much of an ordinary man and took away some of the activeness needed (but book 2 and 3 more than remedied that and are my fav books written). But, as a trope, I think I did challenge it.

 

[Ihe]

SLIGHT MATRIX SPOILERS, MAYBE

I really dislike the prophecy thing. It's a very artificial plot-propeller. "The MC must go on this journey and do etc because this old papyrus says so. Period". Lame, unimaginative, and lazy, even if it has an "unforeseen twist". A prophecy is even worse if it's the self-fulfilling kind, where it not only dictates the resolution, but also most major plot points.

I guess it has a market: some people might like to know from the beginning how the story progresses and ultimately ends before even opening the book...

I still like The Matrix though, despite my slight irritation with this cliche. It doesn't get more "Chosen One of Prophecy"y than this movie, but it shows it all depends on how you handle it. The first movie worked in part because there was the theory that Neo wasn't actually the Chosen One, or at least he "knew" he wasn't, which gave more weight to his later decisions. The sequels hurt from the fact that by then, his "Chosenness" had been established and the shadow of self-doubt--a powerful internal conflict--was gone, which also derailed characterization.

The only time I would see prophecy as a viable plot element is if the story finishes with an open ending, which would give the unmovable prophecy some wiggle room to be questioned and leave readers unsettled with doubts as to the interpretation. This works for me because it shines a new light on the whole stale thing, and it gives no answers, which prophecies tend to do very definitively. This isn't the same as a twist ending where there's a different, but correct, interpretation of the prophecy. Basically, I'm arguing prophecies without unique/correct interpretations are the way to go, although that too has probably become cliche by now.

Some would argue that The Matrix trilogy is one such story, but I don't know if that was the creators' intention. Some believe Neo was not, in fact, the Chosen One, and there are very convincing arguments that point to his nemesis Smith. This fan theory alone makes up for the needlessly convoluted storytelling up to that point.

 

[allmywires]

The Chosen One.....erghhhh. Done to death and ultimately, I think, one of the least rewarding character journeys you can offer a reader (bland boring Big Hero Joe has everything handed to him, no particular skills/skills far beyond level of training, everyone for some reason worships the ground he walks on and is willing to sacrifice their infinitely more interesting lives for him to succeed... I could go on). Similar to Jo's point, I like a hero with grey areas, a bit rough round the edges. Chosen One just doesn't tick any boxes for me at all.

My second least favourite fantasy cliche is definitely the medieval setting -- Tolkien can be blamed for a lot of this, of course. If I look at a book's blurb and the world is set in yet another pseudo-mediaeval, feudal world, I won't even start reading it.

 

[DelActivisto]

I'm challenging the Chosen One trope as well, although I'm basically ignoring it. In a way, most fantasy stories are Chosen One tropes because, well, the story focuses on the MC, who logically tends to have to most interesting plot in the story. That doesn't mean they've been Prophesied however, which is basically unforgivable.

The MC is gifted with an extremely advanced form of magic usage that protects him from a wide variety of normal magical attacks, and makes him as powerful as the reborn Dark Lord. But he's inexperienced, so any escapes on his part are purely from luck or coincidence. (My magic source is sentient and doesn't like the Dark Lord, which helps.) I've also written really bad poems and sort-of prophecies which can be misconstrued, skewed, and manipulated to everyone's desire. (Kinda like Info Wars.) We'll see how it goes.

And my Dark One dresses in white, is sophisticated, well educated, articulate, and doesn't cause unnecessary harm to anyone. He just wants to destroy all of society, that's all.

 

[DelActivisto]

My second least favourite fantasy cliche is definitely the medieval setting -- Tolkien can be blamed for a lot of this, of course. If I look at a book's blurb and the world is set in yet another pseudo-mediaeval, feudal world, I won't even start reading it.

Isn't a medieval setting practically a requirement for fantasy writing?

 

[R.T James]

Isn't a medieval setting practically a requirement for fantasy writing?

*urban Victorian fantasy steampunk writer taps his foot judgingly*

Medieval settings don't float my boat. There's things I just don't like about them. Maybe it's the blind preconceived notions that are just agreed upon. Oh right the tropes and clichés.

While not exactly related to medieval fantasy it is something which causes my blood to boil. To such an extent it is a borderline issue.

Streampunk set in either London or Paris and romanticing imperialism. Also gears which serve no purpose.

If you say Gear Motif, or pattern, or decoration in something. I'll go with it. But lawl it has gears it's steampunk will get you a pleasant view of a gloved fist.

The setting thing is s big issue for me as people have attacked my writing saying why don't I just set it in Paris.

*contains urge to pull out brass powder pistol.*

The chosen one trope is pretty bad.

There's a trope I hate with a passion. This set up of events.

Bad guy takes hostage. Loved one childhood friend, old lady with a pan of cookies what ever. And of course the hero who just murdered enough people to create a new cemetery without breaking a sweat, gives in and surrenders.

I.... hate.... this!

That is why if I use this trop the bad guy is being dropped before he can even speak.

That whole hostage thing is over used, and honestly the bad guy will still kill the hostage. No matter what!

Actually hostages are a trope I do not like, that includes damsel in distress.

If you take the hostage trop and flip it around some how make it become different or do me a favour and Murder the person taking the hostage I enjoy it.

But that's a very much of a hate of mine. I can and will probably think of more.

 

[Abernovo]

Isn't a medieval setting practically a requirement for fantasy writing?

Not really. It's fantasy.
It does not necessarily have to be mediaeval, or even European, in its setting. You could set it in a Roman or Ancient Greek style society. I've seen fantasy set in Chinese and Japanese settings. Aliette de Bodard had an Aztec Empire setting. Just as there's Afrofuturism in sci-fi, there is African fantasy. Australasia and Native North America are viable for fantasy setting. Care needs to be taken, though, as some of those have been badly used by ill-informed, and often frankly racist, stereotypes.

As @R.T James points out, there is also post-mediaeval fantasy, and Urban Fantasy.

 

[The Big Peat]

Isn't a medieval setting practically a requirement for fantasy writing?

Its the most common one overall, but no, absolutely not. Or Urban Fantasy aka Probably the biggest Fantasy subgenre wouldn't exist.

Any time, any place does. Hell, I'd argue that currently, its not even the most common setting in Trad Fantasy, as most worlds seem to be trending to early Renaissance. Which is somewhat pedantic but right is right and all that

Also, if people are tired of the Chosen One, then I'm not sure how Harry Potter/Game of Thrones got so popular. Admittedly, if I had a quid for every person I'd seen complaining about it, I'd have a good grand or so minimum... but if I had a quid for everybody who'd brought it, I'd be a billionaire.

 

[DelActivisto]

That's true guys, thanks for pointing those out. Helps me widen my horizons. I guess I've just always had a preference for medieval settings - I even listen to medieval style music and apparently enjoy renaissance fairs. I tend to heavily dislike urban fantasy because I heavily dislike cities. The town I live in now is a different story - there's so many trees everywhere you can't tell where the city and the parks begin or end.

And yeah, I can easily see setting a novel of any sort in Africa or aboriginal Australia quickly devolving into a racist stereo boom box if someone isn't careful. Probably best to actually live there for a little while before writing such a scenario, or reading about anthropology a lot. I really enjoy an anthropology class I took last semester - really widened my eyes about the level of diversity in Africa and other areas that still have tribes and hunter gatherer societies. (I've got a real soft spot for hunter gatherer tribes like the Batek.)

 

[The Big Peat]

Tbh I've always regarded medieval Asia/Africa as still medieval. But I can see why some don't. Certainly there's a big difference in the prevalence of medieval Europe and medieval Anywhere Else... hell, there's a big difference in the prevalence of Medieval North & North-Western Europe and medieval Everywhere Else in Europe. I've probably read more books set in Asia than I have the rest of Europe recently.

Hell, there's some Fantasy in Space out there. There's always an argument about whether these things are Fantasy or Sci-Fi... I tend to go with both. Sci-Fan.

 

[Mouse]

There's a lot of "my whatever's better than your whatever" going on here. Who really cares? If people like writing/reading whatever trope set in whatever world they like, then what's the problem?

I'll read 'chosen one' stuff if it's well written, has decent characters and a good plot. Same as I'll read anything. I'll write it too, if I feel like it.

 

[Cathbad]

"You are the Chosen One!"

"It is your... destiny!"

I've decided to stop reading any book using these phrases.

 

[BAYLOR]

The Damsel in distress

 

[BAYLOR]

"You are the Chosen One!"

"It is your... destiny!"

I've decided to stop reading any book using these phrases.

But if eliminate that, you might as well eliminate 90 percent of the fantasy books on the shelves. There would be almost nothing left to read.

 

[Cathbad]

But if eliminate that, you might as well eliminate 90 percent of the fantasy book on the shelves. There would be almost nothing left to read.

Exactly!!

 

[The Big Peat]

I'll echo Mouse. If its written well, I'll read it. Even sexual assault as consequences/motivation. I always feel bemused by all this talk of hating this trope or that trope...

... then I start planning stories about the ones people complain about the most.

edit: I would add to this 95% of inversions/twists/etc.etc basically read just like the trope.

 

[R.T James]

I went to Australia and spent time with the aborigines. Wonderful people, I was the only one who could understand the village elder and he liked me painting the walking stick I found the way I did. Carried that stick through out my travels there. Had to leave it outside of the airport. So if there's still a painted stick sticking out of the ground outside of Darwin Airport let me know.

I'll give you my address and I'll pay for shipping.


I don't like modern cities either, but you can have an urban fantasy be different.

I argue heavily you can set an urban fantasy in any time from 1700-2xxx

My story is set up with heavy influence of Victorian era novels. French novels heavily influenced me in character actions and aesthetic.


I do not like revenge as a motivation as it usually segueways into another trop.

Death of family finds out chosen one.

Revenge for mentor character slayed by dark lord.

Etc etc.

Now if you have revenge blind a character till they lose sight of themselves and everything in the world. Then I'll bring out the popcorn, but if revenge is the plot and motive you've lost me.

Unless you do something different.

I like differences.

Heck if you gave the chosen one trop to a really screwed up person I'd read it.

Actually isn't that the plot of Army of Darkness?

 

[DelActivisto]

There's a lot of "my whatever's better than your whatever" going on here. Who really cares? If people like writing/reading whatever trope set in whatever world they like, then what's the problem?

I'll read 'chosen one' stuff if it's well written, has decent characters and a good plot. Same as I'll read anything. I'll write it too, if I feel like it.

It wasn't my intention to prop any trope up over others or downplay them. They can all be done well or badly. But if a book opens like this, I put it down:

"The Hobgoblin looked across the landscape. The elves and dwarves were finally united in harmony and were ready to meet with the Goblin race.
'This will be excellent!' said the Hobgoblin's suspiciously short humanoid friend that was absolutely NOT a hobbit.
'Indeed! Such a glorious day when we have the chosen one at our disposal and the trolls, orcs, and other races that exist purely for comic relief have been decimated!'"

And believe me, a lot of D&D fiction basically reads like that.

 

[The Big Peat]

It wasn't my intention to prop any trope up over others or downplay them.

It does seem a fair interpretation that asking what people's least favourite tropes are might be looking for negative opinions on tropes...