Got any frequently used fantasy stock characters, plot devices or situations that get on your nerves?
In my case I get very annoyed when the supposed hero of a story succeeds pretty much exclusively because of all the help he got. Those stories where, say, the MC escapes assassins due to being hidden by friendly farmers, makes it to the forest where the elves guide him through a monster-infested area, after which he survives an encounter with an ogre solely due to a magic item given to him by a hermit, then survives an ambush by royal guards due to the rebels showing up to help him, etc. etc . . . He's less of a driving force, and more of a passenger, being knocked into various directions by others.
I find this especially grating when the hero is some variation of 'The Chosen One!!', and is supposed to be some mighty, awe-inspiring champion.
Heck speaking of 'The Chosen One!!' it also bugs me when such a character is for the most part a total putz who spends most of the story whining about how he's not the great hero, only to finally pull himself together during the final battle. A recent movie example that spring to mind is the portrayal of John Connor in Terminator 3. The future savior and leader of mankind just came across as boring and weak.
I mean, I don't want invincible Mary Sues, but if I'm going to read through a doorstopper, the main character needs to have SOME chops of his own, don't you agree? What's wrong with characters that are flawed yet impressive?
Another thing that irks me is a cast-iron prophecy predicting the victory of the good guys. You know, the one that prompts the evil tyrant to take extreme measures to prevent it, only to actually set the hero on the course of eventually destroying him. An epic victory that is apparently inevitable doesn't really seem like much of a victory to me.
A seer's prediction plays a major role in setting my MC on the path that eventually leads to victory, but the seer makes it clear that it's merely the path most likely to end well.
In my case I get very annoyed when the supposed hero of a story succeeds pretty much exclusively because of all the help he got. Those stories where, say, the MC escapes assassins due to being hidden by friendly farmers, makes it to the forest where the elves guide him through a monster-infested area, after which he survives an encounter with an ogre solely due to a magic item given to him by a hermit, then survives an ambush by royal guards due to the rebels showing up to help him, etc. etc . . . He's less of a driving force, and more of a passenger, being knocked into various directions by others.
I find this especially grating when the hero is some variation of 'The Chosen One!!', and is supposed to be some mighty, awe-inspiring champion.
Heck speaking of 'The Chosen One!!' it also bugs me when such a character is for the most part a total putz who spends most of the story whining about how he's not the great hero, only to finally pull himself together during the final battle. A recent movie example that spring to mind is the portrayal of John Connor in Terminator 3. The future savior and leader of mankind just came across as boring and weak.
I mean, I don't want invincible Mary Sues, but if I'm going to read through a doorstopper, the main character needs to have SOME chops of his own, don't you agree? What's wrong with characters that are flawed yet impressive?
Another thing that irks me is a cast-iron prophecy predicting the victory of the good guys. You know, the one that prompts the evil tyrant to take extreme measures to prevent it, only to actually set the hero on the course of eventually destroying him. An epic victory that is apparently inevitable doesn't really seem like much of a victory to me.
A seer's prediction plays a major role in setting my MC on the path that eventually leads to victory, but the seer makes it clear that it's merely the path most likely to end well.