[Alucard]

Though fantasy is all in all great, what are some of the genre "staples" that you come across that are, well, annoying. I'll start it.

For me, the whole, "I am (insert some hard to pronounce name), son of (yet another hard to pronounce name) thing kind of gets on my nerves. It's one of those little "trademarks" that you always seem to come across, and I must say, I'm not a fan. I'd rather authors just skip over that little deal.

Got any yourself?

[SusF]

I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn. Yep he repeats that line quite often in LOTR too.

Only real pet peeve is names that I can't figure out how to pronounce. That's annoying.

Susan

[saintjon]

I'm becoming bored with assassins. Always with the damn assassins or Drizzt style cool as a cat turbo-skilled speedy fighters (there's a fight scene early on in Sea of Swords where Salvatore kind of mocks this stereotype he's helped to promote). These characters are cool but enough is enough already. Martin seems to have alleviated my stress on this issue however by making big strong knightly style fighters cool to read about again. Hooray!

[Crysania]

y'all are going to kick my behind, but I'm getting a little tired of the whole WOLF stuff. Now I LOVE LOVE LOVE the direwolves!!! Okay? But, I mean Perrin and that wolf stuff is on my last nerve. And Binabik's wolf in MST and even Fitz whom I adore and his wolf -- whom I adore...it's just... I wish it was ONLY in Hobb because I believe she does it best... and often linked with that is the Dreamroad/dreamworld thing that seems to be permeating every single book lately as well.

In Jordan, specifically I can do without another "She folded her arms beneath her breasts." and "She shifted her shawl"

Hope some future fab author reading this thread and taking notes... http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif

[saintjon]

Cool as wolves are, there are other vicious animals out there you could have some kind of spiritual bond with. Bears? (I read the Belgarion but come on, someone could do better than that). How about a serpent?
I mean, there's tons of good ideas for that sort of thing in Werewolf: The Apocalypse.

[Zsinj16]

Well, to be honest with you I really don't have any "gripes" with the fantasy genre. Although the whiny, snobby princess characters tend to annoy me sometimes, but not very badly.

[Bardos]

Wolves indeed, and any other animal-human phsycic realtionships.

[Ntschotschi]

Murderous sheep (Sara Douglass come on...)
and Killer-chicken (Goodkind), "orbs" and magical rings (give me a break) http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif

[estranghero]

Sheep and chicken? You're kidding right? http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif

[ChrisW]

Why you picking on the sheep?? Murderous pigs and all the other animals that went mad are ok but the sheep can't be Murderous? Geez you must be a sheep hater. Me tinks i'll set my killer Wombat on you!