naanima: (Default)
witty, somehow ([personal profile] naanima) wrote2003-04-03 08:58 pm

Tales I want to Read

There are certain types of characters and themes in stories that I'm more attached to than others. Lead characters and the fulfillment of their dreams/quest/hopes are one re-occuring theme that I fall for everytime (given that the writing is good). It's the chance to see the young heroes change, to see them mature that lures me to their stories.

In other words, it isn't the destination, but the journey and its effect on the hero that I'm fascinated with. You see, at the beginning the young hero will be brash, often obnoxious, although still kind. Above all, he MUST have a dream, a hope that he want more than anything else in life. So he go out into the real world to achieve this dream. And that's when the fun begin ^__^

Perhaps it's destiny, perhaps it's their sheer will and charisma, whatever it amy be people will come to them for inspiration, for protection. And the hero will help, because he's the sort of guy whom you'd give your life too, because he sure will give up his life for you. And really, he has.

I want to see them experience new things, meet lasting friends and know suffering. People they love will die, people they trust will betray them, and sometime the two are the same. I want to see the experience change them; make them harder, colder, and more ruthless. They'll kill, not because they want to but because they have to, lives depend on him, and sacrifices have to be made. Yet, despite the changes, they are still kind, and much more forgiving than they should be, but that's why I love them in the first place.

And after the dust have settled, and the evil have been vanquished, and the people that can be saved have been saved, he will be offered power, recognition, a chance to rule. All the things that he had wanted before the adventure began, but it won't do anymore, he has changed, he have experienced loss, and instead of giving them a formal answer, he'll sneak away into the sunset without telling anyone.

The young boy has matured beyond his years, and the experience he has gained on his journey has changed him forever from that brash youth into someone sadder, and so much more dangerous. After all he has done, after all that he has experienced, all he want is to live in peace, to live in annoymousity.

So, I want tales of change, of innocence to maturity tainted by sadness, love, and the experience of a gruelling quest. I don't want the endings of heroes living as kings ruling his country. I want an ending where the hero leaves behind the petty squabbling, the rule of a land and take on a journey to see the world, to experience new things, to live. And maybe with him will be one of his companions that accompanied him on the quest, someone who understand him, someone who loves him for who he is; not the hero, but the person, someone who will journey with him through the lands, a companion until his dying day.

That is the type of story I want to read.

[identity profile] worldserpent.livejournal.com 2003-04-03 10:39 am (UTC)(link)
You know, I hate to just be a random sl0rer for my latest fave fantasy, but this sounds a heck of a lot like Robin Hobb's Assassin series.

[identity profile] naanima.livejournal.com 2003-04-03 07:15 pm (UTC)(link)
It does, probably why I liked the series despite Hobb's writing style (she tend to babble when she could get to the point in two paragraphs), but then again, as I often do, I read it for the main character. And dear Fitz fits in with quite a few categories as my fav character type, except I find him slightly too angsty at times. While I like angst I want my heroes to have the ability to climb out of the pit with their own two hands and go and kick major arse.

The Fool also made it worth reading ^___^ (wishes for Fitz/Fool slash).

Have you tried reading Janny Wurt's Wars of Light and Shadow series? Half brothers at war because of a curse, immortality, much fighting, and the hero suffers so nicely (and one of his titles is Master of Shadow, how can you not like some with a name like that ^^)
ext_73923: (Default)

[identity profile] amei.livejournal.com 2003-04-04 07:02 am (UTC)(link)
Bahaha apparently there will -be- no Fitz/Fool slash, since RH has requested no fanfiction be written on her books... =(

Kristi however, has written some anyways...TT__TT Good shit too.

(I still believe the Fool is female, for some strange, strange reason.)

Yanno, I never could pull through the Wars of Light and Shadow,
possibly because I am a wank who keeps reading "Lysaer" as "Lychee".
--" .. absolutly impossible to take seriously when the anti-hero becomes a small red fruit in your head.

Cycle of Fire was good. Tean (Taen?) kicked ass imho.

[identity profile] naanima.livejournal.com 2003-04-05 08:06 am (UTC)(link)
Why do authors always ask that? It's just strange. But thank you for the hint, I shall go and read Kristi's fics ^__^

And you are right, Fool does come across as a female (later on in the series anyway). There's jsut somethign fundamentaly feminine about 'it' (probably the book covers).

reading "Lysaer" as "Lychee".

You do realise I'll never be able to read Lysaer's name without snickering again, right? Just making sure you realise your guilt.

Oh yeah, Cycle of Fire was fucking Kewl! (I really can't remember if it was Tean, or Taen) ALthough I like 'Wars of Light and Shadow' bettwe, mainly because of the scale of the story. It's really ambitious, and Arithorn tickle my fancy ^^

[identity profile] worldserpent.livejournal.com 2003-04-04 02:48 pm (UTC)(link)
Fitz is a bit too self doubting and nonambitious to kick arse like that, and when he does, it usually turns out badly, like the Regal assassination plot.

I've been told I should read Janny Wurts before. ::puts it on list::

[identity profile] naanima.livejournal.com 2003-04-05 08:00 am (UTC)(link)
it usually turns out badly, like the Regal assassination plot.

Can we say Major Fuck Up? I couldn't remember if I was wincing or screaming at the cruelty of it all.

The nonambitious aspect I can take, and even respect, but the boy need some major work on his self esttem (not that you can really blame him). It's just that I can see him do such great and wonderful things if he was just bit more ruthless, or a bit more confident. Then again, if he was more everything I probably would've really disliked him. It's jsut so hard to satisfy me *sighs*

Janny Wurts is good despite Amei's association of Lysear's name with 'Lychee' not that I blame her, although most of the time I just think of him as 'justice boy'. Moving on, I find Wurts' style to be quite poetic at times (which I hate in certain novels), but I'm so obsessed with Arithorn (the guy is a master bard, prince, pirate, magician, and angst monkey, I love him to bits ^__^) that I just devour everything she writes in relation to him.

[identity profile] perseid.livejournal.com 2003-04-04 05:12 pm (UTC)(link)
Ah yes.
Have you read Animality yet? ^^

[identity profile] naanima.livejournal.com 2003-04-05 07:52 am (UTC)(link)
YES. YES. YES. I WANT her to write FASTER, we must join together to think of ways to make her write. Since death threats defeat the purpose, think bribes will work? But, god damn I want her brain (well her writing style), there's so much going on, and ALL done in an understated way that just make me HAPPY!! She needs to write more. More!!