Fantasy Novel Cliches: A Guide to Avoiding the Trope Traps When it comes to the world of fantasy novels, cliches can often be a stumbling block for both authors and readers. While some cliches can be comforting and familiar, others can feel overused and stale. In this article, we will explore some common fantasy novel cliches and recommend fresh and exciting alternatives for readers looking for something new. 1. The Chosen One: One of the most prevalent cliches in fantasy novels is the concept of the Chosen One - a character who is destined to save the world. While stories with this trope can be entertaining, they have become overly predictable. Instead, readers searching for a different approach might enjoy novels like "The Lies of Locke Lamora" by Scott Lynch, where ordinary characters find themselves in extraordinary situations without a predetermined destiny. 2. Medieval Europe-inspired Setting: The classic medieval Europe-inspired setting is undoubtedly a staple in fantasy novels. However, readers craving something outside this mold might find joy in novels like "City of Stairs" by Robert Jackson Bennett, which presents a world inspired by a mix of Eastern European and Asian cultures, offering a fresh and unique setting. 3. Dark Lords and Evil Empires: The age-old battle between the noble heroes and the evil Dark Lord can sometimes become repetitive. For readers seeking a different take, "The Poppy War" by R. F. Kuang provides a nuanced exploration of power, war, and the human capacity for darkness, delving into the consequences of ambition and moral ambiguity. 4. The Wise Old Wizard: While the wise old wizard trope adds a touch of mysticism, it has been prevalent in countless fantasy novels. For those who would like a break from this archetype, "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss introduces readers to a magical world where the protagonist's power lies not in his knowledge but in his intelligence and resourcefulness. 5. Damsels in Distress: The damsel in distress trope, where female characters often serve as a mere plot device, is slowly being replaced by strong and independent female leads. If you are interested in reading about a powerful and complex heroine, try "The Fifth Season" by N.K. Jemisin. This novel features a diverse cast of female protagonists who challenge traditional gender roles within a richly imagined world. In conclusion, while fantasy novels often rely on certain cliches to create a sense of familiarity, deviating from these tropes can lead to a more immersive and compelling reading experience. By exploring novels that offer fresh perspectives, dynamic characters, and unique settings, readers can discover a whole new realm within the fantasy genre. Remember, sometimes the most exciting adventures lie beyond the beaten path of cliches.
Zhao Wu traveled through the world of Great Qin, originally intending to live a leisurely life as a playboy, marrying several beautiful wives and concubines for a carefree and happy existence. However, unexpectedly, a grand ranking list emerged called the "Gold List of the Great Dao." Those who made it onto the Gold List were all rewarded with great achievements in the Dao. The first list was the Divine Sword List. The first-ranked person would receive the Dragon God Sword, while the second-ranked person would receive an extraordinary sword... Ying Zheng exclaimed, "What? My Tianwen didn't make it into the top ten? The top ten holders are all Martial Gods?" The second list was the Legion List. The first-ranked person would possess the Undying Divine Soldier, while the second-ranked person would possess the Invisible Ghost Soldier... Meng Tian couldn't believe it, "How is this possible? My Golden Fire Cavalry didn't make it into the top ten? There is not a single legion from the empire in the top ten?" The third list was the Peerless Beauty List. The first-ranked person would be the Flame Spirit Concubine, the second-ranked person would be the Snow Maiden, the third-ranked person... The fourth list was the Assassin List. The first-ranked person was the Fiery Empress, the second-ranked person was the Startled Water Nymph, the third-ranked person...
92.46 Million words | 2022-05-04 09:18Update
Endless chaos, the rise and fall of myriad realms. In the Purple Yin Realm, demons run rampant, causing chaos for all living beings. Yet there are also celestial clans and sects, supporting the propagation of the human race. Chen Nian, carrying a scripture from a past life, reincarnates as a disciple of the Chen Celestial Clan, embarking on a difficult path of cultivation, striving for eternal enlightenment. PS: This book consists of over a million words, with almost ten thousand loyal subscribers. The quality is guaranteed, so feel free to follow along.
375.25 Million words | 2021-11-09 12:08Update
The character is Sun Wukong, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, but the story is not "Journey to the West"... Also, what's the relationship between Wu Cheng'en and the Six-Eared Macaque?
7.46 Million words | 2022-01-31 10:37Update
Difficult to Escape From Ghost Husband, Mistress Has a Dark Pregnancy Latest Chapters, Difficult to Escape From Ghost Husband, Mistress Has a Dark Pregnancy No Pop-ups, Difficult to Escape From Ghost Husband, Mistress Has a Dark Pregnancy Full Text Reading...
172.09 Million words | 2022-08-17 02:21Update
Did the top special forces soldier die after falling into the sewer? No, he just arrived in another world to write a legend! With a unique soul and body, and a unique way of cultivation. Mage? Warrior? Or assassin? Following in the footsteps of the ancient supergod mage, witness how Qin Long ascends to the
156.53 Million words | 2022-02-09 07:01Update
Mysterious sea of fog. Breeding gu, controlled by gu. This is a world where gu masters the universe. You captured the Iron Skin Gu, obtained the source of Iron Skin Gu, and became the Iron Man. You captured the Bloodthirsty Gu, obtained the source of Bloodthirsty Gu, and activated rage. You captured the Flying Immortal Gu, obtained the source of Flying Immortal Gu, and exuded immense power. You captured the Qilin Gu, obtained the source of Qilin Gu, and possessed Qilin arms. Beauties? Sorry, I'll smash you first with my Qilin arms! Absorbing gu sources, strengthening oneself. A different gu world! q group, not [fan fiction]...
126.27 Million words | 2022-03-14 10:01Update
A sword rises in the east, as the sun and moon set in the west. The divine spirit returns to stillness, while myriad immortals submit. Demons dance in frenzy, engulfing the world in chaos. I wield a sword, to conquer the boundless realms. … The heavens have perished. In the next life, I wish to become an immortal. In this life, I choose to become a demon, only to seek harmony and righteousness to prevail! … From the shattered Earth of the final era, I traversed across the starry sea, carrying the legacy of the Green Ping Sword. Qinghe, it is time to take up the sword and astonish the world.
516.09 Million words | 2022-12-24 23:19Update
Cruel and cunning, the slaughterers from the eternal star river are unstoppable green plagues, wielding innate will and talents. They are weapons, they are flames! When the first Ork emerges from the soil, the entire world is fated to tremble under an unprecedented WAAAG
280.38 Million words | 2021-04-13 19:42Update
After an inexplicable car accident, I crossed over to a fictional dynasty, only to wake up and find that my purity had been taken by a man. Afterwards, I was banished to the cold palace, where I learned that this man was my husband. After finally escaping, I unexpectedly encountered my husband again, but he couldn't recognize me and claimed to love me? Is it a blessing or a curse that our paths crossed in this vast sea of people? He loves me but has never believed in me. He loves me but still desires absolute power... Are all the men in the palace wearing masks?
112.61 Million words | 2021-06-01 21:55Update
Unyielding like a dragon's body! Sinister and demonic star soul! Brilliant and dazzling killing techniques! Bathed in demonic blood, bones refined with demonic crystals, and souls tempered with demonic essence; Body as a furnace, star soul as the catalyst, unstoppable with each step. This is a world where the great demons roam, with ferocious minions tearing apart the heavens and splitting the earth; This is an era of soul martial arts, where sleeves sweep through the wind and a simple flick of the finger causes thunderous shock!
382.52 Million words | 2021-10-30 17:34Update
Kindness is synonymous with weakness, sympathy is a sedative for the defeated, cruelty is inherent to human nature, and darkness breeds within the depths of light.
591.48 Million words | 2020-11-20 17:17Update
A 400-year-old master of the celestial realm is reborn into his youth. Though he appears weak now, he carries within him countless divine martial techniques and countless experiences of life and death battles. Though he seems poor now, he retains invaluable secret formulas and knows who will become the future masters of certain fields. Though he has no attachments now, in a past life he had many friends who helped him, idols he admired, and enemies who harmed him... In this life, he will enjoy the world to his heart's content and repay both gratitude and enmity. In this life, he will assist his master in creating the strongest sect in the world. In this life, he will dominate the heavens and earth!
87.43 Million words | 2022-12-18 19:47Update
In a future world, a robot puppet acquires a magical stone, which grants it sentience. Through a fortuitous turn of events, it is transported through a spatial portal to a different realm, where it is mistaken for a divine envoy by a group of ordinary humans. In order to survive, it harnesses the power of their tenuous faith, devouring the souls of tiger demons and refining its own draconic body. This
203.53 Million words | 2022-08-15 19:47Update
Will you marry me when my hair grows long to my waist, Master? When your hair grows long to your waist, I will spread red decorations for ten miles for you! When we first met, she was still young, while he was already a young man! That year, full of youthful vigor, he saved her from fire and water! When we met again, she had nowhere to go, while he had already become a master! That year, with a great reputation, he took her in when she had nowhere to go! When she came of age, with a
60.73 Million words | 2020-08-07 14:37Update
Chu Tian, the youngest sage on the mainland, unexpectedly found himself transported back to the savage era 30,000 years ago. It was a time of prosperity, with mountains and fields teeming with immortal herbs and divine plants, rare crystals and minerals dotting the land, and countless ancient relics and treasures waiting to be unearthed. Exotic birds and beasts roamed freely in abundance. Yet, it was also an impoverished era. Communication was cut off, transportation was difficult, cultivation techniques were rudimentary, and technology lagged behind. Prosperous towns were void of lights, and the ancient nation dwelled in ignorance. With the knowledge of three millennia at his disposal, Chu Tian brought back the splendors and miracles of the future. He soared freely across the savage land, sweeping through the world, venturing to the ends of the earth, and challenging the pinnacle of power. 【New book group just opened, plenty of spots available】 【Public account: bzyz, or search for "Half-Drunk Wanderer" on Weibo】
499.65 Million words | 2022-10-18 23:59Update
The progress of the times has become unstoppable. How will the magicians, who remain in the fairy tales, treat the little rabbit that entered their world? In the wonderful and bizarre fairy tale world, in the unparalleled paradise of imagination, everything is contained within the extradimensional space of the magicians. PS: The third book is now released, returning to the fantasy genre... All character designs have been completely revamped and improved, and the cuteness is multiplied many times over... Cutely asking for all
15.09 Million words | 2022-08-18 18:59Update
Reborn in a different world, conquering countless powerful individuals, invincible across the heavens. If you, esteemed readers, think that "Warriors Embodied in Three Thousand Paths" is not bad, please do not forget to recommend it to your friends in QQ groups and on Weibo!
65.72 Million words | 2021-10-17 12:03Update
Sun Wukong, the Monkey King with Six Ears, the Great Peng, the Peacock, the Bull Demon King, Yang Jian, and the Nine Spiritual Saints join forces to attack Heaven and overthrow Daoism and Buddhism!
98.42 Million words | 2020-07-15 23:02Update
Daiming has become accustomed to wandering. He has been accustomed to it for many years. He is a wanderer. He has always believed that being a free wanderer is such a happiness. Living in this world, there is nothing happier than being a wanderer.
500.75 Million words | 2021-12-16 15:29Update
Red Notice: The new book "Supreme Saint" by An An is now available and being rapidly updated. There is a shortcut on the right! Ten thousand years is too long, only in the present. Ancient times pass by too quickly, only the true self remains. At the moment when the Gun Emperor ascended, he threw the divine weapon into the setting sun peak, and from then on, there was no other weapon in the world. After ten thousand years, he arrived from a certain time and space, incarnated as a worthless person in the Xuan family. Fortunately, he obtained the divine weapon, the Sun God Gun, and from then on, he advanced step by step, reaching the pinnacle of the heavens, unveiling an eternal ancient scroll. It turns out, everything is just so. PS: An An's book club: [censored], use the book title or pen name as the passphrase.
587.95 Million words | 2022-03-06 11:20Update
