Well, well, well. If it isn’t the trope I’ve been avoiding like the plague. Not because I hate it, mind you, but because I hate that our collective obsession with it causes many of us to accept some very dumb plots/events/behaviors that we would never otherwise tolerate. Contrary to popular opinion, a sexy knife toContinue reading “The Everlasting Trope: Enemies-to-Lovers”
Category Archives: Everlasting Tropes
The Everlasting Trope: The Failed Hero
Closely related to the “Villain Arc” but not precisely the same. The villain arc simply tells you how a given character–regardless of their beginning state–becomes the villain. Often these are side characters or friends of the hero or a counterpoint to the hero. But when it’s the actual hero who falls, or fails, or succumbs,Continue reading “The Everlasting Trope: The Failed Hero”
The Everlasting Trope: Redemption Arc
An established villain–with all the sinister character and crimes to prove it–begins the story in darkness, and ends it having inched towards the light. On the face of it, this trope really is that straightforward. And I might have thought that, of all tropes, it has the most universal appeal. But I have learned thatContinue reading “The Everlasting Trope: Redemption Arc”
The Thing About Tropes is…
They only tell you what a thing might be, not what it is. I simultaneously love thinking through tropes, but hate using them as a guide. I understand why people like to do trope lists for books–a bullet-point format of why you might enjoy a given novel–but we all know that this merely skims theContinue reading “The Thing About Tropes is…”
The Everlasting Trope: Battle Couple
When I was younger (a teen or so) and someone asked me what sort of things I find to be “romantic”, this was roughly my answer: “Sitting together, shoulder-to-shoulder before some great battle, drinking coffee next to a fire in the dark. Preparing for the danger to come, knowing what the other was thinking orContinue reading “The Everlasting Trope: Battle Couple”
The Everlasting Trope: The “Crew”
Ah, the “Crew.” Think The Magnificent Seven or The Seven Samurai. Or Firefly. Ocean’s 11. Take your pick. I know there are a few more recent fantasy-type novels which feature this trope. The rag-tag band. A motley crew. A found family of misfits. So on and so forth. This trope is very hit-or-miss for meContinue reading “The Everlasting Trope: The “Crew””
The Everlasting Trope: The Love Triangle
For these Everlasting Trope posts, I try not to pick only tropes I like, or only ones I dislike, but a whole range of them. Yet I think it is necessary to admit, up front, my own biases. I do not particularly care for the Love Triangle. I don’t hate it with the fire ofContinue reading “The Everlasting Trope: The Love Triangle”
Everlasting Trope: Dash or Die
I don’t know what the real name of this trope is, but it generally works like this: there’s a ticking clock of some lethal kind and the character has to run–and I mean RUN–to make it in time. Run to slam a gate to keep the monster out. Race to deliver a letter before aContinue reading “Everlasting Trope: Dash or Die”
The Everlasting Trope: Anti-Hero
Few things are more beloved and ubiquitous than the Anti-Hero. The term has come to encompass such a broad range of character types, from the simply less-that-sugary member of the good guy band, all the way to someone who only escapes utter, horrific villainhood by one or two actions, which are nevertheless significant actions. So,Continue reading “The Everlasting Trope: Anti-Hero”
The Everlasting Trope: Bad Trope Edition
Even bad tropes, the ones we can all agree are pretty weak or even actively horrible, have an origin. Now, one might say, why bother discussing the reason behind a bad trope? They’re just bad! Because there’s a reason behind everything, and it is always worth questioning and investigating. We study history, the good and the bad,Continue reading “The Everlasting Trope: Bad Trope Edition”
J. L. Odom 