I have a love/hate relationship with fantasy norms. There are some I find so comforting that I never get tired of them, like the enigmatic sorcerer type. Love 'em. Unless they are hopelessly incompetent, an author can pull off this this type of character well enough for me to enjoy them.
Then, of course, there are conventions that bother me. Some of them are very tiny, and I try to never, ever follow them.
One such is the usual associations of West with Good, and East (and South) with bad. Basically, fantasy worlds often roughly parallel our own world's basic social geography. The most settled continents to the West, and more exotic lands to the east. Also, there is often a massive grassland/savannah (no doubt home to some horse-riding barbarians!) in the north east.
I prefer to upset this. However, in order to use a certain phrase in a current project (The Four Lords of the West, which just rolls off my tongue in a very pleasing way) I might have to actually make 'West' the civilized, quote-unquote Good side of the world. Or, if not Good, at least more familiar to the reader as much of the action takes place there.
Oh, well. It won't be that big of a deal in the long run, but I really do find it bothering me. Anybody else ever run into these little things? Little pet peeves that you somehow find yourself contributing to?
Then, of course, there are conventions that bother me. Some of them are very tiny, and I try to never, ever follow them.
One such is the usual associations of West with Good, and East (and South) with bad. Basically, fantasy worlds often roughly parallel our own world's basic social geography. The most settled continents to the West, and more exotic lands to the east. Also, there is often a massive grassland/savannah (no doubt home to some horse-riding barbarians!) in the north east.
I prefer to upset this. However, in order to use a certain phrase in a current project (The Four Lords of the West, which just rolls off my tongue in a very pleasing way) I might have to actually make 'West' the civilized, quote-unquote Good side of the world. Or, if not Good, at least more familiar to the reader as much of the action takes place there.
Oh, well. It won't be that big of a deal in the long run, but I really do find it bothering me. Anybody else ever run into these little things? Little pet peeves that you somehow find yourself contributing to?