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Game of Thrones Recap: Book of the Stranger

We got our breakthrough as predicted, we finally got some plot progress in a number of areas. Let’s get started.

THE NORTH

Jon Snow and Sansa are reunited, and the potential feud between Brienne and Davos has come forth. There was no fight but there is definitely opportunity for blood. Brienne, Davos, and Melissandre remain on deathwatch. Sansa wants to reclaim Winterfell and resurrect her dynasty. Jon is ambivalent, not wanting to fight. A letter from Ramsey changes that.

Jon agrees to an alliance with the Wildlings, who face annihilation at the hands of the Boltons and their allies. Sansa believes the Northern houses will unite behind Jon and her, but so far we see houses abandoning their prior oaths. Are there any loyal houses in the north? I doubt they’ll want to help anyone who lets Wildlings through the wall. Jon needs help.

Bran is the heir but until he decides to leave the cave, Jon must assume the mantle as leader. He cannot inherit, so his role is of a general who serves the House. If Bran dies, it goes to Rickon. If Rickon dies, it falls to Sansa, who is married to Ramsey. Obviously, Ramsey must die.

The episode explains the Boltons have the larger army. Did Jon inherit his father’s tactical talents? Is he like Robb, a war prodigy? The battle at the wall suggests he could be. Still, he needs help.

THE VALE

Littlefinger returns to the Vale and meets with his stepson Robin. The kid is still a weakling and a spoiled brat. Littlefinger spins a lie about being beset by Bolton’s men and Sansa being forced into marriage. Now the knights of the Vale are going to move. Ramsey now has enemies to the north and south. It is this move that could end the Bolton reign over the North.

Ramsey is not a master strategist. Although clever, he knows nothing about great power politics. He knows he needs Sansa back but sending a threat to Jon was a horrible way of going about it. It gave them warning and offered no reasonable terms for surrender, just horrible threats. He also did nothing to communicate his actions or his aims to the other Great Houses in the north: the Freys, Greyjoys, and Arryns.

Walder Frey’s alliance was with Roose and Tywin. Both are dead. Why would he raise a finger to help a bastard? Robin Arryn, who listens to Littlefinger, will try to maintain the Arryn/Stark relationship. Littlefinger used Sansa to orchestrate a war between the Arryns and Boltons, suggesting he is willing to put Sansa in danger for political gain.

Still not understanding him. I suppose as long as he ends up with Sansa in the end, he doesn’t care about her struggles.

THE IRON ISLANDS

Theon returns and pledges to help his sister Yara claim the throne of the Iron Islands. Apparently the region has an elective monarchy, where the leaders have a conclave called an Ironsmoot, where they pick. Yara and Theon have a claim but Theon has no influence there. No one will vote for him. Yara is a leader but is also a woman, which usually means she is not a popular choice for successor. As such, the Ironborn will probably go with one of the King’s brothers, like Euron.

The North and Iron Islands are at war. Yara seeks to end it and remain an independent realm. For that to be realistic they desperately need an alliance. None of the Great Houses would be interested. Tyrells, Boltons and Freys are loyal to King Tommen. Dorne and Stormlands (Baratheon realm) are in chaos. One possibility is a new alliance by marriage between Greyjoys and Starks, where Starks recognize Iron Islands as independent and in return Ironborn fight to destroy the Boltons and their allies.

With the knights of the Vale heading north, this hardly seems necessary for the Starks. A marriage between Lord Robin Arryn and Sansa makes more sense. I doubt she would agree to such an arrangement again though. Her hope is that one of her brothers rises to become the heir.

THE EAST

Queen Daenerys used her immunity to fire to trap and kill all the Khals. A very clever and awesome move. She emerged from the Dosh Khaleen unharmed from the flames, naked (clothes burned off), and sees the hordes kneel before her. She now has a second army with, which to return south and end the rebellion of the masters and the Sons of the Harpy.

Tyrion makes a deal to end the Sons of the Harpy attacks, allowing slavery for seven more years in Yunkai and Astapor but Meereen is liberated. Grey Worm and Missandei are very unhappy but back his play. Daenerys might not be happy with this arrangement, but it was the right move. It buys time for her to return and resume her crusade against the masters. Until she returns, they are vulnerable. Much of the loyalty to the new regime is to her personally, not to the regime itself.

KING’S LANDING

Cersei and Jaime finally come up with a plan to free Marjaery and Loras. Marjaery is about to take her walk of atonement, although she seems ready to hold out. Loras is weak seems ready to confess. During the walk, the Tyrell army will attack once Marjaery is out in the open, freeing her and slaughtering the Sparrows.

King Tommen revealed that Marjaery was to have her walk of atonement, which is the opening Cersei needed. Both sides (Lannisters and Tyrells) now see their rivalry has been an obstacle. King Tommen was afraid to act, Lord Kevan had no idea what to do, and Olenna Tyrell would not risk losing the future of their house with a direct attack.

Of course, if her grandchildren are out in the open then a rescue attempt is possible. Unfortunately, it sounds like Ser Loras will not be in the open when the move is made. The Sparrows may kill him as retribution. And so, he is on deathwatch.

There will be a religious war in King’s Landing although from what we’ve seen of the city, I do not think that many will join the religious fervor. These are not a pious people.

 

The War for the North is set finally. The battle for succession in the Iron Islands is also set. The plan to take down the Sparrows finally comes forth!!! The Mother of Dragons is free and with a new army. I love plot progression!!!

I have faith in Jon Snow rallying the Wildlings to victory but the war will take a while. I do not expect Rickon to survive. The Northern houses will in all likelihood join the Boltons for fear of the Wildlings. Unless some sort of alliance can be made, the war will go on and on with heavy casualties. It will take a while for the knights of the Vale to get to the North but I think in the end, they will break the stalemate and turn the war in Jon’s favor. Littlefinger will do anything to help Sansa, who now sees Jon as her only friend left.

I’d bet on Yara losing the Ironsmoot election but scheming to kill her uncle Euron.

Daenerys wants to end slavery, that means war with the Masters. However, she needs a political solution or a plan for after the war. Sound familiar? Her previous ones did not work. Count on Tyrion to think a good one up.

The Sparrows are all on deathwatch. I do not think they survive more than one more episode.

 

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Game of Thrones Recap: Oathbreaker

Unfortunately, this last episode was one of those slow build ones where nothing happens. Fans know what this means: shit is about to go down, either in the next episode or the one after it. I hope so. This season has thus far been a disappointment.

THE NORTH

This story line has been slow with a few minor surprises. However, there was one development that bodes ill for House Stark (shocker). Rickon Stark and Osha are captured and taken to Ramsey. The dire wolf is dead. This is extremely bad news for Stark because it confirms the northern lords have little desire to avenge Ned or Robb. They are out for themselves. Some have sworn allegiance to Ramsey Bolton, including the Karstarks, but some have not. The North holds together by an uneasy truce, it seems, but it is becoming clear the Starks have no friends. As of now, the only thing that can take down Ramsey Bolton is Ramsey Bolton.

Jon Snow gets his revenge then resigns from the Night’s Watch. About damn time! If he leaves, he will be joined by Melisandre and Ser Davos. My hope is the writers do not have Sansa and Brienne miss them like what happened with Sansa and Arya at the Vale. That is extremely frustrating and makes for bad TV. Can we just get a Stark/Snow reunion and maybe get some idea of whether this family has any chance, any at all?!

BEYOND THE WALL

Bran and tree guy are having vision quests through the past. Tree guy suggests Bran has a future beyond the cave but must learn “everything” before leaving. He will then be part of some great destiny in the south. All very ominous, and tantalizing. Considering Bran is the Stark heir, crippled as he may be, he will need some sort of magical help if he ever plans to retake the North.

We are getting some pretty significant prologue from Bran’s visions. He saw his father and his family at Winterfell and then witnesses a sword fight before a small fortress in the middle of nowhere. Ned is nearly defeated when one of his servants kills a Targaryen knight with double swords. He makes his way into the fortress when Bran yells his name. Ned seems to hear it for a moment. Interesting…

We are meant to assume Ned’s sister Lyanna is in the fortress after being kidnapped by Rhaegar, son of the Mad King. She dies tragically. When Ned returns home he arrives with his bastard Jon Snow.

Some are wondering if Jon Snow is perhaps the son of Rhaegar Targaryen, heir to the Iron Throne, and Lyanna Stark. The usurper, Robert Baratheon and Lyanna were betrothed but I am not sure if they actually married and consummated the marriage, which could open the possibility that Jon Snow is his heir.

The question is, if Jon Snow is not Ned’s bastard, why keep his parents’ identity a secret? If he was Robert Baratheon’s heir and legitimate son, there is no reason to conceal his true parentage. Robert, who loved Lyanna, would in all likelihood want to declare a product of their relationship his heir, not to mention solidify his alliance with the Starks.

One response to that: he wanted the Iron Throne. To help sow together the Seven Kingdoms after the death of Lyanna, Robert needed to marry into one of the other Great Houses, which would not be interested in an arrangement unless a product of the marriage was the undisputed heir. So Robert, sadly, had to disavow Jon Snow.

Robert had an opportunity to see and speak with Jon Snow in the first season and did not. Either he does not know, or more likely, he is not his son.

If Jon Snow is the son of Rhaegar and Lyanna, then there is plenty of reason to keep his parentage a secret. It is highly likely the new King Robert would kill Jon, angry at the physical evidence of Lyanna’s rape, and his own failure to protect her. As a bastard, Jon has no claim to anything whether his father is Rhaegar (who was married at the time he kidnapped Lyanna), or Ned. Queen Daenerys is the last surviving child of the Mad King. That makes her the heir to the dynasty.

As the theory goes: Ned, being the chivalrous knight that he is, swore to his sister to protect the child despite his dark origins.

Jon resembles a Stark, notably his uncle Benjen. He also looks a lot like Robb. There is no hint of Targaryen, although Baratheons have dark hair and strong build. Of course, he could’ve inherited all his looks from his Mother Lyanna and got nothing from the father.

Right now, the scenario with best odds is Jon Snow is the son of Rhaegar and Lyanna. Other than some family drama here, I don’t think this changes anything.

THE EAST

The Masters of the various Slave Cities have allied themselves with a religious cult called Sons of the Harpy to overthrow Queen Daenerys. Apparently she did not eliminate them in her march through Astapor and Yunkai. Without her around, the unsullied must stay close to the capital for fear of rebellion. If they leave, it is doubtful the city would accept the rule of a foreign dwarf. They need Daenerys back!

Daenerys has arrived in Vaes Dothrak where her fate is not necessarily known. Since she abandoned her Khal and did not return to the capital as required by their customs, the other Khals may decide she should be executed. Either that, or become some kind of Dothraki nun. Jorah and Daario have to rescue her, and I imagine her big fire-breathing friend will also help.

Arya got her vision back along with some combat training. No surprises here.

KING’S LANDING

King Tommen might be a good person but he is also an idiot. He seems terrified to use his power for anything. His uncle Kevan, the Hand of the King, holds small council with the Tyrells all trying to figure out how to get out of this mess. Jaime and Cersei want a seat at the council table but are refused. Neither of them have any talent for politics, strategy, or intrigue. Their dynasty is in deep shit. All this time passes and no one seems to have any idea how to fix this situation.

Nothing really happened in this plot, other than some small talk between Tommen and the head of the Sparrows.

 

We don’t know the deal with Dorne, or the Iron Islands. I imagine we will see some of these plot lines in the next episode or two.

For now, the big events are in the north and the Stark survivors.

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Skybreach by Mark R. Healy

The third installment in the Reach series delivers with nonstop action on the unique and compelling premise. From that perspective Skybreach is more than worthy of its predecessors. At the same time, it comes up a bit short in other areas.

Knile, Talia, and Roman are reunited and somewhat safe (no one in this series is ever really safe). They join forces with Silvestri and a group calling themselves Skybreach. Their mission is to get off Earth, just as Knile has always wanted. Their allies include a former Consortium security officer or Redman, named Lazarus, and a group of hackers and brawlers. Standing in their way is the Consortium, Redmen, Enforcers, and a radical religious cult that wants to blow up the space elevator that can take them off world.

Skybreach is nonstop action taking place in a unique setting: a mile-high arcology with a space elevator on top. The structure is called the Reach, with railcars that travel up the wire to Habitat One, a space station in orbit. Escape requires our heroes to fight through to the top of the Reach once again, this time together as a sort-of family. The Skybreach group was an interesting addition to the series as was the religious fanatics, known as Children of Earth. A lot is revealed at the end, which lays a captivating foundation for the next book, Sunspire. There were also sequences that were somewhat difficult to follow. More description would’ve been helpful in some instances, but for the most part the action is strong.

At the same time, Skybreach is missing the character development and family drama of the first two novels. Knile, Talia, and Roman are a pseudo family but their family dynamic doesn’t evolve or come into play much. The secondary characters are solid, but largely this novel is plot-driven and not quite as dynamic as the previous novels.

Like in the previous novels, the main characters possess tremendous maturity and insight, somewhat contrary to their background and origin stories. There was a scene or two when Knile and Talia sounded like sitcom parents rather than ex-criminals. Roman and Silvestri also demonstrated incredible maturity and poise, which didn’t seem to fit their character.

The Duran plot line was underwhelming until the second half where it intersected with Skybreach. Ursie’s story intersected as well, uniting the events of the series into one. There is a lot to follow towards the end but it is largely satisfying to see things come together.

The world-building is strong, although the post-apocalyptic themes faded into the background. The Reach and Habitat One are the setting, both large pieces of futuristic technology that are falling apart. The series has largely shifted away from the depressing post-apocalyptic opening towards straight action, survival, and space travel.

The ending was amazing, with a great lead in to the next novel. The author excels at giving satisfying endings while generating a lot of excitement for the next book.

Overall, Skybreach delivers for the Reach Series when it comes to sci-fi action and great world-building. The main characters didn’t drive this one as much and the themes have changed a bit but this book is well worth it.

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Game of Thrones Recap: Home

A not so surprising twist, and the death of two uninteresting and forgettable characters. That pretty much sums up the second episode in the new season. I’ll save the twist for last.

First to the East:

The cities of Slaver’s Bay are not living in a golden age of liberty. Without the Breaker of Chains and a lot of help from the unsullied, the slaves are pacified and the masters regain control. Tyrion unchained the dragons, which was incredibly stupid. Other than that, no change here.

Her struggles and inability to liberate Slaver Bay supports the arguments against nation-building and regime change. Americans are pretty supportive of this notion, despite our utter disgust at slavery and the horrible cultural practices in Meereen and elsewhere. Can we look away as these cities continue to fall back into their old backward ways? Should Queen Daenerys simply say “fuck it” and let them be miserable? Only now she has no fleet… Guess she’s stuck there. It also means she needs to find a way to put an end to this cycle and ensure her rule remains stable. No easy solutions here but a lot of potential for drama in this great challenge.

As expected Arya is welcomed back into the House of Black and White. Seriously, did anyone else think she’d be on the street for long? Another predictable plot point.

King Tommen apologized to his mother and acknowledged his weakness in the face of the Sparrows. The conflict between royalty and religion, is an interesting take on our tradition of separating church and state. Prior to the Sparrows, the throne and the High Sept worked together, sharing power and supporting one another. Religious tenets were bent and broken by royalty, while the faith did their best to encourage the peasants to accept bad government. The throne supported and protected the High Septon in return. Now that alliance is gone and we may see a religious war take place in King’s Landing.

Cersei and Jaime are definitely in favor of moving against the Sparrows. They have the manpower and will, but need to restore the old priesthood into power. There is risk the peasants may not stand back and let their temple fall. Of course, the commoners of King’s Landing do not appear to be the pious type. I think King Tommen and his parents can accomplish this with little trouble.

What to do with the Tyrells? To ensure the throne, Cersei must drop her feud with Queen Marjaery. Ser Loras must be freed as well, and will return to Highgarden in all likelihood. How to ensure the security of the alliance and that Cersei cannot do that again? Destroy the Sparrows is a good start but I would think the Tyrells will want more assurance. Another possibility, once Marjaery and Loras are free the alliance exists in name only. Efforts will be made to kill Tommen and end the alliance through marriage. Either that or have the marriage annulled somehow.

Cersei doesn’t drop feuds easily. Plus the most obvious way to proceed is for her to marry Ser Loras. Not likely.

We got nothing new from Dorne. I expect They will have to make move soon. There is no Lord there as of now, plus they are responsible for the death of the king’s sister.

Balon Greyjoy is dead, murdered by his brother. Who cares? Also Roose Bolton is murdered by his son Ramsey. Whoop-de-do. That puts the North squarely in his hands. He has no heir and his wife has fled to Castle Black. Theon heads for the Iron Islands where we may see a tearful reunion and alliance with his sister Asha. One has cause to rejoice in their father’s death while another seeks revenge.

Overall, I do not think any of the characters in this story line are of interest anymore. Good luck getting fans to care.

And oh yeah, Jon Snow is alive!!!

The prayer from the Red Priestess worked. As we saw in the Brotherhood Without Banners, you can bring people back from the dead by saying the right words. This magical inclusion comes with some plot complications if it is a power without limits. With the backing of the Wildlings and Ser Davos, Castle Black is now returned to him. The threat of the white walkers lingers.

There are two possible sources of conflict going forward: (1) Ser Davos learns the Red Priestess encouraged the sacrifice of Stannis’s daughter and (2) Ser Davos learns Brienne executed Stannis. All three are on death watch.

So, that is all I got for this update. Not much going on except two irrelevant deaths and a predictable resurrection.

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How to Write Not Good: The Mary Sue/Marty Stu

When I was younger, I dreamed of being a Jedi fighting alongside Obi-Wan. In the climactic battle, I was the one who finished off the Sith Lord, of course. The force was strong with me, endowing me with epic Jedi skills. There was also a time when I fantasized of being an officer on the USS Enterprise mixed in with fantasies of being a Navy Seal, ninja, or pilot of a battlemech. In all the dreams, I was the awesome hero in the end. All of them were about my path to power and status, things I did not have as a kid.

These kinds of fantasies are usually normal and healthy, but they don’t make for good stories. Some authors write protagonists that are really an avatar for themselves, allowing them to fulfill all their fantasies of glory. Their ridiculously talented, attractive, and universally adored protagonist is known as a “Mary Sue” character, or “Marty Stu” for the male equivalent. Some call him Gary or Larry Stu but I prefer Marty Stu. The term Mary Sue began as a parody of a common character in early Star Trek fanfiction. The character was usually a young female ensign who saved the Enterprise and ended up with one of the major characters (Kirk, Spock, etc.). It was a way for fans to put themselves on their favorite ship and live in the universe of Star Trek.

The term has since broadened to include all situations where the author is inserting themselves into the story via a character that is a little too perfect. In science fiction, Marty Stu’s are prevalent in military science fiction. The no-name private rises up to become a war hero thanks to his tactical genius, unwavering bravery, and supreme martial skills. Marty and Mary are also common in young adult fiction, which is largely becoming the genre of wish-fulfillment. It is the place for anxious, insecure teenagers to live out their fantasies of obtaining popularity, success, and wealth.

How do you know you’ve written a Mary Sue character? There is no official test (although there is a good unofficial one here) or exact definition. Most commentators do seem to agree there is a sliding scale, with many protagonists exhibiting some Mary Sue traits.

Here are the basic elements of a Mary or Marty:

Unrealistic Abilities

Marty and Mary aren’t just talented, they are REALLY talented, blessed with powers that push the boundaries of realism. They are often gifted in multiple areas, even if they are completely unrelated (i.e. a master engineer, award-winning singer, and a Olympic-medal winning gymnast). The plot is structured so that they have several opportunities to demonstrate their talents, typically in a public setting. They might begin as a diamond in the rough, unknown and unappreciated. Members of the opposite sex just do not appreciate them, at least not yet. When Marty finally gets his chance to demonstrate his skills, the ladies come flocking. Mary often gets her choice from a cohort of admirable men who fall in love with her. They do not necessarily obtain power and status in the end, but always receive honorable recognition from those around them.

In Star Trek, you will find a Marty Stu in the character Wesley Crusher, who was an author-insert for creator Gene Roddenberry (his middle name was Wesley). Wesley seems to possess a genius despite his young age and limited education. He is young and handsome, with a bright future, and has among his friends the top ranking officers of the crew. Captain Picard even treats him as a surrogate son.

Attractive in so Many Ways

In addition to their awesome abilities, Marty and Mary are almost always attractive physically, or have one unique and captivating physical trait such as exotic colored eyes or an intricate tattoo. In the beginning, the author will try to describe them as plain or unremarkable but this faux humility falls apart later. The other characters inevitably find them attractive.

They are also great people, better than you in every way. Other characters get a good feeling about them when they meet them. The only people who don’t like Mary and Marty are evil morons, obviously unworthy of their virtuous foes. Our godly protagonists are compassionate, trusting, loyal, understanding, and incredibly charming. Even if they had a rough upbringing, they retain these sage-like qualities. Everyone around them recognize their saintly nature, are easily persuaded by their arguments, and will try to emulate them.

The only allowable character flaws are stubbornness or a temper, but neither flaw has any adverse consequences when it is exposed. Whenever Marty gets angry, his rage falls upon someone who desperately deserved it. All excuse him for his outburst, even celebrate his loss of self-control. When Mary gets set on something, she won’t let anyone stand in her way. Naturally the story rewards such tenacity because their ultimate aim is always righteous. They are described as bold, fierce, passionate, fearless, brash, a loose cannon (if they’re a cop), a rebel, or someone “who plays by their own rules.” Whatever supposed flaw they possess, the author will spin it into a virtue.

Exceptional Backstory

Fascinating and unique backstories are very common for Marty and Mary. They are the last of their kind, possess rare genetic traits, are descendants of legendary characters, grew up extremely poor or disadvantaged, or possess some valuable one-of-a-kind artifact. They are different and special. Sometimes, the other characters stand in the wake of their celebrity, whispering to one another “they are the chosen ones! They will do A,B, and C for us!” Yes indeed, incredible things always seem to happen around them.

Everything Revolves Around Them

The story must dedicate itself to the steadily unfolding awesomeness of Marty and Mary. All the other characters talk about them constantly, and have their actions driven by them. Most apologize for the slightest insult or act of rudeness, except for the villains or are infinitely rude. Pages and pages are spent describing Marty and Mary, from physical appearance to backstory, the inner feelings, which are always righteous. Nearly all conversations among the other characters are about them. Whenever something happens, the author’s first question is “how does it affect Mary?” The impact on all other characters is irrelevant.

 

It is easy to understand why authors do this. They want to live vicariously through their fictional character. We all do it in our imaginations, from a young age all the way to adulthood. That doesn’t make it a good story. It results in a poorly-developed protagonist and an implausible plot. At the same time, most modern heroes have great abilities or an exceptional back story. Some are paragons of virtue as well. How is it that they are highly successful yet so many Marys and Martys fall short?

Well, the vast majority of successful heroes and heroines are towards the lower end of the Mary Sue/Marty Stu scale. Let’s apply the elements described above to the protagonists of the biggest sci-fi franchises:

Katniss Everdeen is a talented archer, brave, and selfless. At same time, none of her talents or admirable traits are implausible when you learn her background. She also has a temper which does not serve her, and she always seems to be a step behind everyone else. While she has two men vying for her attention, she is described as plain looking and ends up with permanent injuries and a few ugly scars. In terms of backstory, she is unremarkable among the many poor of District 12. Given that the novel is written in first person present tense, her domination of the plot is justifiable. With only one element satisfied (plot domination), Katniss cannot be labeled a Mary Sue.

Luke Skywalker is a more of a Marty Stu. He is the son of the chosen one, Anakin, and the force is unnaturally strong with him. In the Star Wars universe, there are numerous individuals with force abilities, therefore his talents are not unrealistic or extraordinary given the setting. Neither Luke nor his famous father really demonstrate supremacy in their skills. Anakin is defeated by Count Dooku on Attack of the Clones and later the less powerful Obi-Wan Kenobi. Luke loses a duel to his father and is nearly killed by Darth Sidious. In terms of personality, Luke is just an all around great guy that everyone adores. In terms of plot domination, a good part of the original three movies does not involve Luke at all; it is the story of Han and Leia. That is two elements satisfied (attractive, exceptional backstory).

In Force Awakens, Rey is emerging as a Mary Sue. She has multiple talents, which have not been explained yet (she has Jedi skills without training). She is a great person, compassionate and kind. We do not know her backstory yet but we get the impression she is attached to one of the legendary Jedi names (Kenobi or Skywalker). Even if she isn’t, she grew up on the rough world of Jakku just like Luke and his impoverished hellhole of Tatooine. Yet still grow up to be good people. A good part of the movie does not involve Rey. Fin, Han, Leia, and Kylo Ren play major roles in the plot that often do not involve Rey.

Firefly/Serenity sports several quality characters but none have unrealistic abilities. Mal Reynolds is a skilled fighter and clever captain but many episodes involve his follies. He plays the rogue at times but is a principled individual, a typical anti-hero. With a common backstory and lack of plot focus on him, Mal is no Marty Stu. None of the other characters come close.

Rick Grimes from The Walking Dead is brave, strong, and good with a gun. His background as a former cop and his experiences in the zombie apocalypse all plausibly explain his skills. There are moments when he seems to be a great leader and father, while other times he is emotionally absent. As for his backstory, he was just a cop before the zombie apocalypse. Rick is zero Marty.

The Doctor in Doctor Who qualifies as a Marty Stu, in my opinion. He is all-knowing with extraordinary abilities thanks to TARDIS and his sonic screwdriver. All of the Doctors are great and admirable people with a couple quirks here and there. The backstory is certainly unique but the Doctor does not always dominate the plot. In many episodes, it is the trials of the companions that drives the plot. Still, Doctor satisfies three of four elements. If you look at the motivations behind a Marty Stu, you also have to wonder. The adventures through space and time are very likely a form of wish-fulfillment.

Star Trek is a franchise that typically includes several talented officers with impeccable character. Their genius is demonstrated time and again, pushing the bounds of realism but there are also episodes where they reveal weaknesses in their abilities or a minor character flaw. Most have average backgrounds with the exception of Worf (only Klingon in Starfleet) and Data (only android in Starfleet). Wesley Crusher was clearly a Marty Stu. Captain Picard could be a Marty Stu. There is certainly some wish-fulfillment for Mr. Roddenberry but Picard doesn’t receive much in the way of tangible benefits. More likely he is an author-insert, the person the author wished he could be. The franchises largely overcome having less realistic characters by being much more plot-driven in many episodes, or requiring a team effort to overcome challenges as opposed to a single protagonist shining high above the others.

Also, I do not think it is a coincidence that Wesley Crusher was deeply disliked among fans. In one episode, he accidentally let some nanites loose because he was exhausted from all his endless studies. Apparently he was going for a triple-doctorate at age 16. This is the plot equivalent of a humble brag. “Oh I screwed up because I am so busy getting A’s in twelve graduate level courses.”

Neo is a pretty big Marty Stu in The Matrix. He is the chosen one with godlike abilities, a great guy, and dominates most of the plot. As a character, he is pretty dull. You never really get to know the messianic Neo. I suppose I love the movies anyway because Neo is very mortal and average outside of the Matrix. There are philosophical and religious facets to the movies that are brilliant, but I would have to admit Neo is not a well-developed character.

What about superheroes? All of them have incredible abilities from a conventional standpoint but are far from omnipotent in their universe. They can be outmatched at times. Two are portrayed as paragons of virtue: Superman and Captain America. Superman has an extraordinary origin and the plot largely fixates on him. Some consider him the prototypical American Marty Stu. Captain America is not as high on the unrealistic abilities scale as many of his foes have similar or even greater powers. His selflessness and ability to persevere are his defining traits, both character related. Trailers for the new film, Civil War, suggest he is fallible however. In most of his movies, there are several things going plot-wise. I’d say he is a moderate Marty Stu.

As you can see, having one or two elements of a Mary Sue isn’t a problem. It is when you have most or all the elements in high doses, that the character loses appeal. Even then, there are ways to get away with it. In the right context, they can appeal to an audience. For science fiction, they tend to do better in military and young adult action/adventure sci-fi. These novels typically appeal to niche audiences but not the broader population of sci-fi readers. Also, if the novel or movie is plot-driven as opposed to character-driven, a Mary or a Marty is more tolerable. The other elements and themes must be strong enough to carry the story. Otherwise, authors should avoid inserting themselves into their stories as a form of wish-fulfillment. Take some time to develop the protagonist to include some real imperfections.

Want to know if you’re protagonist is a full-on Marty or a Mary? Here is a good Writer’s Test that will tell you where on the scale they are.

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Game of Thrones Recap: The Red Woman

Well, that had to be the most predictable season premiere of all time.

Fans have had nearly a year to chew on the previous season, and put together their own predictions of what is to happen next: (1) Jon Snow is brought back to life by Red Priestess; (2) Brienne would find Sansa; (3) Lannisters and Martells go to war; (4) Daenerys would convince the Dothraki of her previous marriage to Drogo and avoid being treated as a typical slave; (5) Arya is blind beggar but won’t be forsaken by the House of Black and White.

Nearly all of these things happened. Let’s start go in order.

Of all the predictions, (1) did not happen in episode 1. Ser Davos has his knightly sensibilities insulted when Jon Snow is murdered. Jon’s friends are prepared to die for their revenge while Davos wants them to escape. The Red Priestess may be the answer, or it could be the Wildlings.

Much to the disappointment of the millions of female fans out there, Jon Snow is still dead. Not only that, they still have no answer to the White Walkers. We also don’t know if Davos will learn about what happened to Stannis’s daughter. The Red Priestess won’t be alive much longer when he finds out. She is on death watch.

Sansa and Theon meet up with Brienne and Podrick. This was inevitable. Now that Sansa has some muscle and some intelligence, she is off death watch for now. If they stay in the North, they will need to find a house still loyal to the Starks, or hate the Boltons. That might be the Karstarks, or it might be the house that is sheltering Rickon Stark, her brother. Otherwise they will need to flee south and head to the Vale. Sansa might not be too enthusiastic about that given her uncle Littlefinger basically sold her to Ramsey the sadist.

It was interesting to learn the Boltons do not really have enough power to hold the North. They rely on their alliance with the Lannisters and Walder Frey. With the Lannisters circling the drain, Roose Bolton does not feel secure. The marriage with Sansa Stark was part of his play to keep the North but with her gone his grip is slipping.

I still don’t know what Littlefinger’s play is. I thought he wanted Sansa for himself, a younger version of his beloved Catelyn. At the same time, he tends to play the long game and may be thinking a few steps ahead. The endgame for him is the end of House Lannister and Baratheon, those responsible for the death of his love, as well as several personal humiliations. One is already extinct (Baratheon), while the other is falling farther into the abyss. However, Littlefinger has no claim to the throne. He could use Robin Arryn as a puppet but who would accept such a weakling as king? A puppet is one thing, but Robin can’t even succeed as a puppet, not without a lot more muscle behind him.

Not sure where that is going.

We knew Lannisters and Martells were heading to war but it seems the process has been accelerated. Lord Doran Martell was assassinated along with his son Trystane, effectively ending their house. Ellaria is of a great house and thus has no claim, nor do the Sand Snakes. Unless they fabricate a claim for the eldest daughter of Prince Oberyn, I see the Dorne falling into chaos. They would have to come up with marriage documents, legitimizing the one daughter they had together, Tyene.

Those seeking vengeance do not always plan ahead, but Ellaria executed a pretty good plan against Doran.

King Tommen is in trouble. The alliance with the Tyrells is all but dead. Ser Loras and Queen Margaery are imprisoned. That leaves the Lannister armies fighting by themselves against the Tyrells, Martells, and whoever else smells blood in the water.

We all knew Daenerys was not really in mortal danger. She has a big scaly, fire-breathing friend plus two reliable knights on her trail. When brought before the Khal, she convinces him she is the widow of Khal Drogo. Unfortunately her negotiations to be escorted back to Meereen fail. She is to be brought to Vaes Dothrak the capital for the Dothraki hordes.

Meanwhile, Meereen is falling apart. Even the wise Tyrion and Varys may not be able to hold it together. Prior to that, Queen Daenerys was struggling to rule the troubled city. How does she expect to rule seven kingdoms?

Arya is now a blind beggar, for her crimes against the House of Black and White. The young girl from the temple challenges her to a fight and wins easily. It seems the House is not done with her yet, as expected.

So that’s 4 out of the 5 most common predictions that came true.

Politically Westeros looks like it will endure more years of civil war and chaos. None of the great houses have enough power to maintain control over seven kingdoms. Partition is a possibility for some, although several of the kingdoms look to be in ruins: Riverlands, the North. The threat of the White Walkers remain unchecked.

In the East, Daenerys has struggled. Even if she is freed and returns to Meereen, more peril waits for her there.

It’s all just a big mess and will take a long time to clean up.

I predict Sansa and Brienne will inevitably go to the Karstarks or some other lower house in the North. Jon Snow will be brought back to life and will be an outlaw along with Davos and those that will abandon the Watch. A war between the Boltons and the pro-Stark houses may be coming. Look for White Walkers to breach the wall and advance into Westeros.

Dorne will declare itself a sovereign kingdom with Ellaria Martell (fabricated marriage documents) at the head and Tyene Martell as heir. It is difficult seeing them create an alliance through marriage, in fact it is hard to see any of the Sand Snakes marrying anyone. If they care at all about the dynasty they would have a matrilineal marriage (children are of the mother’s dynasty, not father’s). Perhaps it will be a marriage in name only, formalizing an alliance but the two will live separately. That leaves the problem of producing an heir. Perhaps Ellaria marries…Ser Loras? Tyrells have reason to switch sides, perhaps become sovereign themselves.

What is Littlefinger up to? He might return to King’s Landing and begin his machinations for wiping out what is left of House Lannister. Then what? Can Arryn ally with any other great house? Frey has heirs, Greyjoy has a daughter, and then there’s the Boltons with no unmarried heirs. Maybe a lower house will rise to seize the Baratheon lands, or maybe the brotherhood without banners will start to matter. There is still Blackfish Tully lurking about, desperate for revenge against Walder Frey.

Daenerys certainly cannot go to Westeros without ships. Her challenge, with the help of Tyrion and Varys, will be to defeat the Sons of the Harpy and pacify her new city. Then she needs to figure out how to get to Westeros.

Assuming she gets there, then what? Who would back her as Queen? Dragons and an army would certainly impress but they would also need to be convinced she can end the civil war. As of now, Lannisters, Freys, and Boltons are directly threatened by her claim. The Tyrells might be open if they can somehow nullify the marriage of Tommen and Marjaery. Ellaria and the Sand Snakes are probably not interested in swearing allegiance to an Eastern queen.

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Is This the End of Young Adult Dystopias?

By Jacob Foxx and Paulie Spiceflow

One of the biggest box office flops this year was Allegiant, the third installment of a franchise based on an extremely popular young adult novel. It will likely earn less than half than the previous movies in ticket sales and has been almost unanimously shunned by the critics at Rotten Tomatoes. It is not the only recent YA novel-based movie to tank. The Host, 5th Wave and many others also failed with the critics and movie-goers. These two movies are part of a growing pattern of young adult dystopias utterly failing at theaters, which begs the question: are we seeing the end of young adult dystopias?

These movies have a few things in common. First, they are almost exclusively based on novels as opposed to original screenplays or adapted from TV shows or comic books. Second, the movies usually have moderate budgets and do not sport a big time Hollywood mega-star as the lead. More often than not, there is a female protagonist and the inclusion of a sappy teenage love story. Third, they possess almost no social commentary of value, unlike most traditional dystopian stories. So why was Hollywood convinced this formula would work?

The answer is usually the same for any fad Hollywood latches onto: some movie hit it big, and all the other studios simply implemented the exact same formula. It began with the worldwide success of The Hunger Games in 2012. The low budget film about a girl trying to survive a gladiatorial style deathmatch, earned over $400 million in the US alone. Hollywood studios took notice. Soon thereafter we had the Divergent Series, The Host, 5th Wave, and a few others not worthy of mention. Most failed miserably, while the few that managed some modest success, fell far short of the film that started it all.

Speculative fiction in general has not been particularly friendly territory for YA movies. For every Twilight there are numerous Mortal Instruments and Hosts. The vast graveyard of flops suggests the “based on the best selling YA novel” fad was never really a fad. There is one wildly successful franchise in each group but most would agree it takes more than one of something in order to be a trend. It may just be that the successful movies were just great movies, and do not owe their success to a formula.

The Hunger Games succeeded because it had all the important elements of a great movie: greet writing, great cast, and great director. On one point in particular, they hit the jackpot: casting Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen. Lawrence is the most talented young actress of our generation, and was a perfect fit as Katniss. Throw in strong performances by Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, and a terrifying Donald Sutherland and you have a hit. The dialogue and special effects were solid as well, although would not have carried the day by themselves. The source material, Suzanne Collins’ dystopian trilogy, provided a truly compelling premise that has captivated millions.

Most of its peers were found lacking in these vital categories. Producers must’ve thought that as long as the source novel was popular, the movie would succeed. Clearly, that is not the case. The Hunger Games was simply a great movie, regardless of where they got the idea. While it is true that it borrows some from 1984 and Battle Royale, the society and story itself are well-developed and compelling. The others movies mentioned above suffer from horrible world-building. The dystopian settings are under-developed, implausible, or clearly contrived to fit whatever plot the writers wanted. Most of them lack any compelling social commentary or relevance to world events today. In short, they were just bad movies.

So, to answer the question: yes we are seeing the end of YA dystopias in theaters. Surely Hollywood is convinced by now the YA dystopian formula isn’t the key. However, it is still enjoying some success at bookstores. They are part of a broader trend of incredibly successful YA speculative fiction franchises. From vampires, to post-apocalyptic survival, to dystopias, there is a strong demand for stories with young, attractive, strong heroes in exotic situations.

A few things have fed this trend over the past decade or two. One stems from the emergence of the “strong female character,” which is extremely common among YA spec fiction. In the good old days, women were cast to be the love interest of the hero, or the femme fatale, hooker with a heart of gold, or some other secondary stereotypical role, all subordinate to the leading man. They were seldom warriors or heroic protagonists. Somewhere along the line, that began to change. For younger audiences, the first hugely successful, strong and heroic female character was Buffy the Vampire Slayer. There were others before her, as well as a few contemporaries, but Buffy seems to hold a special status among fans. Buffy was soon followed by Charmed, Vampire Diaries, TrueBlood, and Twilight. They exposed an enormous hunger for strong, heroic female characters in fantasy and science fiction (we would argue that Bella Swan is not a strong female character at all, but we’ll table that argument for now). This previously under-served market demonstrated their power by catapulting YA speculative fiction series onto the best seller lists, as well as pushing up TV ratings. Throw in the fact that women read a lot more fiction than men, and it is no wonder many of these successful franchises began as novels.

These new female roles filled the cultural role for women that action stars filled for men. Granted, there is plenty of gender cross-over appeal for big action movies and paranormal romance/action. However, movies starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, Jean-Claude Van Damme, and Bruce Willis were clearly marketed more towards men than women. And vice versa for the shows and movies mentioned above. In short, Buffy and the others were the first modern heroines. YA Dystopian novels and TV shows is just one of many species that spawned from the rapidly growing market for strong, heroic, female protagonists.

Of course, not all YA shows and novels are heroine’s journeys. Some are simply romance novels with fantasy or sci-fi settings. In particular, dystopian settings seem to take the place of the old, stuffy patriarchal structures and traditional social norms that used to frustrate the romantic desires of young characters. The star-crossed lovers came from rival aristocratic families, or live on different sides of town. In many stories, the family and the community did not approve of a young girl’s boyfriend because of his criminal or rebellious nature. In all these stories, outside forces intervened and acted as the antagonists.

As we make our way deeper into the 21st century, the old oppressive patriarchal power structures are fading. Contemporary romance is probably having a hard time using these tropes as most young women grow up with far more autonomy then their mothers and grandmothers. The same goes for those rebellious boyfriends. Some men don’t bother obtaining their prospective father-in-law’s blessing anymore as it implies he has some sort of control over his adult daughter. Writers have found new ways to create outside antagonists, one of which is building an oppressive dystopian society that will actively seek to frustrate the desires of the young characters.

It isn’t all about the ladies, but the gender balance favors them by far in this particular area. One exception is Pierce Brown’s Red Rising, which features a young widow desperate for revenge against the society that killed his beloved wife. It’s success suggests we could see a new wave of YA dystopias with male leads… or it may simply be just a great book.

So why are YA speculative fiction failing at theaters but thriving in bookstores? We really aren’t sure. It may be a simple numbers game. Hundreds of YA novels are published for every film release. The marketplace has a much larger selection and thus provides a better opportunity for quality work to rise to the top. It could also be that the general movie audience is a larger and much broader demographic compared to the loyal readers of the novels. Most of them do not have appeal beyond their niche market.

YA speculative fiction may continue to thrive on various medias but we could be seeing a gradual decline in YA dystopias. The dystopian settings are often no more than flimsy plot devices that create some sort of outside oppressor for the star-crossed lovers. In non-romantic stories, there are usually silly, implausible societies that utterly fail to maintain the suspension of disbelief. Dystopias are bad places that we visit to gain perspective about our own society and ourselves. They provide unique, hypothetical situations that have deeply impacted political discourse, even coining new terms like “newspeak.” Since young adults, especially in America, are generally disengaged from political discourse, YA dystopias tend to be superficial, robbing them of their literary purpose. A few great books may transcend the genre but most titles are forgettable.

Perhaps one day publishers will publish dystopian books that fulfill their intended purpose, leaning more towards the “adult” part of the YA genre instead of the “young” part. We aren’t going to hold our breath.

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The Silver Ships by S.H. Jucha

One part space opera, one part military science fiction, Silver Ships follows most of the conventional tropes in both. While it had plenty of details, some thoughtful elements, the story itself was underdeveloped and offered nothing new from the many other sci-fi titles on the shelves.

Alex Racine is a loner, piloting an ice freighter out in space around his home world New Terra. He is the descendant of colonists who left Earth. He discovers a derelict ship, enters it against his better judgment, and finds the AI is still operational and a small group of survivors. They are Meridiens, a human civilization that is descended from another colonial ship that left Earth. Alex helps them repair their ship, learning that they were attacked by an alien silver ship, which is a threat to both worlds.

Silver Ships is a decent novel overall, but there was no part of it that was great or unique. There are plenty of details on physics, trajectories, ship design, weaponry, AI, nanites, and other common sci-fi ideas and technologies. Alex is a likable enough character, as are the Meridians although they have a childish naivety that is hard to buy. The AI of the ship, named Julien, is an interesting character who doesn’t seem to be an AI at all but a species that happens to be a giant ship.

As the novel progresses, it isn’t really about titular silver ships. It could be called the “everyone loves Alex” show. Every single character loves, admires, and is faithfully loyal to Alex, from the Meridiens to the New Terrans. Everyone from the military up to the President of his own country defer to him. Then there are the Meridiens, blessed with a nanite- technology that keeps them eternally young and beautiful, while also having light, elven bodies that Alex and many New Terrans find incredibly attractive. The female Meridiens seem to adore Alex, of course, waiting for an opportunity to express it.

In short, there is a male fantasy with no real conflict or tension AT ALL.

A loner gets to save a ship full of hot babes, becomes a celebrity, and insanely rich. The leader of the Meridien survivors, Renee, is of course an intelligent, attractive young woman who is ready to defer to Alex in every way, constantly expressing her adoration and gratitude for him.

The ending is exciting but difficult to follow. The author does not do action that well. I was hoping the conclusion would save the novel but it doesn’t. The beginning and ends are relatively exciting but the middle is long and dull. For young male sci-fi readers, it is enjoyable. For everyone else, it is a yawner.

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Archangel by Marguerite Reed

When a book makes the reader work just to keep up with the story, it can be frustrating. Some authors like to throw all sorts of neologisms, strange characters, and unique ideas at a reader without much context. Archangel is a tough read at times but possesses some unique ideas and an original story that makes it worth the effort. With topics ranging from genetic engineering to ecology, author Marguerite Reed wrote an ambitious debut novel.

Set in the far future after Earth has become a wasteland, Archangel takes place on an alien planet called Ubastis. Vashti Loren is a colonist and xenobiologist studying the planet’s indigenous life, which includes plants and some dangerous animals. Scientists and explorers like Loren are there to ensure colonization is possible and safe for the people and the indigenous life. They do not want to make the same mistake they did on Earth. Loren is also the widow of a famous colonial leader, who was brutally murdered. The killer, a genetically engineered super soldier called a beast, is the center of the story. As the novel begins, a Ubasti dignitary smuggles a beast onto the planet, traumatizing Loren at the sight of it. Events will force her to get past her hatred of beasts, and work with it to help save her planet.

The first thing that struck me about the novel was the unstable narrator. Loren is erratic in her thinking and prone to abrupt mood swings. The people around her seem to give her room to behave erratically, due the tragic loss of her husband and the unwanted celebrity thrust upon her following his death. The attention is unwanted, judging from her general “fuck the world” attitude. The instability made some parts of the novel difficult to follow or comprehend.

If you can get past the emotional turbulence, you will come to like and admire her. Loren is intelligent and strong. Not only is she a celebrity, she is the only licensed hunter on the planet. The expeditions into the Ubasti wild are sometimes for sport but are predominantly for research purposes. The carcasses are brought back to the labs for dissection. Her stereotype-shattering personality is complemented well with her surprising insight into the events unfolding around her. Interestingly, she is brutally honest with herself, aware her behavior is erratic, and threatens her relationship and custody situation with her daughter Bibi. The planet has a very intrusive government, with the authority to remove Bibi with little cause and force Loren to undergo therapy or re-education as they call it.

While Loren’s behavior is understandable, the behavior of the other characters is baffling. Several of the other characters from Ubasti also have abrupt changes in mood and nasty, sometimes vulgar outbursts. Dialogue and mannerisms shifted a lot, creating sudden tension then dissipating into nothing, creating incoherent exchanges. Some characters were absolutely awful, in particular the offworlders. It was difficult to understand or accept their extraordinary rudeness and hostility, especially in the situations that called for neither.

Their attitudes laid out clear ideological lines between the eco-friendly, isolationists and those wanting to move the rest of the human race onto Ubastis, regardless of the consequences for the local environment. The Malthusian themes are presented in such a painfully one-sided way, it was clear where the author stood. The use of straw men for antagonists was disappointing and was a missed opportunity to explore the themes with greater depth.

Ubastis has an interesting mixture of Muslim, Christian, and secular elements to its culture as well as a very progressive communal society. It was refreshing to read about a non-American, non-White future society. For me, this might’ve been the most interesting part of the novel. The author clearly intended it to be the ideal, utopian society implementing progressive and collectivist policies. People refer to each other as “citizen” and child-rearing is a shared responsibility among many people. Killing is forbidden, whether human or animal. Even self-defense is a questionable justification for homicide. Hunting is considered abhorrent to many citizens but is necessary for research. Individuals need permission to procreate, and political leaders conduct psychological examinations of citizens.

The writing was strong and at times beautiful but the author made a habit of unnecessarily using obscure words. Some seem to come straight from graduate school exams, such as lugubrious. She also introduces several neologisms that require the reader to use context to figure out what she is talking about. I’m also not clear on where the title Archangel comes from. I don’t recall it coming up in the book.

Unfortunately, the ending was anticlimactic and failed to conclude the outstanding conflicts in the story. The novel reads like it is built on some thorough research, with the exception of these final scenes where the author attempted to depict some sort of political hearing. As a result, Archangel is a setup for a sequel and not a strong stand alone novel.

I think many readers will enjoy the unique world-building as well as the complex feelings of the narrator, while some may be annoyed that the novel doesn’t have more of a conventional sci-fi style to it. My individual experience with the book was mixed. At the same time, I appreciated the novel’s rich detail, and how it avoided typical sci-fi plot devices. It’s been a while since I’ve read a novel this unique. While it didn’t move me personally, I think many others will love it.

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Speculative Fiction Continues to Tilt Toward Younger Readers

If you’ve worked in a bookstore the past decade or two, you’ve probably noticed something strange going on in speculative fiction. Publishers are making bank on young adult titles, pushing aside traditional “high-brow” genre fiction. These novels sport younger protagonists, young adult themes, and bend more toward action and away from science. Provocative philosophical questions and plausibility are not as important as they once were. In some novels, the science is stretched so thin that they could easily be reclassified as fantasy. Sci-fi readers tend to argue over whether this trend is really happening (some people don’t like to face facts), why it is happening, and whether it is a good thing or a bad thing. Is the science fiction genre better off with this onslaught of young adult titles?

Before I can get into the topic, there are a few objections that I anticipate will be raised right away. When I broached this subject on message boards and at book club, a number of people argued that young adult fiction (YA) is not a rising genre at all. Sure, when it comes to movies or TV, it is all about youth. Whether its the countless teen superhero shows on CW or the worldwide success of The Hunger Games, the evidence is undeniable. Yet readers seem to think their literary realm is free from the superficial obsession with sexy young heroes, non-stop action, and easy to follow plots.

Publishing statistics say otherwise. Young adult fiction, which was once a niche market, has expanded to compete with adult fiction. Are younger people reading more? It is doubtful. Actually, adult readers are taking a liking to YA novels in greater numbers. Surveys suggest the young adult demographic is stretching from the traditional 12-18 age group to one that extends into the 20s. There are even readers in their 30s who admit to reading and enjoying YA novels.

The second objection to the success of YA fiction is the typical battle over labels. It seems readers cannot agree on a definition. For the purposes of this article, I will use the definition from Wikipedia: “YA is fiction written, published, or marketed to adolescents and young adults.” The definition here focuses on the intent of the author and publisher, not reader definitions or interpretations. Luckily, it isn’t too hard to discern the intent of authors or publishers; most of them are unafraid to publicly state whether their product is YA fiction or not.

What makes our task somewhat difficult is the subtle changes in YA plots compared to what publishers called YA in the last century. YA fiction used to include problem novels or social novels, where there was a specific focus on an important societal problem one would encounter as an adult. There were also coming-of-age stories, or ones where a young protagonist experiences something that transitions them from child to adulthood. This is not what we are talking about here. Genre fiction in particular, tends to put out stories that are more action-based, easier to read, and less substantive. Some might describe it as “low-brow” but that might not be the best term. It isn’t that these novels are for stupid people but that they are for readers who want something lighter, even if they often read the high-brow stuff. In any case, YA genre fiction doesn’t seem focused on the transition to adulthood. It is for readers who want to feel young and idealistic.

Based on surveys and sales numbers, it appears the YA demographic is much wider today. The readership has expanded out of the teen years into the early 20s. Why are older readers picking up novels written for teenagers? They are not only buying up these books, they are enjoying them. It isn’t the books or promotional campaigns, it is the readers themselves that are changing. Late adolescence and early adulthood (roughly 16-24) is no longer a transitional phase but one that many are encouraged to relive as much as possible in their later years. Social norms used to put great emphasis on working hard and being practical. Young adults needed to grow up and get started on a career as soon as possible. They typically married in their early twenties and had children not long afterward. All the things associated with adulthood, like personal responsibility, were expected from you starting at 18.

As a Gen-X’er, I can tell you that norm is not as prevalent today. Not much is expected from an 18 year old, whether it be employment or personal responsibility. It is very common for young adults to live at home into their 20s, failing to embark on their own career until 24 or 25. College and graduate school had rigorous academic and disciplinary standards, much different than the glorified daycare for adults they are now.

Marriage and children are coming later and later, or sometimes not at all. College is treated as a time for students to explore or “find themselves” in an environment with minimal consequences. Academic standards are relaxed in many institutions of higher learning. Any mention of being “realistic” or practical is met with a scoff and an eye-roll. Such notions are considered ignorant, oppressive, even fascist. Being practical is to be repressed.

In other words, people are growing up more slowly. The expectations of adulthood have been delayed from high school graduation to college graduation or maybe 30. It makes sense that such individuals would still find YA novels enthralling.

When it comes to science fiction, some things remain constant regardless of whether a book is marketed toward young adults or adults. However, it does seem like the genre has moved away from technology-centered plots toward conventional drama or action. They focus more attention on the protagonist rather than the technological challenges or the changing world around them. Science and plausibility are not emphasized, which tends to make them less relevant to current events and more specific to the individual experiences of young readers. They can see more of themselves in the modern protagonist than say Paul Atreides, Offred, or even Ender.

The plots also tend to be more conventional. For example, the hero’s journey has always been a common story structure both within and outside of speculative fiction. What surprises many (including me) is its implementation in traditionally non-heroic or tragic realms in speculative fiction. The biggest example is the prominence of heroes in YA dystopian fiction. Dystopias have traditionally been a place for social commentary, dark nightmares, and alternative perspectives. Heroes seldom factor into these stories, or when they do, they meet with tragic ends. Today, authors use dystopias as oppressive settings for young heroes and heroines to break through and tear down. Their rebellion is a triumphant conquest of the flawed society.

Revolution, rebellion, defiance, and fighting the man are all extremely appealing to younger readers. This has been true since the Pharaohs of Egypt. The mystery is why younger people, who are largely apolitical, even apathetic, would find the conflicts in dystopian stories so appealing. It may be because politics don’t play much of a role in recent dystopian novels, if at all. In most cases the dystopian societies are ill-defined, poorly-conceived, or a carbon copy of some previous dystopia such as Brave New World or 1984. It is merely a setting for a great action story, or the platform for a unique new, stereotype-shattering heroine.

The same could be said for YA post-apocalyptic fiction as well. The dire warnings and future nightmares of post-apocalyptic fiction are now nothing more than setting for a love triangle among three young, attractive survivors.

At the same time, these lightweight YA novels can be distorted to produce stories with self-centered, self-indulgent, narcissistic themes where the protagonist’s great achievement is becoming a celebrity. The protagonist often begins as an impoverished nobody, neglected or ignored by the people and institutions around him. Their call to action is the discovery that they possess some innate quality that allows them to change the world. Whether it is Tris’s divergent disposition, Sookie’s fairy lineage, or Percy’s genetic connection to Poseidon, the stories all suggest the boon or elixir comes from within. For example, one could summarize the Harry Potter novels as “a white kid learns he is special, and attends exclusive private school where he is a celebrity.” Obviously the Harry Potter novels are much more than this simplified tagline but it is an example of a greater pattern. Generally, the protagonist learns she is special and moves on to cash in on her gifts.

You rarely see a protagonist rise through hard work, training, or guile. They always seem to have an innate talent that carries the day. Greatness comes from nature, not nurture. Moral or ethical dilemmas are rare; often the central conflict is simply a test of courage. Worst of all, the stories tend to be about glory, with the protagonist promised great rewards for their sacrifice, making them far from selfless. These are great bedtime stories but most would attest that they bear little resemblance to the experiences of modern life.

For nearly two generations, it’s been standard practice to tell children they are special. Even into early adolescence, parents stress the unique and special qualities of their children. In high school and college, there is an emphasis on students having an impact on the world, becoming leaders, activists, etc. We are all special snowflakes and if the world does not recognize our greatness, it is because the world is unjust. We must make it just. Some novels seem to be focused on exactly that, correcting the world’s rejection of the protagonist. In other cases, the conflict is the dystopian/PA world interfering with the protagonists wants, such as a forbidden love, or more commonly, absolute freedom.

Everything in the plot is clear. The bad guys might as well be wearing black, sitting on a throne while stroking a cat on their lap. The good guys are perfect examples of virtue, compassion, and just all-round goodness. They also tend to be attractive. No reason to offer up any subtlety.

Is this new trend a good thing or a bad thing?

First off, I really doubt the rise of YA fiction is displacing quality adult science fiction. Also, there is certainly nothing wrong with people reading more fiction, even if it is lightweight. What should trouble us is the increasing desire of older readers to read fiction written for teens. At some point, you need to grow up and challenge yourself to read something that will make you think. If you are in your mid to late 20s and love Divergent or Red Rising, you should ask yourself why you keep reading books about teenagers.

High-brow science fiction is still out there; it just isn’t enjoying the same commercial success. Perhaps publishers and authors should give some thought as to why deeper, more thought-provoking novels like Charles Stross’s Glasshouse or Margaret Atwood’s MaddAddam aren’t getting the same sales as love triangles of the future. Maybe demand is down, or perhaps the supply isn’t measuring up to the classics of the previous century.

Also, it is important to recognize not all YA science fiction is light, self-indulgent pulp. The Hunger Games Trilogy is a triumph. Other titles such as The Giver, are also worth reading even if you are older. They resemble the older problem or coming-of-age novels. In each, there is something about the real world that must be faced when we become adults. It will not be as simple as good guys defeating the bad guys. Real life rarely is that clean.

The best elements of adult science fiction is the thought-provoking worlds, the unique moral and ethical dilemmas, the philosophical quandaries, plausible futuristic scenarios, and warnings of future perils. They are about the future but also a uniquely powerful method of cultural self-examination that in some ways mainstream fiction cannot accomplish. Many of the conflicts and issues raised are bigger than any single individual, which separates it from the more individualistic nature of most YA science fiction. I believe there is still a place for adult science fiction and a strong demand that is not being fully supplied. These novels may never compete with Tris or Sookie for the top spot on the bestseller list but I think in time they will begin to command more attention from readers.

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