What makes a good fantasy storyline?

[Scribble]

Magic? Monsters? Lots of action? A rich history? Characters whose lives are in danger?

What kind of storyline, when you pick up a new fantasy book, are you hoping you'll get?

[Betty]

Good pacing. Interesting characters. A conflict that isn't predictable. Divergence in some important way from the cliches of contemporary fantasy fiction.

[Scribble]

Pilar wrote: "One with a powerful message. All the action, magic, monsters or whatever the author chooses should deliver something to the reader. I think these elements you listed should be the tools to make/sup..."

I'm starting to think I'm the only person who doesn't read to learn something about life :P

[J.D.]

Scribble wrote: "
I'm starting to think I'm the only person who doesn't read to learn something about life :P"

There are plenty of people who read for escapism or pure entertainment. They just aren't as likely to write long philosophical posts about it as people who are looking for some greater idea, so the readers we see talking about what they want out of a book are more frequently the ones who are looking for more from their reading. It looks like most people are reading deeply and looking for lessons, but that's partly an illusion caused by selection bias.

[Trike]

Scribble wrote: "Magic? Monsters? Lots of action? A rich history? Characters whose lives are in danger?

What kind of storyline, when you pick up a new fantasy book, are you hoping you'll get?"

Just something interesting. I've consumed so much entertainment at this point -- books, comics, movies, TV -- that what I really treasure is originality. Or, barring that, a remix of the familiar in a new way.

[Natasha]

I like the story to move along. It feels like most books get so sluggish in the middle that I just give up on it. I like fantasy to have a good plot, and interesting characters. I love some sarcasm in any book I read, and a few crazy creatures mixed in too.

[D.L.]

For me, a fantasy book must have a theme that makes some point about the real world. From myths to fairytales, that's what fantasy is for. Endearing characters, humor, and an imaginative, well-constructed setting help do that. The escapist element has to be there, but it's not enough to make a great fantasy story.

[Thomas]

I like a good hero's journey. I want to see good guys fighting for good things. Tropes and Cliches are OK in my book as long as they are done well and the author takes some ownership in them, doing something that makes them his own.

I want second world fantasy. I like characters to behave like real people, regardless of the magic and powers they may wield.

I like dragons to be more than large lizards with wings, a LOT more actually. I likes elves that are more than long-lived, pointy-eared, tree-hugging humans. I like dwarves that are more than short, bearded humans that like to mine for gold and gems.

[Jen]

More what I don't want to see-

If you're going to have magic, make sure that it's at least vaguely plausible in terms of the society that you've built. If magic is the only alternative that people use to solve problems, it's pretty boring. All powerful/knowledgeable wizards who can wave a wand and snuff out a bad guy could likely also teach peasants how to read, or to wash their hands when they're caring for the sick.

If you're building a medieval/chivalric world, make sure they've had an industrial revolution before you introduce hay bales :-) And if you've got a group of 20 heroes (some with armor) travelling cross country for any length of time, building in pee breaks is a good idea. If horses are carrying knights in armour for any length of time, you're also going to need regular farrier stops, even if they're travelling on dirt roads.

Not every fantasy needs to be spread over multiple books. It may be the norm in publishing now, but sometimes a good idea can be wonderful in one book, not so much in 12.

Don't forget the characters. You may have the greatest world-building skills ever, or the most interesting plot, but if you have boring or stereotypical characters not many people are going to care. The fantasy convention where men and women bicker like they're in grade 6 is pretty old by now.

[Peggy]

I'm all about the escapism, but I need to care what happens to the characters. I can read through a lot of nonsense, but if I don't care if those people live or die, that book is going to get put down and never picked up again.

Suspension of disbelief is the other biggie. Again, I can read through your nonsense if you're telling me a good story, but if I'm slogging, I have time to nitpick. And if I'm nitpicking, I'm not believing.

[Doug]

Scribble wrote: "I'm starting to think I'm the only person who doesn't read to learn something about life :P "

For me, entertainment is the highest good. If the book doesn't entertain in some way, I don't care how deep and meaningful it is. (Maybe that's why I've had to slog through Cormac McCarthy's work. The beautiful writing ropes me in, but his novels just aren't any fun.)

To answer your questions: characters and pacing are important to any novel, IMO, but fantasy in particular needs an idea that is both weird and fresh. But then, I'm into the new weird/urban fantasy scene, so that's what I like.

[Kara]

High stakes, real moral dilemmas, a believable chance of disaster.
-Kara

[Chris]

Peggy wrote: "I'm all about the escapism, but I need to care what happens to the characters. I can read through a lot of nonsense, but if I don't care if those people live or die, that book is going to get put ..."

Nicely worded, Peggy. I like this answer.

[D.L.]

Chris wrote: "Peggy wrote: "I'm all about the escapism, but I need to care what happens to the characters. I can read through a lot of nonsense, but if I don't care if those people live or die, that book is goi..."
Agreed. There must be something likeable, maybe even admirable, about the protagonist. If the story makes me care, think, and laugh, then it's probably a winner, unless the thing is so unbelievable it strains my ability to suspend disbelief — although I can tolerate some pretty silly things for the sake of a good story. If the tone of the story is humorous or satirical, I'll accept the existence of a flat world resting on the backs of four elephants standing on a cosmic turtle. But if the tone of the story suggests it's to be taken 'seriously' I'll probably find it difficult to accept the existence of a magic sword unless some kind of reasonable explanation is presented.

[Kevin]

The most important aspects to any story is the characters. Also the reader has to feel the plot is progressing.

[Trike]

I don't really care about the characters. If I like them, that's a bonus, not a requirement. I've never been one of those people who needs to empathize with the protagonist in order to enjoy the story.

But then again I'm an INTJ, so the rest of humanity seems like a bunch of inscrutable aliens to me anyway.

[John]

I like the heroic quest, most often undertaken by an unlikely hero -- like Tolkien's hobbits. And to echo comments by Thomas and Jen, I would rather see intelligent dragons that challenge you with riddles than large lizards that fly and breathe fire... and I'd also like to see characters that live in a real world where they have to stop occasionally to eat, sleep, etc. If you are going to have magic, I like to see the wizards work for it, i.e. actually have to make some sort of effort to generate a spell. I'd also like to see some sort of limits on the magic or rules governing the use of it... not just a quickie spell for every occasion. :-)

[D.L.]

Trike wrote: "I don't really care about the characters. If I like them, that's a bonus, not a requirement. I've never been one of those people who needs to empathize with the protagonist in order to enjoy the st..."

I suppose a story can still be interesting if you don't like the characters or care about if they succeed or fail, but I, personally, don't enjoy them as much.
I've filled out those personality questionnaires before, and they categorized me as an INT-something. I don't really recall. I'm a skeptical curmudgeon, I do know that. :-)

[Sharon]

Escapism and entertainment but I'm a character driven reader so the characters have to catch and keep my interest. If I'm not interested in the characters, I can't stay caught up in the storyline.

[Tasha]

Kara wrote: "High stakes, real moral dilemmas, a believable chance of disaster.
-Kara"

This plus characters I can care about and it can't be too predictable or I get bored quickly.