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Pet Peeves v.7

Discussion in 'Fanfic Discussion' started by Dark Syaoran, Jan 31, 2013.

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  1. Dark Syaoran

    Dark Syaoran No. 4 Admin

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    Like always, the other thread is getting massive, so time for a new one. How many peeves are there!?

    You can find the old thread here.
     
  2. Andrela

    Andrela Plot Bunny DLP Supporter

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    I don't like when authors introduce a cure for lycanthropy.
    In my opinion, it should remain incurable.
    I'm even against potions that allow for werewolves to control their transformation.
     
  3. Nuit

    Nuit Dark Lord

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    May or may not have been mentioned before.

    Adding internet memes to the story.

     
  4. gorgonfish

    gorgonfish Second Year

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    This has probably been mentioned in each of the previous threads, but I hate when arbitrary costs are tacked onto the HP magic. Usually it's getting fatigued after casting too many spells, which leads to mentions of magical cores or magical reserves. More often than not, it's only used to show Harry (or whoever the main character happens to be) being stronger than everyone else. And enough with the damn tuck-and-roll dueling/training. It's a magical duel, not a gymnastics meet.
     
  5. T3t

    T3t Purple Beast of DLP ~ Prestige ~ DLP Supporter

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    Mobility is very important in a magical duel (assuming the area is warded against Apparition). It's a lot easier to step out of the way of a killing curse than it is to conjure/summon something in front of it.
     
  6. Andrela

    Andrela Plot Bunny DLP Supporter

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    I agree very strongly with this.

    I refuse to read stories with magical cores or 'magical reserves'.
     
  7. Platypus

    Platypus Groundskeeper

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    The best arbitrary cost to tag on... would probably be to give first years sore throats after hours of casting.
     
  8. gorgonfish

    gorgonfish Second Year

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    Sure, it has its uses. The problem is when authors make sidestepping some big advantage that no one has ever thought of before and belittling those who use shielding spells. Coincidentally, those authors' repertoire of spells most often only include expelliarmus, reducto, stupefy, and/or the killing curse. I'd personally rather see creative uses of magic in battle rather than the magic equivalent of a western shoot-out.
     
  9. T3t

    T3t Purple Beast of DLP ~ Prestige ~ DLP Supporter

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    No, I agree that it shouldn't be some amazing discovery that Harry makes because of his muggle upbringing - what, are all the other muggleborns retarded?
     
  10. mknote

    mknote 1/3 of the Note Bros. DLP Supporter

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    Not Harry Potter related, but...

    When Darth Vader redeems himself and as a consequence is able to rid himself of his suit. Sorry, but I think that if there were a way to allow Anakin to live without the suit, Palpatine would have found a way because, ya know, stronger apprentice and all that. Plus, the suit is badass while Anakin is... not.
     
  11. Andrela

    Andrela Plot Bunny DLP Supporter

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    I heard it was confirmed that Palpatine had a way for making Anakin live without the suit, but hid that knowledge from him because he feared that Anakin will become stronger than him.
     
  12. Wildfeather

    Wildfeather The Nidokaiser ~ Prestige ~

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    Mknote: I think just about every time Anakin has been a bad ass has been offscreen. You basically only got to see Anakin when he was A: outmatched or B: in the middle of an emotional breakdown. The point of the movies was to reveal that Darth Vader was once very much human, with flaws and emotions, and how those were turned against him. Anakin is pretty much a typical greek hero, really.

    It wouldn't surprise me that Palpatine hid a way for Anakin to get healthy from him. For one, that just plain makes sense (the way of the sith is to seek power in order to overthrow your master. How much action did Anakin really take at any point, beside recruiting his son, to overthrow Palpatine?). Either he found out how to restore his body in spite of Palpatine's efforts -proving he is worth of being a sith Apprentice- or he failed, and Palpatine was able to replace him eventually.
     
  13. Ched

    Ched Da Trek Moderator DLP Supporter ⭐⭐

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    Pet Peeve: Going to an author's page on ffnet and having to scroll through approximately 5 million words worth of crap before actually making it to their story list.
     
  14. Hero of Stupidity

    Hero of Stupidity Villain of Sensibility ~ Prestige ~ DLP Supporter

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    There is a HIDE button :p
     
  15. Zeitgeist

    Zeitgeist High Inquisitor

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    [​IMG]

    Another pet peeve of mine is "Reading the Books". You all know what I'm talking about. I don't want a rehash of seven, bloody books, just to get one lousy reaction from Lily. If I had that much time to waste, I'd join something equally as banal but more productive, like the local knitting group or the Cats' Appreciation Society. Jesus Christ.


    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  16. Oruma

    Oruma Order Member

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    There is also an "End" button on your keyboard. Try it sometime.

    Still kinda sad MCD is dead. :(
     
  17. Nuit

    Nuit Dark Lord

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    Or do the sensible thing, and do what HoS said. Don't hear that every day.
     
  18. Andro

    Andro Master of Death DLP Supporter

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    Good authors don't have long profiles. There's no need to actually make it to their story list.
     
  19. Warlocke

    Warlocke Fourth Champion

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    It works rather well in Nobody Dies, though. :awesome


    Corroborate/Collaborate
    Someone watched Law & Order or C.S.I., but failed to open their dictionary, afterward. If I had a dollar for every HP story where someone was said to have "collaborated" another person's story- Well, I might be able to afford the lawyer I'd need after wringing their necks.

    While we're delving into legal matters...

    Persecution/Prosecution
    I'm constantly reading about Harry being "prosecuted" by his classmates for being different and whatnot. I know there's the phrase 'court of public opinion', but somehow I doubt such authors are attempting to make some tortuous pun out of the phrase when they make this error.

    Peak/Peek/Pique
    I've said it before, I'll say it again.

    Quashing/Squashing
    I'd like to quash the occurrence of this confusion but I'd settle for squashing the people who create it.
     
  20. Thaumologist

    Thaumologist Fifth Year ~ Prestige ~

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    Travel to an alternate timeline.

    I can see why people love writing these - you get the best of both worlds.
    You have canon/near canon characters, developed exactly as all your readers are familiar with.
    You have a new world, with many things different. You get to twist canon into something that barely resembles it, and can get away with any changes to anything, as long as you're consistent.

    But unless the story is part of a series, then what happens doesn't really matter.

    Sure, stopping slavery of muggleborns, or earth ponies, or whatever is great. And toppling the evil tyrant who gets off from throwing orphaned babies at starving kittens is always a good thing to do.

    But for the reader, nothing changes at the end - the protagonist goes back to their home universe, the new universe is heading towards the same as the old, but we'll never see it again, and all is well.

    I've seen exceptions - that one where Harry ends up with Susan, Fred and George with Fleur, and Hermione becomes queen; one of Ciroton's stories in the 'Sunset' chronology (MLP), and a few others.

    But for the most part, author's don't seem to handle these well.
     
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