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NeverNeverGirl
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 Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2008 8:19 pm Post subject: Intro to Barry the Normal - a note to those who ask 'why?' |
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A note to readers who ask why....
Barry is written to be a reflection of my frustrations regarding the now predictable world of Fantasy.
It is my opinion that the genre has come to lack a certain Je ne sais quoi. It has all come to revolve around the same basic principles; a sacred item (ring, scroll, chalice), the unlikely hero (farm boy, small being, middle son of the king) and their battle against overwhelming odds/forry into an alternate reality/falling in love with some type of unreachable/unhavable/against all odds female. This also has several other forms with the like of Elves (and others of that ilk) being used in the same inane ways in a relentless litany of the same story being played out to a point where they are almost redundant.
More and more i find myself picking up a book, reading the blurb and the first two passages and being able to predict where the situation is going to lead. (I am a 'Plot Unraveller' through no fault of my own.) This has led me to become disllusioned about the world of Fiction and that which i used to enjoy, long has it been since something has compelled me to read it . (Apart from Mr Pratchett)
Thus Barry the Normal. This started out, in my mind, as the antithesis of all fantasy stories - it was going to feature a 'hero' character that was going to be a middle classs middle income character of indefinable age who does nothing overly extraordinary - yet on writing the introduction Barry was born in all his sarcastic, melodrmatic, satirical glory.
Enter now the world of Barry were sterotypes are played out to the full and the oft predictable genre is being predictable to the hilt. The concept has changed but my derision of a style i loved has yet to disapate. I am playing each 'traditional' concept out as well as throwing in a few mocking cameos and overall, putting forth my disgust at the lack of originality in Fantasy Fiction.
Read Barry knowing that i intend to mock, scorn adn deride the habits of many writers, while all the while working on my comic timing and mass appeal.
I am also considering an index of plot references for those who may be unfamiliar with those things/writers that i am alluding to through out the peice.
Go forth friends and embrace all that is the mind of NE! lol
(any questions or did that make no sense?)
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Last edited by NeverNeverGirl on Mon Nov 17, 2008 3:29 pm; edited 5 times in total
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Chinaren
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| Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2008 9:46 pm Post subject: |
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I'm totally with you* there Nenners!
*Except for Tired of Death of course. 
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| Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 2:41 pm Post subject: Re: Intro to Barry the Normal - a ntoe to those who ask 'why |
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| NeverNeverGirl wrote: | | I am a 'Plot Unraveller' |
I know one story you wouldn't be able to "unravel" the plot to. Of course it's an old story of mine that I wrote long ago.
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Crunchyfrog
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| Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 2:46 pm Post subject: |
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*Offers Nenners the MT Plot Knot challenge* 
Barry is definately a parody extraordinaire. Glad to see it's still alive and kicking, and loving every bit of it.
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The Meaning Of Fear
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| Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 4:38 pm Post subject: |
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You spelled it Ntoe. Fix it now!!!
If you don't then I won't read this...
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Doors to the truth, an SG where a boy is propelled into worlds he is unfamiliar with. He crosses many worlds, and sees many things that force him to throw away his innocence, once, and for all. Fourth Chapter, out for viewing!
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Argon18
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| Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2008 2:21 pm Post subject: |
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Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that the classic anti-hero plot? Done in books like Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever and Arthur Dent from Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy?
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NeverNeverGirl
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| Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 1:43 am Post subject: |
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To me Argo (sorry its taken so long to get back to you) Mr Arthur Dent is the perfect example of the anti - hero. He does not even come close to being a hero and its my hope that i learn to write that type of character.
BUT it would seem to me by your suggestion that you are of the opinion that two anti-heroes are enough?
Why limit the number of parodies to a few when the number of 'serious works of Fantasy Fiction' is sky high and soaring?
*sits on her sofa in her robe and watches the world begin to end*
My writing inspirations are: Eric Idle, Terry Pratchett, Douglas Adams etc etc so on and so forth. Not limited too and in no particular order.
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