I’ve been meaning to pull together a post exploring the whole question of whether magic in fantasy really needs to have rules, but I keep getting distracted by my current work-in-progress. (This is a good thing.)
So in the meantime, rachelmanija asks readers/viewers: What are your cool bits? What are the themes and stories and images and moments that you love to see?
Here are some of the things that rock my world when I see them in stories:
– Challenging the boundaries of stories. Breaking-the-fourth wall stuff. (This is why I’m babbling about Princess Tutu these days. Characters have been talking to the writer. And challenging him. This is also why I reread the Secret Country books every few years, and The Neverending Story.)
– Quiet, angsty boys. Better yet, quiet, angsty, shapeshifting boys.
– Changelings and stolen children. Things lost and found.
– Dealing with the business of how to return home after adventuring. (For me, all three books of Lord of the Rings are worth reading just for the last few pages. Well, that and Faramir, who is arguably covered by the second item on this list.)
– Mist and moonlight.
– Healers.