by Nekomata-sensei » Sat Aug 02, 2008 3:36 pm
I think I most hate the really good ones that just barely start up, and hint at something great, but never go further, the author disappearing off the face of the internet or starting up another story and dropping it. In the case of disappearing authors I somewhat understand, but for the ones who switch to other stories, shouldn't they have a good outline for the other one, given the quality of their writing? And if they do, why do they torture us with waiting and hoping when it can't be writer's block that's the problem?
As for stories that I actually hate, it's mainly the ones written for no other reason than to add in nonsensical or downright disturbing pairings that the author desires that clutter up fanfiction sites like clumps in kitty litter left out over a vacation, or ruin potentially good fic themes they use for background, like the endless yaoi that half of the fanfiction.net posts for Harry Potter and Naruto seem to include. I thank the gods of fanfiction that they have to put up those little disclaimers in the description like Naru/Sasu and HP/DM which prevents me from opening any of them up unless they were mis-labeled or I confused it for something else, like I thought it was Naru/Saku and the rest of the description sounded good.
Generally, I dislike pairings used at all in fanfiction, as they either degenerate into poorly written smut or badly written romance that makes the characters seem like utter idiots, or cause the characters to be so out of character it can't even be called interesting or funny, and they've lost everything about them that makes them appealing characters. Most of the time stories with pairings are written for the express purpose of fulfilling the author's desires to see those characters together, and it winds up ruining the rest of the plot, or the rest of the plot plays a badly written back story fulfilling the author's other wishes concerning the characters, often eliminating any suspenseful conflict and becoming sickeningly fluffy, or turning the fics into angst fests rivaling DBZ in power curve, but without any good drama or comedy to spice it up, or bad guys worth their salt that give a reason to make the heroes so powerful.
There is only so many times I can read a fic where Harry or Naruto or Ranma finally realizes how shitty their life is and becomes a rebel and unlocks their true potential with special training they could have only found if they'd bothered to look before, transforms to become twice as handsome with far better social skills after months of isolation and training, and defeats all their enemies with an ease that displays that their enemies are utter idiots without even half of their natural power, who only succeeded before due to everyone else being dumber or secretly bad guys who are betraying the hero. Some of these fics I like, but it's the well written ones which remain relatively true to the characters and world and give an excuse for the power ups with more powerful or cunning villains, and constantly challenge the hero. Most of them are like putting Goku in the old Batman TV show where none of the villains, nor the heroes, fought worth a damn, and the fights consisted of *POW* *BANG* and *BIF* covering the screen so we'd never actually see anyone get hit. The ones I like are more like taking the old Batman TV show and giving it Nanoha's action choreographers and the writers for House MD for Batman's detective work and any comedy they fit in and the villains, or at least some of them, able to keep up with Batman intellectually enough to give him a challenge.
Another thing I hate is stories that are otherwise good, but filled with so many plot holes and author stupidity caused by lack of research or understanding of the subjects related in the story that it stinks of the author being rushed or uncaring, or portray the world inconsistently. This is actually one of the biggest reasons I look for Harry Potter fan fiction, because while parts and aspects of that series are great, Rowling must be the queen of poorly hidden plot holes, like Sirius never being given a trial, or wizards not trusting goblins and having lots of wars with them, yet banking with them, or the relatively poor coverage of the magic of other cultures, like Asian or native American, despite the wizarding world seeming relatively international, and lack of involvement of non-'evil' intelligent races in the plot and battle against Voldemort, what are the Veela doing for instance. Also bad is the final pathetic performance of Voldemort. What happened to the amazing magic he displayed at the ministry against Dumbledore, against Harry it seems like all he does is shoot killing curse which have already proved ineffectual when he must have tons of other lethal spells and tricks to get around Harry's shields. Was he intentionally weakened and dumbed down by the author so Harry's lack of training wouldn't get in the way? Were the hallows a last-minute plot device worked together for the last book from 'hints' that weren't actually planned in the previous books in order to power up Harry and give him an excuse to defeat Voldemort? What is with how wands work and the golden blast at the beginning of the last book?
"Health, Learning & Virtue will ensure your happiness; they will give you a quiet conscience, private esteem & public honor." Thomas Jefferson (1743 - 1826)