tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13294573.post8470245524936048648..comments2024-03-29T04:56:23.027-04:00Comments on Cockeyed Caravan: Storyteller’s Rulebook #79: Mentors are OverratedMatt Birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07319984238456281734noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13294573.post-46905578808722188672011-06-21T12:31:56.350-04:002011-06-21T12:31:56.350-04:00Bless you -- HATE the "believe in yourself an...Bless you -- HATE the "believe in yourself and all your problems go away" trope. Much prefer Miss Tick's instructions to Tiffany Aching in The Wee Free Men:<br /><br />"Are you listening"<br />"Yes," said Tiffany.<br />"Good. Now ... if you trust in yourself..."<br />"Yes?"<br />"and believe in your dreams..."<br />"Yes?"<br />"...and follow your star..." Miss Tick went on.<br />"Yes?"<br />"...you;ll still be beaten by people who spent THEIR time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy. Good-bye."ramshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06197775203594297901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13294573.post-42417983165842730462011-06-21T10:01:39.725-04:002011-06-21T10:01:39.725-04:00Ha! I just read an MG fantasy with exactly the cla...Ha! I just read an MG fantasy with exactly the classic mentor problem you describe. And the classic (unconvincing) fixes. The mentor says the following to cover up--and I do paraphrase a bit:<br /><br />1. I can't tell you that incredibly useful information because I made an oath to your mother that I wouldn't.<br /><br />2. Now that I've helped a little, I must depart for some mysterious reason. But I may show up again later, when your need is great.Kate Coombshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10138566291199003171noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13294573.post-58610438361352364662011-06-21T09:59:26.599-04:002011-06-21T09:59:26.599-04:00hee hee FYRESKULL. which would also be a good meta...hee hee FYRESKULL. which would also be a good metal band name if you put an umlaut over the U. <br /><br />i will go so far as to say i liked the movie better than the book -- i agree, the movie was spectacular. tho i'll add that fantasy isn't necessarily my fave genre, so perhaps i'm not the best judge. but i think (sacrilege!) cloudy with a chance of meatballs was another movie that was actually better than the book. i haven't seen mr popper's penguins, but i'm unnerved by the raves -- i really don't WANT to like this one, since i am a big fan of the (deadpan weird, a tone that doesn't generally translate to kid movies) book and i tend to loathe jim carrey. but i suspect there ARE humans of STYLE and TASTE who prefer the movie!marjoriehttp://www.marjorieingall.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13294573.post-36446351875551685602011-06-20T15:37:39.079-04:002011-06-20T15:37:39.079-04:00As someone who loves stories in nearly every conce...As someone who loves stories in nearly every conceivable genre except fantasy, I'm hoping you'll eventually get to a set of storytelling rules for genre(s) that will explain some of the appeal of this world of narrative conventions/expectations that enchants so many people but leaves me cold. Friends and loved ones have forced the supposed best-of fantasy on me to no avail: LOTR, HP, GAME OF THRONES, etc.j.s.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13294573.post-27056171172865087222011-06-20T13:48:33.535-04:002011-06-20T13:48:33.535-04:00Sorry, that would be "FYRESKULL." My mis...Sorry, that would be "FYRESKULL." My mistake.James Kennedyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04342773800742515957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13294573.post-34860640634528351822011-06-20T13:48:05.355-04:002011-06-20T13:48:05.355-04:00Agreed that "How to Train Your Dragon" i...Agreed that "How to Train Your Dragon" is a superior fantasy movie. It was the title that kept me away from it at first; it made the movie sound disposable. <br /><br />When I think about it now, though, I don't know what title would be better. At least "How to Train Your Dragon" is brisk and unpretentious, and better than YE OLDE CHRONICLES OF DRAGONWING FIRESKULL PART I: THE FINAL REDEMPTION or whatever.James Kennedyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04342773800742515957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13294573.post-15749932397841565012011-06-20T12:50:33.474-04:002011-06-20T12:50:33.474-04:00I'm looking forward to your HTTYD entries as I...I'm looking forward to your HTTYD entries as I think this was by far the best movie of 2010 (at least my favorite)!Lexhttp://www.kidbeowulf.comnoreply@blogger.com