The dragon meme
Feb. 24th, 2011 11:29 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
snick_backupIt seems we have reached the logical conclusion of memes: a meme of making memes. In addition to the erotica meme we now have the babyfic meme, the character death meme, and, voila! The dragon meme.
It should be pointed out that clearly![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
ruuger needs to do the character death meme and dragonpaws needs to do the dragon meme, and I've got at least two or three people on the flist that need to do the babyfic meme. *prod*
1) Do you dislike, tolerate or enjoy fiction in which there are dragons?
Enjoy.
2) Does this vary depending on medium or author?;
Yes. In my experience, dragons in live action films are pretty much always visually disappointing; better to read about them and let my imagination fill in the gaps.
3) Do you have a preference for plots in which dragons are protagonists or antagonists?
I almost never see dragons as protagonists. (Exception: a children's novel titled, I believe, The Book Dragon, in which a dragon chooses an illuminated manuscript as its treasure and protects it through the ages.) Generally the dragon is the loyal companion of the protagonist or the antagonistic but ultimately helpful minor character - neither of which being terribly multi-dimensional. I would not be opposed to seeing more fully-sentient dragons with complicated motivations and their own agendas.
4) Do you have a preference for the abilities that the dragons you enjoy in fiction have?
Not terribly. Although I do enjoy parts of Pern, I could really do without the telepathy, as it seems mostly to function as a Super Special Bonding Activity.
5) Do you have a preference for the appearance that the dragons you enjoy in fiction have?
Large. Not too pretty. Magnificent, awe-inspiring, grotesque, all those are good, but dragons have too much dignity to be pretty.
6) Do you prefer dragons to be written with a focus on animals/science/anatomy, or mystical attributes?
Yes? If they exist in our physical universe, then they have physical attributes, and I want to know about them. But clearly if they have mystical attributes, then I want those, too! I want to know the whole dragon, if you please.
7) Do you prefer dragons to exist as a result of science or magic?
Depends entirely on the world, I think. Dragons as mystical beasties automatically introduce assumptions into your worldbuilding that you then need to work out the consequences of. For instance, clearly your universe must have magic in it! And magic such that it defines your dragons' characteristics and sustains their existence.
Similarly, if you have scientific dragons, that means no magical handwaving.
On the whole, though, I think I prefer magical dragons, assuming they're well-done.
8) Do you prefer dragons to be incidental to the story, or the focus of the story?
I am indifferent.
9) If you are reading a fanfic with dragons, would you require the canon on which the fanfic is based to have dragons for you to accept the presence of dragons within the story?
Depends on what the author's trying to do, but mostly I'd say I do not require this, no. I mean, we stick zombies in any darn thing nowadays; much better to have dragons! And in the hands of a skilled writer it could result in some truly glorious crack.
10) Do you prefer just one, special dragon in a story, or whole races of dragons?
To quotelettered's answer to another question, I don't want a random, inexplicable, but-there's-magic-so-of-course-there's-dragons dragon. I want to know why it's the only one. And whether one dragon or many, the deeper you dig into the worldbuilding and the background and (when applicable) the culture of the dragon, the happier I am.
11) How do you feel about dragon death in fiction?
My only opinion is that the death of the dragon needs to make sense giving the world's established rules and the tone of the story.
12) Do you have a preferred way dragons die in fiction?
I don't think so?
13) How do you feel about dragon riding?
It's totally the bomb, man. Although still not as cool as riding a skybax.
14) Do you have any pet peeves regarding the treatment of dragons in fiction?
Dragons that only exist to serve the main story. Dragons that don't have their, possibly incomprehensible, motivations and agenda. Dragons that are just like a human with a one-track mind, except with wings. Dragons that make no sense given the worldbuilding. Dragons as comic relief.
15) How do you feel about dragon babies in fiction?
I'm not opposed, so long as they aren't just objects of supreme cute.
15) How do you feel about dragon erotica?
Let's not.
15) Have you ever written a story that features a dragon?
Sort of? 'Tis here. 'Tis original fic and very short. No dragons in my fanfic yet, though.
16) Do any of your friends in real life know you read fiction with dragons?
Maybe some of my closest friends know. It's sort of private, you know?
It should be pointed out that clearly
ruuger needs to do the character death meme and dragonpaws needs to do the dragon meme, and I've got at least two or three people on the flist that need to do the babyfic meme. *prod*1) Do you dislike, tolerate or enjoy fiction in which there are dragons?
Enjoy.
2) Does this vary depending on medium or author?;
Yes. In my experience, dragons in live action films are pretty much always visually disappointing; better to read about them and let my imagination fill in the gaps.
3) Do you have a preference for plots in which dragons are protagonists or antagonists?
I almost never see dragons as protagonists. (Exception: a children's novel titled, I believe, The Book Dragon, in which a dragon chooses an illuminated manuscript as its treasure and protects it through the ages.) Generally the dragon is the loyal companion of the protagonist or the antagonistic but ultimately helpful minor character - neither of which being terribly multi-dimensional. I would not be opposed to seeing more fully-sentient dragons with complicated motivations and their own agendas.
4) Do you have a preference for the abilities that the dragons you enjoy in fiction have?
Not terribly. Although I do enjoy parts of Pern, I could really do without the telepathy, as it seems mostly to function as a Super Special Bonding Activity.
5) Do you have a preference for the appearance that the dragons you enjoy in fiction have?
Large. Not too pretty. Magnificent, awe-inspiring, grotesque, all those are good, but dragons have too much dignity to be pretty.
6) Do you prefer dragons to be written with a focus on animals/science/anatomy, or mystical attributes?
Yes? If they exist in our physical universe, then they have physical attributes, and I want to know about them. But clearly if they have mystical attributes, then I want those, too! I want to know the whole dragon, if you please.
7) Do you prefer dragons to exist as a result of science or magic?
Depends entirely on the world, I think. Dragons as mystical beasties automatically introduce assumptions into your worldbuilding that you then need to work out the consequences of. For instance, clearly your universe must have magic in it! And magic such that it defines your dragons' characteristics and sustains their existence.
Similarly, if you have scientific dragons, that means no magical handwaving.
On the whole, though, I think I prefer magical dragons, assuming they're well-done.
8) Do you prefer dragons to be incidental to the story, or the focus of the story?
I am indifferent.
9) If you are reading a fanfic with dragons, would you require the canon on which the fanfic is based to have dragons for you to accept the presence of dragons within the story?
Depends on what the author's trying to do, but mostly I'd say I do not require this, no. I mean, we stick zombies in any darn thing nowadays; much better to have dragons! And in the hands of a skilled writer it could result in some truly glorious crack.
10) Do you prefer just one, special dragon in a story, or whole races of dragons?
To quote
lettered's answer to another question, I don't want a random, inexplicable, but-there's-magic-so-of-course-there's-dragons dragon. I want to know why it's the only one. And whether one dragon or many, the deeper you dig into the worldbuilding and the background and (when applicable) the culture of the dragon, the happier I am.11) How do you feel about dragon death in fiction?
My only opinion is that the death of the dragon needs to make sense giving the world's established rules and the tone of the story.
12) Do you have a preferred way dragons die in fiction?
I don't think so?
13) How do you feel about dragon riding?
It's totally the bomb, man. Although still not as cool as riding a skybax.
14) Do you have any pet peeves regarding the treatment of dragons in fiction?
Dragons that only exist to serve the main story. Dragons that don't have their, possibly incomprehensible, motivations and agenda. Dragons that are just like a human with a one-track mind, except with wings. Dragons that make no sense given the worldbuilding. Dragons as comic relief.
15) How do you feel about dragon babies in fiction?
I'm not opposed, so long as they aren't just objects of supreme cute.
15) How do you feel about dragon erotica?
Let's not.
15) Have you ever written a story that features a dragon?
Sort of? 'Tis here. 'Tis original fic and very short. No dragons in my fanfic yet, though.
16) Do any of your friends in real life know you read fiction with dragons?
Maybe some of my closest friends know. It's sort of private, you know?
