List of SFF Clichés

[Paige Turner]

Originally Posted by chrispenycate

…while the Swiss definitely do jodel… in the majority of cases it's the females who do so.

Is science any closer to discovering why they do it?

[zorcarepublic]

Originally Posted by chrispenycate

How can you have a Swiss accent? The Swiss French accent is inistiguishable (in English, evidently) to the French french, idem the Swiss Italian, while Swiizerteuch consists of so many mutually incomprehensible dialects that they speak high german between regions, and again, the accent on English is the same as german. Which leaves you with Romanch, and there are fewer who speak that than expatriate brits.
Oh, and while the Swiss definitely do jodel, (I've recorded several LPs of it) in the majority of cases it's the females who do so.

Hey, don't analyse it! You're not supposed to analyse posts like that!

[Nesacat]

Another old favourite and there can be many variations on this theme. Here's one possibility:

When lightning strikes his satellite dish, he finds that he is manipulating on his screen characters who are real people in a different world. He himself can never enter that world but he must bear responsibility for the waging of their futile wars, their lives and their loves.

[Azathoth]

Ah, yeah, the old "lightning storm opens an alternate universe for some nerd to save" cliche. Ha ha!

[Cloud]

ooh, the time warp/slingshot effect/wormhole to another universe, back in time, parallel universe, etc.

also: Guard? What guard? I thought you took out the guard!

Sometimes there's a fine line between a cliche and an archetype though.

[Crymic]

Dunno if anyone has said this
Hero/Caster has said super magical power but can't use it freely or it might destroy the world.

[Thadlerian]

Space battles: Technobabble always includes abuse of mathematical terms like "vector" or "quadrant".

[Crymic]

When ever the evil overlord dies his castle/homebase always falls apart.
As the hero is running/flying away he always escapes at the last possible moment before being trapped inside.

Never ever say "Today is my last day before I retire"
You will die!

[lea27]

The little child who no-one pays attention to grows into the saviour of the land with special hidden talents.

[Azathoth]

Never ever say "Today is my last day before I retire" You will die!

Yes, and for God's sake, if you're an extra, don't *ever* pull out a picture of your wife and sweet five year old daughter - the narrator *will* kill you to pull at the heartstrings of the reader.

[Crymic]

Computers make beeping sounds when you type out text or it appears on the screen.
I would litterally rip out the pc speaker if mine did that.

[mosaix]

Originally Posted by Crymic

Computers make beeping sounds when you type out text or it appears on the screen.

Don't all computers do that?

[jackokent]

And doors that make beeping sounds as they open.

[Crymic]

Originally Posted by mosaix

Don't all computers do that?

there is a typeo writer sound effect function in windows if u turn it on.. but what i am talking about is the old 80's movies with computers. Where they'd make beeping sounds or printer sounds when text is appearing.

[Riselka]

Doesn't look like this fantasy cliche has been mentioned yet:

Beautiful young woman is being forced into a marriage she doesn't want. She runs away from home just prior to the nuptials and proceeds to discover that she has some "great destiny" in life. Rest of book (or series) is spent fulfilling her destiny.

Books for example:

The Deed of Paksenarrion by Elizabeth Moon
The Wolfking by Bridget Wood
The King's Peace by Jo Walton