1) You are Earth bound but find yourself transported t another world where people don't wear a lot of clothes
2) You are of course an expert swordsman and the love interest is the most beautiful woman alive.
3) The love interest (always a princess) hates you at first, or secretly loves you but due to cultural barriers cannot admit this, therefore treats you coldly.
4) Either way as relations begin to warm, you commit some faux pas that causes the princess to hate you.
5) At a moment of utter peril the princess declares her undying love for you, causing you to fight as twenty men. but too late! She is taken!
6) Often the book ends here. Cliffhanger city.
7) Or if the book doesn't end here, it ends with you being pulled back to Earth, and pining for a return to your "true home" and your lost love.
8) The next book invariably starts with you being pulled back to Mars or wherever it is to fight on.
9) There is often a creature or ally who joins you on your quest, becoming a life-long friend. They are often ugly but with a heart of gold
10) There is always, ultimately, a HEA. You marry the princess and have children, who may have adventures of their own. Although sometimes the cycle starts all over again- the princess is abducted and you must fight a world to save her.
I could go on and on but you get the gist.
I can't say I've ever ventured into this kind of Sci-Fi but thanks for the lesson. :) I didn't know these novels fall under a sub-genre.
ReplyDeleteOMG! LOL...I don't think I've read this sub-genre!
ReplyDeleteI watched the movie - John Carter which I think was based on this book (A Princess of Mars) and it was so boring. I am not sure I want to read this genre.
ReplyDeleteAwesome post xD I've never read these books, they are often very easy to spot from the cover. The worst part though, is that sometimes some ACTUALLY deep and good scifi books have a cover like that! At least where I live. I've read some Stephen King books with covers like that, really. So it's kind of funny. But it's king of interesting as a sub-genre anyway. Light reads for those who are not middle aged women xD
ReplyDeleteLol this is great. I didn't know about this genre. It does sound trope-y, buy in a fun, campy kinda way.
ReplyDeleteI love Edgar Rice Burroughs but I haven't read the John Carter series (need to) can't wait to finally get to them next year, especially because of this list!
ReplyDeleteThis is hilarious! I especially love point number one---yes, being transported to another world where people don't wear a lot of clothes is a definite sign that you just might be living in this genre! :-)
ReplyDeleteNicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction