Dragon meme
I want to say, for the record, that I like the erotica meme. I have reasons why, which hopefully I'll get around to discussing. I'll also hopefully do the meme. And 
quinara's character death meme and snickfic's baby fic meme. But snickfic asked if someone would write
quinara the dragon meme, and the answer is yes. Yes, someone will.
1) Do you dislike, tolerate or enjoy fiction in which there are dragons?
Enjoy.
2) Does this vary depending on medium or author?
Yes. However, take a shitty story, and I won't like it. Take a shitty story and put dragons in it, and I'll like it slightly better.
3) Do you have a preference for plots in which dragons are protagonists or antagonists?
Not really. I sort of don't like Wise Old Friendly dragon, like in Dragonheart or the little I've seen of BBC's Merlin. OTOH, I totally go for dragons which are heroic, and/or friends, like the dragons in Pern. I also love some good old-fashioned slay-the-evil-dragon, though. So I'm fickle?
4) Do you have a preference for the abilities that the dragons you enjoy in fiction have?
Not really. Usually I do enjoy fire breathing, though I seem to remember some Robin McKinley dragons which just burp a lot of foul smelling smoke. Said McKinley dragons also didn't fly, iirc, which I don't think they need to--lots of dragons in Eastern mythology don't. But in general, I do like flying and fire-breathing. And as I said, I do like Pern, so telepathy is cool. But give me a mindless animal too and I'm pretty happy. And things that can turn into dragons--especially people, a la Maleficent in Disney's Sleeping Beauty--can be fun.
5) Do you have a preference for the appearance that the dragons you enjoy in fiction have?
Not really, but if you go on and on about their diamond eyes and rainbow scales, I'll probably get more tired than if you go on about other attributes. I also like scales a lot in general, though if you want to make it leathery, I understand. I don't like almost any dragons I've seen depicted in movies, besides Maleficent.
6) Do you prefer dragons to be written with a focus on animals/science/anatomy, or mystical attributes?
While I love telepathic dragons, I also like how in Pern there is a scientific explanation. Robin McKinley's more recent book, Dragonhaven, had a telepathic dragon, but there was a strong, strong emphasis on the animal aspect of the dragon. Although I didn't like the book, I think that what I like is for the dragon to be written as an alien being--whether with intelligence or not. So, if the dragons are as "sentient" as we are, I still prefer there to be an emphasis on how different the creature is. I don't want it to be just like a person in a dragon body. Unless it is a person in a dragon body, though I haven't seen the repercussions of that dealt with in an interesting way.
However, the dragons in Avatar: the Last Airbender were given a mystic treatment, which worked for me to an extent that is almost overwhelming. I think that because the dragons were so integral to the mythos of the world, their mysticism meant more than just "dragons are cool!", which sometimes stories with dragons, or even stories about dragons, seem to use as their sole explanation for the existence of dragons.
7) Do you prefer dragons to exist as a result of science or magic?
Really depends entirely on the story. See above or below.
8) Do you prefer dragons to be incidental to the story, or the focus of the story?
Depends entirely on the story.
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?
Not necessarily. I'd accept dragons in almost any sci fi or fantasy canon. As for non sci fi or fantasy canons, I really think it would depend on what the author was trying to do. A dragon appearing in the midst of The Wire would make me rather uncomfortable. But a dragon appearing suddenly in Gilmore Girls or Emma or, I dunno, 8 Women could be really interesting.
10) Do you prefer just one, special dragon in a story, or whole races of dragons?
Again, depends on the story. I think if there is one, special dragon I prefer there to be an explanation as to why there is only one, and not have it be a random, inexplicable, but-there's-magic-so-of-course-there's-dragons dragon.
11) How do you feel about dragon death in fiction?
Well, it's cliche, but I do like some good old fashioned hero-slays-dragon from time to time, especially when it's a girl facing down a dragon. Ooh, actually, I really need Ginny Weasley killing a motherfucking dragon, stat. eta: OMG guys, I just got a brilliant idea.
12) Do you have a preferred way dragons die in fiction?
Any way is okay, but I do have a deep weakness for the very traditional sword.
13) How do you feel about dragon riding?
I think I might have a kink for it.
14) Do you have any pet peeves regarding the treatment of dragons in fiction?
As mentioned, I don't like the diamond eyes. I also wish more writers would write about dragon-type creatures from other cultures, besides the traditional St. George dragons.
15) How do you feel about dragon babies in fiction?
Generally, I don't like them. They're almost always written as cute. Dragonhaven dealth with some of the realities of dragon babies, I mean, as real as maybe you could be, but I already said I didn't like that book.
15) How do you feel about dragon erotica?
Apparently there's a Harry/dragon I need to read? I'm not sure I've encountered enough to say. However, the part in Dragonriders of Pern where Lissa's dragon gets randy so she gets randy too used to do strange things to me. I have the same thing for Talia's Companion (horsey! There needs to be a horsey meme, omg!) in Arrows of the Queen, by Mercedes Lackey. Seriously folks, there's not enough cool treatment of sentient!magical!animals in fandom. I. . . am no longer really talking about erotica. I hope. I NEVER KNOW, GUYS.
15) Have you ever written a story that features a dragon?
No. I was thinking about expanding on an H/D one, wherein Draco becomes a dragon hunter and wears Samarai swords and is hunting the dragon that killed Charlie Weasley all over the earth, and Harry is sort of hunting him, and they have sex in seedy motels and fights in bars and Draco is so cold and flinty eyed and speaks Japanese, but . . . I probably won't do it, after all.
eta: So what if after Harry finds Draco and they hook up, and Draco realizes he doesn't need to kill the dragon, it's Ginny who kills it? And her hair is swirling all around her. Actually maybe this should just be a Harry/Ginny story. OMG GINNY WITH SAMARAI SWORDS AND DRAGON HIDE BOOTS OMG. Fucking hot.
16) Do any of your friends in real life know you read fiction with dragons?
What a ridiculous question.
This entry was originally posted to Dreamwidth. Read Comments | Reply
quinara's character death meme and snickfic's baby fic meme. But snickfic asked if someone would write
quinara the dragon meme, and the answer is yes. Yes, someone will.
1) Do you dislike, tolerate or enjoy fiction in which there are dragons?
Enjoy.
2) Does this vary depending on medium or author?
Yes. However, take a shitty story, and I won't like it. Take a shitty story and put dragons in it, and I'll like it slightly better.
3) Do you have a preference for plots in which dragons are protagonists or antagonists?
Not really. I sort of don't like Wise Old Friendly dragon, like in Dragonheart or the little I've seen of BBC's Merlin. OTOH, I totally go for dragons which are heroic, and/or friends, like the dragons in Pern. I also love some good old-fashioned slay-the-evil-dragon, though. So I'm fickle?
4) Do you have a preference for the abilities that the dragons you enjoy in fiction have?
Not really. Usually I do enjoy fire breathing, though I seem to remember some Robin McKinley dragons which just burp a lot of foul smelling smoke. Said McKinley dragons also didn't fly, iirc, which I don't think they need to--lots of dragons in Eastern mythology don't. But in general, I do like flying and fire-breathing. And as I said, I do like Pern, so telepathy is cool. But give me a mindless animal too and I'm pretty happy. And things that can turn into dragons--especially people, a la Maleficent in Disney's Sleeping Beauty--can be fun.
5) Do you have a preference for the appearance that the dragons you enjoy in fiction have?
Not really, but if you go on and on about their diamond eyes and rainbow scales, I'll probably get more tired than if you go on about other attributes. I also like scales a lot in general, though if you want to make it leathery, I understand. I don't like almost any dragons I've seen depicted in movies, besides Maleficent.
6) Do you prefer dragons to be written with a focus on animals/science/anatomy, or mystical attributes?
While I love telepathic dragons, I also like how in Pern there is a scientific explanation. Robin McKinley's more recent book, Dragonhaven, had a telepathic dragon, but there was a strong, strong emphasis on the animal aspect of the dragon. Although I didn't like the book, I think that what I like is for the dragon to be written as an alien being--whether with intelligence or not. So, if the dragons are as "sentient" as we are, I still prefer there to be an emphasis on how different the creature is. I don't want it to be just like a person in a dragon body. Unless it is a person in a dragon body, though I haven't seen the repercussions of that dealt with in an interesting way.
However, the dragons in Avatar: the Last Airbender were given a mystic treatment, which worked for me to an extent that is almost overwhelming. I think that because the dragons were so integral to the mythos of the world, their mysticism meant more than just "dragons are cool!", which sometimes stories with dragons, or even stories about dragons, seem to use as their sole explanation for the existence of dragons.
7) Do you prefer dragons to exist as a result of science or magic?
Really depends entirely on the story. See above or below.
8) Do you prefer dragons to be incidental to the story, or the focus of the story?
Depends entirely on the story.
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?
Not necessarily. I'd accept dragons in almost any sci fi or fantasy canon. As for non sci fi or fantasy canons, I really think it would depend on what the author was trying to do. A dragon appearing in the midst of The Wire would make me rather uncomfortable. But a dragon appearing suddenly in Gilmore Girls or Emma or, I dunno, 8 Women could be really interesting.
10) Do you prefer just one, special dragon in a story, or whole races of dragons?
Again, depends on the story. I think if there is one, special dragon I prefer there to be an explanation as to why there is only one, and not have it be a random, inexplicable, but-there's-magic-so-of-course-there's-dragons dragon.
11) How do you feel about dragon death in fiction?
Well, it's cliche, but I do like some good old fashioned hero-slays-dragon from time to time, especially when it's a girl facing down a dragon. Ooh, actually, I really need Ginny Weasley killing a motherfucking dragon, stat. eta: OMG guys, I just got a brilliant idea.
12) Do you have a preferred way dragons die in fiction?
Any way is okay, but I do have a deep weakness for the very traditional sword.
13) How do you feel about dragon riding?
I think I might have a kink for it.
14) Do you have any pet peeves regarding the treatment of dragons in fiction?
As mentioned, I don't like the diamond eyes. I also wish more writers would write about dragon-type creatures from other cultures, besides the traditional St. George dragons.
15) How do you feel about dragon babies in fiction?
Generally, I don't like them. They're almost always written as cute. Dragonhaven dealth with some of the realities of dragon babies, I mean, as real as maybe you could be, but I already said I didn't like that book.
15) How do you feel about dragon erotica?
Apparently there's a Harry/dragon I need to read? I'm not sure I've encountered enough to say. However, the part in Dragonriders of Pern where Lissa's dragon gets randy so she gets randy too used to do strange things to me. I have the same thing for Talia's Companion (horsey! There needs to be a horsey meme, omg!) in Arrows of the Queen, by Mercedes Lackey. Seriously folks, there's not enough cool treatment of sentient!magical!animals in fandom. I. . . am no longer really talking about erotica. I hope. I NEVER KNOW, GUYS.
15) Have you ever written a story that features a dragon?
No. I was thinking about expanding on an H/D one, wherein Draco becomes a dragon hunter and wears Samarai swords and is hunting the dragon that killed Charlie Weasley all over the earth, and Harry is sort of hunting him, and they have sex in seedy motels and fights in bars and Draco is so cold and flinty eyed and speaks Japanese, but . . . I probably won't do it, after all.
eta: So what if after Harry finds Draco and they hook up, and Draco realizes he doesn't need to kill the dragon, it's Ginny who kills it? And her hair is swirling all around her. Actually maybe this should just be a Harry/Ginny story. OMG GINNY WITH SAMARAI SWORDS AND DRAGON HIDE BOOTS OMG. Fucking hot.
16) Do any of your friends in real life know you read fiction with dragons?
What a ridiculous question.
This entry was originally posted to Dreamwidth. Read Comments | Reply