Discussion Infinitely long prologue

After reading quite a few web novels, my definition of prologue somewhat changed too, not in a better way. Sometimes I feel like I'm mentally torturing myself when trying to read some new novel.

It's really fcking painful and annoying.

Being in normal condition isn't an option for 90%+ of protagonists. It's like here exists some mysterious 'common sense' among authors that every main character has to be humiliated and in some kind of debt.

I feel that if they could create something like "7yo protagonist from a single parent family, with partial amnesia (unable to remember most of his memories from his previous life, but will have some flashbacks in critical moments), crippled and unable to cultivate anything, at the same time he will live in a piss poor environment, and in a debt so deep that they're drowning, add to it some cute and pitiful younger sibling with terminal illness" most authors will cream their pants on the spot.

And it's only the beginning setting. To top it off there is a need to add some characters who will kick protagonist's family while they are low.

Some retarded young master bully is a must, of course. He doesn't know what's coming next, but for now will always appear to input some snide remarks. It's like bully is washing his/her face in preparation to receive a 'resounding' slap from MC, whose life turned around after obtaining some kind of cheat.

Debt collectors are essential too. MC's family in debt isn't for nothing. Otherwise how can author add even more farce into the story? So expect to see some thugs who will add some psychological pressure on protagonist's family. If bully appears for the sake of MC, debt collectors are here to 'take care' of the single parent in the family.

In a situation as shitty as it already is, how can we forget about some distant relatives? They will appear and gloat at family's misfortune. 'By a stroke of fate' it will just so happen that they can get some money if they will be able to force unfortunate family to sell their last possessions. It can be some prehistorical grandfather's relic or the shabby igloo family is living in. Single mother will shed tears while enduring this humiliation, while a single father will gnash his teeth in anger but will be unable to do anything!
Distance relatives often work in cahoots with debt collectors.

All things above can be classified as 'internal pressure'. Now it's time to face external retards.

Speaking of amazing prehistorical grandfather from 99 generations ago. It was also fate that he was best ass buddies with some grandpa from THE BEST FAMILY IN THE VILLAGE! So of course they have arranged some kind of marriage! Otherwise THE BEST FAMILY IN THE VILLAGE will not be able to become bullies out of nowhere. Some humiliating scenes are incoming!

To make 'arranged marriage' setup even more exciting author can say that THE BEST FAMILY IN THE VILLAGE has already promised MC's arranged spouse to some third young master from the city. He will be known as a furious bully from a 'higher level civilization'. Some useless trashy third son of a baron/viscount family fits the bill perfectly!

Still not enough? Well, of course! How can we forget about missing parent? He/she disappeared almost immediately after the birth of protagonist! There is some kind of conspiracy here for sure! Or maybe it was the disappearense of both parents and MC with his poor sibling were raised by grandma. That's even better! She isn't far from grave and will die soon for sure, leaving all the debts for MC to settle.

External pressure can't be from enemies only, right? Here we will add some kind of best friend for MC, who will not forsake him despite all the difficulties he is facing! Usually it will be a fatty! Why fatty though? I don't know, but it must be a fatty! He is from much better family than MC's, but still NOT ENOUGH TO OVERCOME THE BEST FAMILY IN THE VILLAGE! After 5-7 chapters into the story, poor fatty will take the bullet meant for MC, his family will be ruined and fatty crippled, which will add some 'teary' and 'true brotherhood' moments into the novel. MC will feel guilty and face even more external pressure on his path to revenge!

Fck all this useless shit. 99% of protagonists will not grow mentally in any way after 'overcoming' all this bullshit. In 30-50 chapters MC himself will be the first macho in the village, and in another 100-200 chapters it will be almost completely forgotten. Why? Cause right from the start author will set protagonist's character in stone with a single sentence.

Because of his environment and poor conditions MC was always hardworking and persistent! Bla-bla-bla....

He was hardworking and persistent at the very start, and will be the same after becoming first macho in the world. AHH, seriously, fck you authors!

Thanks to this rant I feel much better. Almost cleansed and purified my irritable soul.

P.s After 100+ WNs it's really to find something good to read and not bash your head against the wall in annoyance during the process of searching.
P.s.s I have no doubt that I've missed some good novels cause I've seen something like 'unable to cultivate', arranged marriage and other bullshit in novel's description. I don't think that it's hard to create a story with normal beginning. MC can be weak and from poor family, no need to go over-the-top like that.

 

Don't forget that his hardwork and persistence won't yield any results or respect until he gets a treasure.

 

Whenever I come across the "arranged marriage" bit, I always assume the MC's marriage partner will walk out on the marriage, and therefore, I usually walk out in the middle of reading, then and there. If by some freak chance, I still continue reading, and the MC's partner does not dissolve the marriage, I will still drop the novel for not respecting cliches tradition.

 

wut kind of story you read?
dog blood xianxia or something?

disappearing parent is nothing new tho, it variation is disappearing of senior or someone who way better than mc~ classic video games trope~ oh also mysterious background be it mc or waifu~

 

And that's why you need to be picky on what you read and only read one with good prospects
Never considering CN novels have good prospect for me with how they spun those cultivation or forced kickass moments

 

There are exceptions every once in a while. I personally look down on JP novels much more than CN, cause of beta pushover MCs, but some JP novels are pretty good and MC has balls. It's just that you need to try to read novel first to understand.

And simply trying can bring you unpleasant experience too.

The lack of 'beta' and 'pushover' MC tags make it easier to encounter shit.

 

Well, there are few cultivation novels that don't have this kind of premise. Like RMJI, and pretty much all of Er Gen's novels.
That's not to say the rest of them isn't cliche though. It's to the point where I would worry about the cultivation world a lot if it was real, because if one day, the stupidly OP MC goes crazy and wants to destroy the world, literally nothing can stop them. Most are already psychopaths that have killed thousands, if not millions. Also, if it's not the main point of the novel, romance in cultivation kind of sucks.

I think a lot of CN cultivation has this sort of premise to grab reader with "how will they get out of this situation?", but now everyone knows MC will just get a golden finger to fix it lol.

Did you guys mention how even (especially) in CN Josei, the uncle, aunt, step-parent, step-sibling, and cousin characters will be evil? Like, if you're CN Josei protagonist, it's nearly never good to trust your extended family (or your sister of similar age who has been acting suspicious lately). Also, significant others cheating with family members or close friends is pretty common.

It's like CN authors absolutely must put some kind of betrayal in the start. And then the MC will face-slap them to death later, of course. Maybe it's all to set up the face-slapping.