Three Genre Tropes I Enjoy

Three genre tropes I enjoy:

1.) Good vs. Evil. I know, I know, this can be applied to nearly every story one way or another. I generally enjoy clearly marked good and bad guys, so I know who to root for...but a story that comes to mind --and if I recall it all these years later it made an impression-- is called To Reign In Hell by Steven Brust. Basically the fall of Lucifer, but he was innocent, and set up by others.

2.) The Quest.  There is always a bit of mystery in the quest. What does the protagonist learn along the way that was unexpected, and how does that change or affect him in small subtle ways that I as a reader did not see coming...that is something I find quite satisfying because thought I kind of assume the hero will win the day, the fun of finding out how and watching him succeed is enhanced by the fact that the success meant that something more. Examples: Lord of the Rings, Da Vinci Code

3.) The Chosen One.  I mean, duh, it's kind of right there at the head of the Heroes Journey thing and I can be a sucker for this kind of story...IF that chosen one is someone who resonates with me. My series is basically this at its core and because I hate it when this trope moves too quickly I am making sure that Seph has to grow and earn her success. Just because a character is 'the chosen one' does not, to me, mean he/she will win, it means that he/she has --more than others-- the potential to win if they prove they have the character and heart to see it through on every level: emotional, spiritual, mental, physical, etc.