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Cliche
Handsome rogue Xander Portmanteau has a problem. He's the only chauvinist left in the feminist fantasy realm of Landria, whose problematically patriarchal tendencies have not been smashed. Why? Because his authoress, Jen Penrose and her (totally unrelated) protagonist, the elegant and opinionated Lady Jen, are madly in love with him.
Lyra Jones is in a similar bind with her author, pulp fiction aficionado Ryan Petrie. Try as he might to write that perfect strong, female protagonist, he's falling back on old habits. Lyra knows she needs more than an impractically scant suit of armor and the emotional range of a Barzümian monkey-lizard to be the best Space Huntress on the moon.
But can she prove it to Ryan?
With a little help from a mysterious, magical intermediary known only as the Guardian, these two poorly-written protagonists emerge from their manuscripts' pages to confront their poorly writers....
Lyra Jones is in a similar bind with her author, pulp fiction aficionado Ryan Petrie. Try as he might to write that perfect strong, female protagonist, he's falling back on old habits. Lyra knows she needs more than an impractically scant suit of armor and the emotional range of a Barzümian monkey-lizard to be the best Space Huntress on the moon.
But can she prove it to Ryan?
With a little help from a mysterious, magical intermediary known only as the Guardian, these two poorly-written protagonists emerge from their manuscripts' pages to confront their poorly writers....
116 pages, Paperback
First published June 17, 2018
13 people want to read
About the author
Allison Rose
2 books13 followersAllison Rose has been writing seriously since the age of ten. Since then, she has penned a handful of short stories, fanfictions, and a growing pile of works-in-progress.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
June 1, 2018
Ironically, given the title, Cliché is a unique and refreshing read. Meta-fiction is a genre with a wealth of comedic potential. However, much of that comedy is in the form of low-hanging fruit, which means that meta-fictional stories all too often take on an irritating tone. The authors of Cliche are to be commended for never sacrificing good storytelling in favor of cheap jokes. The humor is genuinely funny, but the book has a heart and a purpose as well.
In addition, while common tropes linked to social issues are a centerpiece of Cliché, these topics are handled in a balanced, tactful manner. Like the comedy, these themes never infringe upon the story. For example, Xander Portmanteau is essentially a spoof of those male leads whose boorishness is forgiven by female characters (and readers) on the strength of their rippling muscles. However, he’s not a one-dimensional effigy heaped with all the sins of chauvinists across history for the sake of ham-fisted virtue-signaling. He has depth, even in his less admirable moments, and he’s likable. The same can be said for Lyra Jones, who avoids being a cardboard parody of those women who confuse misandry with feminism. In addition, the (fictional) authors of both characters have believable motivations and personalities. Neither is demonized for questionable characterization skills.
The end of the story is somewhat abrupt, but not in a frustrating way—only in the sense that it makes you want more. The authors take the time to set up an intriguing mythology behind the story’s unusual happenings (a relief, since they could so easily have hand-waved the explanation away). There’s certainly room for more stories in this setting, and I certainly hope Allison Rose and Aerin S. Grey choose to write a sequel.
Cliché is a must-read, both for career authors and for people with just a casual interest in fiction. It’s an highly enjoyable book that drew me in from the first page and refused to relinquish my attention until I was finished. Add it your reading list—or its characters just might crawl out of its pages and pester you until you do.
In addition, while common tropes linked to social issues are a centerpiece of Cliché, these topics are handled in a balanced, tactful manner. Like the comedy, these themes never infringe upon the story. For example, Xander Portmanteau is essentially a spoof of those male leads whose boorishness is forgiven by female characters (and readers) on the strength of their rippling muscles. However, he’s not a one-dimensional effigy heaped with all the sins of chauvinists across history for the sake of ham-fisted virtue-signaling. He has depth, even in his less admirable moments, and he’s likable. The same can be said for Lyra Jones, who avoids being a cardboard parody of those women who confuse misandry with feminism. In addition, the (fictional) authors of both characters have believable motivations and personalities. Neither is demonized for questionable characterization skills.
The end of the story is somewhat abrupt, but not in a frustrating way—only in the sense that it makes you want more. The authors take the time to set up an intriguing mythology behind the story’s unusual happenings (a relief, since they could so easily have hand-waved the explanation away). There’s certainly room for more stories in this setting, and I certainly hope Allison Rose and Aerin S. Grey choose to write a sequel.
Cliché is a must-read, both for career authors and for people with just a casual interest in fiction. It’s an highly enjoyable book that drew me in from the first page and refused to relinquish my attention until I was finished. Add it your reading list—or its characters just might crawl out of its pages and pester you until you do.
July 6, 2018
I loved this book so much!
The plot of this book was really unique. I've only seen one other book idea where the characters jump out of the book to talk to their authors, and that book has them coming out to bother their author under completely different circumstances. Not only was this plot unique, it was also well-written and fast-paced. It's hard to find a book that has a unique plot, is well-written, and has good pacing.
The characters in Cliché were also very well done. As the title states, both characters are about as clichéd as they come. Xander is a perfect representation of the male character in YA books who is basically a rude, selfish, idiot that everyone loves and forgets about these flaws purely because he's really good-looking. Lyra, is also a perfect representation of the "strong" female characters so often seen in YA. She's kind of jerk, kills constantly without remorse, and is generally personalityless. At least, that's how she's written. When she comes out of her book, she's completely different. She's still sassy and sarcastic, but she's not without remorse. All the people that her author made her kill, she regrets and has nightmares about. I thought this was a great twist. Xander didn't become anymore likable out of his book, but Lyra did.
Overall, awesome book! Go read it!
The plot of this book was really unique. I've only seen one other book idea where the characters jump out of the book to talk to their authors, and that book has them coming out to bother their author under completely different circumstances. Not only was this plot unique, it was also well-written and fast-paced. It's hard to find a book that has a unique plot, is well-written, and has good pacing.
The characters in Cliché were also very well done. As the title states, both characters are about as clichéd as they come. Xander is a perfect representation of the male character in YA books who is basically a rude, selfish, idiot that everyone loves and forgets about these flaws purely because he's really good-looking. Lyra, is also a perfect representation of the "strong" female characters so often seen in YA. She's kind of jerk, kills constantly without remorse, and is generally personalityless. At least, that's how she's written. When she comes out of her book, she's completely different. She's still sassy and sarcastic, but she's not without remorse. All the people that her author made her kill, she regrets and has nightmares about. I thought this was a great twist. Xander didn't become anymore likable out of his book, but Lyra did.
Overall, awesome book! Go read it!
August 4, 2018
This novella from Allison Rose and Aerin S. Grey is a blend of two worlds colliding. A merging of fiction and reality in a fictional setting. Confused? It's simple really. Cliché is a clever concept that explores the works of two writers, unknown to each other, whose characters break into the real world and bring them together.
Both writers (in the story) have created characters that fit stereotypes and preconceived ideas of what they should be. Unable to 'live' with their predictable existence, they finally decide that enough is enough and come to life to stand up for themselves and show the writers that they are capable of so much more.
I like the concept of characters driving their own development and growth. After all, it's something that we all try to do for ourselves, so why would a character be any different? The underlying message I got from the book was that characters are more than just thoughts and ideas tied together by plot, they're part of the writer's being and as real as the world around them. You could say that the jump by the characters to a physical existence is showing just how real characters can become to a writer.
In an important supportive plotline (that I can see being ripe as a base for all kinds future stories) there's a bookshop owner who quietly oversees a fictional utopia. His bookstore has become a refuge for characters who have also escaped a clichéd existence in the worlds in which they were created. It's a safe place for them to meet and grow into what they want to be.
This is an entertaining and engaging story. The characters were all easy to like, and as the title says, it's a book where the only villain is that of cliché.
In a Nutshell - Enjoyable story. Good, clean entertainment.
Both writers (in the story) have created characters that fit stereotypes and preconceived ideas of what they should be. Unable to 'live' with their predictable existence, they finally decide that enough is enough and come to life to stand up for themselves and show the writers that they are capable of so much more.
I like the concept of characters driving their own development and growth. After all, it's something that we all try to do for ourselves, so why would a character be any different? The underlying message I got from the book was that characters are more than just thoughts and ideas tied together by plot, they're part of the writer's being and as real as the world around them. You could say that the jump by the characters to a physical existence is showing just how real characters can become to a writer.
In an important supportive plotline (that I can see being ripe as a base for all kinds future stories) there's a bookshop owner who quietly oversees a fictional utopia. His bookstore has become a refuge for characters who have also escaped a clichéd existence in the worlds in which they were created. It's a safe place for them to meet and grow into what they want to be.
This is an entertaining and engaging story. The characters were all easy to like, and as the title says, it's a book where the only villain is that of cliché.
In a Nutshell - Enjoyable story. Good, clean entertainment.
June 24, 2018
(review to come)
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews