Being the pedantic person I am, I'd argue that there is no more suspense in such a situation than there would otherwise be, though when the bigger army wins there would be a surprise.
However, even if the bigger army were to win, it would have to lead to some other event happening that would make the victory hollow (like in Sanderson's Mistborn, where the rebel army is crushed but it leads to other events). After all, if the big army wins, and wins totally, with no other event to mitigate the victory, there's no more story - it's just a static situation.
However, even if the bigger army were to win, it would have to lead to some other event happening that would make the victory hollow (like in Sanderson's Mistborn, where the rebel army is crushed but it leads to other events). After all, if the big army wins, and wins totally, with no other event to mitigate the victory, there's no more story - it's just a static situation.
Political correctness is the pettiest form of casuistry.
ἡ δὲ κἀκ τριῶν τρυπημάτων ἐργαζομένη ἐνεκάλει τῇ φύσει, δυσφορουμένη, ὅτι δὴ μὴ καὶ τοὺς τιτθοὺς αὐτῇ εὐρύτερον ἢ νῦν εἰσι τρυπώη, ὅπως καὶ ἄλλην ἐνταῦθα μίξιν ἐπιτεχνᾶσθαι δυνατὴ εἴη. – Procopius
Ummaka qinnassa nīk!
*MySmiley*
ἡ δὲ κἀκ τριῶν τρυπημάτων ἐργαζομένη ἐνεκάλει τῇ φύσει, δυσφορουμένη, ὅτι δὴ μὴ καὶ τοὺς τιτθοὺς αὐτῇ εὐρύτερον ἢ νῦν εἰσι τρυπώη, ὅπως καὶ ἄλλην ἐνταῦθα μίξιν ἐπιτεχνᾶσθαι δυνατὴ εἴη. – Procopius
Ummaka qinnassa nīk!
*MySmiley*
Ever notice how in fantasy books the smaller army always wins?
- 20/09/2009 01:01:18 PM
1221 Views
Re: Ever notice how in fantasy books the smaller army always wins?
- 20/09/2009 01:17:00 PM
838 Views
Well, usually the bigger army are the invaders. Defence tends to have an edge
- 20/09/2009 04:38:45 PM
876 Views
It's an essential plot device
- 20/09/2009 04:41:04 PM
880 Views
Yeah but...
- 20/09/2009 07:38:36 PM
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I don't quite agree
- 21/09/2009 01:22:45 AM
789 Views
I'm sitting here trying to think if I've read any books like that...
- 21/09/2009 01:40:08 AM
716 Views
Fail. 
- 21/09/2009 04:43:24 AM
930 Views
- 21/09/2009 04:43:24 AM
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Hrmm...guess Miéville failed to follow the script then *NM*
- 20/09/2009 07:48:29 PM
300 Views
and a lot of others. But there's a rumour somewhere that it's not the size that matters... *NM*
- 20/09/2009 07:53:41 PM
296 Views
It's still a valid point, even if one author doesn't "follow the script." *NM*
- 25/09/2009 12:34:48 AM
352 Views
Re: Ever notice how in fantasy books the smaller army always wins?
- 20/09/2009 08:45:48 PM
983 Views
That, and...
- 20/09/2009 09:08:48 PM
842 Views
Nineteen Eighty-Four, baby!
- 20/09/2009 10:37:05 PM
777 Views
That is not even fantasy...
- 21/09/2009 12:00:48 AM
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IT ISN'T?! *NM*
- 21/09/2009 01:42:16 AM
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Yeah, didn't your dad tell you about the double ungood days of the 80s? *NM*
- 21/09/2009 01:52:46 AM
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Doubleplusungood.
- 25/09/2009 02:09:27 AM
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Oops, sorry. Probably a thoughtcrime to put a space in. Rebellious waste of... pixels? Space? *NM*
- 25/09/2009 04:26:14 PM
340 Views
I agree. 1984 is not SF-F. *NM*
- 25/09/2009 12:36:46 AM
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All books should have a point, IMO. Otherwise, what's the point in reading them.
- 25/09/2009 04:32:43 PM
853 Views
Nineteen Eighty-Four is unquestionably Science Fiction. *NM*
- 26/09/2009 04:12:47 AM
377 Views
No, it's not. ScyFy does not lay claim to anything and everything that takes place...
- 26/09/2009 07:05:59 AM
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It's a novel which heavily relies upon futuristic technology. How is it not Science Fiction? *NM*
- 28/09/2009 01:43:23 AM
319 Views
I read it years ago and I don't remember any futuristic technology except...
- 28/09/2009 04:16:21 AM
824 Views
I would say that if a story uses that sort of thing, it has a science fiction element.
- 28/09/2009 05:20:39 AM
623 Views
Because you don't have to root for the huge army that's supposed to win.
- 21/09/2009 04:38:22 AM
795 Views
Pratchett makes much of this. *NM*
- 21/09/2009 04:11:04 PM
348 Views
"You can take our lives, but you can never take our freedom!" "...wrong!" *NM*
- 21/09/2009 11:02:25 PM
281 Views