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.
The good guy's army is outnumbered, gets crushed by the bad guys army, and that's it. Game over, good guys lose. I can think of lots of books where the good guys don't win win, but off the top of my head I am having trouble thinking of any where they outright lose.
I suppose you have some of the heroic tragedy type books where they lose...but even in those there is usually something redeeming. I kinda want to read one where it's just a total crushing loss. Nothing heroic, no redeeming factors, just a terrible loss and that's the end of it. Not because I think I'd necessarily like it, more to see how much I would hate it (although I'm sure if it was done right I could like it).
The problem with your theory is in your response unfortunately. If you want to see how much you would hate it no author in his or her right mind would write it.
I guess they did do that at the end of the third Star Wars prequel, but all that does is set up the small army winning in the original movies so it really doesn't count.
Ever notice how in fantasy books the smaller army always wins?
- 20/09/2009 01:01:18 PM
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Re: Ever notice how in fantasy books the smaller army always wins?
- 20/09/2009 01:17:00 PM
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Well, usually the bigger army are the invaders. Defence tends to have an edge
- 20/09/2009 04:38:45 PM
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It's an essential plot device
- 20/09/2009 04:41:04 PM
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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
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I'm sitting here trying to think if I've read any books like that...
- 21/09/2009 01:40:08 AM
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Fail. 
- 21/09/2009 04:43:24 AM
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- 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
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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
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It's still a valid point, even if one author doesn't "follow the script." *NM*
- 25/09/2009 12:34:48 AM
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Re: Ever notice how in fantasy books the smaller army always wins?
- 20/09/2009 08:45:48 PM
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That, and...
- 20/09/2009 09:08:48 PM
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Nineteen Eighty-Four, baby!
- 20/09/2009 10:37:05 PM
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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
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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
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Nineteen Eighty-Four is unquestionably Science Fiction. *NM*
- 26/09/2009 04:12:47 AM
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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
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I read it years ago and I don't remember any futuristic technology except...
- 28/09/2009 04:16:21 AM
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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
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Because you don't have to root for the huge army that's supposed to win.
- 21/09/2009 04:38:22 AM
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Pratchett makes much of this. *NM*
- 21/09/2009 04:11:04 PM
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"You can take our lives, but you can never take our freedom!" "...wrong!" *NM*
- 21/09/2009 11:02:25 PM
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