We’ve all heard of those movies or stories in the fantasy and sci-fi genres where they add a romance plot for absolutely no reason. I’m looking at you The Giver. I actually read Lois Lowry’s book (as a child), which the movie is based off of, and I’ve never seen the movie, but I’ve read about how the producers included a romance plot despite Lowry’s wishes.
No story should be encumbered by an unnecessary romance plot. If it isn’t a romance, don’t turn it one. Using this issue with The Giver production as an example is only to say that stories where the romance element is forced and/or secondary to the fantasy/sci-fi element or where the fantasy/sci-fi element is secondary to the romance element are repellent. What I expect in a fantasy romance book, movie, or television show is that the story is equal parts fantasy and equal parts romance. Both elements should be on equal ground or of equal importance to the story. What I’m finding instead is that most stories have too much of one element and not enough of the other or, like The Giver production, a romance is added and the characters are aged up to attract a certain crowd with no regard for its source material.
Sepia Heaven 