Wrong turns lead to new discoveries?

Almost every fantasy book begins with something going wrong. In epic fantasy, this "wrong turn" can be world-spanning and threaten the people's very existence. In grimmer stories (if the world ending isn't grim enough), it can be something more personal—the loss of someone close, a betrayal, or the theft of something valuable. In each, the character suffers or becomes aware of a wrong and is "called to adventure" (in the hero's journey).

There is usually a denial, a refusal to go on this adventure, to put themselves at risk, to go and right that wrong, but, eventually, they go, and the stories we love to read happen. Heroes battle villains, protagonist versus antagonist, and good slays evil—or, these days in modern fiction, morally grey characters battle morally grey characters. The world is saved, justice is served, or revenge is served with the realisation that it hasn't brought closure or happiness.

Think of your favourite books, films and stories – you'll recognise that start and that pattern. Are there any books that follow a different path? I'd be really interested to know.

My wrong turn?

Well, my wrong turn took place in a country park near where I live. A simple mistake: I turned left when I should have turned right. The thing is, I'd been this way before (once) and knew where I should go but had a moment of doubt in my memory of this path.

So, I went right.

And what was supposed to be a 13 km gentle run became 16.5 km of many "Where the hell am I?" moments. I did warn my family I may be a little later back than I had first intended.

Discovery

I did discover a few things on the way. Quite mundane by the standards of fantasy novels – no orcs, giants, wizards or witches. Which, to be fair, was quite a relief.

I discovered that, yes, I can run 16.5 km. Not at Olympic pace, but at my own, slightly slower, pace. It was my longest run so far. My road trainers will, just about, cope with a muddy woodland track as long as I tread carefully. Maps are very useful things to have or, in my case, stumble upon at the base of a large hill at the boundary of an ancient woodland.

The woodland was lovely. I believe I've walked some of its trails before, but never in this direction or along these tracks.

Call to Adventure

My "Call to Adventure" is the desire to run a half-marathon at some point next year. I even have a "mentor" (another part of the hero's journey structure); however, in my case, he is a friend and a triathlete who will gladly share details about the Ironman event he completed if you ask him or even mention it within earshot. And yes, I refused to run for a long time before getting started.

We all have these moments/events in life. All the best stories, the ones we love and identify with, reflect the true realities of life (even if they have dragons in them).

The "Hero's Journey" structure, based upon myths from all over the world and from every age, recognises that our lives are really stories which we tell in real-time, with real people and real events. We are all the heroes of our own journey, and sometimes we are called to an adventure – or just a wrong turn in a country park that becomes an adventure of its own, or just another chapter in the epic tale of our lives.