But I think all of these things can work if they are used intelligently in a non-cliched way. Naturally, lazy writing is always going to give a boring product.

For example, the way Brandon Sanderson uses prophecy as a motivator in the Mistborn Trilogy is brilliant, in my opinion, and I think Jordan does a very good job of using prophecy in an interesting way as well in WoT. The prophecies aren't cut and dry or anything, and the characters themselves struggle with interpreting the prophecies and what they should do about it.

To agree with him though, Number Two (the Perfect Hero) bugged the crap out of me in The Name of the Wind. Kvothe was so perfect it was ridiculous and boring.