Every Thursday The Fantasy Review Barn takes us travelling through the tropes of fantasy.  This week’s guide to Tough Travel we’re going to look at: LARGE MAN…He is very calm, very strong, and not at all stupid. In some cases he will have been a BLACKSMITH, which accounts for the ease with which he severs the chains in the Galley!

I’m sure I make this more difficult than it should be – and I’m sure these are all incredibly easy ‘picks’ but here’s what I came up with:

Fezzik – the giant from the Princess Bride by William Goldman.  Fezzik is the strongest man alive.  He loves to fight and wrestle – but only if he can have a fair fight.  His BFF is Inigo Montoya – and btw if you have six fingers on one of your hands ‘prepare to die’.  I love this book – and in fact the film as well!  It’s inconceivable to not do so!

Snorri ver Snagason from Mark Lawrence’s Prince of Fools.  Snorri is a huge, axe wielding Norse.  He’s on a mission of revenge and he’s going to pair up with the biggest
coward in the Broken Empire.  Well, not so much pair up as become ensnared.  A great pair to read about – it’s difficult to actually say which one is my favourite and to be honest Snorri virtually steals the limelight from The Prince of Fools himself – Prince Jalan.  Actually, if I recount Snorri’s story at the beginning of the book he was bought from a slave ship so he probably was chained in a galley at some point (although I’m speculating – but, speculation is good, speculation is our friend!)

Rock – part of the bridgemen four crew from Sadeas’ army.  Rock is the third son and as such, in spite of his giant stature – he is not permitted to fight.  He chooses instead to cook – he originally achieved the status of cook to high prince Sadeas but was relieved of his duties and given a spot on bridge four after using chull dung as the chief ingredient in the prince’s cuisine.  Remind me not to get on his bad sad.  He’s a great character.  Insightful, respectful and he can see Spren!  Syl certainly has an epic time winding him up!!

Jean Tannen – I don’t strictly speaking know if he counts because I’m not entirely sure just how ‘large’ he is (queue filthy joke).  But, I never miss an opportunity to throw in the strongman of the Gentlemen Bastards  He has a deadly reputation with his weapon of choice, hatchets, also known as ‘the sisters’ (queue about another ten filthy jokes!).  On memorable quotes:

“I don’t have to beat you. I don’t have to beat you, motherfucker. I just have to keep you here… until Jean shows up.” Locke – getting a beating from a rival street gang and waiting for Jean to come to the rescue.

Hagrid from the Harry Potter series – is HP going to make it onto every week’s Tough Travel or what!  I had to do it – really I did.  Anyway, Hagrid is a bit giantesque!  He was a student at Hogwarts until he was tricked by Tom Riddle (you know who).  His wand was snapped but he was kept on as gamekeeper.

This is a cheeky one – but, the Monster from Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.   I had to go there!  “Give my creation life”

Don’t forget to check out everyone else’s choices over at The Fantasy Review Barn.