‘Holy Tough Travels….
10 June 2015
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Fantasy Review Barn, Orphans, Tough Travelling
Today’s Tough Travels takes us once again wandering through the tropes of fantasy, ably led by our fearless leader Nathan over at the Fantasy Review Barn. This week the topic is: ORPHANS
No one in Fantasyland amounts to anything if they still have both parents. Rule number one. Thanks to Stephanie for the suggestion (and let us all be surprised together that it isn’t in the Tough Guide).
- Nobody – or ‘Bod’ – Owens. Who at the start of Neil Gaiman’s Graveyard Book becomes orphaned. “There was a hand in the darkness, and it held a knife”
- Harry Potter – You couldn’t ask for a more famous orphan so I just had to pick him (plus he definitely lives up to Rule number one!)
- Daenerys Targaryen from GRRMartin’s Game of Thrones. Well, she may be an orphan – but she has 3 dragons! Three!!
- Locke Lamora – never miss an opportunity to get Scott Lynch’s Gentleman Bastards onto a list – that is my motto.
- Sookie Stackhouse from Charlaine Harris’ True Blood.
- Kvothe from The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
‘I give Pirrip as my father’s name on the authority of his tombstone’…
I guess Dickens liked his orphans – Pip, Oliver, Little Nell…
Books and travelling with Lynn 
Ooh, Dany! She’s a great pick – Martin has loads of orphans, it seems. That happens as a side-effect of killing off his characters…
Heh, Sookie is a cool choice, I completely forgot about her (though I admit I never read the books, I just watched the TV show) 😦
It’s not surprising that Martin has loads of orphans as he’s so ruthless! Checking out all the lists this week though it seems like there are a LOT of orphans in the fantasy world.
Lynn 😀
Totally forgot about Dickens list of orphans. Great call on Daenerys.
Daenerys was a last minute thought to be honest. It was nice to have her on there though, she’s such a good character.
Lynn 😀
Ya. Writing descriptions is harder than I thought. Expect two or three rule number ones over time.
So many Dickensian orphans, it’s true.
And I guess having three dragons might make up for being an orphan 😛
Having three dragons would be rather cool!
Lynn 😀
Kvothe — great choice!
I can’t believe I nearly missed him. I think there are been a few of these that the Rothfuss books would have been perfect for but they just don’t automatically spring to mind for some reason. And yet I love the books.
Lynn 😀
I like how you snuck Batman on here without really putting him on. 😉 Sookie is also a great pick, I kinda forgot about her!
Haha – yeah, Batman – so many Superhero types are orphans! I never really put it together until I read all the lists this week.
Lynn 😀
I forgot about Sookie, too, but she definitely fits the bill. Westeros is teeming with orphans. You literally just have to point and there’s an orphan in those books. Another list with Bod! I have so many Bod feelings. LOL.
Yep, chuck a stick in Westeros and you’re sure to hit an orphan! That’s Martin – so ruthless.
Lynn 😀
Great choices Lynn. I had to choose Harry Potter too, and I almost went for a Game of Thrones example too but for some reason I didn’t think of Daenarys! Dickens certainly did like his orphans, and his orphans are probably the best known and loved too. My post will be up tomorrow 🙂
You have to have Harry – he’s got to be the most famous orphan, surely?
Lynn 😀
Gah! I forgot to include ASoIaF! I usually try to use that for one of my picks, and now I see Daenerys! Love it! Great list!
Thanks – I thought you would definitely have Daenerys on your list tbh!
Lynn 😀
I just realized Harry Potter is actually full of orphans – people mentioned Harry, Neville, and even Voldemort himself was an orphan. Funny how that series completely escaped me this week though, shame on me 😛
I know – I never would have thought of Voldemort!
Lynn 😀
Dickens sure did have a lot of orphans running about his stories but would you really want a parent like Mr. Turveydrop or Bill Sykes?
Lots of the kids in Attack on Titan are orphans because the giants gobbled up their parents 0_o
Dickens loved his orphans – but, no, you defo wouldn’t want Bill Sykes as a parent!
Lynn 😀
Dickens was a little obsessed. I guess it’s all that trying to expose society’s ills or something. Danaerys is a great choice! With all the other whack stuff going on in GoT, I didn’t even think of it as a source for orphaned characters, lol!
I bet there are lots of orphans in GRRM’s world. Dickens was a bit obsessed – like you say he was on a bit of a mission.
Lynn 😀
GRRM definitely has something against normal, healthy, living families doesn’t he . . .
I guess they make for very interesting reading!
Lynn 😀