This week over at the Fantasy Review Barn we are on the high seas sailing through the tropes of fantasy as part of Nathan’s weekly tough travelling.  This week our topic is:

PEOPLE ON BOATS

Grab a map of Fantasyland and you are sure to see there is water.  Of course not everything important is going to happen on land, right?  Sometimes people actually have to get on a boat and hit the water.  Where, being fantasyland, anything can happen.

Fevre Dream by GRRMartin – Abner Marsh is a steamboat captain who dreams of building the finest steamship to sail the waters.  He enters into a partnership with Joshua York but once they finally embark on their travels the nature of Joshua and his real intentions for the boat start to become apparent and his true nature is revealed.

The Liar’s Key by Mark Lawrence – in which Jal and Snorri continue their strange journey together.  A good deal of their travels take place on the water as they set sail in search of a door to the underworld where he hopes to find his family.

Hero Born by Andy Livingstone is another book that spends a large portion of the book on water.  The main protagonist is captured and put aboard a slaver’s ship to be taken to distant lands.  Along the way his fortunes change dramatically as he attracts the eye of the onboard soothsayer, the captain and one of the more vindictive crew members.  After a pirate attack he becomes a galley slave.  The other rowers keep their own code of conduct and enforce it harshly sometimes involving vicious attack.

The Hobbit by JRRTolkien – Esgaroth or lake town – okay this seems a bit of a cheat but lake town is built on the lake and boats are a necessity of life for all the inhabitants.  Of course, being nestled up alongside a mountain where a sleeping dragon abides is bound to eventually end in misery.

The House of the Four Winds by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory.  The House of the Four Winds is a lighthearted novel following the adventures of Princess Clarice who leaves home and takes to the high seas.  This is a fun nautical advenutre with pirates, story oceans and sea monsters.

Red Seas Under Red Skies by Scott Lynch – I can’t help it – I feel compelled to mention the Gentlemen Bastards whenever possible.  Plus, I loved Red Seas Under Red Skies where Jean and Locke are strong armed into playing captain of the ship in order to draw the attention of Zamira Drakasha – a pirate who certain people are keen to bring to justice.

Voyage of the Basilisk by Marie Brennan – in which Lady Trent sets off on a two year adventure aboard aboard the Royal Survey Ship Basilisk in order to study dragons.  Along the way she copes not only with stormy seas and shipwreck but the uncovering of more dragon secrets and the threat of warfare.

“Fifteen men on the Dead Man’s Chest Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum!