Every Thursday Nathan at the Fantasy Review Barn takes us a roaming through some of the tropes of fantasy.  This week the topic be pirates:

‘PIRATES range the seas in force, though most of them operate individually…The sole qualifications are that they must be rough and ruthless, which a penchant for dressing gaudily.’

1. The Dread Pirate Roberts from The Princess Bride by William Goldman.  Much feared his daring and sword fighting abilities precede him.  However, there’s more to Roberts than at first meets the eye????  I won’t give it away here though.

2. The Sky Pirates from Neil Gaiman’s Stardust.  Captain Shakespeare sails his vessel around the skies illegally collecting lightning until one day he collects two unsuspecting passengers instead.

3.  Red Seas Under Red Skies by Scott Lynch.  In which our two Gentlemen Bastards turn to the high seas and try to find their sea legs.  They are unwittingly captured by Captain Zamira Drakasha and taken on board her pirate ship.

4.  Anvil of the World by Kage Baker.  A fantasy tale packed with action and so much wit.  Blending fantasy with murder mystery and pirates.  Smith, a retired assassin  takes on the role of caravan master.  Lets just say a lot of trouble ensues.  False names, butterflies in glass, Lord Ermenwyr – who is literally one of the funniest characters ever, not to mention a duel of fatally verbal abuse.  The pirates only play a small part in this story and I can’t remember what they were called!  I was thinking Gilders???

That’s it for me this week.