Tough Travelling to the rescue…
Every Thursday Nathan at the Fantasy Review Barn takes us travelling through the tropes of Fantasy. This is a really fun weekly event and all are welcome. This weeks topic is SAVING THE WORLD
SAVING THE WORLD is something many Tours require you to do. You have to defeat the DARK LORD or WIZARDS who are trying to enslave everyone.
‘That is right, we are upping the stakes. I don’t want to see any personal journeys, or tight political thrillers. Next week it is all about emanate destruction. If the world isn’t about to end, or at least going to change in horrible ways for EVERYONE in it, save it for another time.’
I am Legend by Richard Matheson which is one of the first novels to deal with worldwide apocalypse brought about by disease. Robert Neville is a survivor. He goes out every day trying to eliminate those who have become the threat. At the end of the day though – who is the monster?? Threat: virus
Black Feathers by Joseph D’Lacey – a book that deals with environmental impact on a massive scale. Destruction and the resultant aftermath. Plus the rise of a new ‘messiah’ type character. Threat: environmental
Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham. Following a meteor shower the vast majority of the population are left blind allowing a particularly aggressive plant to attack people across the world. Another apocalyptic book based on a different threat than virus. Threat: alien/plant life
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams – following the comic adventures of Arthur Dent and Ford Prefect as they flit through space. This is a tenuous link based on the start of the book where a Vogun Constructor Fleet blows up the planet earth in order to make way for a new expressway. Read it and laugh. Threat: Alien/planet destruction.
Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey – the main threat to the world of Pern comes in the form of spores called threads which consume at a voracious rate. The story is a combination of sci fi and fantasy. Combining time travel, dragons and imminent threat to the planet. Threat: plant life/spores
Once upon a time there was a beautiful princess…
31 July 2014
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Fantasy Review Barn, Princesses, Tough Travelling
It’s Thursday again which means we’re off travelling through the tropes of fantasy with Nathan from the Fantasy Review Barn. This week we’re taking a look at Princesses:
PRINCESSES come in two main kinds:
1. Wimps.
2 Spirited and wilful. Spirited Princesses often disguise themselves as boys and invariably marry commoners of sterling worth.
My contributions this week below – and don’t forget to check out the other participants – there are usually some pretty good books floating around this event that you might just want to add to your tbr – another one couldn’t hurt – you know you want to!
Princess Miana – King of Thorns by Mark Lawrence. Married to Jorg at the tender age of 13 – don’t let her age deceive you. This young lady is no shrinking violet. She has been raised a Princess and she certainly acts like it! She can give Jorg a run for his money.
Princess Aisha – Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff. Sister to the Shogun – her initial introduction to the story makes her look like a spoiled and pampered princess with long lacquered fingernails, fancy clothes and ladies in waiting. In truth she is far from this initial impression and for me I would have appreciated the role being developed more. Stormdancer – Japanese steampunk and griffins – oh yes! Plus – look at the gorgeous cover!
Princess Eowyn – this is a slight cheat as I’m not totally sure that Eowyn was a princess. Anyway, it’s LoTR so it has to have an obligatory mention. Eowyn is the niece of King Theoden. She dressed as a man in order to ride with the Riders of Rohan and take part in the battle of Pelennor Fields. She played rather a crucial role as it happens. Suffering the slimy interest of Grima Wormtongue and brought low by the unrequited love of Aragorn – hey lady, take a ticket and join the queue!
Princess Clarice – The House of the Four Winds by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory. Clarice dresses as a young man in order to experience travels on her quest to become a master swords woman! Having 11 other sisters requires that all these princesses can hold their own. They’re sent into the wild world to learn a trade. High seas adventures with pirates and sea monsters. Much fun.
Princess Daenerys Targaryen – Game of Thrones by GRRM – no introduction really needed here methinks. And, she has three dragons!!!!
That’s it for this week – stopping at five – but I would like to give mentions to Princess Buttercup – can’t miss an opp to throw in the Princess Bride and also Sarah Pinborough’s fairytale retellings Poison/Charm/Beauty – twisted retellings I might add. Cinderella, Snow White and Sleeping Beauty like you’ve never seen them before!
Tough Travel
Every Thursday, Nathan at The Fantasy Review Barn takes us travelling through the tropes of fantasy. I love this weekly event – it’s good fun and it’s thought provoking and, if that’s not enough to encourage you to join in then you should go and check out all the other participants answers – there are some great book recommendations and we all love to grow our TBR after all!!
This week’s topic:
‘PRACTICE RING OR COMBAT RING is a sanded circle used for sparring and WEAPONS practice… It can be found attached to any school of weaponry, outside mercenaries’ winter quarters, and quite often on the outskirts of aggressive towns.’
I think I probably could have got some more – The Magician from Raymond Feist or Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb – but I could remember exactly whether they did or didn’t have practice rings.
Bloodsong by Anthony Ryan – lots of combat rings going on in this novel. Vaelin is the protagonist, he joins the Sixth Order where he trains to become a warrior. In order to succeed he must pass a number of fierce challenges. This is a great book – highly recommend.
Half a King by Joe Abercrombie – the combat ring in this is only very briefly mentioned so maybe it’s a bit of a cheat but… Prince Jarvi is not deemed fit to rule the Kingdom to which he is born due to the fact that one of his hands is deformed. Unfortunately in a cruel twist of fate he ends up becoming King quite unexpectedly. At the start of the novel we see him take on one of the other young men in combat – a fight he can’t win with the aim being to humiliate him in front of his subjects. Of course he has the wit to change this situation around.
Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson – I’m thinking of the training ring where Zahel will train both Adolin and Renarin – pretty funny reading about Renarin jumping off heights in his shards and basically face planting!
Unbelievable as this may seem – this week I haven’t got Lord of the Rings on my list!
Shiver me timber and splice the mainbrace, pirates be Tough Travelling this week!
17 July 2014
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Pirates in Fantasy, The Fantasy Review Barn, Tough Travelling
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.
It’s tough up North..
10 July 2014
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Grim Company, Prince of Fools, The Fantasy Review Barn, The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, The Seven Forges, The Wee Free Men, Tough Travelling
Every Thursday Nathan at The Fantasy Review Barn takes us travelling through the tropes of fantasy. I love this although I have to admit that the newest books are the ones that usually spring most readily to mind and LoTR seems to be making my list virtually every week! Without further ado this week we’re looking at:
‘NORTHERN BARBARIANS’
1. Brodar Kayne from Luke Scull’s Grim Company. Tough as old boots. Used to be ‘The Sword of the North’ but now seems to be on the run from his former master, accompanied by his trusty psycho friend The Wolf. He’s no longer a spring chicken but he can kick ass! An entertaining pair!
2. The Sa’ba Taalor from the Seven Forges by James A Moore- a race of people, largely forgotten who live amongst the huge mountain ranges of the north – The Seven Forges. The Empire of Fellein, always in search of more places to plant a flag or collect goodies send an expedition over the blasted lands of the North and this expedition returns with more than they ever anticipated. I’m not sure that I would call these Barbarians although I’m sure that the Empire thought little more of them than that until they had a rather rude awakening!
3. Yeine Darr from The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N K Jemisin. Yeine’s mother was once heir to the Amareri throne until she eloped with a man considered to be far below her status and was disinherited. At the start of the story Yeine’s mother has died and Yeine is called back to the city in the Sky. Against all odds, and not least because being half Darre she is considered a barbarian, she is named heir along with two others – and thus starts a political struggle with all kinds of deception and maneouvering.
4. Sven Broke Oar – from Mark Lawrence’s Prince of Fools. – a particularly nasty character. Ruler of the Hardassa Clan. His Black Fort really is based far up in the icy North.
5. The Nac Mac Feegles from Terry Pratchett’s Wee Free Men – I had to. They’re rum little buggers with fiery tempers and unquenchable thirsts (for anything even remotely alcoholic). Do not get on their wrong side.
‘OK, lads, this is what we’ll do. As soon as we see somethin’, we’ll attack it. Right?’
This caused a cheer.
‘Ach, ‘tis a good plan,’ said Daft Wullie
Books and travelling with Lynn 