Nathan over at Fantasy Review Barn is the mastermind of Tough Traveling. What’s Tough Traveling? Pretty much, it’s a weekly feature on Thursdays where we dig around to come up with examples of common tropes in fantasy, using Diana Wynne Jones’ The Tough Guide to Fantasyland as our inspiration and guide. Nathan has invited one and all to join in the fun, so feel free to come up with your own lists and add the link on Nathan’s weekly post, which will also contain (unleash) the next weeks theme. So let the fun begin …
This weeks theme? MUSICIANS/BARDS
BARDS often join questing parties and provide entertainment around the campfire. Sometimes their music even holds a little bit of magic. Or a clue to an ancient mystery. Or…
I had a harder time this week than I suspected, but here they are. Some obvious, and hopefully at least one unexpected.
Kvothe from Kingkiller Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss
Seriously, will there be a single list without Kvothe? Do I need to state what an absolutely amazing musician he is? Along with everything else he is super-duper awesome at? He’s Kvothe. He’s amazing-ness is quasi-human/bard form. You know you awesome sauce him.
Seraphina from Seraphina by Rachel Hartman
Seraphina’s musical talent is not just ethereal, it’s also pretty much inhumane. Her half dragon heritage gives her an edge, taking her music to an entirely different level. But, because of this, she has to be careful to hide her musical ability or else people may start to suspect. Quite a challenge to be so good at something you love so much, but feel you need to hold back out of fear.
Rojer from Demon Cycle by Peter V. Brett
** Warning – potential mild spoilers, I can’t remember when these details were introduced in the series **
The Fiddle Wizard, so, he’s not just any musician, but one who can actually control demons with the music he creates. You might think a fiddle sounds lame, but when you can use it to not just keep the demons at bay, but make them fight and destroy each other?? Well, you have to give a whole other level of respect to the bard.
Death Metal from Flex by Ferrett Steinmetz
OK, so this is probably not your typical bard or musician choice. But, Death Metal’s magic comes from and revolves around, you guessed it, Death Metal. As the member of a band, music overtook him to where he manifested magical abilities that mirror his obsession.
Marillion from A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin
I’m not sure anyone’s opinion of Marillion is higher than his own. And I’m lazy. I’ll just give you a couple of quotes, they’re better than what I could say anyway. 🙂
Ha, I chose Kvothe and Seraphina, too. They seem really popular this week!
That demon-controlling ability sounds cool and useful. 🙂
Kaja recently posted…Tough Travels: Bards
I knew Kvothe would dominate this week, but was happy to see Seraphina make a strong showing as well! 🙂
Lisa (@TenaciousReader) recently posted…Review: The Skull Throne by Peter V. Brett
Seriously, will there be a single list without Kvothe? Guilty as charged! LOL
I thought of Kvothe, but he didn’t quite fit my theme. Rojer, on the other hand, I have no excuse for missing – he would have fit in perfectly!
Bob (@beauty_in_ruins) recently posted…Tough Travels with . . . Bards
OK, It’s actually kinda nice to have a list without Kvothe! I was in the middle of reading Skull Throne, so I remembered Rojer probably mainly because I was currently reading a scene where he was fighting demons with his fiddle! 🙂
Lisa (@TenaciousReader) recently posted…Review: The Skull Throne by Peter V. Brett
Marillion… I knew there was a bard in Game of Thrones, but I just couldn’t remember him… and was too lazy to look it up.
A half-dragon bard… sounds interesting. Is she kind of a human who can turn into a dragon?
Windsprite recently posted…Tough Travels -Bards
Only the full dragons can change from human to dragon form 🙂 Kind of funny that way.
Lisa (@TenaciousReader) recently posted…Review: The Skull Throne by Peter V. Brett
Great list! I was surprised that I was actually familiar with all these musicians, though I have to try The Kingkiller Chronicles.
I am impressed you have read Flex, but not Kingkiller Chronicles! 🙂
Lisa (@TenaciousReader) recently posted…Review: The Skull Throne by Peter V. Brett
I think it’s so great that not only did we both choose Rojer from The Demon Cycle, we both also specifically featured the UK cover because he’s on it! Great minds!
Mogsy @ BiblioSanctum recently posted…Audiobook Review Bites
Yes, I noticed that too! And I cropped it taller than I normally would so I could get his fiddle in it 🙂
Lisa (@TenaciousReader) recently posted…Review: The Skull Throne by Peter V. Brett
I was hoping someone would mention Marillion!
DJ recently posted…Manga Review: Fullmetal Alchemist, Vol. 1 (Fullmetal Alchemist #1) by Hiromu Arakawa
he he he …. how could I not? 🙂
Lisa (@TenaciousReader) recently posted…Review: The Skull Throne by Peter V. Brett
I would like to read Seraphina, and have wanted to for some time. Alas, it still is not at my library.
Nathan (@reviewbarn) recently posted…Tough Travels- Bards
🙁 Maybe they will get it now that the sequel is out? Plenty to read in the mean time, I’m sure 🙂
Lisa (@TenaciousReader) recently posted…Review: The Skull Throne by Peter V. Brett
For someone who struggled you did a great job! The Peter Brett books look really interesting and your description of that character made me think of the song “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” which made me smile!
Stephanie recently posted…Tough Traveling – Bards
Ha! Yes, but it’s probably the Demon Went Down to the Hollow! 😉
Lisa (@TenaciousReader) recently posted…Review: The Skull Throne by Peter V. Brett
Oh, Marillion, WHY didn’t I think of you??? And now you’ve mentioned ASoIaF, I’m wondering why I didn’t think of the Blue Bard either. Ah well . . .
Love those quotes/screenshots, by the way. 😀
Laura @ The Half-Strung Harp recently posted…Tough Travels: Bards
I completely forgot the Blue Bard! 🙂
Lisa (@TenaciousReader) recently posted…Review: The Skull Throne by Peter V. Brett
Yay for Flex. I never would have thought of that. I had Rojer and Kvothe too – it took me a while to come up with the Brett entry though. I knew it was there and it was niggling annoyingly at the back of my mind but I couldn’t unpick it for ages.
Lynn 😀
Lynn recently posted…Face off!
I see some every week that I couldn’t think of, I think its part of the fun! 🙂 And I remember Brett mainly because I was reading Skull Throne when I wrote the post 🙂
Lisa (@TenaciousReader) recently posted…Review: The Skull Throne by Peter V. Brett
Mine was the list without Kvothe! I’m dumb! The worst part is that I do, in fact, awesome sauce him. Those Demon Cycle books have been on my list forever. I’m determined to read them this summer!
Danya @ Fine Print recently posted…Series Review: Alpha & Omega by Patricia Briggs