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? PIRATES!
PIRATES range the seas in force, though most of them operate individually. The sole qualifications are that they must be rough and ruthless, with a penchant for dressing gaudily. This usually includes pierced ears. Pirates are always beaten off after a bloody sword fight, unless you have not yet been enslaved..
Pirates!! I actually have a good number of books on my TBR pile that I know for sure easily qualify for this. But, looking through books I have read and finding some is actually a bit more of a challenge.
Retribution Falls by Chris Wooding – Hey, just because they have an airship doesn’t mean they can’t be pirates! This crew of misfits take the more “ethically questionable” jobs, you know, like stealing and other pirate-y jobs. If I ever had to be on an airship, I’d love it to be the Ketty Jay. As long as that damn evil, ugly cat steered cleared of me.
Reds Seas Under Red Skies by Scott Lynch – OK. I can’t mention this without taking a moment to gush about how much I loved it! Locke and Jean! As pirates! And I kinda wish I could be as badass as the women pirates (and Zamira, the woman captain) of this ship!
A Clash of Kings (A Song of Ice and Fire) by George R. R. Marting – No, no, not the Onion Knight (Ser Davos Seaworth). He was a smuggler. I’m talking about his buddy Salladhor Saan, “Prince of the Narrow Sea”, “Lord of Blackwater Bay”. He was a pirate who is quite flamboyant. He is also a sellsail. And a smuggler. And a trader. Oh, yeah, and a banker. I guess just because he’s a pirate doesn’t mean he has to limit himself to only pirate income. Those outfits can be quite pricey on a pirate income alone!
Fortunately the Milk by Neil Gaiman – This wonderful little book has a bit of everything thrown into I think. A dinosaur, a hot air balloon, milk, time travel, aliens, the list goes on. But yes! It also includes Pirates!
House of Four Winds by Mercedes Lackey, James Mallory – I haven’t finished this one yet, barely started to be honest. But I do know it has pirates! It’s an interesting setup, the royal family of a struggling land has a dozen daughters. They are each tasked with learning a trade seeing as how their family can’t support them all. And, well, one chooses to disguise herself as a guy, a sailor on a ship, and well, we can only guess what happens from there. But sounds like it involves pirates!
Oh, Neil Gaiman! Totally forgot about him. That’s a really good pick. I bet there are a lot of children’s fantasy novels that have pirates in them, come to think of it.
Danya @ Fine Print recently posted…Tough Travelling: Pirates
I am sure there are tons, but for some reason, I can’t think of many. Fortunately, the Milk is such a fun book. I listened to the audiobook with my boys on a road trip and they both loved it as well.
Lisa (@TenaciousReader) recently posted…The Wraith by Joe Hill
How have I not read that Gaiman book? I must remedy this situation.
I almost put Wooding on my list but I promote him all the time, and I really wanted to put in a tailspin reference.
Nathan (@reviewbarn) recently posted…Tough Traveling- Pirates
It’s relatively new, but definitely go find it! And share it with any young ones about 🙂 Also, I hate when I have to choose between Tailspin and the Ketty Jay! But, we picked different, so they are both represented now. Worked out perfect 🙂
Lisa (@TenaciousReader) recently posted…The Wraith by Joe Hill
I can’t wait to read Retribution Falls (I ordered a copy from the UK couldn’t find any here) and I so need to listen to Fortunately the Milk and I’m eagerly awaiting a copy of House of the Four Winds. Oh and of course you know I’m just now reading The Lies of Locke Lamora. *shame*
Tabitha (Not Yet Read) recently posted…Review: Dissonance by Erika O’Rourke
Oh! You are in for a treat with LoLL and the RSuRS and then Republic of Thieves! And with Fortunately the Milk. My boys adored that audiobook. And they are old enough, that’s not a given.
Lisa (@TenaciousReader) recently posted…The Wraith by Joe Hill
Fortunately the Milk! Brilliant.
I have Four Winds waiting – are you enjoying it? I’m quite looking forward to it.
Lynn 😀
Lynn recently posted…Shiver me timber and splice the mainbrace, pirates be Tough Travelling this week!
It’s still early and its not really my typical read, but so far so good 🙂
Lisa (@TenaciousReader) recently posted…The Wraith by Joe Hill
YES! I knew there was a pirate connection with Ser Davos! There’s only a small step from smuggling to pirating, after all.
By the way, your memory for detail where it comes to ASoIaF is awesome. And scary, sometimes.
Rabindranauth recently posted…The Tough Guide to Pirates
shhhh. My secret goal is to include ASoIaF in as many of these as possible. No idea why, its not like its an obscure series that I need to enlighten people about. I just love it, so tend to think of fits in it before any others.
Lisa (@TenaciousReader) recently posted…The Wraith by Joe Hill
Oh wow! This is such a fantastic feature! 😀 I don’t really see many pirate books in the YA genre, but I’ll definitely have to add these to my list and give them a try if I’m in the mood for something like that! Thanks for sharing, and BRILLIANT post! <3
Zoe @ The Infinite To-Read Shelf recently posted…The Merciless
So glad you enjoyed it. Pretty sure there were some YA ones on other peoples lists, so you can check those out too if there might be a better fit for you amongst those.
Lisa (@TenaciousReader) recently posted…The Wraith by Joe Hill
I’ve heard so much about Retribution Falls, it’s on my to-read list and I’m really hoping I’ll find time for it soon. And I have House of the Four Winds on my list too…your instincts are correct, there will be pirates galore! Looking forward to seeing what you’ll think of the book 🙂
Mogsy recently posted…Tough Traveling: Pirates!
I think you’ll really enjoy Retribution Falls! 🙂 And as soon as I get of the computer for the day, I will go find those pirates in the House of Four Winds! 🙂
Lisa (@TenaciousReader) recently posted…The Wraith by Joe Hill
I love pirates! I have read pirate romances, actual history books, historical fiction, and ” Pirate Latitudes” by Crichton which I bought at the grocery store. And was also awesome. And will be an awesome movie.
Maggie recently posted…Greg Van Eekhout discusses California Bones and organizing a heist
Yay for Pirates! Or should I say Arghhh! Or something more pirate-y! I have so many pirate books left to read, definitely need to get on that.
Lisa (@TenaciousReader) recently posted…The Wraith by Joe Hill