Tough Traveling – Shapeshifting

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?

SHAPESHIFTING

SHAPESHIFTING is frequent among both WERES and MAGIC USERS. The usual form taken is that of a WOLF, but lions, eagles, serpents, owls, and cats are common too. In all cases the rule is that the shapeshifter cannon stay too long in animal form without actually becoming that animal.

 

Shapeshifters in The String Diaries by Stephen Lloyd Jones

Original/Natural Form: Looks human (but is actually not quite human, longer lifespan, ability to shift, etc)

Shifted Form: Still looks human, but can take the appearance of other people

This shifting isn’t so much to animals, but changing physical appearance so they can essentially look like a copy of another person. Rather than reinvent the wheel, here’s a quote from the blurb: “a boy who can change his shape, insert himself into the intimate lives of his victims, and destroy them.” Oh, and this ‘shifter’ has a much longer lifespan, so his terror spans generations. 

Shapeshifter in The Black Company by Glen Cook

Original/Natural Form: Human

Shifted Form: Whatever he feels like (from what I remember)

How does a military fantasy use a shapeshifter? Imagine the possibilities, the ways in which he can stealthily infiltrate enemy lines. Imagine a shapeshifter that can turn into a horse. During war. Hmmmm…. sounds like a useful ally, wouldn’t you say?

The Animal Key in Locke And Key (Keys to the Kingdom) by Joe Hill

Original/Natural Form: Human

Shifted Form: Animal of their choosing

This one is a bit different, as the ability to shift is contained in a key. But, if you hold the key and use it to open a certain, you can shift as you pass through it. Bode gets to fly with a flock of birds. Dodge got to turn into a wolf. The catch here is you need the key in order to change back, so you don’t spend the rest of your days as a bird! Gah!

Dragons in Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

Original/Natural Form: Dragon

Shifted Form: Human

Dragons that can give themselves human form. This way they can walk amongst us, but to make sure people still recognize them, they still have to have visual indications that they are actually dragons and not people. This allows them to convene with humans and take part in politics, give us the security that we are being treated as equals. But are we, really? These are still dragons, you know.

Werewolves in Soulless (Parasol Protectorate) by Gail Carriger

Original/Natural Form: Human

Shifted Form: Wolf

What can I say. I wound up with a werewolf on my list. As usual, vampires find they stink. They change with the full moon. Pretty standard stuff. I really wanted to avoid werewolves (not because there’s anything wrong with them, it was just a personal challenge ), but well, time dictates I include one. 😀 At least I included one from a Steam-punk setting! So, there’s dirigibles as well. And mechanical devices to do cool things. It’s certainly not a standard werewolf book.