Tough Traveling – Musicians/Bards

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. 🙂