Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten… Doomed Romances of Fantasyland

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Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday – a weekly feature from The Broke and the Bookish, now hosted by ThatArtsyReaderGirl. Expect a new top ten list every week!

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| Top Ten… Doomed Romances of Fantasyland |

Welcome back to Top Ten Tuesday! This week it’s a love freebie in honour of valentines day so, to get you all in the spirit, I bring to you the Top Ten… Doomed Romances of Fantasyland!

| 1. |

Túrin Turambar + Niënor Níniel

from The Silmarillion + The Children of Húrin

by J.R.R. Tolkien

Without giving away any spoilers to one of Tolkien’s many great tragedies, there is one glaringly obvious reason these two star crossed lovers should never have got their heavenly bodies entangled. Amnesia can be a bitch.

| 2. |

Beren + Lúthien

from The Silmarillion + Beren and Lúthien

by J.R.R. Tolkien

While this may be the only ‘happy ending’ The Silmarillion has to offer, the tale of Beren and Lúthien, which sees a man fall in love with an elvish woman, takes pleasing the in-laws to a whole new level. With more shapeshifting, limb-lopping and blood-letting than you can shake a silmaril at, its a good job this elf maiden had a beautiful voice.

| 3. |

Aredhel + Eöl 

from The Silmarillion

by J.R.R. Tolkien

When your spouse traps you in a forest and stops you from seeing any of your friends or family you know life has taken a turn for the worse. But hey, at least you didn’t try and escape with your small child and get fatally wounded in the process… Though on the grand scale of things death is probably the least of your worries.

| 4. |

Harry Dresden and Susan Rodriguez

from The Dresden Files

by Jim Butcher

If Harry Dresden and Susan Rodriguez can teach us anything with their dramatically flawed relationship it’s that being honest with your love interest is probably the best course of action. Harry and Susan however did not take this advice which lead to an escalating series of lies, dangerous encounters and eventual vampirism… things couldn’t get any worse, could they?

| 5. |

Albus Dumbledore + Gellert Grindelwald

from Harry Potter

by J.K. Rowling

Albus Dumbledore’s fancy for dark wizards and muggle suppression in his youth was bound to end in disaster from the start. After a chain of events instigated by his lover all but destroys his family, his interpersonal relationships took a sudden turn for the worse. But hey, love excluded, he didn’t do too badly afterwards.

| 6. |

Severus Snape + Lily Potter

from Harry Potter

by J.K. Rowling

The spurned love of Severus Snape by Lily Potter, which was escalated by her not-at-all-spurned love for infamous bully James Potter, lead to his eventual joining of He Who Should Not Be Named, her untimely death, and a somewhat short lifetime of secretive babysitting. 

| 7. |

Cersei + Jaime Lannister

from A Song of Ice and Fire

by George R. R. Martin

This one really doesn’t need any description, explanation or sorry conclusions. Suffice to say that having an incestuous affair with your twin is probably not the best idea you’ve ever had.

| 8. |

Petyr “Littlefinger” Baelish + The Tully Sisters

from A Song of Ice and Fire

by George R.R. Martin

If love makes you go crazy then Petry “Littlefinger” Baelish may be the perfect example. Spurned by his childhood sweetheart, Littlefinger’s unrequited love caused him to instigate a civil war just to get her back. After this plan fails abysmally he settles for the runner-up, which leads to a series of deaths, murders and general mayhem thereafter. 

| 9. |

Lyra Belacqua + Will Parry

from His Dark Materials

by Philip Pullman

After spending almost an entire two books together, Lyra and Will’s blossoming relationship is cut woefully short when neither of them is capable of living in the others world. I guess some things just aren’t meant to be.

| 10. |

Lord Asriel + Marisa Coulter

from His Dark Materials

by Philip Pullman

After a steamy affair results in the birth of a certain compass wielding little girl, a sequence of murder, abandonment and child cruelty ensues. But it wasn’t all so bad; their tragic end, for once, made all the difference. 

What are your favourite doomed literary romances? If you would like to join in with Top Ten Tuesday, head on over to The Broke and the Bookish and sign up!

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Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten… Books When You’re in the Mood for Axe-Wielding Maniacs

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Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday – a weekly feature hosted by those lovely bookworms over at The Broke and the Bookish. Expect a new top ten list every week!

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| Top Ten… Books When You’re in the Mood for Axe Wielding Maniacs |

This week’s Top Ten Tuesday is looking at a wondrous array of books for when you’re in the mood for… well just about anything really. So if you’re in the mood for some axe-wielding, blood-raging, battle-crying maniacs then look no further! Some of them may look nice, some of them may even be nice, but you sure as hell don’t want to be within arm’s reach of these bastards when all hell breaks loose. With more battle-axes, hand-axes and axe axes than you can shake a stick at, here is this week’s top ten:

| 1. |

Black Dow

The First Law

by Joe Abercrombie

| 2 |

Jerek the Wolf

The Grim Company

by Luke Scull

| 3 |

Jean Tannen ( & The Wicked Sisters )

The Gentleman Bastard Sequence

by Scott Lynch

| 4. |

Druss ( & Snaga )

The Drenai Saga

by David Gemmell

| 5. |

Perrin Aybara ( & a Moon-Bladed Hand Axe )

The Wheel of Time

by Robert Jordan

| 6. |

Barkus Jeshua ( & Brenda)

Raven’s Shadow

by Anthony Ryan

| 7. |

Gothmog, Lord of the Balrogs

The Silmarillion & The History of Middle Earth

by J.R.R. Tolkien

| 8. |

Fitz

The Farseer Trilogy

by Robin Hobb

| 9. |

Shagga

A Song of Ice and Fire

by George R.R. Martin

| 10. |

Dwarves

From Everything!

Who are your favourite axe-wielding maniacs? If you would like to join in with Top Ten Tuesday, head on over to The Broke and the Bookish and sign up!

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The Month Ahead: January 2016

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In The Month Ahead, I will be rounding up the books I am currently reading, the ones I will start this month, and the ones I intend getting my mitts on… if I haven’t already! I will also be sharing any news about features or posts on Books by Proxy, and anything in the book world that has me all excited!

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| Currently Reading |

Apart from the myriad of read alongs and review copies I’m making my way through this January, I’m going to make the most concerted effort yet to actually pick up my neglected tomes and finish them! The Daylight War by Peter V. Brett is a book I cannot wait to finish – it just doesn’t fit in a handbag so well… or at all! The same goes for Joe Hill’s NOS4R2. Jane Austen’s Emma (which is in fact a pocket sized book) and The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding are however small enough for me to cart about – so there can be no excuses! January is the month when these books will disappear from my currently reading pile and ascend to that golden and somewhat dusty top shelf where they can live out the rest of their days safe in the knowledge that they have been read!

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| January Events |

The 2016 Sci-Fi Experience

Hosted by Stainless Steel Droppings

We’re already well under way with December behind us and The 2016 Sci-Fi Experience continues on throughout January! So expect many more reviews, teasers and sci-fi goodies to keep you going throughout the month.

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Vintage Sci-Fi Month

Hosted by Little Red Reviewer

I’ll also be joining in with Little Red Reviewer’s Vintage Sci-Fi Month. I fear my foray into historic science fiction is supremely lacking so it’s about time I dusted the cobwebs off those older (and often considerably less hefty) tomes and discover just what made sci-fi what it is today.

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The Rosemary and Rue Read Along

Organised by Lisa at Over the Effing Rainbow

Week 1 (Saturday 9th January)

Chapters 1-6 – hosted by Over the Effing Rainbow

Week 2 (Saturday 16th January)

Chapters 7-14 – hosted by Lynn at Lynn’s Books

Week 3 (Saturday 23rd January)

Chapters 15-20 – hosted by Anya at On Starships and Dragonwings

Week 4 (Saturday 30th January)

Chapters 21-End – hosted by Over the Effing Rainbow

I’ve been looking for a new urban fantasy series for a while now and the October Daye novels look like a very fair prospect. My book is at hand, my time has been scheduled – so no late catch-ups for this series! This is one read along I cannot wait to get stuck into!

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The Throne of Glass Read Along

Organised by Rinn Reads

7th January

Discussion of chapters 1 – 13

11th January

Discussion of chapters 14 – 27

14th January

Discussion of chapters 28 – 39

18th January

Discussion of chapters 40 – end

After enjoying A Court of Thorns and Roses and with the impending release of the next book in that series, A Court of Mist and Fury, I thought it was about time to sample some more of Sarah J. Maas’ writing. Despite hearing some very mixed reviews for this series (and usually at one extreme or the other), I’m looking forward to getting stuck into Throne of Glass. And with the promise of Read Alongs for the rest of the series throughout 2016, I’m sure this will be a year where I up my YA count.

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Blog Tour: The American by Nadia Dalbuono

Review scheduled for 16th January 2016

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| Book Haul |

I got a few books…

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| January Goals |

To finish ALL of the poor neglected novels which I am currently reading

Status: 0 of 4 Complete

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Have you picked up any great books lately or read any of those mentioned above? What are your goals for the month ahead? 

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Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten… Thanksgiving Bastards

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Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday – a weekly feature hosted by those lovely bookworms over at The Broke and the Bookish. Expect a new top ten list every week!

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| Top Ten… Thanksgiving Bastards |

Nothing makes a good book like a good bastard which is why, for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday, I’m choosing ten of the most greedy, selfish and devious bastards to grace my bookshelves. And I’m thankful for every single one. These are the pirates, felons and twisted torturers; the characters who do the wrong thing at every opportunity, who lie and cheat and steal yet somehow always manage to come out sunny side up. In no particular order, give thanks for these magnificent bastards:

| 1. |

Sand dan Glokta

The First Law by Joe Abercrombie

Crippled war hero. Torturer. Complete bastard. Glokta is an Inquisitor in the Union’s House of Questions who uses his cunning and intelligence to extract more than just fingernails from his guests, and he does it all with a good dose of cynicism. He is one man you do not want on the other end of the thumb screws… unless, of course, he is on your side.

| 2. |

Petyr ‘Littlefinger’ Baelish

A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin

Littlefinger is a sly manipulator. Cunning and ruthless, he has worked his way up from nothing to become a master of coin and court intrigue. Unfortunately for those who either cross or underestimate him, Petyr Baelish is at his best when he’s dancing his puppets on their strings… take care that you’re not one of them.

| 3. |

‘Gentleman’ Johnny Marcone

The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher

Johnny Marcone, the crime lord of Chicago and ruler of its dark and (almost) human underworld is not a man you cross lightly… unless your name is Harry Dresden. Marcone is a skilful and ruthless ‘business’ man who’ll stop at nothing to get his own way. Only be careful who you cross, he might just have something which resembles a heart beneath his slick, suited and deceptively ordinary exterior.

| 4. |

Nicomo Cosca

The First Law by Joe Abercrombie

Nicomo Cosca – soldier of fortune, womaniser, drunk. Beneath the flamboyant exterior, flaking scalp and drooping moustaches lies a treacherous snake who would sell his own mother for an extra coin. With damn good luck and a surprising talent for warfare, this repulsively lovable rogue always seems to find himself on top… with  a bottle of Styria’s finest in hand, of course.

| 5. |

Victor Vale

Vicious by V.E. Schwab

Victor Vale is not just a bastard, he’s a super-human, pain-wielding, morally deficient bastard. Sure, he might just keep you alive… if it suits him… but he’s the best of a bad-bunch-of-evil-bastards and needs must. Or so they say.

| 6. |

Locke Lamora

The Gentleman Bastard Sequence by Scott Lynch

And you certainly can’t have a list of Bastards without including at least one Gentleman Bastard. Locke Lamora is a thief and a con-artist, a cunning liar skilled in the art of deception, and a man who could have Camorr, Tel Verarr and Karthain in his pocket if he wasn’t far better at losing all his gold than he was at making it.

| 7. |

Thalric

Shadows of the Apt by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Aggressive, driven and unflinchingly loyal to his ideals, Major Thalric of the Rekef Outlander will stop at nothing to paint The Lowlands in stripes of black and gold. With an impressive résumé which includes back-alley murders, political assassinations and a penchant for torture, this is one (of many) Wasps you don’t want in your path.

| 8. |

Jerek Mace

Morningstar by David Gemmell

Jerek Mace is the Morningstar – a legendary hero whose defeat of evil has long been prophesised. Except Jerek Mace is a liar, a thief and a complete bastard. When avoiding his heroic duties you may find him womanising, pilfering, murdering and shamelessly running away after committing wanton acts of banditry. Behold! The hero of old!

| 9. |

Darian Frey

Tales of the Ketty Jay by Chris Wooding

Womaniser. Morally bankrupt. Thief. Bastard. Captain Darian Frey is rogue and a pirate who would quite literally steal candy from a baby… with the deepest of sympathy, of course. But be warned, accuse him of the one crime he didn’t commit and you’re going to have a whole heap of trouble on your hands.

| 10. |

Mulch Diggums

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

And bastards aren’t just limited to books for adults either. Mulch Diggums is a kleptomaniac dwarf who comes in handy in a tight spot but not without making you pay for it again… and again… and again. Under a myriad of aliases Diggums, his repulsive body odour and what can only be called a ‘bum-flap’ take breaking and entering to a whole new level. Easy-Breezy.

Who is your favourite literary bastard? If you would like to join in with Top Ten Tuesday, head on over to The Broke and the Bookish and sign up!

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Tough Travelling: Military Genius

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Join me each Thursday for some Tough Travelling with the Tough Guide, hosted by Fantasy Review Barn. Inspired by ‘The Tough Guide to Fantasyland,‘ we will set out on a quest to track down the biggest tropes and clichés in fantasy fiction.

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| Military Genius |

Let’s face it.  Fantasy life is often a life of war.  One can only hope to serve under a commander who has some clue what they are doing.

The borders of Fantasyland are rife with change and often contested, and whether by army, Barbarian hoard or a swarm of pixies, war is inevitable. This week’s Tough Travelling will look at those soldiers and strategists, generals and geniuses, and talented tacticians for whom war is their bread and butter. In no particular order, here are the five warriors whose swords should be pointed firmly at the enemy.

| 1. |

Dalinar Kholin

The Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson

Dalinar Kholin is the Highprince of War – a brilliant military leader and skilled tactician whose prowess in battle has earned him the name The Blackthorn. Sure, he might prefer to kick back with the The Way of Kings  and live a more peaceful existence these days but in the heat of battle you sure as hell want to be anywhere but near his Shardblade.

| 2. |

Monza Murcatto

Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie

The Snake of Talins, Monza Murcatto, is one woman you want at the head of your army – because if you can’t see her she might just have a sword at your back. A ruthless leader and brilliant tactician, she has fought her way to the top, and whether by organised armies or mercenary warband, Monza Murcatto will have victory.

| 3. | 

Tywin Lannister

A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin

The Head of House Lannister, Lord of Casterly Rock, Shield of Lannisport, Warden of the West, Hand of the King, Saviour of the City, and Lord of the Dance… Through political manoeuvres and military might, Tywin Lannister has fought his way to the top, crushing those who oppose him and leaving severely depleted armies in his wake. This is one Lannister (of many) who you do not want to be indebted to.

| 4. |

Stenwold Maker

Shadows of the Apt by Adrian Tchaikovsky

War Master of Collegium and Spy Master General, Stenwold Maker has stumbled from victory to victory all in the guise of an academic. When war threatens  the Lowlands, Stenwold will bluster and blunder his way to the top, whilst his people look on with awe and admiration. Where he sees a fortunate turn of events, others see a brilliant leader and an outstanding tactician. Some guys have all the luck.

| 5. |

Toot-Toot

The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher

But nothing says War Master so much as a dew drop faerie the size of a coke bottle with hair like dandelion fluff and an insatiable hunger for pizza. Founder of the Za-Lord’s Guard, Major General of the Za-Lord’s Elite and commander over a swarm of little folk; if you find yourself on the wrong side of Harry Dresden, be prepared to be impaled on a myriad of small sharp instruments.

Which characters in Fantasyland would you put at the head of your army? If you would like to join in with Tough Travelling, head on over to the Fantasy Review Barn and sign up!

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Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten… Author Duos Which Should Exist

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Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday – a weekly feature hosted by those lovely bookworms over at The Broke and the Bookish. Expect a new top ten list every week!

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| Top Ten… Author Duos Which Should Exist |

This Tuesday we’re pairing up the authors we’d love to see write a book together. This Top Ten will combine two authors from very different genres, one deceased and one living, to create some fascinating and comic duos. In no particular order, here are my dream team of duos:

| 1. |

Roald Dahl & Joe Abercrombie

“Never do anything by halves if you want to get away with it. Be outrageous. Go the whole hog. Make sure everything you do is so completely crazy it’s unbelievable…”

~ Matilda by Roald Dahl

In a new set of books for children, the humour of Roald Dahl and the bloody violence of Joe Abercrombie meet to create a non-stop, whizzpopping, exceedingly dark series. Man eating giants hunger for small children, a young girl uses her telekinetic powers to wield axes and exact bloody vengeance, and Miss Trunchbull and Sand dan Glokta have a whirlwind romance. Illustrated by Quentin Blake of course.

| 2. |

P.G. Wodehouse & Scott Lynch

“What’s the use of a great city having temptations if fellows don’t yield to them?” 

~ Carry on, Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse

Forget Blandings Castle or The Drones Club, this series will be based in one of the Five Towers of Camorr – Raven’s Reach. Duke Nicovante is going dotty, scandals and rumours abound, relations are getting into all sorts of mischief, and scheming fraudsters are after the Duke’s money.  And no Wodehouse novel would be complete without an imposter or two – enter Locke Lamora and Jean Tannen. Lynch brings the intricacy and detailing of plot and Wodehouse brings a riot of humour and tomfoolery for a very gritty witty novel.

| 3. |

C.S. Lewis & Adrian Tchaikovsky

“She looked back over her shoulder and there, between the dark tree-trunks, she could still see the open doorway of the wardrobe and even catch a glimpse of the empty room from which she had set out.”

~ The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

Send four children through a wardrobe into a land of insectoid, warlike humans and see how they react when Peter waves about a sword and declares himself King. But that’s his problem. Susan wields a snapbow to avenge her brother, Edmund sinks into psychotic insanity for lack of Turkish Delight, and Lucy is enslaved on the battlefields to forever resurrect fallen soldiers with her magic cordial. All jolly good fun!

| 4. |

J.R.R. Tolkien & C.J. Sansom

“It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to.”

~ The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

Because who wouldn’t love a crime solving Bilbo! The depth of history in Middle Earth provides a perfect playing field for a spectacular series of crime novels. Who stole Farmer Maggot’s crops? Who squashed Bilbo’s begonias? And that’s just the beginning! A darkness is spreading over Middle Earth, there’s murder afoot and only one little Hobbit can stop it. Armed with his trusty walking stick, spotted hanky and brass buttons, Bilbo must travel to the far flung reaches of the land to solve the mysteries that ensue. If only that meddling wizard would show up.

| 5. |

Jane Austen & Bernard Cornwell

“Happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance.”

~ Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Especially when the husband decides to go on campaign to subdue the French and thinks it appropriate to take his wife and her female companions with him. Bonnets will go flying! Petticoats will be six inches deep in mud, blood and various other vile excretions! Not to mention the possibility of being garrotted by ribbons or bound by lace! Austen’s wit and sublime characterisation meets Cornwell’s action-packed descriptive excellence in the bloodiest romance of any century.

| 6. |

Charles Dickens & Jim Butcher

“About the Fairies, sir, and the Dwarf, and the Hunchback, and the Genies,’ she sobbed out; ‘and about — ‘ ‘Hush!’ said Mr. Gradgrind, ‘that is enough. Never breathe a word of such destructive nonsense any more.’”

~ Hard Times by Charles Dickens

Harry Dresden, Wizard PI, finds himself in Victorian England in the midst of the industrial revolution. Poverty, disease and the Red Court of vampires are running rampant across the country; the Wizard hierarchy is even more insufferable; and orphans, pickpockets and general ne’er-do-wells are developing a dangerous affinity for magic. The descriptive genius of Dickens meets the action and dark humour of Butcher. Magic (and industrial machinery) – It can get a guy killed.

| 7. |

Mary Shelley & Karen Maitland

“Unhappy man! Do you share my madness? Have you drunk also of the intoxicating draught? Hear me; let me reveal my tale, and you will dash the cup from your lips!” 

~ Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Company of Reanimated Corpses? The Gallows Curse: A Guide to the Acquisition of Body Parts? Gothic horror and medieval mystery meet to create a tale of murder and superstition and raise those philosophical questions of what it means to be human in a world of myth and magic. The supernatural haunts every page, twists and turns abound and the terror of the unknown threaten all mankind in this medieval monster mash-up.

| 8. |

Lewis Carroll & George R.R. Martin

“We’re all mad here. I’m mad. You’re mad”

~ Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by C.S. Lewis

Alice’s Adventures in Westeros: After falling down a rabbit hole and finding herself in the middle of King’s Landing, can Alice find a way to survive the clash between warring dynasties. Alice must outrun disgusting perverts, bloodthirsty maniacs, dragons and jabberwockys to find her way home. The nonsensical, witty and utterly absurd meets the complex, bloody and thoroughly epic in this merging of literary masters.

| 9. |

David Gemmell & Kaye Umansky

“A cynic by experience, a romantic by inclination and now a hero by necessity.” 

~ Legend by David Gemmell

After sampling one of Pongwiffy’s terrible potions, Pongwiffy, Hugo the Hamster, a hoard of goblins and Grandwitch Sourmuddle’s birthday cake find themselves transported to a world of dark knights, thirsty (non-hamster) vampires, bloody battles and axe wielding warriors. Will Pongwiffy forsake her dirty habits to lead an army to victory? Can Hugo subdue the goblin horde? And, most importantly, will the cake survive a battlefield encounter?

| 10. |

Frances Hodgson Burnett & Guillermo del Toro

“A house with a hundred rooms, nearly all shut up and with their doors locked—a house on the edge of a moor—whatsoever a moor was—sounded dreary. A man with a crooked back who shut himself up also!”

~ The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Mistlethwaite Manor will never be the same again after an injection of del Toro magic. Terrifying monsters lurk in hidden passages, The Cravens harbour a dark secret and Mrs. Medlock isn’t at all what she appears – and that’s before Mary even reaches the garden! When Mary decides to do a spot of gardening in Mrs. Craven’s old patch, the secrets she unearths and the horrors which she disturbs will change her life forever. This is a tale of enchanting mystery and surreal horror which will certainly not be for children.

Which authors would you love to see as a duo? If you would like to join in with Top Ten Tuesday, head on over to The Broke and the Bookish and sign up!

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Tough Travelling: A Lady and her Sword

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Join me each Thursday for some Tough Travelling with the Tough Guide, hosted by Fantasy Review Barn. Inspired by ‘The Tough Guide to Fantasyland,‘ we will set out on a quest to track down the biggest tropes and clichés in fantasy fiction.

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| A Lady and her Sword |

Fantasyland is full of threats.  A lady and her sword can keep those threats at bay.

Who doesn’t love a good sword-wielding, blood thirsty heroine? Sadly, as I looked through my bookshelves, I came to the realisation that there aren’t half as many as I thought. So in no particular order, here are this week’s five females who wouldn’t hesitate to stick you with the pointy end.

| 1. |

Monza Murcatto

Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie

Monza Murcatto, The Snake of Talins, is a ruthless fighter and brilliant tactician. This is not a woman to cross unless you are armed to the teeth and preferably have an army at your back.

| 2. |

Tynisa

Shadows of the Apt by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Tynisa Maker is a brilliant duelist turned deadly weaponsmaster who cuts through men like a scythe through wheat.

| 3. | 

Eowyn

The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

This is the woman who would not be left behind. Disguised as a man, Eowyn rides into battle to draw swords against the terrible Witch-King of Angmar.

| 4. |

Arya Stark

A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin

Arya Stark, less concerned with courtly appearances and feminine past times, learns to wield a blade under the tutelage of master sword fighter, Syrio Forel.

| 5. |

Sabriel

The Old Kingdom by Garth Nix

When the dead start to rise one could do worse than calling on the Abhorsen who, armed with a sword and a set of bells, sends the dead back to rest.

Are there any other sword-wielding women who should have made the list? If you would like to join in with Tough Travelling, head on over to the Fantasy Review Barn and sign up!

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Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten… Fictional Cities in Fantasy Literature

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Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday – a weekly feature hosted by those lovely bookworms over at The Broke and the Bookish. Expect a new top ten list every week!

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| Top Ten… Fictional Cities in Fantasy Literature |

A freebie week! I’m not going to lie. I started off with just ‘fictional locations’ and was so overwhelmed with the number I felt I couldn’t narrow it down. So to be specific, this week features the Top Ten… Fictional Cities in Fantasy Literature. These are places of great beauty or cesspools of vice and grit. These are cities where the nobility dance in great palaces and towers, where cut-throats and thieves roam the winding streets and alleys, and where commoners and gentlemen alike cavort in inns, taverns and brothels. These are places where you can lose your dignity, your money and yourself in another world.

| 1. |

Minas Tirith

The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

“Even as Pippin gazed in wonder the walls passed from looming grey to white, blushing faintly in the dawn; and suddenly the sun climbed over the eastern shadow and sent forth a shaft that smote the face of the City. Then Pippin cried aloud, for the Tower of Ecthelion, standing high within the topmost walls, shone out against the sky, glimmering like a spike of pearl and silver, tall and fair and shapely, and its pinnacle glittered as if it were wrought of crystals; and white banners broke and fluttered from the battlements in the morning breeze, and high and far he heard a clear ringing as of silver trumpets.”

~ p.781, The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

| 2. |

Luthadel

Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson

“Most of the buildings had been built from stone blocks, with tile roofs for the rest. The structures were packed closely together, making them seem squat despite the fact that they were generally three stories high. The tenements and shops were uniform in appearance; this was not a place to draw attention to oneself. Unless, of course, you were a member of the high nobility. Interspersed throughout the city were a dozen or so monolithic keeps. Intricate, with rows of spearlike spires or deep archways, these were the homes of the high nobility.”

~ p.28, The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson

| 3. |

Camorr

The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch

“From the heights of the Five Towers to the obsidian smoothness of the vast glass breakwaters to the artificial reefs beneath the slate-coloured waves, Falselight radiated from every surface and every shard of Elderglass in Camorr, from every speck of the alien material left so long before by the creatures that had first shaped the city. Every night, as the west finally swallowed the sun,  the glass bridges would become threads of firefly light; the glass towers and glass avenues and the strange glass sculpture-gardens would shimmer wanly with violet and azure and orange and pearl-white, and the moon and stars would fade to grey.”

~ p.19-20, The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch

| 4. |

Adua

The First Law by Joe Abercrombie

“To the south the city was spread out below him, an endless carpet of white houses stretching all around the glittering bay. In the other direction, the view over the Agriont was even more impressive. A great confusion of magnificent buildings piled one upon the other, broken up by green lawns and great trees, circled by its wide moat and its towering wall, studded with a hundred lofty towers. The Kingsway sliced straight through the centre toward the Lords’ Round, its bronze dome shining in the sunlight. The tall spires of the University stood behind, and beyond them loomed the grim immensity of the House of the Maker, rearing high over all like a dark mountain, casting its long shadow across the buildings below.”

~ p.40, The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie

| 5. |

Imardin

The Black Magician Trilogy by Trudi Canavan

“It is said, in Imardin, that the wind has a soul, and that it wails through the narrow city streets because it is grieved by what it finds there. On the day of the Purge it whistled amongst the swaying masts in the Marina, rushed through the Western Gates and screamed between the buildings. Then, as if appalled by the ragged souls it met there, it quietened to a whimper.”

~ p.3, The Magicians’ Guild by Trudi Canavan

| 6. |

King’s Landing

A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin

“Now the city covered the shore as far as Catelyn could see; manses and arbors and granaries,  brick storehouses and timbered inns and merchant stalls, taverns and graveyards and brothels, all piled one on another. She could hear the clamour of the fish market even at this distance. Between the buildings were broad roads lined with trees, wandering crookback streets, and alleys so narrow that two men could not walk abreast.”

~ p.168, A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

| 7. |

Solarno

Shadows of the Apt by Adrian Tchaikovsky

“Solarno was predominately white stone with roofs of red and orange tiles, like surmounting flames, and it was brilliant whenever the sun struck it… She saw domes rising above the roofline, supported on so many arcades of columns  that some lofty buildings  seemed to have no solid walls at all. The markets  were all crowded into warrens of streets, the awnings of stalls forming a second roof layer, whilst the open spaces were parks or, on the higher tiers, airfields.”

~p.68-69, Blood of the Mantis by Adrian Tchaikovsky

| 8. |

Tar Valon

The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan

“The bridge was only the beginning. It arched straight to the walls that surrounded the island, high walls of gleaming white, silver-streaked stone, whose tops looked down on the bridge’s height. At intervals, guard towers interrupted the walls, of the same white stone, their massive footings washed by the river. But above the walls and beyond rose the true towers of Tar Valon,  the towers of story, pointed spires and flutes and spirals, some connected by airy bridges a good hundred paces or more above the ground. And still only the beginning.”

~ p.149, The Dragon Reborn by Robert Jordan

| 9. |

Caemlyn

The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan

“Outside the great wall, buildings clustered as if every town he had passed through had been gathered and set down there, side-by-side and all pushed together. Inns thrust their upper stories above the tile roofs of houses, and squat warehouses, broad and windowless, shouldered against them all. Red brick and gray stone and plastered white, jumbled and mixed together, they spread as far as the eye could see.”

~ p.528, The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan

| 10. |

Rillanon

The Riftwar Cycle by Raymond E. Feist

“Rillanon, capital of the Kingdom of the Isles, waited to welcome home her King. The buildings were bedecked in festive bunting and hothouse flowers. Brave pennants flew from the rooftops and bold banners of every colour were strung between the buildings over the streets the King would travel. Called Jewel of the Kingdom, Rillanon rested upon the slopes of many hills, a marvellous place of graceful spires, airy arches, and delicate spans.”

~ p.33, Silverthorn by Raymond E. Feist

Which fictional cities are your favourites?  If you would like to join in with Top Ten Tuesday, head on over to The Broke and the Bookish and sign up!

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Tough Travelling: Labourers

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Join me each Thursday for some Tough Travelling with the Tough Guide, hosted by Fantasy Review Barn. Inspired by ‘The Tough Guide to Fantasyland,‘ we will set out on a quest to track down the biggest tropes and clichés in fantasy fiction.

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| Labourers |

Not everyone can be a Prince.  There is only room for one Queen.  A few spoiled nobles can sit around and play cards.  But fantasyland can’t build its own castles and roads, nor can it plough its own fields, nor cook its meals.  Someone has to do the hard work.  And often, as a reward of course, these labourers get pulled from their hard but simple life into a bigger plan.

This week I’m going to looks at a character type that occurs again and again in fantasy fiction. They may not fit the role of protagonist but they make a pretty damn good supporting character. They’re sturdy, strong and reliable and know how to use weapons like… well like they make them! Yes, I’m talking about the humblest character of all, the…

 | Blacksmith |

| 1 |

Perrin Aybara

The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan

A hammer wielding blacksmith warrior? What’s not to love?! Whisked away from his life as a blacksmith in Emond’s Field for many an adventure, Perrin prefers to bash people with a hammer because it sheds less blood than an axe… too kind Perrin, too kind.

| 2 |

Barkus Jeshua

Blood Song by Anthony Ryan

Barkus has a natural, though some would say dark, affinity with metal and though he can wield a sword like nobody’s business, his large and sturdy forge-forged frame makes him a perfect man mountain for unarmed combat.

| 3 |

Durnik

The Belgariad by David Eddings

Steady, strong and reliable, Durnik is the atypical fantasy blacksmith. An honest hero, he finds himself on an adventure because he’s too kind and caring, and his strength and prowess at killing those pesky villains is always used with the greatest reluctance.

| 4 |

Llaw Gyffes

Knights of Dark Renown by David Gemmell

And what list of fantasy blacksmiths would be complete without a wrongly accused man on the run? Llaw Gyffes is a blacksmith come reluctant outlaw who is thrown into a life of rebellion and adventure and must lead his people to freedom. He’s not too bad with a sword either.

| 5 |

Gendry

A Song of Ice and Fire by George. R.R. Martin

Ahh Gendry, a young, strong and simple blacksmith sucked into a world of bloody adventure for a mere circumstance of birth. But never fear! You can still get your custom made bull, goat or horse headed helmet, for the Known World is saturated with blacksmiths!

Are there any other blacksmiths in fantasy fiction that float your boat?  Or can you think of any other labourers who unwittingly find themselves on an adventure? If you would like to join in with Tough Travelling, head on over to the Fantasy Review Barn and sign up!

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