My Favorite Fantasy Badasses

I’ve been scrutinizing characters that I love lately, in order to improve my own writing. It’s made me realize that all of the fantasy characters whose series I’m addicted to are pretty bad-ass. I mean, they kind of have to be to survive in their worlds long enough to be a series rather than a standalone book, but that doesn’t make them any less bad-ass. They also all have some interesting personality quirks, a clue that part of the reason they are so lovable is because of the depth their authors imparted them with. So I thought I’d compile a list of my top 5 favorite fantasy badasses, and take a look at what makes them tick.

***Please note that this list contains some spoilers! I tried to keep any such tidbits vague in nature, but there are probably some spoiler bits nonetheless.***

1. Vlad Taltos (from the Vlad Taltos series by Steven Brust)

Role: Assassin. Witch. Minor noble of the house of Jhereg. Resident smartass.
Badassery: He’s an assassin with a pet dragonling and some unique enchanted (intelligent?) weapons who can also use witchcraft, and who is always good for a smartass remark or ten. If that’s not enough, he’s faced off against both gods and the enemies of the gods alike and come out alive. He’s a personal friend of the current Empress, and the legendary Enchantress of Dzur, among others. He ends up marrying a  fellow assassin who initially was hired to kill him (charisma!). He has a deep-seated appreciation for fine food and wine, as well as a good kup of klava (coffee), and still makes time to regularly visit his grandfather. He’s got a knack for unraveling intricate plots, which usually lands him in trouble – his streak of luck might only be an inch wide, but runs a mile long.
Companions: Loiosh, a sarcastic dragonlike creature (jhereg) with whom Vlad can communicate telepathically.
Trademarks: A jhereg or two riding on his shoulders. Being the only human among a crowd of elf-like Dragaerans. Knives; lots and lots of knives.

2. Phédre nò Delauney de Montrève (from the Kushiel series by Jacqueline Carey)

Role: Servant of Naamah (courtesan). Countess. Spy. Diplomat. Chosen of Kushiel/anguisette (masochist). Fashionista.
Badassery: Her beauty and personality combined to tempt the man she loved away from his sacredly-held vows of chastity. She is beautiful enough that men have beggared themselves for a night with her, but her beauty also makes people underestimate her intellect. She has a mind like a razor, is hyper-observant to the extreme, and can speak countless languages. And she’s tough; being Kushiel’s Chosen means she can/has to handle pain – and she likes it. She has literally been skinned alive, and not only survived (she has a special knack for survival) but stopped a war with the skin still hanging off her back. She singlehandedly killed the living avatar of a deathly evil with nothing but a hairpin, and channeled the name of God to tame a fallen angel. She is personal friends with rulers of several countries, and other powers-that-be as well. She has an uncanny ability to win any bet she makes.
Companions: Joscelin, her warrior-priest bodyguard. Hyacinth, her childhood friend. Kushiel, the god always riding behind her eyes (he comes out in flashes of bronze wings and keys)
Trademarks:  The briar rose tattoo that spans her entire back. The speck of bright blood red in her eye (Kushiel’s Dart). Always being stunningly dressed enough to set court fashions.

3. Harry Dresden (from the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher)

Role: Wizard. Private Investigator. Freelancer for the Chicago Police Department.
Badassery: Harry has lots of raw power, stubbornness, and luck. He’s very observant (except when it comes to women he likes), and chivalrous to a fault. He does not take well to being bullied, and often makes smartass remarks without thinking. He has balls enough to advertise as ‘Wizard’ in the yellow pages, and deal with all the crap that brings him. He literally has a faerie godmother, though that is often more problematic than helpful. He stopped a war between the faerie courts that would’ve destroyed the world. He managed to best a den full of vampires on their own turf. He has made a deal with Mab, the Queen of Air and Darkness, and survived. He bested his mentor-turned-black-wizard in a magical duel as a mostly untrained teenager. He has a habit of thumbing his nose at pretty much everyone at some point or another, but isn’t dead yet.
Companions: Bob, a encyclopedic but lewd spirit that lives in a skull in Harry’s basement. Toot-Toot, a pizza-loving pixie. Karen Murphy, Chicago PD’s head of Special Investigations. Mister, his abnormally large tomcat.
Trademarks: Long black leather duster jacket. Blasting rod and staff, and pentacle necklace. General disheveled appearance.

4. FitzChivalry Farseer (from the Farseer and Tawny Man trilogies by Robin Hobb)

Role: Bastard son of the dead, much-beloved prince. Assassin. Magic-user. White Prophet’s Catalyst.
Badassery: He can go all berserker-like during a fight. He can talk to animals with his mind (the Wit) and also use the hereditary Farseer magic (the Skill), despite the initial crippling of his Skill by the hated Skillmaster Galen. He lived through his own execution. He helped save the race of dragons from extinction. He has uncovered and foiled numerous plots against the throne, helped forge a royal alliance, and helped win a war. He’s so badass, people half a world away carved a ship’s prow in his likeness. He let himself essentially be possessed by the dying prince Verity (his uncle) in order to beget a royal child with the queen, then later served as mentor and teacher to the young/new prince. He feels things deeply, and is intensely loyal.
Companions: Nighteyes, a wolf with whom Fitz can communicate telepathically and who is his constant friend/partner. The Fool, a jester type who knows far more than he should, and more than he ever lets on.
Trademarks: Wolf at his side. Noticeably broken-and-set nose. Streak of white in his hair (leads to his pseudonym Tom Badgerlock).

5. Kvothe (from The Kingkiller Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss) 

Role: Orphan. Gypsy (Edema Ruh). Bard. Arcanist. Legend that stories are told about. Innkeeper.
Badassery: Youngest student ever admitted to The University/Arcanum. He can play almost any instrument (though partial to the lute) and sing really well. He is really good at magic, whether sympathy, naming or artificing. He convinced the reclusive Adem to teach him their secret fighting techniques. He has (so far) bested his nemesis Ambrose time after time. He has survived more than one encounter with the mythical and deadly Chandrian. He was seduced and ensnared by the legendary Fae lady Felurian, and not only survived but bested her with magic and won a special cloak. He has a penchant for collecting impressive nicknames: Kvothe the Bloodless, Kvothe Six-String, etc. He is a bit arrogant and quick to anger, with a tongue as sharp as his wit. But he shows signs of wisdom in that in the narrative he’s retired (for yet unknown reasons) to own an inn, and renamed his sword Folly.  This series is not yet fully published, so I’m sure there’s more badassery to come – such as the whole ‘Kingkiller’ bit.
Companions: Bast, a being of the Fae who resides at the inn as Kvothe’s assistant/student.
Trademarks: Red hair. Green eyes that change color slightly when he’s angry. Ever-present lute.

Reading Update – May 20

Knife of Dreams (Wheel of Time, Book 11) by Robert Jordan – I think I’ve finally hit the point in this series where I’m no longer re-reading from years ago, but on new content!

Fire Sea (The Death Gate Cycle, Book 3) by Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman – This is another series re-read, as it’s been a LONG time since I’ve read them.

Reading and reviewing genre works-in-progress on Book Country.

I’ll likely go to the library this weekend and pick out something new-ish.

Also, just recently finished The Wise Man’s Fear (Kingkiller Chronicles, Book 2) by Patrick Rothfuss – I’ll wait until the series is complete to review, but so far LOVE it.

100 Things You Should Eat Before You Die

http://foodproof.com/blogs/view/post/100-things-you-should-eat-before-246/

A friend had this on Facebook, and I was interested to see how many I had already eaten. See below in bold (I will update as I eat new things):

100. Venison
99. Nettle tea
98. Huevos Rancheros
97. Steak tartare
96. Crocodile
95. Black pudding
94. Cheese fondue
93. Carp
92. Borsht
91. Baba ghanoush
90. Calamari
89. Pho
88. Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich
87. Aloo gobi
86. Hot dog from a street cart
85. Epoisses
84. Black truffle
83. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
82. Steamed pork buns
81. Pistachio ice cream
80. Heirloom tomatoes
79. Fresh wild berries
78. Foie gras
77. Rice and beans
76. Brawn, or head cheese
75. Raw Scotch Bonnet Pepper
74. Dulce de leche
73. Oysters
72. Baklava
71. Bagna cauda
70. Wasabi peas
69. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
68. Salted lassi
67. Sauerkraut
66. Root beer float
65. Cognac with a fat cigar
64. Clotted cream tea
63. Vodka jelly/jell-o shot
62. Gumbo
61. Oxtail
60. Curried goat
59. Whole insects
58. Phaal
57. Goat’s milk
56. Single malt whisky
55. Fugu
54. Chicken tikka masala
53. Eel
52. Krispy Kreme Glazed Doughnut
51. Sea urchin
50. Prickly pear
49. Umeboshi
48. Abalone
47. Paneer
46. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
45. Speatzle
44. Dirty gin martini
43. Beer above 8% ABV
42. Poutine
41. Carob chips
40. S’mores
39. Sweetbreads
38. Kaolin
37. Currywurst
36. Durian
35. Frog’s legs
34. Beignets, churros, elephant’s ears, or funnel cake
33. Haggis
32. Fried Plantain
31. Chitterlings or andouillette
30. Gazpacho
29. Caviar and blini
28. Louche absinthe
27. Gjetost, or brunost
26. Roadkill
25. Baijiu
24. Hostess Fruit Pie
23. Snail/Escargot
22. Lapsang souchong
21. Bellini
20. Tom yum
19. Eggs Benedict
18. Pocky
17. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant
16. Kobe beef
15. Hare
14. Goulash
13. Flowers
12. Horse
11. Criollo
10. Spam
9. Soft shell crab
8. Rose harissa
7. Catfish
6. Mole poblano
5. Bagel and lox
4. Lobster thermidor
3. Polenta
2. Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee
1. Snake

Reading Update

Current reads I’m working on (expect reviews eventually):

The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan: currently on book 9, Winter’s Heart

The Noble Dead seres by Barb and JC Hendee: currently on book 3, Sister of the Dead

The Melusine novels by Sarah Monette: currently on book 4, Corambis

The Song and the Sorceress by Kim Vandervort

Happy Holidays!

Happy holidays from the Dragon Lady and her Dragon Pup!

I haven’t posted in awhile, because the holiday season was crazy busy, but I will get back to normal book reviews and random ramblings soon.

Exhaustion and Dragons

Well, the puppy has arrived. Actually she arrived about 2 weeks ago now, and she is just as cute as expected. Witness:

But, she is also exhausting. Combination being a puppy, separation from her playful dad, and not liking her kennel means she cries a lot, or is out loose and we have to keep an eye on her EVERY SECOND. And since Ian is off at work from about 7am to 7pm, that means I get to deal with that. All day. Egads. Hoping she adjust to new home and mellows out a bit. But she’s still so stinkin’ cute.

In book type news, for fans of Robin Hobb, definitely check out her latest series The Rain Wild Chronicles. I listened to book 1 (Dragon Keeper) as an audiobook on the drive to pick up the exhausting puppy, and just finished book 2 (Dragon Haven) this past weekend. SO GOOD. It helps if you’ve read her other Farseer universe stuff, but they’re plenty good on their own. It further cements her as on of my all-time favorite authors. She’s just so good at character. I’m eagerly awaiting book 3.

Wading through series…

I’m in the middle of two series right now: the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher, and the Twilight Reign series by Tom Lloyd. I’ve just finished the second book of  each, and am taking a break to read some other things for a little bit before I tackle book 3 of each one.

Of the two, the Dresden Files are my definite favorite so far. What can I say, I’m a sucker for a wise-cracking narrator/protaganist. Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden is a wizard after my own heart. Sarcastic hard-ass on the outside, big old chivalrous, fight-for-good softie on the inside. It’s classic detective fiction meets all things paranormal/fantastical. The characters are well-rounded and engaging; the plot is believable without being predictable, and moves along at a nice pace; the narration is great. I’ve yet to find something I don’t like about this series, other than book 3 not being available at my library yet.

That’s not to say that the Twilight Reign series isn’t good; it definitely is. I read a LOT of fantasy, so when I say this series does something new and interesting, I hope that carries some weight. The whole series is based around the concept of white-eyes, beings who are human but amplified through the attention/favor of a god. They aren’t elves; those have a separate place in the story, though they haven’t shown up much yet. The plot is very intricate, and the character list quite long – this is definitely one of those series that would benefit from including a map of the world, and a list of the cast of characters. It includes neither, so I do get a bit lost sometimes as to who/where the chapter is focusing. But I’m intrigued enough so far that I’ll keep reading the series, just to see where it goes.