‘I’m free. I’m free. Quick. Quick. Wish for something outrageous. Say, “I, I want the Nile.”‘
15 April 2015
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Awesome magic, Fantasy Review Barn, Tough Travelling
This week over at the Fantasy Review Barn we are once again travelling through the tropes of fantasy with Nathan. This week, I admit I struggled a bit and so some of my suggestions might not quite fit ‘awesome’ magic.
AWESOME DISPLAYS OF MAGIC
Sometimes magic can be subtle. Who wants that? Big explosions or acts of creation, death and destruction or acts of awe inspiring wonder. If your world has magic then why not show it off?
Pug – from the Riftwar Saga by Raymond Feist – I think this is my only example of awesome magic – don’t ask me to explain why – but basically there’s a lot of serious magic in the first three books (I haven’t read further than that at the moment).
Howl’s moving castle – I love the magic in this book – and I do think it’s awesome – living in a moving abode with doors that open into different places – so okay, I think I had two.
Stardust by Neil Gaiman – there’s one scene where the witch turns a goat into a man and creates a whole Inn with roaring fires and hot bath tubs – it’s a little bit impressive.
The Witches by Roald Dahl – those witches are not messing about – turning boys into mice – not to mention killing lots of children – nasty! And, they have a plan to kill ALL the children – that’s big magic – not nice, but big! Watch out for the sweet shops.
The Curseworkers by Holly Black – I’m not going to elaborate though because it would be a spoiler but things pretty much get transformed in the most unexpected ways:
Honorary mentions
Gandalf, LotR and The Hobbit – although, and don’t all beat me up now, but, his magic never seemed overly impressive to me – there it is, I said it – what’s the point of having a wizard who can only create fireworks, light up his staff in the dark, and shout ‘you shall not pass’ when the baddies arrive. Okay, you all know I love Tolkien but as far as impressive and awesome magic it’s not going on with Gandalf – unless he’s keeping his ‘big’ magic hidden (although he did fight with a Balrog and come back as a white wizard).
The World of Harry Potter – okay, I’m not going to give all the examples but there is some good examples of magic – people being transformed into creatures, bones being turned to jelly, etc, etc, not sure if it’s awesome but there it is.
Madame Mim and Merlin – so good the battle they have – I call that some pretty good magic – not only thinking on the hoof but trying to best each other!
Books and travelling with Lynn 
Great example with Pug – he should have made my list as well, but it’s been so long since I read the original Riftwar novels that I was struggling to remember enough details.
It’s been a while for me too Bob – I couldn’t remember exactly what the magic involved, tbh, just that it was epic.
Lynn 😀
LOL on your comment about Gandalf! You’re right about his displays of magic being somewhat subdued, but I believe that Gandalf is all about *understatement*: he does not like flamboyance, or flouting one’s power to the four winds. Even in the epic battle with the Balrog, he sticks to the self-effacing understatement that is his signature.
IMHO…
🙂
Don’t get me wrong – I LOVE LotR! Really, I do, but, sometimes with Gandalf I used to think how come is magic isn’t more helpful. You know – like turning falling boulders into giant marshmallows or something – LOL.
Lynn 😀
There are so many different examples this week! I love what you said about Gandalf too:-D
I’m just going a visiting now and really looking forward to it as frankly I don’t think I could come up with much for this one.
Lynn:D
I so need to read Howl’s Moving Castle. I have watched the anime version, but I bet the book is even more worthy.
I think you would love the book – it’s just so good. I can’t recommend it enough.
Lynn 😀
I love Madam Mim’s song in the cartoon! I dance around whenever I sing it, which hey is often enough. I adore those covers for the curse workers so much more then the ones I have for the U.S. Version argh.
Exactly – would wouldn’t you dance around – it’s a great song and she’s just so feisty.
I do like those particular books covers and I think they look great together.
Lynn 😀
I think your list wins this week! So many amazing books! 🙂
I loved Howl and Sophie and you’re so right – the moving castle is an amazing thing.
The Witches were one of my childhood favourites and I listened to the audiobook again a couple of years ago and people looked at me funny because I laughed out loud in public (while wearing earphones).
I do love Howl and the Witches – such good stories and absolutely I would laugh out loud – or snort (which is very unladylike!)
Lynn 😀
The comment about Gandalf may be true but it sounds like sacrilege. I love Gandalf; he and Dumbledore are my favorite wizards of all time, though it may be due to their personalities, I reckon, more than their displays of magic.
The Patronus charm in Harry Potter seems like awesome magic to me: conjuring positive thinking that physically repels evil, that’s something big, I think.
Haha, I know – the thing is I love Gandalf and LotR in fact I miss very few opportunities to bang on about that book. But, I was trying to think of an example of Gandalf’s epic magic and I came up a bit short – yes, he’s not into flamboyant displays but some sort of display during the throes of battle would have been nice. I love Dumbledore as well tbh – and I think he does do a few more displays of magic going on.
Lynn 😀
Great call with Pug and Gandalf. I totally whiffed on Pug, No excuse for it. But I did consciously decide not to include Gandalf, because (like you) I just never remember the guy doing any magic that made me say “WOW! That was awesome!”. The whole “You can’t not pass!” bit in the movie was awesome, but it wasn’t that great in the book to me. I know, I know I’m blaspheming against my favorite fantasy writer, but still couldn’t Gandalf have brought fire down from heaven or something? I mean, really, he was a divine spirit with a ring of power after all.
I was sure that you would have Pug! Yeah, I just remember getting to a point with Gandalf when I thought, ‘Come on, do something! Do anything!!’ I do still love Gandalf though – he certainly is incredibly quotable! (we definitely needed a rain of fire!)
Lynn 😀
I used Madam Mim in one of my lists way back! I can’t remember which one, but that is two appearances thus far.
You have to love Madam Mim – I think she should definitely be in more lists.
Lynn 😀
Awww…I love Aladdin so hard. That scene in Stardust is in fact an amazing feat of magic – good call and memory!
Yeah – I was pleased for remembering Stardust – the way the witch starts off with a small goat into a man and then creates a full inn! It’s a good trick.
Lynn 😀
Muahaha, I’m so glad I picked up on the reference in the title before I even saw the screenshot. I’m on a Disney kick lately.
Yeah – you have to go on a Disney kick every now and again – it’s compulsory.
Lynn 😀
Haha, love your comment about Gandalf and his underwhelming magical staff/lightbulb. 😀 And Stardust! Great call (haven’t read the book yet but I LOVE that scene in the movie).
Have to say, you always come up with a) the most perfect TT post titles, and b) a great image to kick off the post and capture the week’s theme. Hats off. 😀
Aw thanks for that! It’s such a good little weekly meme – there’s just so much scope to play with isn’t there.
Lynn 😀
I really want to try The Curseworkers by Holly Black. Right now, I’m waiting to see how my grandson liked Howl’s Moving Castle.
I just loved Howl’s Moving Castle – book and film.
The Cureseworkers is a great book – I do admit that I like Holly Black but I don’t think I’m being biased here – it is a good series.
Lynn 😀
I think (predictably) I have to choose The Chronicles of Narnia there’s the talking, flying and all round awesome Aslan and then there’s the evil white witch with a castle full of stone victims, plus later on in the series there’s walking trees and a river god who eats a bridge…pretty awesome I think. There’s also far more examples I just can’t think of right now 🙂
Aslam is the best character ever! And, he made me cry. And then he made me happy again.
Lynn 😀