I’ll be back… (and he really meant it!)
22 July 2015
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Fantasy Review Barn, Middle Age Heroes, Tough Travelling
This week over at the Fantasy Review Barn Nathan is taking us Tough Travelling through the tropes of fantasy and this week we are looking at : MIDDLE AGE HEROES
This hero stuff is usually a young person’s game. And, occasionally, a grizzled old veteran can get involved. It is a true rarity for someone to join the good fight for Fantasyland living in that in between ground.
Dug from Age of Iron by Angus Watson. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Thoroughly. And, Due was one of the main reasons why. He’s no longer a spring chicken and he tends to groan a little bit – yes, his bones ache every now and again, he’s sometimes a bit selfish and old enough to have forgotten how to woo a woman. Middle aged he may be but he’s still a hero.
Brodar Kayne from The Grim Company by Luke Scull – Broadar is one of one two Highlanders on the run from the Higlands magelord. He’s a tough old dude with creaky knees and a filthy mouth – but don’t underestimate him. He’s tougher than leather and very entertaining.
Roen Tan from The Rebirths of Tao by Wesley Chu – even as early as book 1 Roen was one of the most unlikely heroes ever. His character grew throughout the series and he was one of my favourite characters of the year.
Eddard Stark from Game of Thrones by GRRMartin. He’s a bit middle aged and grizzly but I thought he was a great character.
Dalinar Kholin from Way of Kings and Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson. A great character – definitely middle aged but a man of his word who earns great respect from all those around – and what a hero!
Join us next week for ‘Flying Rides’.
I couldn’t resist adding this picture:
As you get older it is harder to have heroes, but it is sort of necessary – Ernest Hemingway
Books and travelling with Lynn 
Interesting list. Ned is the only one I’m familiar with so the TBR grows again.
Our TBR’s are going to take over the world eventually – it can’t be helped. We’ll all have to up sticks and live on a different planet and start collecting all over again!
Lynn 😀
Great choices as always. Really pleased to see Eddard Stark on here. He is a proper true and noble hero…sadly in Westeros that counts for nothing! I didn’t take part this week due to a lack of time mainly. I am really looking forward to taking part next week in the flying topic though 🙂
I think Eddard Stark is really one of the best choices for this week – he really does fit in and, like you say, he was a true and proper noble – still can’t believe his ending!!
Lynn 😀
Lots of stuff I haven’t read this week, on this list and on all of them! It’s a great topic – I think a lot about diversity in my reading, but I haven’t focused much better representation of a greater variety of ages, and that’s something I should change.
This was certainly an interesting topic and great to read everyone’s contributions – even if it does make me want to buy yet more books!
Lynn 😀
Eddard is definitely a great a character, and almost the perfect definition – to a fault – of what a nobel hero should be.
Agreed. He’s a great character and perfect for the post this week.
Lynn 😀
Once again your choice of top picture for the post brings a delighted and amused smile to my face 🙂
I do like your sense of humor!!!!!!
haha, thanks – I love to try and add a bit of fun with the pictures. Have you seen the latest film? I thought it was funny that they added in a theory for why the terminator had aged.
Lynn 😀
Mm, yes, Eddard 🙂 I think his death was still the one that I mourned the most – he was one of the few characters I’d support in that whole cast.
And good one with Arnold, that’s a classic!
It was such a shock. I never expected it and in fact went and reread it!
Lynn 😀
Your description of Dug totally makes me want to pick up Age of Iron! The only one I’ve read is GoT and Ned’s a great choice. He may be the only real hero in those books. So of course George R.R. cut his head off – we can’t be having any of that heroic nonsense:0).
GRRM – really is one of the most ruthless, couldn’t give a damn, writers – ever!
I would definitely recommend Age of Iron. I really enjoyed it.
Lynn 😀
Brodar and Dug are awesome choices 🙂 It also occurred to me that grimdark seems to be a treasure trove of older heroes!
Your list makes me even more excited to read the Tao books! I didn’t realize that Roen was a middle aged character. Ned Stark is a great pick, too.