Here’s a new, but very appropriate, meme for this blog! From here.
Each Thursday, our copy of The Tough Guide to Fantasyland in hand, we shall tour the mystical countryside looking for adventure and fun (and tropes) from all over fantasy.
The topic this week is PETS:
Everybody needs somebody to love. And the best companionship doesn’t always come from the same sentient group, does it? Be it furry or scaled, large or small, sometimes an animal companion is the best thing a person can have.
- The otak, from A Wizard of Earthsea, by Ursula Le Guin: We don’t see much of the little creature, but without him and his fierce shy loyalty, Ged wouldn’t survive past half the book. And we know how special he is because most otaks are shy.
- Nighteyes, from the Farseer trilogy, by Robin Hobb: Okay, not quite a pet, but an animal companion nonetheless. You’ve got to love this guy.
- The Disreputable Dog, from Lirael, by Garth Nix: Another sentient one, really. I’m doing bad at this, aren’t I? But you gotta love her.
You can probably think of some obvious ones I forgot…
The Otak was the first to enter my head when I understood the game! I still prefer Mogget to the Disreputable Dog; DD isn’t Disreputable enough!
Mine too; I hadn’t thought of the others until I was trying to do the post!
Great list – I had Nighteyes on mine as well.
I think my mum would’ve had my ears if I’d missed off Nighteyes…
Yay, you’re participating! 🙂 I chose the otak as well – did it have a name? I really couldn’t remember.
By the way, I think you’re allowed to bend the rules, so whatever works for you is good 🙂
I think he calls it Hoeg, the name for otak in the Old Speech. But it’s mostly just ‘the otak’.
I don’t remember the otak at all and I loved those books! Clearly I have a shocking memory. Great list though, love that you mentioned that Nighteyes but didn’t put him in the pet box.
He’s just a minor thing, really, in just the first book. But it’s sweet!
My mum would have my head if I didn’t say Nighteyes, haha.
otak turned out quite popular this week. And ya there is no wrong way to do this, we have had interested interpretations of various topics before.
I was a bit surprised by that, but it’s cool to see the Earthsea books are still so popular!
I saw a few people with Mogget this week, but you’re the first one to list the Disreputable Dog. Good pick! Personally I think sentient pets work for this trope because otherwise people’s lists would get a bit repetitive. Plus how awesome would it be if dogs could talk?
There is a book where they can talk and all they talk about is poop and chasing things… I can’t remember what it is, though!
I’m in the middle of Lirael right now and just met the Disreputable Dog and I adore her! More than a dog but definitely a pet helping to ease Lirael’s loneliness.
Yeaaah, it’s very sweet!