Tough Traveling is a weekly feature, created and hosted by Nathan at the Fantasy Review Barn, in which participants come up with a list of books that follow the fantasy tropes that can be found in Diana Wynne Jones’ The Tough Guide to Fantasyland. Each week, Nathan picks a new subject. This week’s topic, in honor of Independence Day, is:
INDEPENDENCE BATTLES: The good fight. Casting off the chains of tyranny! No one in fantasyland refuses the call of the good fight. And what fight is more important in fantasyland than FREEDOM?
A short list from me this week, and all of these books are recent reads and so I didn’t have to think too hard to come up with this list, LOL!
Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine. I loved this book, I mean it’s about books, how could a book-lover not love it? There are several fights for independence in this story, including a battle between the English city of Oxford and the citizens of Wales. But the main conflict involves our young protagonists, studying at The Great Library in Alexandria in the hopes of securing a future position there. It doesn’t take long for them to uncover what the Great Library is really trying to do: suppress the freedom of its citizens by only allowing them to read “approved” material. A battle ensues. Just a small one, it’s nothing really:-)
Armada by Ernest Cline. This book was crazy! My review will be up in a couple of weeks, but in the meantime, Armada fits this week’s theme perfectly. The world is about to be invaded by aliens, and they aren’t anything like E.T. They are the bad kind of aliens, with laser blasters and cool space ships and…wait a second, I feel like I’m in a video game! In any case, it’s up to our fearless teenaged protagonists to save the day.
The Rebirths of Tao by Wesley Chu. This is another great example of alien invasion, one with many layers. There are actually two groups of aliens competing against each other, waging their wars on earth. One wants to live in harmony with humans, but the other wants to destroy us. This last book in the Tao series brings the humans and both types of aliens together in an epic battle.
Uprooted by Naomi Novik. If you’re a lover of fantasy, and you haven’t read Uprooted yet, you really should get on that. Novik brings us a terrible battle between the people of Dvernik and the Wood, an encroaching, magical forest that is intent on destroying the villages around it. Stopping it is a hell of a battle! All the townspeople want is to be free of the terrible things that come from the wood. And you won’t know how it all turns out until you read the book.
I’m sure there are tons of other great examples of Independence Battles! What would you choose?
Hmmmmm. I think the only independence battles I’ve read in the speculative realm are in the Hunger Games Trilogy. I also read Michelle Moran’s Rebel Queen earlier this year, but that’s historical fiction (India struggling to maintain its independence just before British rule).
Sara L. recently posted…Tea Time at Reverie: Tea From Taiwan’s Zhong Shu Hu Oolong Tea
I may have broadened the definition of “independence battles” LOL!
Some great books here. Will eagerly await that review of Armada!
Wendell recently posted…THE GREAT BAZAAR & BRAYAN’S GOLD by PETER V. BRETT
Yes, these were all amazing! I highly recommend ALL of them:-)
Quite an interesting feature. Might be tough to do for someone who doesn’t read too many fantasy novels, though. I’m familiar with Armada, so I see why you chose it for the topic. 🙂
You’re right Joy! Even for me, this is hard sometimes, and I read a lot of fantasy.
Armada is a fantastic pick! It’s quite perfect actually, but like Star Wars, I just couldn’t make it fit into my “inspired by real life historical events/people” theme 😛
Mogsy @ BiblioSanctum recently posted…Book Review: Splintered by Jamie Schultz
I love that you had a theme! I was in a hurry so I picked the first four books that vaguely represented a battle for independence:-D
I…haven’t read any of these. 🙁 BUT I’ve just started reading Uprooted and Ink & Bone is also slated for July. Armada sounds so intriguing!
Danya @ Fine Print recently posted…Tough Traveling: Independence Battles
I hope you love Uprooted and Ink and Bone!
An “Indepence Battle” agains the “Great Library”… sounds like the synopsis for the memoir of an indie bookstore – something I would actually really like to read now that I think about it.
I hope everyone reads Ink and Bone, it’s sooo good.
My TBR grows again. 🙂
Mervi recently posted…Tough Travels – Indepence Battles
It is nice that you picked recent reads. I haven’t read any of these but I would love to read Uprooted. For my list I went for some classics like The Lord of the Rings, The Chronicles of Narnia and Harry Potter; but then tried to mix in some more recent books.
jessicabookworm recently posted…Meme: Tough Travels – Independence Battles
I always want to include classics, but I never remember to use them for some reason. I guess the last books I read stick with me the most.
Ah, I loved Uprooted so much! Also looking forward to reading Ink and Bone! Will also check out the others you’ve listed.
Hannah recently posted…Review: The Girl with All the Gifts – M.R. Carey
I’m just reading Armada and enjoying it.
I really want to read Uprooted too.
Lynn 😀
Lynn recently posted…‘The truth is, you’re the weak, and I am the tyranny of evil men. But I’m trying, I’m trying real hard’
Armada was one crazy book, I loved it:-)