‘Tough Travelling’ is a weekly feature: every
Thursday (hopefully!) I’ll be rummaging around in my memory to come up with
various examples of commonly used fantasy tropes. Full credit goes to Nathan of
Fantasy Review Barn for coming up
with the idea: be sure to check out his blog!
This week's topic is CHESS MASTERS.
A true master knows where all the pieces are at all
times. Others may think they have taken control but alas, the master knew
their last move before they played it.
Bayaz
(The First Law trilogy
by Joe Abercrombie)
This diabolical wizard has spent centuries manipulating
events in his favour, and in the span of the First Law trilogy manages to get
every major character beneath his thumb. A viciously ambitious chessmaster, the
First of the Magi is like a big bald spider spinning a vast web of intrigue. Speaking
of which . . .
Varys
(A Song of Ice and
Fire by George R.R. Martin)
The Spider of King’s Landing knows EVERYTHING that goes on,
thanks to his ‘little birds’. The latest book revealed that he’s even more
ruthless and cunning than previously believed . . .
(The Malazan Book of
the Fallen by Steven Erikson)
Ben Adaephon Delat – or Quick Ben, as he’s most commonly
known – ALWAYS has a shaved knuckle (or acorn) in the hole. Quick is a devastatingly
powerful mage with possibly the most cunning mind of any character in the
entire series. His plans within plans are often so
convoluted that he is the only person who understands them. He is a master at
humbling the arrogant and powerful, and is so mysterious and conniving that
even the lord of Shadow whom he betrayed is no longer interested in pursuing
revenge against him. In fact, speak of the devil . . .
Shadowthrone and
Cotillion
(The Malazan Book of
the Fallen by Steven Erikson/Malazan Empire by Ian C. Esslemont)
Another pairing to whom the word ‘diabolical’ can be freely
applied. Formerly known as Kellanved and Dancer – the Malazan Emperor and the
commander of his imperial assassins – Shadowthrone and Cotillion are now the
lords of the Shadow Realm. These masters of manipulation instigated their own
deaths to achieve their shady goals, and now have god-like powers and an army
of demons at their disposal. The pair can be found lurking behind a huge number
of schemes and events throughout the series.
Chumaka
(The Empire trilogy
by Raymond E. Feist and Janny Wurts)
A chess master in the literal sense, supposedly unbeaten in
the strategic game of shah, Chumaka
is the First Advisor of our protagonist’s enemy, Jiro of the Anasati. Chumaka
is responsible for decades’ worth of plots designed to undermine rivals and
further the success of the Anasati. It’s also worth mentioning that Mara
herself actually becomes something of a chess master as this trilogy progresses,
as her enemies eventually all find themselves outwitted and outplayed.
Andross Guile
(The Lightbringer series
by Brent Weeks)
Andross Guile is another ‘chessmaster’ in the literal sense
of the word, in this case of the strategic game of Nine Kings. The withered
nemesis of the series’ protagonists, Guile uses a facade of age and frailty to
mask his true power and intentions.
Jorg Ancrath
(The Broken Empire trilogy
by Mark Lawrence)
I couldn’t finish this article without mentioning Jorg. He had
everything planned out from the start. EVERYTHING.
That’s it for this week! Join us again next week for the
topic of VAMPIRES, and be sure
to check out the Tough Travelling tab above for links to my previous posts and
fellow travellers!