“Tough Traveling” is a weekly Thursday feature created by Nathan at Review Barn where participants make a new list each week based on The Tough Guide to Fantasyland by Diana Wynne Jones. This hilarious little book cheerfully pokes fun at the most prevalent tropes in fantasy. All are welcome to take part, and there is a link up over at his site. Join in any time!
This week’s trope is HOLIDAYS:
Never too late to celebrate … holidays! Because fantasy festivals and feasts are always fun. Thanks to Wendy from Bibliosanctum for the suggestion! And feel free to blame her if this proves to be as hard as it sounds.
Why? Why, Wendy?! This topic was brutal.
Fire Festival – Poison Study by Maria V. SnyderProtagonist Yelena visits the fire festival, a carnival that travels from town to town during the hot season in Ixia. It’s basically your typical carnival, with food stalls, competitions, and live entertainment. But the real draw of the fire festival is the acrobatic competitions held there each year! All forms of public religion are banned in Ixia (so religious holidays are out), but the fire festival is considered good for morale for working people since it’s a national holiday from work. |
Midwinter Festival – Wolfspeaker by Tamora Pierce (and all other Tortall universe series)The Midwinter Festival is a Tortallan holiday celebrating the winter solstice. It’s a time for family, friends, and exchanging gifts. Unfortunately for squires, it’s also the time of year they’re expected to undergo their Ordeal of Knighthood, the ominously named test you must pass to become a night. It works because you know…the holidays can be an ordeal. |
Festival of Lugnasad – Dreamer’s Pool by Juliet MarillierThis is a briefly mentioned (literally one line) holiday that is held in celebration of harvest time. That’s all we know about it as of yet, although a quick search tells me that Lugnasad is actually an ancient Gaelic holiday. I know it’s a stretch…but I was desperate, okay? Don’t judge me. |