“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 NAMED WEAPONS:
Surprise! This is not from the Tough Guide but fits the spirit of it well. So let us say for this topic the weapon either needs to be A. Named, B. Famous, or C. Sentient.
Props to Mogsy from BiblioSanctum for coming up with this week’s trope! Excellent choice if I do say so myself – there’s plenty to choose from. This week I chose to hone in on swords in particular.
 Lightning – Song of the Lioness Quartet by Tamora Pierce
Alana picks up a strange magical sword on one of her quests, and names it “Lightning” because it’s quick, powerful, and deadly. She later sacrifices Lightning in order to save her friends. |
 Pooky Bear – World After by Susan Ee
Through a bizarre series of events, Penryn comes to possess the sword of an Archangel. These swords have celestial power and must be named; as a joke, Penryn names the sword Pooky Bear without realizing that the poor sword is stuck with that name. She gets quite a bit of flak about that name, let me tell you. |
 Rhindon – The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
Peter Pevensie, High King of Narnia, wields a magical sword named Rhindon. Peter uses the sword to defend himself and his family from the wolf Maugrim, making him Peter’s first kill. The sword was given to Peter after the end of the Long Winter by – you guessed it – Father Christmas. That’s right folks, Santa gives out magical swords if you’ve been good. |
 Excalibur – Le Morte D’Arthur by Thomas Mallory
No list about named weapons would be right without including Excalibur! Le Morte D’Arthur is considered the definitive literary version of Arthurian legend and excalibur, introducing the sword in the stone myth and Arthur’s unique ability to wield it. |