Six Great Heroes of Epic Fantasy, Part 2
On Friday 8 I posted the first instalment of my line up for Six Great Heroes of Epic Fantasy: Astrin Ymris (Patricia McKillip’s The Riddlemaster of Hed trilogy), Coltaine (Steven Erikson’s Deadhouse Gates), and Druss the Legend (David Gemmell’s Legend.)
I also suggested that there might be a seventh or bonus hero and so it has proven to be because, to continue in alphabetical order, I just could not leave out—
E which is for Elric of Melnibone, renegade emperor, outcast, warrior-sorcerer, god-slayer and defender of free will, from Michael Moorcock’s Elric series, which starts with Elric of Melnibone.
Now I know that some of you may argue that Elric isn’t even a hero—he is in fact the quintessential antihero. And I could just say that I don’t care and am including him anyway, simply because Elric seized my imagination so powerfully as a very young SFF reader. I will, however, make my case for Elric being a hero—besides simply being the possessor of a deadly, soul-sucking sword called Stormbringer (if you love “elves” with soulsucking swords—forget Cherryh’s Morgaine or Erikson’s Anamander Rake: think, Elric.)
Elric is certainly a chaotic force and possesses a certain moral ambiguity, or perhaps it would be more correct to say that he is a practitioner of realpolitik, but he is also a champion of free will, particularly against the gods of chaos that are seeking to take over the human realm. So certainly, in the sense of “hero-protagonist” Elric is one of the outstanding heroes of epic fantasy and I believe has to be on my list.
In terms of what makes him most interesting … I think for me it is his championing of free will, when fate, portent, and doom are such strong threads in much fantasy (deriving I believe, from its roots in mythology and folklore.) Elric definitely challenges and overturns that model.
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F is for Faramir, second son of the Steward of Gondor and head of the rangers of Ithilien in JRR Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings.
Those of you who have only seen the film version of The Lord of the Rings may well cry: “but surely you should choose Aragorn or Legolas, or even (Sean Bean as) Boromir, not Faramir.” I think those who have read the novel, however, will be less surprised by my choice.
Faramir first appears in The Two Towers, as captain of Gondor’s rangers in Ithilien, a territory on the border of Mordor. From the first time I read it, I felt that he was one of the strongest and most real characters in the book—something that really didn’t come across in the films and was one of my most keenly felt disappointments in relation to the big screen treatment of the story.
The Faramir of the book is much more human and less ‘high and remote’ than Aragorn, but like both Aragorn and Galadriel, he also refuses the temptation of the one ring of Sauron—something his older brother, Boromir, was unable to do. So Faramir shows himself to have both insight—he is smart enough to know that taking the ring will ultimately do him and Gondor no good—as well as the strength of will and moral integrity necessary to refuse the ring.
I also like Faramir because although he is, of necessity, a soldier in the cause of Gondor, he values the benefits of peace and civilization, such as learning and healing, above the arts of war. He also holds to his duty despite the mistrust of his father (the films got that right), but not stupidly, ie not the forlorn, suicidal charge to certain death of the films, but rather in holding together a fighting retreat from Osgiliath ‘against the odds.’
In the book, Faramir is a quiet character, but a very strong one, not because of his deeds of arms but because of his moral character. And because he is a more everyday character than the more remote figure of Aragorn, he is also a character that we can relate to.
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J is for John Aversin, knight, amateur scholar, and relucant dragonslayer in Barbara Hambly’s Dragonsbane.
I mentioned both Astrin Ymris and Faramir as soldiers out of necessity rather than inclination, but I think John Aversin in Dragonsbane is probably the epic hero where “sense of duty” is most powerfully drawn. John is the only knight in a remote region that has been abandoned by the larger kingdom that once ruled it (think territories such as Britain following the withdrawal of the Roman Empire, although the world is more medieval/early renaissance) to general lawlessness, incursions by raiders and, in one notable case, a dragon. John doesn’t fight the dragon because he wants to (he definitely doesn’t), or for glory, but because as the only knight, he feels he has to: it is preying on both the people of the region and the animals they depend on for survival and there is no one else to do the job. He doesn’t kill the dragon nobly either, by charging to meet it with a sword, but by catching it asleep, shooting it with poisoned harpoons, and chopping off its wings first with an axe. John Aversin lives in a brutal world and survival is a brutal business.
Here’s the thing though, he is not a brute. John at face value is a fairly everyday sort of guy, who like Astrin and Faramir does his fighting out of necessity, not pleasure, and is far more interested in amateur science than fighting dragons (which has a bad habit of getting you messily killed.) One of the things I really like about John Aversin as a character is that he has an inquiring mind. Another is that he is perceptive about people and has compassion for the situation of those less fortunate than himself, but not in a “preachy” way: he just gets in there and does what needs to be done. (He’s not necessarily a man of few words though; when he’s talking about one of his pet theories he is enthusiastically loquacious.)
So when John is asked to fight another dragon (the real story, by the way; the rest is backstory, not spoilers), this time for the current king of the realm that has abandoned the north, he agrees very reluctantly—in exchange for the promise that the kingdom will again return its armies and its protection to the north. So John Aversin also has that truly heroic quality of being willing to put himself at risk for the greater good. No question, he belongs on this list.
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Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister in the HBO series, "A Games of Thrones"
T is for Tyrion Lannister, dwarf, all round smart guy, and leader of men in George RR Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series, beginning with A Game of Thrones.
Several people noted that I didn’t include any of George RR Martin’s heroines amongst my Six Great Heroines of SFF, although several of them were on the longlist, which concluded my post here. There were definitely several contenders for the “Six Great Heroes” list, however, not least Ned Stark and Jon Snow. But actually, Tyrion Lannister was a fairly easy choice.
No question, Tyrion has a pretty rough row to hoe in the world of Westeros. It isn’t easy being a dwarf in a world where knightly prowess is the “coinage that counts.” He is also despised and disregarded by his father, the powerful Tywin Lannister. Yet from the beginning, I found Tyrion one of the most intriguing characters in the series. First off, he is smart and able; he is also astute, which is not quite the same thing as being clever, ie he has perception and insight into peoples natures and motivations.
Tyrion is personally brave as well, something that is usually overlooked by those around him because of his stature, and leads a successful military defence of the capital city in the second-in-series, A Clash of Kings. And although as capable of savagery as any character in Martin’s brutal world of Westeros, Tyrion is less inclined to it than most and is, I would say, more naturally disposed to kindness and generosity than the majority of the other characters.
When I reflect on the A Song of Ice and Fire series Tyrion Lannister is always one of the standout characters and given the stature of the series to date, that has to make him one of the great heroes of epic fantasy.
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So there it is, not six but seven great heroes of epic fantasy! I think this post is already long enough so I won’t add a longlist of “could-also-easily-have-been-on-the-list” characters, as I did with the heroines. But you could help with that—we’ve already had Lord Mhoram from the first Thomas Covenant series put forward on Friday. What names would you add to the list?
Oh yes, definitely Faramir. 🙂 Though I prefer Anomander Rake to Elric.
Oh, and Tyrion lovers will be in for a treat in Dance. He gets his own roadmovie, so to speak. (Yep, I got the book early thanks to a mistake by Amazon.de; the little eloper landed on my desk last week. 🙂 )
I’ll have to think about 4 more heroes now, lol. Though if we can also count historical fiction, I’d add Athos from The Three Musketeers (book version; none of the movies does him justice).
Have you seen the 1970’s versions.
I don’t think they do a bad job of Athos in those.
Gabriele: I do like Anomander Rake as well but I feel that Stormbringer is the ultimate soul-sucking sword. I am definitely looking forward to picking up Tyrion’s thread again. There were characters who got a lot of air time in FEAST that I could well have done without as a reader (‘coughs’: Cersei) but am hoping DANCE sticks with core characters from the earlier books more. I am very fond of Athos, too, although I have always had a soft spot for D’Artagnan as well. Perhaps I could do an historical fiction post later as it is my favourite genre next to SFF.:)
I am going to make the case for Elof – from Michael Scott Rohan’s “Winter Of the World Series”.
Elof is a Mage Smith. The craft of his mind is expressed through his hands and the things that he makes. These things are remarkable and personal and precious to Elof (or Alv as he is called in the first book of the series.
Posessiveness is one of Elof’s defining traits, and this ,and the fear that goes with it (of losing things and people) is something he has to constantly struggle against. Not always winning.
Elof and his freinds Kemorvan , and Roc and Ils the dueregaur are fighting the Ice. Which is seeking to extinguish life and all the powers that are aligned with life from the world.
The world itself is pretty much our world, at the time of the pliestocene or therabouts – during one of the great ice ages.
The Ice itself (as personified by Taounehetar and Louhi) is a great adversary, and I love the fact that Elof is not your traditional swords and sorcery hero.
Andrew: Thank you for reminding me of the Michael Scott Rohan series—I remember really enjoying its grim, Nordic myth-cycle ethos, although I always found Elof/Alv a difficult character, probably because he was a difficult character … Then again, he had a fair amount to contend with as well! I agree with you that he is not a traditional swords and sorcery hero, but that is part of what made that series interesting.
Nice job…
ELRIC is a an icon unto himself. The Elric Series simultaneously stands as one of the pillars of sword-and-sorcery while defying the tropes of that particular sub-genre. The doom-laden pathos, the tortured prince, the evil-doer who feels existential angst driven by his own wicked actions, the dichotomy of hero/villain rolled into one unforgettable character; sorcerer and warrior combined with darkest sorcery and ancient decadence. Damn Straight, Elric is one of the greatest Epic Fantasy heroes.
So cool that you picked Tyrion! I’ve been saying for awhile now that he is the “heart” of the SONG OF ICE AND FIRE series. An intellectual trapped in a world of savages; a poet in bloody armor; a huge heart in a tiny body; the voice of humanism in a world largely devoid of it. A survivor and an iconoclast. Tyron Lannister is indeed one of Epic Fantasy’s most unforgettable and intriguing heroes.
As for my picks:
Darrell Schweitzer’s SEKENRE THE SORCERER
Tolkien’s ARAGORN OF GONDOR (with apologies to Faramir)
R. Scott Bakker’s DRUSAS ACHAMIAN
Gene Wolfe’s SEVERIAN THE EXECUTIONER
Fritz Lieber’s FAFHRD & GRAY MOUSER (tie)
John Brunner’s TRAVELLER IN BLACK
Howard’s KING KULL
(Moorcock’s ELRIC and Martin’s TYRION would have to be on my list as well.)
Glad my Elric and Tyrion choices ‘speak’ to you, John.:) And I have no problems with Aragorn at all, although I would probably argue that he is as much of the Dunedain as Gondor, even at the end … And Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser were definitely on my longlist!
I still don’t get the criticisms leveled at the movie version of Faramir. He’s tempted by the ring but overcomes that temptation in order to do the right thing (something his brother clearly failed to do). To me, he’s a more interesting character because of it. And surely overcoming temptation in order to do what is necessary is heroic.
tbob: I agree that Faramir is a far more interesting character than Boromir, but I was very disappointed with his portrayal in the films.
How we all see these things is subjective, for sure, but to me the way Faramir was portrayed was primarily ‘vacillating’ rather than ‘tempted.’ In the book, he took the time to consider and judge what best to do, despite the fact the that time was pressing—he knew what his father would have wanted him to do as well (ie bring the ring by force to Gondor), but in the book Faramir knows this is an ultimately doomed choice so he doesn’t do it. Whereas in the film he gets well along that path then changes his mind: ie he doesn’t have the same innate integrity and moral fibre as the Faramir of the book, even though he comes to (is driven to see?) the right decision ‘in the end’ (having vacillated at some length up until that point.)
The reason why Faramir’s decision on the book has always seemed really important to me is because of earlier statements from other characters, such as Elrond, that the ‘race of men’ have fallen from their former heights (although yet even Isildur fell prey to the ring, previously.) Aragorn is an exception to this because of his high and noble lineage and his upbringing as Elrond’s foster son, whereas initially Boromir appears to prove the point. Faramir, however, illustrates that this is not the case, that there are still human men who have got what it takes to resist Sauron and the ring. I think this is an important if subtle point in the book.
And I guess I don’t see vacillating but eventually making the right decision as necessarily a sign of a strong nature, but more of a weak one—as opposed to choosing the right course from the beginning.
Helen, I won’t post any spoilers when I say that Tyrion, Daenerys and Jon have the most POV chapters in Dance, since Martin said so himself on his blog. A certain turncloak will be back, “quite worse for the wear” (Martin), and that Davos gets a POV is no secret, either. Which is nice because I sorta like Davos. We get a glimpse of Arya, and there are several more POVs which only one or two chapters. And there be cliffhangers.
Tyrion, Daenerys and Jon Snow—happiness! Some more of Arya would be good as well. And I really like Davos: he is another of my favourite characters. A Certain Turncloak—I am trying to think who that might be … (It’s been a while, after all.) As for cliffhangers: gotta keep the readers hooked, although the quality of the story will play the largest part in that. I was a little more reserved about FEAST than I was with the first three novels; just ‘wasn’t quite sure’ about a few of those characters and new plotlines. Nonetheless, I am looking forward to having the opportunity to make up my mind with DRAGON—oh, immensely! 😉
To me the genius of A FEAST OF CROWS (well, part of it anyway) is that Martin FORCES the readers to see things from the viewpoint of the heinous and reprehensible (and incestuous) Cersei Lannister, who is of course one of the books’ most dastardly villains. She is a despicable character, and when I started the book I wasn’t sure I could hang out “inside her head” for the duration. But that’s the genius of Martin–his characters are as compelling as his characterization is flawless. And there was a nice payoff…in the end, when all of Cersei’s bullshit falls apart and she gets thrown in a dungeon, you’re right there in her head. It was a brilliant move on Martin’s part. (One of many.)
John, I don’t disagree at all, in fact I heartily concur with everything you say, but as another GRRM fan I know put it: “… but that much time in Cersei’s head seriously impaired my enjoyment of the book!” From my pov I can live with the lady’s heinous and reprehensible qualities (after all, she is hardly alone in that in GRRM’s world), it’s the sheer, self-satisfied stupidity that gets to me—but even the fact that I feel that way is instance, as you so rightly point out, of GRRM’s genius.
The other reservations I had with FEAST, though, were more to do with introducing so many new point of view characters, including opening up further plotlines in Dorne, which I rather feared would blow the story well out beyond the originally envisaged six books. Also, I found that I just wasn’t as interested in them as in the stories and situations of characters who had been central since the first book, such as Tyrion, Jon, all the Stark children, including Rickon (who? where?) Daenerys et al. So with all these factors in the mix I found my interest waning, which is why I am waiting for DANCE with a mix of both trepidation and hope.
The Dorne plotline will play a role in the larger picture.
I didn’t mind Cersei so much, but I found the Brienne chapters somewhat dull – not because we get to see the smallfolk in those chapters; that part was actually interesting, but because she’s such a dull character.
Oh, and Rickon still exists. Somewhere. 🙂
Overall, Dance and Feast belong together though Dance extends the plotline past Feast in the last third of the book. They are middle books in a way, but still damn good ones. I thínk Dance is tighter than Feast, but there are some plot-aligment elements to keep the threads running parallel in time. We know that Jordan had massive problems with that and some of his plot threads grated to a standstill for an entire book sometimes. That definitely does not happen with Feast/Dance, but I would have cut a few scenes upon first read. But we don’t know how they may play into the larger picture; maybe important things are set up just in those more ‘decoartive’ scenes.
Were the books necessary to fill the five year gap Martin had originally planned? Most surely Yes. There would have been no way to sneak even the barest bones of what’s going on in Feast/Dance into the next books via flashbacks. The things seems to grow (heh, tell me, I have one of those monsters myself) – in a recent interview, Martin said that he really wants this to remain 7 books but that he won’t promise anything before book 6 is finished, which to me reads like he isn’t sure he *can* keep it 7 books.
Gabriele,
You are definitely moving me more into the “hope” camp with your comments, in fact I am feeling like I “can’t wait”—and I am ok with decorative scenes so long as they are not completely redundant, because that’s life isn’t it, sometimes there are parts that are more decorative than functional, which all adds to the texture. (As aforesaid, so long as it’s not “textured tedium.”)
In terms of beyond 7 books—I really couldn’t see ‘how not’ once I read FEAST, but we will see. After all, as John stands witness to in his comments, GRRM is ‘da maestro.’ 😉
No textured tedium, I can promise. And maybe it depends on whether you like a POV or not if a scene feels a bit like ‘decoration’ or valid addition of cool details. In case of Tyrion’s POV it’s the latter, while I’ve never been a great Dany fan. Just saying. 😉
And yet Daenerys is one of my favourite characters, which just goes to show that it really is all subjective!
Thanks for your commendation of Faramir! No one else seems to understand him quite the way you (and I ) do. He is the ultimate hero, in my opinion: human, flawed and wise enough to make right decisions even if they were not popular and would not advance his cause. I was so disgusted with the Faramir of the Two Towers movie that I have not even watched the Return on the King.
I have a sneaking fondness for Elric, too.
Thank you, Morag—although when I was on the “Eowyn and Sam, Unsung Heroes of the Lord of the Rings” panel (I paraphrase the panel’s title as this may not be quite exact) at Worldcon last year, I did find that many amongst those attending the session shared our view of Faramir’s treatment in the films. So we are not alone!
His portrayal i n Return of the King is closer to the books. And good thing that or I would have been temtped to come to NZ and do a few things to PJ. 🙂
Yes, a stern talking-to was definitely required! I know why they did it though—or suspect! Having made Aragorn’s character more human and approachable, more Strider and less Elessar, the script writers needed to distinguish Faramir: I just “hated” the way they did it. [Sigh.]
Well, at least David Wenham looked the part and tried his best to keep Faramir sympathetic (I think he’d have prefered to play him like in the books). Not dark haired, sure, but Boromir was blond in the movie, too, and I had no issuses with Sean Bean in the role. 🙂
Gabriele, I am a tremendous fan of David Wenham as an actor, but it is probably the least favourite role I have seen him play, but I don’t think it was a “fair” or “dark” thing, more the way he was directed to play the character.
Hey, Helen,
That is fascinating. The whole Cersei viewpoint didn’t dull my enjoyment of the books at all. Nor did the Dorne plotlines or any of the other stuff because I’d grown used to things not “coming together” as they do in typical fantasy novels way back in book one or two. I was most certain in book one that the big climax of the book or its sequel would be the great Dothraki Invasion. Everything pointed toward an ultimate clash of barbarism vs. civilization (while stripping back the veneer of civilization and showing its own barbarity). And yet, it never happened because Martin is too clever and ambitious for that. It’s one of the things I love best about the book…things simply “unfold”…they are all a part of the greater tapestry, and even when they don’t relate between plotlines, they are still fascinating in and of themselves.
I guess what I’m trying to say is that Martin keeps exploring the various parts of his world. He’s far more interested in that exploration than in moving along some uber-plot. It’s so…organically grown. He lets the characters’ lives unfold realistically, not in a series of plastic victories and staged set design conflicts, but in uneven, non-linear, another-regular-day portraits of existence. In effect, I think he does what I’ve long thought the secret to good writing: He lets his characters decide what happens, and he follows them around to chronicle what happens.
Many fantasy novels bore me because the stretch out the slowly unwinding plot and it really does feel like “stretching”…things tend to meander and I end up going “Get ON with it.” But with Martin, he explores the world through his characters so very well–no matter where it fits in the storyline–that I’m never really bored, only fascinated. None of this would be possible if his characters weren’t so “real.”
People have often said he writes with “realism” and that it makes his epic fantasy more like historical fantasy. Some even call his stuff “nihilistic,” but I don’t buy that either. I just think he’s a damn good writer who tosses aside the standard conventions of how a novel should work and just takes us on a trip into Westeros. In other words, there’s no heroic artifice here; it’s more like a reporter’s approach to what’s happening. Martin’s saying: “Here are some lives; take a look at the world through their eyes.” And it’s a Big Damn World.
Hey John, I love your passion for A Song of Ice and Fire and the BD world of Westeros, which in itself is a tribute to GRRM’s art. And I can’t and certainly don’t argue with your general thesis. When I first read “A Game of Thrones” it ‘blew my mind’—I thought it was the best thing I had read in a long, long time. Mind you, I also read Steven Erikson’s “Gardens of the Moon” in the same period and loved that, too: to misquote the hackneyed beginning of several F-grade fantasy movies: “it was a time of great happiness.” 😉 So my concerns around FEAST were as much fear as anything else: ‘what if he’s losing it? Oh no-o-o-o …’ But Gabriele’s comments reassure on that point so I am very much looking forward to DANCE. In terms of your comment “he lets his characters decide”, I agree about 99% with that—the other 1% is when you have to give a character a stern talking to over something or other, but generally I strongly feel that character driven is vital to good storytelling—and having a character behave inconsistently just to make your plot work is the ultimate no-no, in my book.
Heh, uncooperative characters running away with the plot and creating Meereenese Knots (Martin refered to a problem as such) … tell me about them. *looks at the latest newcomer to her novel who just invited herself*
One of my favourite characters in The Heir of Night is Asantir, who pretty much stepped into the story unasked and told me I had better sit up and pay attention becasue she was important to the tale: I am so glad that I did just that!
According to Tolkien, Faramir was one such step in character as well. 🙂
Ah, I didn’t know that, but he definitely ‘works’ … and sometimes I think the step-in characters are the best ones …
“I have a lot of fun in frustrating genre expectations, using a bit of this or a bit of that, and doing something that hasn’t been done before.”
–Martin in an interview posted this morning at http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2011/07/george-rr-martin-on-sex-fantasy-and-a-dance-with-dragons/241738/
Thanks for the link.:) In the end, I think there’s only one question that matters: Does this work? Does the storytelling rock? How the author chooses to get to that point is up to her/him …
Just chiming in here: The films did no justice what so ever to the literary vision of Tolkien’s Faramir. Even the extended version of the films do not show the depth or wisdom he possessed. But by the same token, the films presented a very poor reflection of his father as well.
Depsite the poor reflection of the Steward Denethor, the film did a fair approximation of Return of the King. I very much enjoyed the action & battle sequences,
On the subject of Tyrion Lannister. Tyrion is my favorite character of the series. Though Daenaerys has a lot going for her and I am enjoying her development, I very much appreciate the wit and vulnerability of Tyrion.
Thanks for commenting, Shawn. I agree with you about the portrayal of Denethor: as I recall he had given in to despair (as opposed to being plain stupid with the disposition of his forces) and was punishing Faramir for having survived when Boromir, his favourite son, hadn’t—I think the film caught something of the latter element.
With respect to the films, I felt all of them were true to the books overall and I loved the charge of the Riders of Rohan at the Pelennor Fields etc, but Faramir and the treatment of the Ents in terms of the Entmoot etc were two of my particular bugbears.
And as you’ve probably gathered, definitely looking forward to some quality reading time with Tyrion, Jon and Daenerys very soon. 🙂
Yep, Faramir, the Entmoot, Frodo sending Sam away, and Aragorn falling down the Cliff of Uncanonicity. I’d also have liked to see the friendship between Aragorn and Éomer, though that’s the one decision I understand; having both Théoden and Éomer in equally important roles would have diluted the power of the Rohan scenes.
My favourite of the three is Jon, followed by Tyrion. Another fav is Jaime, strangely enough from the beginning (for most it only starts when he gets a POV). I hope Davos wil be around a bit longer, too. The ones I care least about are Sansa, Brienne and Dany in the recent books; I found her more interesting in the first.
Yes, I was disappointed by the way they reduced Eomer’s role as well, but at least when he was in the film he was true to his character in the book.
I have always liked Jaime as a character as well and I didn’t like Sansa much at all in the beginning, but I really like the way her character has evolved through the books; I think she’s gotten pretty interesting …
Terrific discussion! Yes, I agree. Sometimes you have to “bitch-slap” a character and get him (or her) back in line. 🙂 The trick is to make the “slap” look organic, not manufactured(even though you’re manufacturing everything). “Don’t look behind this curtain!”
Writing is, essentially, sorcery. 🙂
Storymancing, I call it! 😉 I think the “art” is knowing when to listen to your chaarcters (most of the time) or when a little bitch-slapping is required, or even the “talk to the hand” moment: ie you’re a fabulous character, but you don’t belong in this book! And I don’t think the readers should see too much of the machinery that makes the clock go, because otherwise you risk losing the magic.
By the way, Helen–will you be attending WFC this year? Looking forward to meeting you there and discussing the fine art of storytelling.
Cheers,
John
John, I “so” wanted to, but NZ to the US is a very long way and then the convention sold out really quickly, so I am down as a non=attending member this year, the same as for Worldcon. Alas! But maybe next year …
Yes, I hear there was a mad rush attributed to thousands of rabid Neil Gaiman fans this year. 🙂 Anyway, it sold out far more quickly than the two previous years and I’ve talked to other folks who were frustrated with not getting on in time. I already live in California, so if I missed this one I’d have to kick myself (although unlike the San Jose con two years ago–my first WFC–I’ll have to drive from Northern Cali down to Southern Cali). Luckily I did get my registration in before the cut-off.
(cont.)
So, yes, next year in Canada! I’ve never been so it should be a bit of an adventure. It’s fast become my favorite con. I always meet a lot of fascinating writers and thinkers and artists. (And come home with a metric ton of books…)
Well, it’s still a very long way from NZ, but I would “love’ to go … and Worldcon in London in 2014 is also a drawcard!