Tough Traveling: Bugs
The Thursday feature “Tough Traveling” is the brainchild of Nathan ofReview Barn, who has come up with the excellent idea of making a new list each week based on the most common tropes in fantasy, as seen in The Tough Guide to Fantasyland by Diana Wynn Jones. Nathan has invited anyone who is interested to come play along, so be sure to check out the first link for more information.
This week’s tour topic is: Bugs
BUGS- Not in the Tough Guide but it should be. Let’s all find anything creepy or crawly, big or small, six legs, eight legs, or more. Bugs, bugs, bugs.
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
Giant spiders in fantasy should have their own Tough Traveling category. The Hobbit Bilbo Baggins and his dwarf companions fought off giant spiders in Mirkwood on their way to the Lonely Mountain.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
More giant spiders incoming! These are heavily featured in the second book of the Harry Potter series, when it is revealed a colony of them was established in the Forbidden Forest at Hogwarts by Aragog, the Acromantulas that Hagrid used to keep as a pet.
Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
The Formics, also called “Buggers” by humans, are an insect-like alien species. They’re often described as insectoid in shape and form, and live underground in hive-mind colonies which are directed by a single queen.
Flight of the Golden Harpy by Susan Klaus
On a planet where harpies as regarded as pests, the killing of them by human settlers have caused an outbreak of the native flesh-eating beetles. Without the harpies to keep them under control, the swarms have taken over the towns and are killing people by eating them.
Wendy’s Picks
The Stolen Throne by David Gaider
The Deep Roads: Every arachnophobe’s dream vacation. The dwarves don’t merely have bugs running around their stone thaigs, they have giant, blight corrupted spiders! Yay!
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
Being scared of bugs is one thing. Being deathly allergic to them? Well that just ups the ante. Especially if you’re like Gansy and seem to have a bit of a deathwish…
Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein
Okay, I haven’t actually read the book, but Nathan has, and I’ve seen the movie, so I feel that is enough justification to include it. The important thing is that we remember the motto:
“The only good bug is a dead bug.”
The BiblioSanctum 
yay for Harry Potter! LOL the only one I’ve read. Difficult topic this week…
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Honestly, I found it tough as well. I haven’t read a lot of books with bugs in them, for good reason.
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I immediately thought of Starship Troopers but tried to stay away from the sci-fi. Great list!
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Starship Troopers was included in honour of Nathan, who has actually read the book, while Mogsy and I have not…
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I know you have plans to read it…I really should as well.
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Yeah, there could be an entire post for spiders! Yeah, lots of insect like aliens too. (I wouldn’t have thought of that)
Deathly alergic to bugs is a new one!
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Yeah, now that you mention it, you could probably come up with a list for for insectoid aliens as well!
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Oh sure, NOW you suggest giant spiders as a topic. =)
Now kindly admit that the movie is horrible. Because we all know it is.
Last point, one of the few to have never read Ender’s Game. Kinda proud of that.
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The movie is the good kind of horrible!
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According to some people, you are missing out on a classic. I honestly think Card is a tool, but if I struck off every author I ever disagreed on with anything from my TBR, I would not read anything. Keeping art and personal beliefs/political views separate.
That said, I thought the book was so overrated.
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Jumping on this comment to clap for you! Although it’s a good book despite Card being vile.
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I HATE bugs
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I don’t blame you. One reason why I’m glad it’s cold now is that all the bugs are dead for the winter. Good riddance.
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LOL
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I’m also going to mention that I haven’t read Ender’s Game.
And, I got stuck on spiders this week (which sounds horrible!)
Then after I’d posted I remembered a couple of other nasty varmints but… sometimes you just have to know when to stop! I don’t want to think too long and hard about bugs after all.
Lynn 😀
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I’m honestly okay with not thinking about bugs either. Icky bugs.
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Bugs! What a gross topic! I’m sure I encounter them fairly regularly in my reading, but I immediately blank them out because they give me the willies. Those giant spiders in LOTR gave me nightmares!
Carmel @ Rabid Reads.
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Yeah, blame Nathan. It was his personal topic, I believe!
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Has anyone seen the movie BUG directed by William Friedkin? That is creepy.
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No, and it doesn’t sound like I want to 😛
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Its quite unsettling, but its creepy as hell.
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I couldn’t think of any bugs aside from the LotR spiders and Ender’s Game aliens – amazed you came up with 7! These lists would be so much easier if I based them on my current dnd campaign.
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Oooh bugs play a role in The Rave Boys? I’m reading it right now, can’t wait to see where that goes!
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I had the Enders Game bugs on my list, but somehow forgot they were called Buggers!! Great list! 🙂
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