Inspiration Month: Thieves

For the last few days of November I've been thinking about thieves in fantasy. Having been on the receiving end, I have to say that real-life thieves are generally scumbags and it sucks to be a victim. In my case it was only a laptop stolen from my desk at work, so I suffered no real loss - and yet it was annoying and, yes, a little upsetting. So why do we love their fictional versions so much?

I think it's because we'd all like to get away with a bit of mischief now and then, especially if it hurts those with more power (and money) than us. It all goes back to Robin Hood and even further, to the Tricksters who could fool even the gods themselves. These rogues with a heart of gold have been with us ever since we've been telling stories, and long may they continue!

Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser #

My first introduction to the genre was the classic sword-and-sorcery tales of Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser, by Fritz Leiber. Though rather un-PC by today's standards, they're still rip-roaring adventures - and the eponymous heroes are your archetypal lovable rogues.

Nightrunners #

Lynn Flewelling's Nightrunners is one of my all-time favourite fantasy series, and a big influence on my work. Her heroes, Alec and Seregil, start out as thieves for hire but end up working as secret agents for their queen. Some of the books are a little slow by modern standards, but I love them anyway!

They're also one of the first queer couples I encountered in fantasy, and one of the sweetest - their romance is a slow, slow burn as Alec, who lived a sheltered life in the wilderness, learns about his own sexuality from sophisticated man-about-town Seregil. One of my OTPs!

The Gentleman Bastards #

A discussion of fantasy thieves would not be complete without Locke Lamora and Jean Tannen, aka The Gentleman Bastards. This series by Scott Lynch is gritty, witty and occasionally gory, but a must-read for fans of this sub-genre.

I'm very much hoping we'll see the fourth installment soon - I was fortunate enough to hear Scott read from The Thorn of Emberlain a few years ago, a hilarious scene in which Locke and Jean are stuck in some trees, Hobbit-style, having been chased by wolves. Very much back in Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser territory... 😀

Conclusion #

I hope you've enjoyed this month's posts - I know I've enjoyed putting them together!