Hmmm, what else is cool? My last blog on this got me creating lists, for I am both sad and geeky, and lists bring me pleasure. Yup, that’s how it is, deal with it.

So, I had a trawl down memory lane of as many of the fantasy books as I could remember and picked out the things that always seemed to work, no matter the author or particular style.

1. The mysterious warrior, with a dark past and some sort of cool weaponry. I’m thinking Aragorn, Waylander etc.
2. Magic swords. There’s nothing quite like an enchanted sword of ancient times, rich with history and power. And really good for chopping things.
3. Dragons, with wings and fire. It’s difficult to go wrong with dragons really and a number of recent, wonderful additions to the genre (the Malazan series and A Game of Thrones primarily) have really given them a new lease of life.
4. Hard chicks. Sorry if that seems a little blunt, but I think that fantasy’s willingness to offer sexual equality through the judicial use of pointy things in worlds that are dominated by men is often overlooked and under-appreciated. Few things are as cool as a woman kicking ass.
5. Double hard magicians. It’s a cliché to end on, but no fantasy series is quite complete without at least one mystical, all knowing yet annoyingly hands off magic user.

So there it is, the first of many lists. I make no apologies and would, of course, love to read any suggestions you may have.