[Bardos]

Ahem...
http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif
Wolf? Haven't you read that word times enough? He-he... What I want to say is this: Why all authors copy one another and have characters in their book who can communicate/control (a) wolf(ves)??
Examples? Jordan (and, I think -I'm not sure- he was the first to use it [all bad things start from Jordan, believe me!! :P]) has Perrin, Robin Hobb has Fitz with that Wit stuff, and Martin has [SPOILER!!!] Bran, who communicates with his wolf...
Wolves?! ~Bardos looking around~ Noooooooo!!! ~Bardos running away~

[Loki]

Ok Bardos lets try it with chipmunks. When perrin, fitz or
(SPOILER FOR SOIAF)


Bran are being attacked maybe the chipmunk can eat the person and save the day.

[Rupert Avery]

too true

[Bardos]

LOL!
http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

But that doesn't answer anything. Are you a comedian, btw? http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif

[FitzChivalry]

Well, because those series are placed in areas that resemble europe. And in europe you have wolves, not lions, tigers or baboons.
In europe you also got bears, but between a bear and a wolf i'd choose the wolf, don't you think?

[Metosblat]

What's with the lion as the symbol of the Lannisters then?
Stark's are wolves because they live up north where many wolves are situated.
tarangyren (spelt it wrong, I think) are dragons because they live with dragons.
Then the Lannisters are lions, but I don't think they've mentioned Lions in the entire book at all. And is there actually lions in europe?

[Aleya]

Yeah, I noticed a lot of wolves cropping up too now that I think about it. And the fascination with werewolves is pretty widespread too.

Maybe wolves are easier to place in a book? Lions and tigers and other animals are more dangerous, and perhaps then it would be less believable if they were controlled?

Obviously choosing chipmunks you would kinda lose that danergerous edge to the plot - LOL. I don't know anyone who would rather control a chipmunk than a wolf! http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/biggrin.gif Well except maybe my daughter or something - heh.

But yeah, they are more European than lions too. Plus there's the whole 'dog' man's-best-friend feel about them which you just don't get with lions http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/wink.gif

Any other things you've spotted which occur a lot? I think raven's/crow's. They're -always- evil, and often some kind of spies too.

Aleya - http://silver-oak.com

[Bardos]

I'm not saying, Why is it wolves and not lions! I'm saying, Why so many authors use the same concept? Can there not be a series without someone controling somekind od animal?

[Rob B]

I think it is because the Wolf is a creature that people can identify with; it has been a symbol of the wild for a long time. Wolves also have a lot in more common with people than you would think; thier community and family life; they are very misunderstood.

Many Native American and European myths are centered on wolves, which a lot of writers use as a basis or inspiration for thier stories. Then there is the Werewolf.

I also think since Wolves are similar, yet more wild and ferocious, to man's best friend, we will see wolves in our fantasy tales.

Occasionally you will see the same human-animal bond between men and birds in some fantasies (Birdman from SOT)

[FitzChivalry]

About the Lannister lion symbol... many historical european houses had the lion as a symbol too, eventhough there aren't any in europe. Lions live in other places but they are still known.

The man-animal connection in fantasy books is fun to read about, i have no problem with it. I think my favorite pair were Haplo and Dog.

Btw, african myths have hayenas and tigers, escimo myths have white bears, various islands people have dolphins, etc.
Wolves aren't really more common to human legends than other animals, but they are more common in europe. And that's the land those fantasy lands are usually based on.