Who was the first 'Farm Boy'?

Wulfa_Jones

Wulfa_Jones

Gentleman and Scholar
Joined
Jul 24, 2003
Messages
1,074
I'm talking about in modern fantasy... I'm sure in myths and legends of the past there where 'farm boys' but I'm thinking post Tolkien.

While not farm hands of any sorts Bildo and Frodo where the typical farm boys.

But post them, who was the first farm boy that has become the staple of (some would say the lazy writers) fantasy?

I've read a fair bit of fantasy but I'm no master of the genre... so the oldest book I've read that uses the character type is Eddings and Garion.

I'm sure this is not the case though!
 
Edding's Garion came to mind too, but I'm interested in finding out. Hopefully, someone can enlighten us.
 
Decent characters: Luke Skywalker and Clark Kent. To some extent, Neo of the Matrix movies (in terms of moving from innocence to becoming a hero and champion). I've rooted for all these guys.

Lame stereotypes: Rand al Thor (Wheel of Time), Richard Rahl (Sword of Truth series), the heroes in Terry Brooks' Shannara series. Those are series in which I actively want the bad guys to win, for no other reason than to shut these pathetic, whiney, preachy, cardboard cutout heroes up.
 
King Arthur from T.S. Elliot's Once and Future King[/]. Not literally a farmboy, but a person of undistinguished standing, "destined" for greatness.
 
Wulfa_Jones said:
While not farm hands of any sorts Bildo and Frodo where the typical farm boys.
Click to expand...

No, I don't think they were :) .

Wulfa_Jones said:
But post them, who was the first farm boy that has become the staple of (some would say the lazy writers) fantasy?
Click to expand...

Dare I say it? The real farm boy seems to be Shea Ohmsford, the protagonist of Terry Brooks' Sword of Shannara.
 
RAD said:
Decent characters: Luke Skywalker and Clark Kent. To some extent, Neo of the Matrix movies (in terms of moving from innocence to becoming a hero and champion). I've rooted for all these guys.

Lame stereotypes: Rand al Thor (Wheel of Time), Richard Rahl (Sword of Truth series), the heroes in Terry Brooks' Shannara series. Those are series in which I actively want the bad guys to win, for no other reason than to shut these pathetic, whiney, preachy, cardboard cutout heroes up.
Click to expand...

I think you didn't read the question. Wulfa asked who was the first farm boy in modern fantasy post Tolkien.
 
What about Taran from the Prydain Chronicles? You can't get much more farmboy than that. Or did you mean more recent.
 
I think you didn't read the question. Wulfa asked who was the first farm boy in modern fantasy post Tolkien

That would be Skywalker or Kent. Once I started though, I just had to include Neo, then go to the other end of the spectrum and name some of the copycats.

I forgot about Taran. Yeah, he was good, but I don't think King Arthur counts as 'post-Tolkien.'
 
How about Feist's Pug? He's always the first character I think if when I consider the visibly-unremarkable-farm-boy-rises-to-power-learns-a-hitherto-unharnessed-powerful-form-of-magic-and-saves-the-world-from-certain-destruction. <exhale>
 
Not to say they're the earliest, but earlier than most mentioned are Ged of Earthsea in LeGuin's Earthsea and Morgon of Hed in McKillip's Riddlemaster, from the '60s and '70s respectively, both agrarian/herder types who go on to have vast magical abilities.
 
I think Morgon fails the typical farm-boy-ness. He had an education.

There's also farm-girls by the way: Paksenarrion, whatshername from Canavan's Black Magician trilogy.

!!!RANT WARNING!!!
God I hate these perpetual farm boys! As if one who knows how to milk a cow and nothing else can do all the things these ppl do! Rand? A general??? Hah. He could marshall some cows I'm sure! Man! At least Morgon had an education and was a ruler - my deepest respects to McKillip. It's just so sickeningly standard - why oh why can't they come up with something new? Why does every fantasy book haaave to start on a farmlike place of somesort! I found Guy Gavriel Kay a couple months ago. I compulsively read everything he wrote. Can't remember any farms there. Am going through withdrawal symptoms. Have been going through Martin withdrawal symptoms for years. And Jaqueline Carrey, too. Farmboys just don't fill the void... want intelligent people... with education... or somethn... no cowmilking.... plzzzz
END RANT
 
fybonacci said:
I think Morgon fails the typical farm-boy-ness. He had an education.
Click to expand...

True, but he was the leader of a country made up almost exclusively of farm boys. Among all the leaders of the various countries, he was the most farm-boyish.
 
Farmboy Timeline

1977
"Sword of Shannara" - author: Brooks, farmboy: Shea Ohmsford

1982
"Pawn of Prophecy" - author: Eddings, farmboy: Garion

1982
"Magician" - author: Feist, farmboy: Pug

1988
"The Dragonbone Chair" - author: Williams, farmboy/scullion: Simon

1990
"The Eye of the World" - author: Jordan, farmboy: Rand al'Thor

1994
"Wizard's First Rule" - author: Goodkind, farmboy/woodsguide: Richard Cypher

FitzChivalry Farseer, Harry Potter, Frodo and Bilbo, the list goes on...!
 
Last edited:
Talan said:
fybonacci, have you read A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin? If not I suggest you check it out.
Click to expand...

Yep. Read it. Love it. Waiting for the next one - rumor has it, it's coming out Nov 7.
 
Erfael said:
Given how he's suffering from "Martin Withdrawal," I would think he's read it. I love how we're so trigger-happy to recommend our favorites around here that sometimes we have trouble reading what people say before we pounce on with the "Read Martin!!!"s.
Click to expand...

Ahaha you can't expect someone to read carefully a paragraph labeled as RANT
 
Erfael said:
Given how he's suffering from "Martin Withdrawal," I would think he's read it. I love how we're so trigger-happy to recommend our favorites around here that sometimes we have trouble reading what people say before we pounce on with the "Read Martin!!!"s.
Click to expand...

Hahaha, I did skim his post. I apologize.
 
I agree that Bilbo and Frodo in no way were farmboys. They were rich - some of the richest people in whole Shire, IIRC.
 
Evil Agent said:
1977
"Sword of Shannara" - author: Brooks, farmboy: Shea Ohmsford

1982
"Pawn of Prophecy" - author: Eddings, farmboy: Garion

1982
"Magician" - author: Feist, farmboy: Pug

1988
"The Dragonbone Chair" - author: Williams, farmboy/scullion: Simon

1990
"The Eye of the World" - author: Jordan, farmboy: Rand al'Thor

1994
"Wizard's First Rule" - author: Goodkind, farmboy/woodsguide: Richard Cypher

FitzChivalry Farseer, Harry Potter, Frodo and Bilbo, the list goes on...!
Click to expand...


??

Hold on, you're not saying Fitz is a farmboy are you? Cause growing up in a castle learning how to be an assassin doesn't have much to do with farms...

Oh and you forgot whatsisname from The Baker's Boy from J.V. Jones in your timeline. Baker's Boy, Farm Boy - they're all the same. 'Royal Assassin' though - tis not the same! :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Sponsors


We try to keep the forum as free of ads as possible, please consider supporting SFFWorld on Patreon


Your ad here.
Back
Top