Top Ten Favorite Bromances

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books, bromance, fantasy, gif, movies, paranormal, top ten, tv

In the wake of last week’s bromance talk, I decided to write up a blog post detailing my top ten favorite bromances.

Darmik and Neco (True Reign series by Jennifer Anne Davis)

Their bromance isn’t really in plain sight until the second book in the trilogy, but I adore it. They have that whole brothers at arms thing going on and that just gets to me.

Peter Pevensie and Edmund Pevensie (The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis)

These two brothers fight, argue, and are basically just boys. But they always have each other’s backs. I especially love how Edmund is there for Peter in the later books and movies. So sweet.

Gimli and Legolas (The Lord of the Rings Trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien)

I particularly like the Legolas/Gimli dynamic. They start off making racist jibes at one another and end up sailing off into the unknown as BFF’s. (Shh, don’t tell Thranduil.)

Devon and Julian (The Kindred series by Erica Stevens)

Unless you’ve read the last three books in the series, this won’t make sense. Devon and Julian are literally trying to kill each other in books 1-2, but bond over their shared love of Cassie and their desire to protect her. In the end, they get over their jealousy of one another and stand shoulder to shoulder, a true bromance.

Harry Potter and Ron Weasley (Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling)

If this one needs explaining, go read the books and then we’ll talk.

Will Treaty and Horace (Ranger’s Apprentice series by John Flanagan)

In the beginning, Horace is the bully who kicks little Will’s backside for laughs. Then as girls, war, bigger bullies, giant pigs, battles, and other horrors assail them, they become close friends, even besties. I may have decided I disliked this series after book 5, but their relationship was still adorable.

Dean Winchester, Sam Winchester, and Castiel (Supernatural, created by Eric Kripke)

Okay. Talk about a bromance! Nine seasons of these idiots killing monsters, betraying, making up, going to hell, going to heaven, coming back, dying, resurrecting, hunting, crying, being there for each other, missing each other—yeah. It’s just really hard not to love these guys.

Dorian Haviliard and Chaol Westfall (Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas)

As Crown Prince and Captain of the Guard, there is a certain class barrier, but they’re both one another’s only true friends and it’s precious to see them tease and scold each other. I really hope their friendship isn’t damaged after Crown of Midnight because that would suck rotten eggs. (GO TEAM CHAOL!!!)

Terence and Sir Gawaine (The Squire’s Tales series by Gerald Morris)

They start out as a teacher/student type duo, but as Terence gets older, Gawaine becomes closer to Terence than his own siblings. Then they become brothers-in-law, thus canonizing their bromance.

Arthur and Merlin (The Adventures of Merlin, created by Julian Jones)

Oh my gosh, I started this series two weeks ago and I’m besotted. The brotherly relationship between Merlin and Arthur—with all their teasing and name-calling and being willing to die for one another—is definitely one of the highlights.

Thus concludes my Top Ten. If you haven’t read/watched any of these series, you really should. What are you favorite bromances?

Love me a Bromance

Tags

bromance, character chat, Harry potter, supernatural

Let’s talk about bromance. A bromance is a colloquial word used to describe a strong friendship between two men in a brotherly relationship. (It is referencing a purely fraternal bond, not a romantic one.) Though the term is relatively new, it could be argued that this particular literary device itself dates back to antiquity.

The Greeks had them, the Romans were huge fans. Friendship between men as the driving force behind a story were not uncommon at all.

I love me a bromance. Just something about two guys with a brotherly bond strong enough that they would die for one another touches the heartstrings. Though romantic relationships tend to be considered the ultimate embodiment of love, I think that’s not fair to parental relationships, sibling relationships, and friendships.

As I said, I appreciate a good bromance, but looking at my favorite books, I realized that…well, only one or two series have them. (My favorite movie on the other hand has about five going on, so maybe that makes up for it.)

Ron Weasley and Harry Potter are one of my favorite bromances along with the Winchesters and Castiel of Supernatural. There’s all the complexities and nuances of close interpersonal relationship without the BS that comes with romance. They tease each other, they play pranks on each other, they fight for each other, and they’re willing to die for each other (which the Supernatural boys plainly demonstrate about once a season).

I think writers would do well to add in more bromances. Personally, I’ve kind of had them in my published works (Armandius and Velaskas of Argetallam Saga could maybe qualify. As well as Karile and Saoven in later books). But haven’t really tackled them the way I am in this WIP for summer 2015 (yes, I’m talking about the assassin one again—here’s that Pinterest board for like the umpteenth time).

Anyone else here like a bromance? Have a favorite?