This year my chosen subject is deities and demons in fiction. I find the way religion and the supernatural are used in different forms of fiction to be fascinating. I had two entities for you today.
Belar
Now Belar is the god of the Alorns from the Belgariad and Malloreon book series by David Eddings. His totem animal is the bear and he's a bit of a trouble maker.
I have a great fondness for Belar. He's the youngest of the seven gods in the books and he's kind of like a Viking. When he appears in human form he looks like a young man and he feasts and drinks with his people, flirting outrageously with all the young women. There is nothing stuffy about Belar, although sometimes there is about a few of his followers.
I just loved the idea of a god, a bit like Thor really :).
Barbas
In his first appearance he tried to kill 13 witches by scaring them to death so that he can wreak havoc eternally on earth. In that instance it is Pru Halliwell, one of the three sisters who make up the Charmed Ones and are the heroines of the show, who vanquishes him and sends him to purgatory.
He was so popular as a villain he came back six times over the show's run. I used to love Charmed and I think the baddies from the first season, although not as involved as some from later seasons, were great.
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Very cool picks for B. I've only seen a few episodes of Charmed. I think Netflix has it and I should watch it.
ReplyDeleteI really used to like Charmed, up until they changed out one of the sisters. It was okay after that, but there were more arcs and arcs tend to annoy me :).
DeleteI agree with Patricia, must watch more Charmed. The bear is a huge archetype, too. An interesting comparison between bear and demon.
ReplyDeleteCharmed was always fun :)
DeleteThose are both new ones on me. I may have to check out those books :)
ReplyDeleteThey are great books - I love the Belgariad. I can read all five in a weekend. The Mallorean is good too, but the Belgariad are my fav.
DeleteI can't believe you're doing A to Z on THREE blogs! Amazing. This one is my favorite though. Looking forward to reading what you have to come! - Elle @ Erratic Project Junkie
ReplyDeleteThank you :). I am sharing the other two blogs, so it's only really like 2 blogs because we divided the other two in half.
DeleteI'm with Patricia. I never watched that show when I was younger... but recently watched Buffy and loved it, so maybe I'd like that show, too. :)
ReplyDeleteAlex Hurst, A Fantasy Author in Kyoto
Out of Print, Fiction authors and their shorts
A-Z Blogging in April Participant
It's a pretty good one as shows go, worth a look at least :).
DeleteI hadn't heard of either of these, but I loved reading about them. I need to watch Charmed, I think I'd like it.
ReplyDeleteIt's a pretty good show and it's nice to see women leading the whole series :)
DeleteI'm familiar with both stories, but I don't remember either of these characters.
ReplyDeleteI like Vikings, so I kind of like Baler... even if Idon't know him ;-)
I think if you remember the Alorns in the Belgariad you know Belar, they are just like their god :)
DeleteBarbas was one of the bad guys I loved from Charm. Cool pick today.
ReplyDeleteThank you :D
DeleteAnother David Eddings fan, Read all his books si Belar is a good choice
ReplyDeleteI love David Eddings - such great books. :)
DeleteBarbas is a great villain, I loved to hate him and he was devious, so devious!
ReplyDeleteNot a head on kind of villain :)
Deletei don't know the first one at all. but, i am all about 'charmed' and that guy never plays anyone good...he and his son both appear in the xfiles 'theef' and 'monday' respectively and, boy, he's creepy in that. i'm pretty sure it's his face that makes me believe that he's so demented or evil. http://smhasty.blogspot.com/2015/04/b-books.html
ReplyDeleteHe doesn't does he :) Some actors have their niche and they stick to it.
DeleteBelar sounds like someone I would like :) Never heard about that book series, thank you!
ReplyDelete@TarkabarkaHolgy from
Multicolored Diary - Epics from A to Z
MopDog - 26 Ways to Die in Medieval Hungary
It's a fab series, I love it. I think it has to be my all time fav book series ever. I like to curl up with it over a weekend every now and then.
DeleteVery cool, both of these are new to me. Belar sounds like a character I'd like as well. I find it extra interesting that Barbas (the name) sounds rather bear-ish. I will probably forever think of him as a bear from now on. ;)
ReplyDeleteLOL - associations just don't go away do they? ;)
DeleteNever heard of Belar and Barbas. Kind of liked Belar from your description, sounds so much fun :D
ReplyDeleteI think he would be - he likes to party :)
DeleteI don't think I ever watched him on Charmed... but in The Untouchables... yes!
ReplyDeleteWelcome in the "B"... as a host I am stopping by to say thank you!
Jeremy [Retro]
AtoZ Challenge Co-Host [2015]
There's no earthly way of knowing.
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HOLLYWOOD NUTS!
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I don't remember his specific part in The Untouchables, but he's one of those actors I always recognise when he turns up :)
DeleteI was introduced to David Eddings in high school. I have fond memories reading of Belar.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the 2015 A to Z Challenge!
A to Z Co-Host S. L. Hennessy
http://pensuasion.blogspot.com
I found book 5 of the Belgariad in a second hand book shop when I was a teenager and read it without realising it was the 5th book - I loved it and then had to read all the others too.
DeleteI think I would like Belar :) He looks gentle in his picture with the bear face for some reason.
ReplyDeletebetty
I think Belar is like the Alorns - unless you annoy him he tends to be a very nice chap.
DeleteBelar sounds adorable - a flirtatious trouble maker and a god to boot. What could be better!
ReplyDeleteHe does, doesn't he :) Not full of his own godhood ;)
DeleteI'm getting an education. Thank you
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, thanks for visiting. :)
DeleteThis is awesome. I am really going to enjoy these I can tell.
ReplyDelete--
Tim Brannan, The Other Side Blog
2015 A to Z of Vampires
http://theotherside.timsbrannan.com/
OO. And I LOVE, LOVE Charmed. Great to see Barbas again.
DeleteCharmed is a lot of fun :). Glad you're enjoying the posts :D
DeleteStopping on A to Z. Interesting topic. Binge watched 'Charmed' after I retired. Good luck with the challenge.
ReplyDeleteThank you :) I keep meaning to check to see if the DVDs have gone down in price for Charmed :).
DeleteHi Natasha, I'm not participating in the challenge this year, but will offer my support and confess that I couldn't wait to see what your theme would be, and Sophie's too. Nice post.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much :) Hope you are enjoying the hop even if you're not taking part this year.
DeleteI haven't heard of either of those but a bear whose human form is like a Viking sounds like fun.
ReplyDeleteHe's definitely one of the fun gods ;)
DeleteThese two are totally new to me, but I do know how important the bear totem is in the Alaskan pantheon of gods.
ReplyDeleteBears are such strong creatures they make for very important animals.
DeleteI love the idea of a god in bear form! My bear figurine on my bookshelf has a B name too, Branimir.
ReplyDeleteB's for the win! :D
DeleteI know Barbas! I'm a huge Charmed fan. Another B...Belthazor. ;)
ReplyDeleteOh yes, good one :)
DeleteBelar is a bear of a god. Somehow I missed the show Charmed. Shame on me. :)
ReplyDeleteCatching to odd ep of Charmed in reruns can be fun! ;)
Deleteloved charmed. haven't read the eddings books though.
ReplyDeleteThey are brilliant books if you like epic fantasy :).
DeleteBelar seems harmless and just wants to have fun. I'm familiar with Barbas, I used to watch Charmed a lot!
ReplyDeleteCharmed was fun :) Belar sounds like a great god to me.
DeleteBelar was my favourite of all the Eddings gods. He is great fun! Thanks for reminding me of that series, it's been a heck of a long time since I've read it. I used to know it cold. Hard to know what I'd think of it now. I find my opinions of books sometimes change over time because some of them get dated.
ReplyDeleteI find the same thing, but not about that series :) It's my go to read if I feel like a cosy weekend curled up with books.
DeleteNot having been a reader or watcher of these two 'B's, I can't say much about their attributes. Your excellent review of them is enough that I would watch/read up on them. I have seen Charmed, and Barbas seems familiar. I'm learning a lot about your theme and here it is only the Letter B.
ReplyDeleteSue at CollectInTexas Gal
AtoZ 2015 Challenge
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The Belgariad is my favourite book series ever - it holds a very dear place in my heart :) Thank you so much for visiting.
DeleteCool pick. I don't know Charmed, so I don't know these Bs. I will be interested to see how many I will know of your choices.
ReplyDeleteI am sure some will be familiar and some, not so much :D
DeleteBut is a God of the people really a God for the people. Belar might be great at drinking and partying, he still has responsibilities. Ignoring those actually hurts the people more.
ReplyDeleteIt all depends what his people expect :)
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