Do you think Mark Watney from The Martian can invent his way out of everything? Try to come up with one challenger that could test Daenerys Targaryen! Would you be shocked to learn that they’ve both already been felled in Cage Match 2017 hosted by Unbound Worlds?
Cage Match is an annual character bracket tournament that pits famous fictional characters against one another in battles to the death. For 2017, it will feature 32 iconic characters from sci-fi and fantasy literature in five rounds of fictional battles to the death, which will result in one triumphant champion. This year, Cage Match boasts a new design that for the first time includes an interactive bracket, author bios, in-match links to purchase featured books from numerous retailers, and the ability to see a character’s previous victories.
The battles are written by acclaimed authors—the third round features original writing by Seanan McGuire and Patrick Rothfuss—and readers vote for their favorite character to be the winner. This year’s theme was sci-fi vs. fantasy and they’re down to the final four characters. Below are links to the epic battles for round 4:
Tom Bombadil vs. Devi: the mysterious character from Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien who is best known for the powers of his voice, squares off against the clever young woman with a knack for alchemy from Patrick Rothfuss’ The Name of the Wind. This battle written by Rothfuss for one of his very own characters is a special treat for his fans.
Ragnar Volarus vs. Georgia Mason: the physically powerful Stained Obsidian from Pierce Brown’s Red Rising takes on the sharp-tongued human from Feed by Mira Grant, in a battle written by Seanan McGuire. Will Ragnar be cowed by the threat of a zombie plague on Mars, or will Georgia’s truth be silenced?
Cage Match 2017 has seen a record number votes from fans and involvement from authors such as Neil Gaiman, Pierce Brown, Victoria Schwab, and others who have made the case for their characters on social media. Here are the links to recaps of Round One, Round Two, and Round Three to see where it might have gone wrong for your favorite character (not enough of you believed in Mr. Wednesday!).
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