History Literature / Tigana

* NotSoDifferent: A rather wrenching moment for [[spoiler:Prince Valentin]], who at one point during the process of torture, mutilation and mind-crippling enchantment that turns him into [[spoiler:Rhun the Fool]] thinks to himself that he actually understands Brandin's reaction.

* BloodMagic: A limited case. Magicians of the Hand can't fully use their power until they cut off two of their fingers, symbolically linking themselves to the peninsula.

* CanonWelding[=/=]ShoutOut: Finavir, or Finvair--as Brandin explicitly points out, spellings vary--is very close to to [[Literature/TheFionavarTapestry Fionavar]]. The context it's mentioned in makes it very easy to believe they're one and the same.

* ChangedMyMindKid: Alessan eventually lets Erlein go, but after being very angry at being dragged into the mission the whole book and seeming like he is going to leave he ends up staying with the main cast for the final battle anyway.

** The Night Walkers of Certando seem like a bit of a BigLippedAlligatorMoment, [[spoiler:until they reappear at the climax as newly awakened wizards.]]

* CruelAndUnusualDeath: One variety of execution is "death wheeling", where the victims have all of their limbs and their back broken and are then left on a wheel to die with their severed hand stuffed in their mouth to stop them from screaming. Alberico is particularly fond of doing this.

%%* GlamourFailure
* GoingNative: {{Invoked}} by Brandin. [[spoiler:After abdicating as King of Ygrath and declaring himself King of the Western Palm, Brandin attempts to legitmize his new kingdom by styling himself as "Brandin di Chiara" and letting Dianora attempt the Ring Dive as a way to shore up his political goodwill.]]

* IGaveMyWord

* IntroOnlyPointOfView: The prologue is from the perspective of Saver, who dies immediately after the events of the prologue years before the story proper starts.
* JerkassHasAPoint: Erlein never passes up an opportunity to needle Alessan and company, but--as Alessan himself points out--he ''is'' being held captive, and his people ''are'' in great danger from what Alessan plans to do. (And Erlein gets better, anyway.)

* ALighterShadeOfBlack: Brandin. He's a decent guy once you get to know him, and manages to win the hearts of many Palm natives, which Alberico never pulls off. But he also went on a RoaringRampageOfRevenge that unpersoned an entire country, and the less said about the fool creation process, the better. Next to Alberico, though, anyone comes out looking good.
* LightFeminineDarkFeminine: The two goddesses of the Triad, Eanna and her daughter, Morian. Eanna is the creator of the stars and the heavens; she names and loves all things in creation. Morian--although no more evil than Eanna is--is associated with darker, more dread forces, including transitions, crossroads, death, and the afterlife.
* LiminalTime: During the ember days, the dead are said to be able to walk in the world of the living. This allows the night walkers to fight them.
* LoveLetterLunacy: Devin gets a very fragrant, rather ''forward'' love letter from Alais's sister.

* TheMole: Herado reports on his family, the Sandreni, to Alberico.

** Seconds after killing his nephew Herado, Taeri kills himself.

* NobleFugitive: Alessan is the prince of Tigana who has had to go into hiding after his home was destroyed. He's trying to plot the death of the person who did it, which has the bonus effect of [[NoOntologicalInertia ending the curse that stops anyone not born there from even recognizing his homeland's name.]]

* PleaseSelectNewCityName: Brandin renaming Tigana to Lower Corte is a major driving force in the plot. He magically ''erases'' the name Tigana from the consciousness of anyone who didn't live there when it was Tigana, so that it seems the name, and the memory of the city-state, is destined to die with that generation.

%%* RedemptionEqualsDeath

%%* RightfulKingReturns

* SadisticChoice: An unusual example where the ''villain'' is forced into making one: [[spoiler:In the final battle between Brandin and Alberico, Alessan orders a team of rebel wizards and Night Walkers to lend their power to supporting Alberico, forcing Brandin to choose between saving the lives of his soldiers and preserving his curse upon Tigana when he realizes he does not have enough power to do both.]] The plan is also something of a BatmanGambit, as it relies on correctly predicting the reactions of both major antagonists.For those interested:[[spoiler:Brandin chooses revenge, subsequently loses the battle, is forced to put even more power into overcoming Alberico's boosted defenses and gets drained, forcing him to end the curse prematurely. Alberico's choices were: accept the help from unknown wizards or retreat to fight another day. His pride wouldn't let him choose the second option, so he gambled with accepting help from strangers. He relied too much on outside help and boost of power, just as planned, so when Brandin used all of his power to crush Alberico, that outside boost and help was suddenly withdrawn, causing Alberico's death. If Alberico had withdrawn, he would have easily survived.]]

* NoOntologicalInertia: A DiscussedTrope, as it is an important plot point that drives part of the story. The curse Brandin laid upon Tigana only exists so long as Brandin himself lives. Upon his death the curse will end and people will be able to speak of Tigana once more. That is why he is staying in the Palm and prolonging his life through unnatural means: for his vengeance to be complete he needs to outlive ''everyone'' who was born in Tigana before it fell.

* SadisticChoice: An unusual example where the ''villain'' is forced into making one: [[spoiler:In the final battle between Brandin and Alberico, Alessan orders a team of rebel wizards and Night Walkers to lend their power to supporting Alberico, forcing Brandin to choose between saving the lives of his soldiers and preserving his curse upon Tigana when he realizes he does not have enough power to do both.]] The plan is also something of a BatmanGambit, as it relies on correctly predicting the reactions of both major antagonists.

%%* KickTheDog: Alessan binding Erlein

* GenocideBackfire: It wasn't genocide so much as countrycide, but it still led to a small bitter group seeking sweet revenge.