The Votes Have Been Cast

Some of you may have been interested in the debate that was going on via Facebook, Tumblr and WordPress. Basically, we were choosing between two types of steeds for a group of cold weather people in the book I’m trying to get published next year. It was a battle between moose and reindeer.

Well, the votes have been cast. Good points were on either side, but the votes for one simply devastated the other.

The soldiers of Jevruun will now be riding a fantasy version of caribou/reindeer. As it turns out, large as moose are, they are near impossible to domesticate and just not very good war animals.

All hail the new great Jevruunite steeds!

And to that one guy that suggested Kodiak bears… holy crap. That is indeed terrifying and I will probably use that sometime in the series.

Reindeer vs Moose vs Caribou: A Hard Decision

So, I open this question up to WordPress as well as Tumblr.

For the entire time I have written Dark Soldier, the riders of Jevruun (a mountain city in the coldest regions of Vaelora), have always ridden moose. But I am considering changing that for the final draft sent to agents. I now think perhaps it is better that they ride caribou or reindeer.

Just observe how majestic she looks. And comfortable. Seems like a good long-term ride and companion to me.

But moose are also very large and intimidating to those they would do battle with. And just imagining that is cool.

EVEN MORE MAJESTIC. But they probably can’t run for long periods in battle. Hm.

So I open this question up to those in Alaska, Russia, and any cold regions where you ride something other than a horse regularly.

What would be a better steed for Jevruunites, a caribou/reindeer or a moose?