Favourite fantasy/sci-fi novels!

[EAP]

So what is everyone's favorite Fantasy Book/series? Any particular reason you like it so much?

Here's a [incomplete] list of some authors generally regarded as the creme of this genre.

Professor Tolkien [The most well-known fantasy author]
George R.R. Martin [The most critically acclaimed (among fantasy buffs anyway) fantasy writer on Internet]
Ursula Le Guin [Earthsea]
Guy Gavriel Kay [Pesudo-Historical fiction with fantasy toppings]
Ray Bradbury [Short stories, mainly]
Stephen King [Dark Tower]
Robert Jordan [Wheel Of Time, folks feel very strongly about his writing, one of the fantasy gaints though, in terms of money-making]
Hobb Robin [Her character Fitz is generally regarded as one of the most well-crafted characters in the fantasy fandom]
Hope Mirrless [Lud In the Mist]
Tim Powers [King of Conspiracy theory, sensationally thriller Urban Fantasy]
Stephen R. Donaldson [Thomas Covenant, Mordant's Need]
Neil Gaiman [You just gotta love the guy, dont'cha?]
Tad Williams [Excellent author, well known for his baroquely intresting take on the LOTR's themes in Memory, Sorrow and Thorn saga]
William Hope Hodgson [The Gentleman used to write when fantasy as a genre was non-existant. Has come to light in recent years primarily thanks to Gutenberg]
Terry Goodkind [As much as I hate him he is one of the most financially successful authors out there]
Terry Brooks [Standard but popular teen high fantasy fare with a smattering of science-fiction]
David Eddings [Hero with muscles flanked by chick with big boobs sword-sorcery fantasy]
David Gemmel [Highly morally polarized stories, very likeable hero]
Dave Duncan [Shadow!]
Emma Bull [Wrote a beautifully exotic urban fantasy novel in the form of War of the Oaks]
China Mieville [Considered by some to be the new mastero. Pretty original stories the beauty of which is sometimes marred by his sometimes overt [admittedly personal opinion] left-wing poltics]
Robert E. Howard [The dude responsible for creating Conan]
Steven Burst [Pretty popular author writing good, solid standard fantasy fare]
Roger Zelazny [Popular for Amber, though his sf is better]
Mervyn Peake [Gormenghast, deep, dark, terrible, brooding, intensive fantasy in every sense of the word]
William Morris
Lord Dunsnay [Another one plying the trade before the label fantasy was comercially introduced, but unlike many others his contributions have always been recognized]
E.R.Eddison [IMO the best fantasy writer before Tolkien]
Melanie Rawn [Helped make the genre popular among high-schoolers]
Michael Moorcock [Elric!]
Lois McMaster Bujold [Is more famous for her SF stuff]
Dan Simmons [Though It can be argued that the Hyperion cantos is Science-fiction]
Patricia McKillip [Excellent author, perhaps the most underappreciated one out there]
Barry Hughart [One in Ernest Bramah's vein]
Terry Pratchett [What he writes is essentially fantasy, Britians favorite dude after Tolkien]
Rowling [Rivals Tolkien in terms of fame/sales]
Lloyd Alexander [Fond memories, I am sure of our childhood and Prydin]
Susan Cooper [Young-Adultish take on the Quest for Holy Grail among many other things]
Jack Vance [Dying Earth, Lyonesse, a very fine author considered a mentor by many current day fantasy authors]
Charles De Lint [gaint in young-adult urban fantasy]
Jonathan Carroll [A slightly less-talented, and dumbed down version of Time Powers with some William S. Burrough and Joyce poured in for good]
L'Engle Madelien [A Wrinkle In Time, many a times have I heard old bummers reminscing about this one]
Steven Erickson [Getting pretty popular, epic scope]
R.A.Salvatore [Sword and Sorcery master]
Glen Cook [Black Company, good sound fantasy]
C.S. Friedman [famous of her semi-fantasy coldfire trilogy]
Michael Ende [Not many fantasy books better then the Neverending story in terms of creativity and sheer richness of scope
Lyndon Hardy
Michael D. Larabeiti [Forgotten author, criminally underappreciated. best work: the Borrible trilogy. Gives a whole new prespective to subways, thames, and the grimy old streets of Industrial London]
M. John Harrison
Ian R. Macleod [Light ages is one of the best urban fantasy books to have come out n a long long time]
C. S. Lewis [Chronicles of Narnia, among the most famous (and beloved) children stories out there]
Philip Pullman [The polar opposite of Lewis. While Lewis' books are sugarcoated with thinly veiled Christian symbolism, Pullman doesn't even bother with that, managing to offend numerous Christians in the process of forking off on his aethistical rant.s On the face of it, his most famous work, The Dark Materials Trilogy details the adventures of a child named Lyra living in a alternate realty Oxford. Many people enjoy them, but almost all agree that the stories could have done with the annoying religion-baiting undertones specially prominent in the third book]
C.J. Cheeryh [One of the most prominent authors of the genre marketed as 'Science Fantasy]
Jacqueline Carey [Wrote one of the most amazing and thought-provoking books in the genre: 'Kushiel's Choosen', book one of the Kushiel Trilogy]
Marion Zimmer Bradley [Mist of Avalon, an interesting (and at the time of its writing) and unique take on the Arthurian saga]
Mercedes Lackey
Richard Adams [Watership Down, The Plauge Dogs]
Lewis Carroll [Alice in Wonderland, Through the looking glass]


Star Wars/ Star Trek and other Science Fantasies/Space Opera's out there.

Edit: I have improved the list and included most of the titles listed below. Thanks for the contribution. :)

[Diceman]

This'll make you cringe, but anyways:

The Fighting Fantasy gamebooks, originally by Ian Livingstone and Steve Jackson.

Adventure games for eighties-era kids who didn't have microcomputers :)

[Dyrwen]

I see no Timothy Zahn, writer of many of the Star Wars books, whom I like. The Thrawn Triology is pure gold, I swear. Seeing the movies you almost imagine no book can compare to them, but the way he writes a story makes you believe there are lightsaber battles happening right in front of you.

[Oliver Twist]

I really like Lord of the Rings and the books by Anne McCaffrey about Pern. I also like the Chronicles of Theyn, though they're more of Mediaeval Fiction.

[Jester]

love terry brooks, looking for more... mary brown who does fantasy in medieval europe, actually europe but adds magic, marion zimmer bradley, tolkien, JK Rowling (have to add her, ill admit it, im a harry potter fan though not as obsessed as soem people seem to be) Andre Norton, I have a book upstairs from ursula leguin but i haven gotten to it yet, hopefully i will soon...

One of my all time favorites, Dr Suess, Hans Christian Anderson and the Grim Brothers ... its fantasy!

[EAP]

Star War, I am afraid, is Science-fiction. ;)

And so is Pern, though some think otherwise.

Oops, totally forgot Marion Zimmer Bradley and Hans Christian Anderson. Not to mention Lewis Carroll. ;)

[Dyrwen]

Star War, I am afraid, is Science-fiction. ;)
Heh, not according to Lucas and everyone else. ;)

Edited to add: The glaring scientific errors and centralized ideas based on myth and symbolism makes it fantasy, for those unaware.

[Monica]

is Italo Calvino a fantasy book writer? i like his cosmicomics, but i don't really know what genre that is. what about Carrol's alice's dventures in the wonderland? is it also a kind of fantasy?

[Taliesin]

Our favourites:

Tolkien (this probably needs no comments)
Pratchett (were there any possibility to measure sense of humour, his would still be unmeasurably high)
Hobb (our thanks to her for not falling into any stamps of fantasy but creating her own, new world, and for smashingly good intrigues)
Le Guin (We do not have the words to eexpress how we like her works)
De Lint (We've only read "Someplace to be flying" and it is like smashing. The crow girls are absolutely fantastic characters
Bradley (for making all the Arthurian myths real but not ridiculous)
Gaiman (We love his dark style; have only read his "American Gods", co-work with TP "Good omens" and a short story "Snow, blood and apples" which is extremely good, shows the Snowwhite story from the stepmother's point of view)
Zelazny ("Lonesome October night" was awesome)
Michael Scott Rohan (dark, northern, snowy, smithy fantasy)

And a question to you: We remember that once We read an extremely good horror story called "Sand kings". Who wrote it? It had won eother Hugo or Nebula, We remember.

[EAP]

And a question to you: We remember that once We read an extremely good horror story called "Sand kings". Who wrote it? It had won eother Hugo or Nebula, We remember.

That was written by George R.R. Martin. Won both Hugo and the Nebula. I agree, excellent execution.

[EAP]

Very well then, I stand corrected. Not that I have any first-hand experience of StarWars. I am probably the only person on earth who has never watched either StarWars or StarTrek or read the assorted material.

Yup, Alice's Adventures are pretty much fantasy. Not sure about Italo Calvino though.

Another one I missed earlier:

Richard Adams, the author of Watership Down.

[trismegistus]

The glaring scientific errors and centralized ideas based on myth and symbolism makes it fantasy, for those unaware.

A specious argument but not surprising from Lucas.

[SuicideKitten]

Mercedes Lackey- Valdemar series

crap why can't i remember her name right now.....Pern series.

[Dyrwen]

A specious argument but not surprising from Lucas.
Heh, well he had to justify all the years he spent backing up his movies with underlying mythic imagery and studying Joseph Campell's work to produce a genuinely easy to get storyline for everyone involved.

Basically, when "The Force" got added to it all, Sci-Fi went out the window and Fantasy began. But um, yeah, Star Wars books, good stuff. Surprisingly better than the movies some of the time, so I'd recommend a few of Zahn's work in particular.

[trismegistus]

Heh, well he had to justify all the years he spent backing up his movies with underlying mythic imagery and studying Joseph Campell's work to produce a genuinely easy to get storyline for everyone involved.
Well enough but just because the plot is structured as a monomyth hardly makes it a fantasy because monomyth is not limited to fantasy. It can form the foundation of any genre from science fiction to film noir. The genre is merely a lens through which the myth is viewed, whatever George Lucas may claim.


Basically, when "The Force" got added to it all, Sci-Fi went out the window and Fantasy began.
I disagree. The Star Wars films meet all the conventions of science fiction. Cross-fertilizing it with a single element from a different genre hardly changes the basics of the films.

[Dyrwen]

I see your point, but I suppose I ought to stop tangenting a book thread with movie inclinations, even though there are books based off of it. I'd say it is a Science-Fiction that is characterized by highly fanciful or supernatural elements, which makes it part fantasy as well, judging by many definitions of the word itself.

Science fiction would contain things that are conceivably possible in a technological sense (such as the spaceships, lasers, etc), but fantasy comes in when the supernatural elements (such as the Force) arise. Which would be why it is a split genre for that particular story. The original person mentioning it just reminded me of when it first came out and studios tried to market it as a Sci-Fi when all he wanted it called was fantasy. Then again, most people try to coin anything "futuristic" as possible and therefore science fiction and leave fantasy purely to the midevil knights and such.

[EAP]

Pern's by Anne McCarffey. Another work whose genre is dubious.

[Zooey]

C.S. Lewis's Space Trilogy, particularly the concluding installment of the series, That Hideous Strength. Really marvelous juggling of various concepts of time, space and science, but delves into spiritual issues as well. Been forever since I read them though, should revisit them one of these days.

Also Madeleine L'Engle, whose books A Wrinkle in Time and its two sequels, which are very much indebted to the above mentioned trilogy, but which are rather brilliant in their own right.

Lord of the Rings, of course, and thank goodness they're such good books, because if not saying so would be so cliché.

[amuse]

some of L'Engle's other books are great, too, for instance A Swiftly Tilting Planet; i've read it a few times.

[Zooey]

some of L'Engle's other books are great, too, for instance A Swiftly Tilting Planet; i've read it a few times. Definitely agree, and also recommend many of L'Engle's books that don't necessarily fall under the "fantasy" genre. I'm thinking Many Waters (which revolve around the twin brothers in the Wrinkle books) and Ring of Bright Water in particular.

[dragonking76]

I found this list on google, thought I'd add one while gathering possible books to read in the near future.

The Coldfire Trilogy by C.S. Friedman. Has some sci-fi but is primarily a fantasy IMO.

first post..

Later,
DK

[Taliesin]

I see your point, but I suppose I ought to stop tangenting a book thread with movie inclinations, even though there are books based off of it. I'd say it is a Science-Fiction that is characterized by highly fanciful or supernatural elements, which makes it part fantasy as well, judging by many definitions of the word itself.

Science fiction would contain things that are conceivably possible in a technological sense (such as the spaceships, lasers, etc), but fantasy comes in when the supernatural elements (such as the Force) arise. Which would be why it is a split genre for that particular story. The original person mentioning it just reminded me of when it first came out and studios tried to market it as a Sci-Fi when all he wanted it called was fantasy. Then again, most people try to coin anything "futuristic" as possible and therefore science fiction and leave fantasy purely to the midevil knights and such.

We believe that the term you are searching for is "Science fantasy" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science_fantasy)

[SleepyWitch]

my fave's are:
the Darkover series and Mists of Avalon by MZB...
Discworld...
L'Engle: wow, i thought i was the only person in the world who's read her books in the past twenty years ;) i do admit that they are kinda schmaltze and have a certain Christian element to them, but i love them anyways :)
LotR

hum,, i've never really tried reading any of the others though, so... :confused:

[Wendigo_49]

My favorite is The Born Loser and The Royal Theater by Jonathan Titchenal. Those are his only published stories so far. He has other stories on the website lit.org by the pseudonym Beckett Grey.

[mister_noel_y2k]

what, no C S LEWIS? zooey mentioned him and i think he should be on the list. his chronicles of narnia books are brilliant fantasy, albeit they are based on the bible. also what about philip pullman? i've not read his books but i hear he's quite a good fantasy writer.

i'd have to say george r r martin because his books are just pure brilliance, outshines tolkien any day.

and terry pratchett just for his legendary discworld with such amazing characters. god bless him! and the luggage!

:banana:

[IWilKikU]

I grew up on the Dragonlance and Forgotten Realms DND serieses (serii :confused:?). Margret Weis and Tracy Hickman's books (Chronicles, Legends trilogies) were the best. Once you get into the background trilogies and sextets they get a little dry and stupid. RA Salvatorie's Forgotten Realms books rule the saga in the same way.

[mISScRAZeJ]

Can anyone help me come out of the fog I have been in trying to remember a series of teen science fiction/ fantasy books. ( I think there were 3) I don't know the author, but I vaugly remember a magic pig, runes, and a game that was being played by a girl.....and there was a mysterious guy in with her......if anyone knows what I am talking about, I would love to know! Thanks! :confused: :idea:



i forgot to mention they were young adult/teenage books from sometime in the 90's......sorry!

[Taliesin]

Prydain Chronicles?

[Dumpweed]

Stephen King - The Dark Tower series

Starting with The Gunslinger

[Dickensian]

"Lord of the Rings" goes without saying but I loved "Neverwhere" and "American Gods" both by Neil Gaiman (I really, really, really, really, really loved "Neverwhere"). "Good Omens" is also wonderful and Terry Pratchett's genius was added on to Gaiman's making for one hilariously dark and meaningful--despite the story's light-hearted air--book.

[Joleena]

Here I go :D

Sara Douglass
1. Axis Trilogy
2. Threshold

really good fantasy - just awsome!

Michael Moorcock
the "Elric" books

good characters, not a tiny bit of longbreathed (is this the right word in english?)

Mark Anthony
"The Last Rune"-Series

Liked it for the characters and the storyline

C.S. Lewis
The Chronicles of Narnia

of course!!

Phillip Pullman
His Trilogy about Lyra is really great

Sure there more good writers but at the moment I like these best :)

[Galadriel167]

What about the Dune series?

[Idril]

"Neverwhere" and "American Gods" both by Neil Gaiman (I really, really, really, really, really loved "Neverwhere").

Oh, I do too! I was so sad when I finished the book, I was no where near done with those characters or that world. I would love for him to write sequel.

I'm not well-versed in the fantasy genre but what I've read, I've loved. I've read everything Tolkien published...and everything he didn't, thanks to his son, and I've read all the Discworld books, I just love those stupid Wizards...and DEATH...and the Watch, everyone except the Witches, for some reason, I they never really clicked for me and Gaiman of course but the only real technical series he's done, the Sandman series, I've never read. And would the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series be considered fantasy or science fiction, I don't want to mix my genres. ;)

[PatriciaK]

I would add Robert Jordan and his Wheel of Time series to this list. His books are well written and you get to feeling like the characters are almost your neighbors because he has a good hand on developing the characteristics and temperaments of each of them. And each of the various "ethnicities" are made real and each is special in their own ways.
:thumbs_up

[Genevieve428]

I liked Piers Anthony's Xanth series when i was a kid. I read them all because I can't not finish a series but the first three were the best I got pretty bored with the others.

[Nightmare9870]

I liked Piers Anthony's Xanth series when i was a kid. I read them all because I can't not finish a series but the first three were the best I got pretty bored with the others.

I'm a Xanth fan as well. The series has gone downhill in the last few years, but the first 10 books or so are fantastic. They're also full of humor, and that's always a plus.

[Shannanigan]

Hmmm...I've been trying to read Robert Jordan, but I can't stick with it, jut not my style I guess.

My first fantasy books were the Chronicles of Narnie by C.S. Lewis, and they are forever engraved onto my list of favorites.

I then became addicted to Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake Vampire Hunter series, and I don't care what anyone says it's not horror just because it has vampires and wereanimals in it...

Now I am waiting for Christopher Paolini to hand over his third book in the Eragon series so I can stop dreaming about dragons and the Elven language...

[jim1961]

Mary Stewart - Merlin
Guy Kay - Fionovar Tapistry
Terry Goodkind - Sword of Truth
Robert Jordan - Wheel of Time
C.S. Friedman - Coldfire Trilogy
Ann McCaffrey - Pern
Stephen Donaldson - Chronicles of Thomas Covenant
Timothy Zaun - Thrawn Trilogy (Star Wars)

[i_be_jimi]

i dont know weather it is fantasy or si-fi or both but i love orson scott card his bean and ender books

i have to also agree with many of you terry pratchit's disk world is so great

-jimi

[underground]

i just read the lost treasure of talus scree by adam osterweil and i feel obligated to broadcast this book to everyone. it almost works as a parody, making fun of the most cliched cliches in serious fantasy works. :D

it's for kids, though.

[underground]

Phillip Pullman
His Trilogy about Lyra is really great[/i]

i really liked the first book, but the the other two came across as, uh, pointless. what is up with the weird creatures and whatshername in the last book?

[HyroSilver]

My favorite fantasy books was the Eragon series, although there's still one book left to read these 2 books were great. Christopher Paolini is who I wish more fantasy authors were like (not including Tolkein, Eddison, etc.), the Eragon books were captivating and very interesting books. Can't wait till the 3rd one comes out! :D

If anyone likes Eragon, or has a different opion tell me

[Laindessiel]

Still the Harry Potter series. Nothing beats it. Lord of the Rings was great too but I think I have to read it one more time to refresh my memory, and who knows...a switcharoo might happen....

But nahh, not a chance....

[HyroSilver]

You've got a point...

[Taliesin]

Well, We still prefer "Song of Ice and Fire" to HP and to "Eragon" which we have not read more than the first words on the first page - which was enough to put it back to shelf in the bookstore.

[aeroport]

Ah, fantasy...
Well, I've never been a huge fan of the stuff, but I've certainly found a few really good things in the genre.
I got about halfway through Jordan's Wheel of Time a couple years ago and had to stop when school resumed. It was excellent, though. The characters were delightful. I cannot really pick up where I left off, so I will have to start over someday; I will probably wait until he gets all of the books written...
Strangely enough, I've also never finished Lord of the Rings. I keep starting at the very beginning, and have consequently read The Hobbit three or four times but never been more than halfway through The Two Towers. I dug it, for sure, but I'm reluctant to really state a decided opinion on it until I finish it.
However...
I cannot state my enthusiasm for Raymond E. Feist strongly enough. His Riftwar Legacy and Serpentwar Saga are both classic. Not sure about his more recent stuff, though...

[Niamh]

Favourite fantasy series are;

Mary Stewarts Merlin Trilogy and the Wicked Day

Terry Brooks Shannara series

mervyn peakes Gormansghast

Raymont E Fiests Riftwar saga

Philip Pullmans His dark materials Trilogy

Trudi Canavans Black Magicians Trilogy

J.K.Rowlings Harry Potter of course

J.r.r Tolkiens hobbit and lord of the rings.

to name a few. :D

[Annamariah]

Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling and The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis are my favourites. I've read all those books so many times that I've lost the count.

[Pensive]

I haven't read a lot of fantasy books or series, but those which I have read, I liked most of them. A few of my favourites are:

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
The Hobbit

[bouquin]

I liked Brave New World and Gulliver's Travels.

[LeahAnn]

My favorite fantasy book is probably...The Hobbit. However I also love the Inheritance Trilogy so far...I could not put those books down once I picked them up!

[EAP]

The Chrysalids, Mind of My Mind and Brave New World is science fiction.

[loved pan]

Whatever,Peter Pan shall be my favourite
Is the concept of fantasy book same as the fairy tale? a little confusing.
But I really like them more than the adult things.

[Niamh]

Whatever,Peter Pan shall be my favourite
Is the concept of fantasy book same as the fairy tale? a little confusing.
But I really like them more than the adult things.

I think fantasy and fairytale can be more or less the same as fantasy was born from fairytales and myths.

[mir]

Horton Hatches the Egg!!

:D if that counts. but read it. it's really a wonderful book; not just for children - it fits together so well; all the ryhmes are perfect; the characters are wonderful.

[Boris239]

I didn't like Eragon at all, everything was way too predictable.
My favorites are probably Tolkien (of course), Rowling and Roger Zelazny's "Chronicles of Amber"

[mtpspur]

May I suggest the short stories of Clark Ashton Smith? He's finally getting a reprint series--was a staple in the old Weird Tales pulps and I rank him right up there with Lord Dunsany and Tolkien. His writing is very lyrical and full of imagery.

[#57]

I like Brian Jaques' Redwall series. Talking animals that carry swords, bows, spears, ect. Definitely fantasy.

My personal favorite of his is Salamandastron. It has a different flare to it impo.:banana:

I also think that Emily Roda did a fine job with her Deltora Quest series. Though I haven't gotten to read her Dragons of Deltora yet.:banana:

[Shadowsarin]

Terry Prattchit(sp?), he's our man!
If he can't write it no-one can!

[EAP]

Tolkien completely pwns Pratchett.


Melkor >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Death

[#57]

GO TOLKIEN!!!!!:banana:

[V.E.Sweets]

Gene Wolfe's The Book of the New Sun, Salvatore's Forgotten Realms books.

[Shadowsarin]

Tolkien completely pwns Pratchett.

OMFGz U d1d |\|07 JsT say tht!!!!!11111one

T01ki3n iZ a n00b!!!!11111onethousandonehundredandeleven11!!1

:p

*Waits to get flamed*

[Taliesin]

Tolkien completely pwns Pratchett.


Melkor >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Death

However, Death is much more interesting a character than Melkor.
So, we think we actually prefer pTerry to old JRRT at the moment.

[Niamh]

Can anyone help me come out of the fog I have been in trying to remember a series of teen science fiction/ fantasy books. ( I think there were 3) I don't know the author, but I vaugly remember a magic pig, runes, and a game that was being played by a girl.....and there was a mysterious guy in with her......if anyone knows what I am talking about, I would love to know! Thanks! :confused: :idea:



i forgot to mention they were young adult/teenage books from sometime in the 90's......sorry!


I think you are on about the chronicles of Prydain by lloyd Alexander originally printed in the sixties
The Foundling and Other Tales from Prydain (1970) (prequel)
The Book of Three (1964)
The Black Cauldron (1965)
The Castle of Llyr (1966)
Taran Wanderer (1967)
The High King (1968)

the second book was made into a movie by disney in the 70's. theres a magic pig and a princess in those books.:D

[kathycf]

I am currently re-reading The Lady of the Sorrows the second in the Bitterbynde trilogy by Cecilia Dart-Thornton. She mixes fantasy with different folkloric elements. Pretty good stuff despite some flowery language and a tendency to ramble.

[DragonScale101]

Hey! This seems like a good way to introduce myself. My favorite fantasy author specifically is probably Charles de Lint, but I also like Cynthia Voigt alot, though some would argue that she's not really fantasy. I'm currently reading the Charles de Lint book The Little Country.

[kathycf]

Hi DragonScale, welcome. I really like Charles de Lint as well. I like how he centers many of his books around the people of Newford, but chooses to write stories centering around the different citizens. You get to view the characters from different perspectives and most have a cool story to tell.

[Niamh]

I am currently re-reading The Lady of the Sorrows the second in the Bitterbynde trilogy by Cecilia Dart-Thornton. She mixes fantasy with different folkloric elements. Pretty good stuff despite some flowery language and a tendency to ramble.

Hey Kathycf love your new avatar. I've heard of those books but i dont know what there about. Are they any good?

welcome dragonscale101!

[kathycf]

Hey Kathycf love your new avatar. I've heard of those books but i dont know what there about. Are they any good?

welcome dragonscale101!
Oh, thanks. I am an inveterate avy changer. If you are interested in folklore of the British Isles, Ireland and Scotland, you may find these books enjoyable. The folklore fleshes out the main story line, (set in "olden times"... )which begins in The Ill-made Mute and the third book is called The Battle of Evernight. It is your basic "a quest to find out who I truly am" type deal and at times delves into some extraordinarily detailed descriptions of various types of clothing. and landscapes. Some work better than others.

However, there are some very engrossing moments and one might think the ending will be a cliche "happy ever after" thing but yay, it isn't. It is darker then that. I found myself skimming over some of the wordy bits, but being truly caught up in the story being told. If you can find them at a lending library I would suggest going that route, or even Amazon.com has the books and they can be purchased used for a more reasonable price. I don't know about you, but I hate to spend money on something and then end up hating it.

[Bysshe]

In general I'm not that keen on fantasy - although to be fair, most of the fantasy books I've read were aimed at children, and I haven't given many of them a fair chance. Although I can safely say that I don't think I'll ever attempt LOTR again.

I don't know if it's been mentioned in this thread, but my personal favourite would have to be Gormenghast, simply because it's utterly unique. I've never read anything quite like it.

I also have a soft spot for the "His Dark Materials" trilogy.

[Niamh]

Yeah there's nothing worse than spending money on things you dont like in the end. leaves a bitter taste in your mouth.:(

Yeah i think i'll check those out on Amazon.co.uk.:idea: i love mythologies of the celtic isles so i probably will enjoy them. infact, my all time favourite, most read books are base on arthurian mythology. they're a trilogy by Mary Stewart. The Crystal Cave, The Hollow Hills and The Last Enchantment. There is a forth book called The Wicked Day but its kind of separate from the other three as its told in a different perspective. Its also the finale of the story. They're really enjoyable. I have two copies of each of the trilogy. had to get new copies as the other books were wreaked. My crystal cave is being held together by an elastic band! woops!:lol:

[Niamh]

I don't know if it's been mentioned in this thread, but my personal favourite would have to be Gormenghast, simply because it's utterly unique. I've never read anything quite like it.

I also have a soft spot for the "His Dark Materials" trilogy.

Gormanghast is very unique also very dark.

Philip Pulmans His Dark Materials Trilogy is fantastic.

[kathycf]

The Crystal Cave, The Hollow Hills and The Last Enchantment. There is a forth book called The Wicked Day but its kind of separate from the other three as its told in a different perspective. Its also the finale of the story. They're really enjoyable. I have two copies of each of the trilogy. had to get new copies as the other books were wreaked. My crystal cave is being held together by an elastic band! woops!:lol:

Hah, at least you still have it! :p My sister "borrowed" my copy of The Crystal Cave about 5 years ago. Gee, I wonder if she is done by now...:rolleyes: I wrote about this trilogy a few months ago in a thread (I think the person was asking for recommendations) and they are great. I wasn't as thrilled with The Wicked Day, but it is well written.

[Niamh]

I wasn't as thrilled with The Wicked Day, but it is well written.

do you know what i have to agree with you. I think it had to do with the fact i was so used to the merlin narritive that it threw me a bit. btw i've ordered those books. am getting the first one new for only about 2.50 euro. not bad!

[DragonScale101]

Let me think for a second- I'm in the middle of a Charles de Lint book and loving it, and I also really loved Thief Lord (Cornelia Funke), Twilight (Stephanie Meyer) LOVED Blood and Chocolate (Annette Curtis Klause) and the Harry Potter books are always good. This will make some of you gasp or even faint, but I can't STAND C.S. Lewis OR Tolkein.

[EAP]

Charles De Lint = very good

Have you read either Onion Girl or Forests of the Heart?

Can't say I am a fan of either Stephanie Meyer or Annette Curtis Klause. Inkheart (Cornelia Funke) was pretty nice though.

[kathycf]

A nice thing about de Lint is that his books don't have to be read in a specific order. The books set in Newford are about the interesting residents, with each story being told from another character's point of view.

I read The Onion Girl and liked it quite a bit. I used to think Jilly Coppercorn was a bit of a flake, albeit likeable. That book really gave her some depth and was very emotional for me to read.

[#57]

do you know what i have to agree with you. I think it had to do with the fact i was so used to the merlin narritive that it threw me a bit. btw i've ordered those books. am getting the first one new for only about 2.50 euro. not bad!

Wait a minuet. Isn't 1 Euro worth $1.25 US? If They Are, than u payed (carry the one, minus 3, devide by pie [mmm, pie. *munch*], eat a pie cake.) $3.25 US!

Wow. that ain't bad at all.:banana:

[Niamh]

i recieved the first two books today. They were about £5.50 with postage and packaging= E6.87= $9.16 apprx. To buy those books in a shop over here they'd cost about E11.75 (Around $15.66). I got me a bargin on amazon!

[andave_ya]

:blush:

Maybe you all consider the series a bit childish, but how about Brian Jacques Redwall series? Those were my favorite books a couple of years ago, before I found my all time faves Tolkien, Sayers, and Doyle. My especial favorite was Lord Brocktree. And what about Peter Pan and the Wizard of Oz? i know those are considered for younger kids but I'm fifteen and I love reading them over and over again. Call me eccentric, but hey, I claim protection under the altar of bookworm-ism. :lol: :lol: i love those books!

[Woland]

Kudos for mentioning Michael Moorcock, one of my favorites, but dont forget
Fritz Leiber and his Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser.

[jim1961]

Im posting to thank you all for helping me discover some great fantasy. Im not a avid reader and up until last year, had not read a lot of fantasy, but always liked the stories. Anyway, this thread was responsible for many of my discoveries, and wanted to share what I thought of them. Thanks everyone!!!!

Terry Brooks: Shannara series: Quite readable and enjoyable. Only complaint is that he seemed to borrow allot of ideas from others.

David Eddings: Fine work! Can see well why he's so popular! Wonderful characters!

Raymond Feist: Riftwar Saga: Another good one! Particular liked his ideas about the creation of "all that is" when the story got into the time trap thing.

Terry Goodkind: Highly addictive!

C.S. Friedman: Coldfire Trilogy: Have to say that this one I hold as my favorite thus far. More originality here than most of the others. Superb! Highly recommended!

George R.R. Martin: Well written and original, but too much political drama and not enough pure fantasy for my tastes.

Robert Jordan: Does anyone really think he can wrap this one up with one more book? Seems like to much ground yet to cover. Anyone know how his health is?

[JamesXavier]

I'm not sure if he was mentioned here, and he's not always fantasy (known for his sci-fi more often) but Orson Scott Card has written some very good fantasy books. It's crazy how he manages to sneak in those thinly veiled mormonism, even into fantasy. His writing still interests me, even though.

[JBI]

While reading this thread, I mentally flipped through my list of books.
The books/authors that stuck out the most were:

Guy Gavriel Kay -- Most people when thinking of his work think Fionovar, but my personal favorites are A Song for Arbonne (absolutely amazing novel modeled around 11th-12th century Provence) The Lions of Al-Rassan (a book based on Moorish Spain) and Tigana (roughly based on renaissance Italy).

Roger Zelazny
The Amber chronicles are what comes to my mind first in terms of Fantasy, but he also wrote some absolutely amazing other works such as A Night in a Lonesome October, Lord of Light (sci-Fi), Call me Conrad (re published as This Immortal), and his Madwand series starting with Changeling. I love this guy's work.

George R. R. Martin
Top notch author who really pushes the limits of what people expect out of fantasy. I guess the real hype about his work is the fact that he doesn't paint a black and white picture, and instead creates a world so real in terms of attributes to the point where one can relate to it.

Jacqueline Carey
Kushiel's Legacy is excellent, and on the front you got it wrong, the first one is Kushiel's Dart, not Chosen.

David Gemmel's work really stands out as excellent. It's terrible that he died this summer with so much work unfinished.

My conclusions from my list appear to show that due to the unbelievability, and the extreme amount of katharsis attached to the fantasy genre, that different treatments in a genre such as magic realism, or in classical literature seems to be far more effective/affective.

Oh, and almost forgot Ursula K. Le Guin, though I love her sci-fi more than her fantasy.


Im posting to thank you all for helping me discover some great fantasy. Im not a avid reader and up until last year, had not read a lot of fantasy, but always liked the stories. Anyway, this thread was responsible for many of my discoveries, and wanted to share what I thought of them. Thanks everyone!!!!

Terry Brooks: Shannara series: Quite readable and enjoyable. Only complaint is that he seemed to borrow allot of ideas from others.

David Eddings: Fine work! Can see well why he's so popular! Wonderful characters!

Raymond Feist: Riftwar Saga: Another good one! Particular liked his ideas about the creation of "all that is" when the story got into the time trap thing.

Terry Goodkind: Highly addictive!

C.S. Friedman: Coldfire Trilogy: Have to say that this one I hold as my favorite thus far. More originality here than most of the others. Superb! Highly recommended!

George R.R. Martin: Well written and original, but too much political drama and not enough pure fantasy for my tastes.

Robert Jordan: Does anyone really think he can wrap this one up with one more book? Seems like to much ground yet to cover. Anyone know how his health is?

Latest report on Jordan's health is that he is having a full recovery. It appears that he has stepped over this high obstacle in his life.

P.S. half your list appears on my garbage list.

[jim1961]

Latest report on Jordan's health is that he is having a full recovery. It appears that he has stepped over this high obstacle in his life.

P.S. half your list appears on my garbage list.

Keep in mind that my list you refer to is only what ive read and gathered from this thread. Its not my all time favorite list. Im also in a discovery phase in finding whats out there, and determining what I really like, and dont.

MY all time favorite list would be something like:

C.S. Freidman - Coldfire Trilogy
Mary Stewart - Merlin
Guy Kay - Tigana
Robert Jordan - Wheel of Time
Anne McCaffrey - Pern
Patricia McKillip - Quest of the Riddlemaster Trilogy
Terry Goodkind - Sword of Truth Series
Tad Williams - Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn
Juliett Marillier - Sevenwaters Trilogy

[Hei]

Latest report on Jordan's health is that he is having a full recovery. It appears that he has stepped over this high obstacle in his life.

P.S. half your list appears on my garbage list.

Robert Jordan died september 16, 2007

I will admit I enjoyed the Wheel of Time series. I will also admit that I thought it was getting slow and boring in the later books. although I thought he did a really good job with A Knife of Dreams. I just wish he hadn't died. I want to know what happens to Mat and Thom my two fav characters.

[Niamh]

since i last posted i've read plenty of series and would like to add the bitterbynde saga to favourite fantasy series. :thumbs_up :thumbs_up

[amalia1985]

My favorite fantasy book (if we consider it as fantasy) is Marion Zimmer Bradley's "The Mists of Avalon".

[Dori]

Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien is my favorite fantasy. I haven't read much more fantasy apart from that.

[Niamh]

My favorite fantasy book (if we consider it as fantasy) is Marion Zimmer Bradley's "The Mists of Avalon".

:nod: thats a very good book.

[Dark Star]

I don't think I've posted in this thread yet so I will now:

George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series has to be my favorite. Top-notch material and by far the greatest character builder I've ever read.

[amalia1985]

:nod: thats a very good book.


Thank you so much, Niamh. I knew you would like it!!;)

[#57]

:blush:

Maybe you all consider the series a bit childish, but how about Brian Jacques Redwall series? Those were my favorite books a couple of years ago, before I found my all time faves Tolkien, Sayers, and Doyle. My especial favorite was Lord Brocktree. And what about Peter Pan and the Wizard of Oz? i know those are considered for younger kids but I'm fifteen and I love reading them over and over again. Call me eccentric, but hey, I claim protection under the altar of bookworm-ism. :lol: :lol: i love those books!

O.o Call it coincedence but i have to agree that the Redwall series Very awesome and that Lord Brocktree is one of my favorites, too :banana:

I also would like to throw in the Bartimaeus Trilogy:thumbs_up , it really puts you in a world where it's a multiple first peson experience. The conflict in the story is incredible and it seems like you're right beside the person (or djinn :lol: ) every time you start to read it. While it takes a little while to get into, once you start reading it you can't put it down! :banana:


Let me think for a second- I'm in the middle of a Charles de Lint book and loving it, and I also really loved Thief Lord (Cornelia Funke), Twilight (Stephanie Meyer) LOVED Blood and Chocolate (Annette Curtis Klause) and the Harry Potter books are always good. This will make some of you gasp or even faint, but I can't STAND C.S. Lewis OR Tolkein.

*GASP*:eek: *FAINT*:sick: *BAWL*:bawling: I know i'm doing things out of order but i tend to read things like this backwards and i haven't posted 4 a while either.

The answer is yes, Idril, it's both Sci-fi and fantasy :banana:

[thescholar]

Chrysalids takes it for me, but my fave fantasy character was probably Raistlin from Dragonlance

[cracking muse]

Philip Pulman's books are very good. I am hoping they don't ruin them with the new movie coming out.

[#57]

Most likely they will, most other movies have. Take Lemoney Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, THe movie did it almost comepletely out of order and added some things while they took out other, more important parts:flare: !!!! And also the lord of the rings moveis, just not so much scene adding.:(
:banana:


Hey! This seems like a good way to introduce myself. My favorite fantasy author specifically is probably Charles de Lint, but I also like Cynthia Voigt alot, though some would argue that she's not really fantasy.


i just got finished reading a Voight book, and you know what burns me up:flare: about her? The fact that she doesn't let you know what number the book is in a series! I just read The Wings of a Falcon, got to the end of the book at the author's note and what did I find out? IT'S THE THIRD BOOK IN A TRILOGY!!!!!!!!!!!!:rage: For those who haven't read this trilogy it's: (first) Jackaroo, (2nd) On Fortunes Wheel, and (3rd) The Wings of a Falcon. It's the third series that i've started on by reading the third book. The first being The Lost Years of Merlin series, The second the His Dark Materials trilogy thanks to my stupid assistant librarian, and now, of course, this one.:banana:

[Nico87]

You're probably sick and tired of favourite-lists, but I could't help myself!

Well, personally the only fantasy/sci-fi novels I've read is Lord of the Rings, the four A Song of Ice and Fire novels, and all the Hitchiker's stories. I've also read a lot from Lovecraft.
I'm also about to read The Hobbit, Children of Hurin, and The Silmarillion, but I'm on the lookout for some other epic stuff, hence why I'm making this thread.

I'm always on the lookout for quality stuff, specially nice-binded Deluxe/Collector's Editions, as I'm a sort of collector of books (well, I like to see my self as one anyway). So, post your favourite fantasy/sci-fi novels, and don't burn me on the fire!

Would be nice if you knew if the novels in your lists has been published in deluxe or nice hardcover editions. If so, do alert me.

[Guinivere]

My favourite fantasy saga is James Clemens "Banned and Bannished" , (five books starting with Wit'ch Fire). I just loved it from page one. The fantastic heroine and her companions. It has elves, dwarves and many more creatures and men.
Also a very good trilogy would be the Black Jewels Trilogy by Anne Bishop. Very classy but different, compelling and dark fantasy. Haven't read anything remotely similar to this book.

[Joreads]

Philip Pulman's books are very good. I am hoping they don't ruin them with the new movie coming out.


l love these books as well they are great. I liked the first movie but I have heard that they are not going to be doing any more:flare:

[Pensive]

Sorry for going a bit off-topic, but can anybody recommend me any spacetravel sciencefiction? I have tried Lessing's Canopus archieve but not really my cup of tea.

[Niamh]

we ll obviously the hitchhikers guide to the galaxy!

[sadparadise]

Frank Herbert, Dune

[Odysseus93]

My all time favourite fantasy series would have to be The Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini. I got really peeved when they butchered it in the movie:rage:

[Fen]

Gormenghast trilogy

[togre]

Man, am I glad someone unearthed this thread, because it was fun to peruse.

Some of my favorite sci fi/fantasy authors are

JRR Tolkien -- The epic scale of his stories, the colossal struggle of good and evil, the imperfect characters called to do deeds greater than themselves--there is a part of me the always yearns to be there.

CS Lewis -- I love Naria, but his Space Trilogy is truly thought-provoking.

Anne McCaffrey -- As much as I love her accounts of Pern, it was the Ship Who Sings and the books in that series that cemented her place in my heart.

Tad Williams -- His Memory, Sorrow, Thorn "Trilogy" [Book 1- 300 pages, Book 2-- 400 pages, Book 3-Part I -600 pages, Book 3-PartII - 600 pages--seriously dude, just call it a series] is exquisite and his War of the Flowers was very unique.

David Weber -- He is a madman when it comes to volume, but his Honor Harrington series and his Safehold series both have me captivated. A writer who is very thorough and deliberate with his technology.

H. Beam Piper -- The Little Fuzzy books are endearing and his (unfinished) Lord Calvin of Otherwhen series and short stories have endeared him to me since high school. Not enough to shell out $50 + a book for the completion of the series as written by other authors, but still a lot.

There are tons more books I love (some of real worth, others not) and tons more I hate or simply don't care for (some of real worth, others not). I find the genre ( both sci fi and fantasy) amazing. It is often used for pure escapism and a story for the sake of enjoyment, but also has the unrivaled potential to be used for exploring the human condition or delving into the soul or that sort of stuff.

[Babyguile]

Besides Tolkien, Robin Hobb. I see she is quite high on the list in the OP and the tag is totally accurate. She writes character based fantasy. Exceptionally talented at developing totally real characters. I read the Farseer Trilogy and I found myself hating and loving Fitz (narrator, protagonist) with equal measure at every chapter, sometimes more frwquently. But don't be lulled into a false sense of security: her plots get thicker and intricate towards the conclusion. But not in a bad way, only to a degree that's just right.

She has a passion for this fantasy lark and boy it really shows. Read her.

[Babyguile]

i really liked the first book, but the the other two came across as, uh, pointless. what is up with the weird creatures and whatshername in the last book?

Yeeea I felt that. He was trying to forcibly push some metaphor or allegory onto us with excessive and endless discriptions of this frankly ridiculous cast of creatures and just, yea, he abandones the story a bit.

[Mariamosis]

George R.R. Martin [The most critically acclaimed (among fantasy buffs anyway) fantasy writer on Internet]

'A Game of Thrones' was excellent and I have 'A Clash of Kings on my shelf and cannot wait!

[irinmisfit92]

Philip Pullman's books are great, but I particularly like Philip K. Dick's novels. Amazing **** :D Best sci-fi novel EVER.

[Red-Headed]

Olaf Stapledon's Star Maker. (https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Star_Maker)

[Paulclem]

Neil Asher and Iain M banks are my favourite Sci Fi authors at the moment. Jo Halder is good too. The only one I've read by him is the Forever war, but it had some interesting comments and speculations on social issues.

[Des Essientes]

The "Hainish Series" of novels and short stories by Ursula Leguin. They are truly wonderful and profound.

[Chris 73]

Robert Holdstock-Mythago Wood/Lavondyss is beautiful and haunting but also slightly depressing at times.
Gene Wolfe-Soldier Of The Mist-ditto.

[irinmisfit92]

Whoa that's a really long list XD If it's science fiction then it's obviously Philip K. Dick because no one can beat him :) When it comes to fantasy; I've never read Lord of the Rings before but I'm sure it's a really great epic trilogy. I love the movie and how it's extremely detailed; and many people tell me that the movie still leaves out a lot of complex characters. Alice in Wonderland was very good and thought-provoking; better than I expected as I've always seen it as a Disney happy-go-lucky story, and I was VERY wrong when I read it.

Darren Shan is awesome; his books are meant to be for young readers so his language is extremely simple, however his stories are awesome.

[irinmisfit92]

Oh yes C.S. Lewis, Susan Cooper, and Philip Pullman are also amazing!

[Chris 73]

KJ Parker is great, particularly The Folding Knife and The Scavenger Series. Very little actual 'fantasy' in her work funnily enough. Some of her work is a bit of a slog though.

[spikepipsqueak]

Sorry for the necromancy.

Adrian Tchaikovsky FTW