What Next To Read . . .?

[Hammerhand]

Anything by Alexandre Dumas stimulates me. I will dare say that The Count of Monte Cristo is the best novel i have ever read. It is very different to the works of Tolkien, it touches on concepts that aren't really discussed in LotR. It also gives a great, though fictional, perception of a revolutionized France with explicit detail to social status and contemporary affairs. I recommend this book, along with the obvious classics as a great works of literature.

That aside, A Tale of Two Cities and Raymond Feist's Magician offer a high standard of literature, whilst maintaining a riveting plot.

[Mithalwen]

For me, I am not interested in Fantasy per se, I am interested in Middle Earth, its languages, history and culture. I didn't want particularly to read things like LOTR I wanted to read more about Middle Earth so I disdained things like the Sword of Shannara as poor imitations and when I exhausted the available stories of Middle Earth (up to UT at that point) I moved on to other things. I did get the early volumes of HoME as they emerged but they were relatively expensive and difficult and I had neither the time nor money as I pursued studies in literature at a time Tolkienophilia was a love that dared not speak its name in most english faculties. Tolkien is not my only literary love - and I think that is healthy, for what do they know of Tolkien who only tolkien know?.

Others include Wharton, Austen, Galsworthy, Maupassant, Orwell - unsurpassed to my mind as a writer of non fiction - Shute, St Exupery and I have an interest in detective fiction to the extent of having vague plans for a book. My latest favourite is Precious Bane by Mary Webb.

While I am not particularly interested in derivcative/imitave works - originality is a characteristic of greatnes though not it's sole requirement. I did quite enjoy Eragon. I think Pullman has originality and writes beautifully though the second two volumes were progressively more disappointing after the brilliance of Northern Lights.

Works may not be great like LOTR but may be great like themselves and not necessarily inferior.

I had thought of writing a novel set in an ancient fantasy world, whereby the good cities are at great trouble with their enemies from the Dark Lands and require aid from their allies from overseas. This sets an opportunity for an unknown hero and his crew to journey across the ocean on a ship to rally the aid of the allies, in a trek which would intitially bring great dangers from piracy and more. Upon return with these key allies, the dark armies are held at bay. A new partnership is forged between the two kings who have mastered this victory, and should the need arise, one day each would serve the other in the same way again.

A very sketchy plan (I don't want to give too much away!), but such stories can be made without trying to emulate the LOTR. I can't see how I would use elves or dwarves though. In a world of men & monsters, these two races are hard to fit in with everything else.

[William Cloud Hicklin]

Then don't try to fit them in. Elves or Dwarves or Hobbits should only appear if they're necessary to what you're trying to say. Otherwise, they're just fripperies, unnecessary elements tossed in because High Fantasy is 'supposed' to have them- and that's just imitation.