Downers' Famous Fantasy Five

[Groin Redbeard]

Well, if fantasy means something that is made up, but well written. Then these are my top five!

1. The Hobbit
It’s got dwarves! Lots and lots of dwarves!

2. Iliad
Even though this book is over three thousand years old, it’s still a classic. Homer does a wonderful job of depicting the battles and inward struggles that the Greek’s faced.
It’s got Ajax, and he’s almost like a dwarf (a really big dwarf)!

3. The Lord of the Rings
I love what Tolkien does to all his books. He goes into the very specific with each of the characters and makes you feel as if you are actually living the story.
It’s got Gimli!

4. Homer’s Odyssey
Not as good as the Iliad, but still a classic read.

5. The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe
The best book out of all the Chronicles of Narnia series. Lewis has a lot more obvious story line and doesn’t give you that kind of feeling that Tolkien gives. Still, another classic.
It’s got dwarves! Very little puny dwarves that couldn’t lift a real battle axe, but dwarves nonetheless.

[Folwren]

This will be tough for me, I don't read much fantasy...but I'll try it.

1. Favoritest and bestest of all is the Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. Wonderful books that I have enjoyed for as long as I can possibly remember. I never complain when Pop offers to read them aloud, and I have more than once rented a book or two on tape from the library. (Of course, his Space Trilogy is exceptional, too, but Lal said only one series or book from each author.)

2. Running a very, very, very close second, if not tied, is The Lord of the Rings by Tolkien. Marvelous book...but I don't know if it'll ever be able to hold the same place as the Chronicles do.

3. The Lost Princess or The Princess and Curdie by George MacDonald. Both very good books. The Lost Princess is another old favorite.

4. The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle. Is it fantasy? Well...mayhap not, but I highly doubt it's entirely historically correct.

And I don't know ifI have another favorite. As I said I haven't read much fantasy - the only other stuff I can think of is the trilogy His Dark Materials which I read the first of but so abhored that I did not continue, and Harry Potter, which I thought...I won't say...and Mom banned it, so I can't very well read more than I have, which is only the first.

So in the fifth place, I will put a few other favorite books by the author's listed above: The Silmarillion (supurbly awesome), The Space Trilogy (by Lewis), and Phantastes (by MacDonald).

[Valier]

1. The Mammoth Hunters by Jean M. Auel
The fourth book in the Earth children's series. This is one of my favorite books. I love this whole series but the relationships and strange customs shared over a long winter in the time of mammoths and saber tooth tigers, is just (I find) enthralling. But beware this series is not for the young. It has very explicit content in some parts.

2. Ender's shadow by Orson Scott Card, the parallel novel to Ender's game.
Again this series is all super wicked, but this one book has it all for me. It follows the story of a genetically engineered infant, as he fights for his life on the streets, then to be 'found' and sent to a military training space station to to train to fight the "Buggers" (aliens). You would think this is totally a "guy" book, but the story of Bean is touching.


3.Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K Rowling
I liked the whole series, but I love that Rowling pulled it all together at the end and gave everyone what they wanted.

4. The story of Luthien and Beren by J.R.R Tolkien
Don't get me wrong, I love the LOTR but I loved this story, I wish it had been longer...perhaps if they made it it's own book..

5. Vitorrio by Anne Rice
I think her world of Vampires is the only one. There are so many stories, from Anne and they all fit in together quite nicely. This one is a story in it's own about love, revenge, and well Angels...It's a good one.

I tend to like whole series and like to read all the series from the same writers. I broke it down though and just picked one book out of the series.

[Gwathagor]

Groin! Homer is NOT fantasy! All that stuff actually happened. Especially the magic parts.

[Gwathagor]

I have found this thread really helpful. I have been trying to find some other fantasy books to read (though I feel guilty having not completely mastered Middle-earth yet...) and I've found some good suggestions here. Thanks folks.

[McCaber]

Anytime. Even if none of my picks helped your choice.

[Groin Redbeard]

Originally Posted by Gwathagor

Groin! Homer is NOT fantasy! All that stuff actually happened. Especially the magic parts.

What are you talking about Gwathagor? Do you call the Greek Gods real? Do you believe in Cyclopes'? That stuff is no more real than Lord of the Rings. Trojan war may have been real, but not all the Gods, magic, and monsters that Homer puts in his book.

Plus, Dwarves in barrels.

That part was one of the funniest parts in the books. Thanks for bringing that up Ka.

[Lalwendë]

The Steward comes out of the errr...place where Stewards hang out...

1. You can have Greek myths if you like. They were the only 'fantasy' for many centuries so that's OK by me!

2. If you put two things by one author down I will have to leave the second out of the count - this applies to Groin Redbeard who was naughty and chose two Tolkiens.

3. Specify your order, please, and that one's for Mithalwen.

4. I have to ask Folwren - going by the rules then, you do have just the four, yes?

5. I will do some scores when I feel less peaky.

Some tasty choices here! Keep 'em coming!

[Mithalwen]

Originally Posted by Lalwendë

3. Specify your order, please, and that one's for Mithalwen.

Objectively, subjectively or pretentiously?

[Folwren]

4. I have to ask Folwren - going by the rules then, you do have just the four, yes?

We are getting scored? Perhaps I should find a 5th, then. But, yes, going by the rules, I have just four, as of now.

EDIT: I will add a fifth favorite... I don't know if you'd count it fantasy, but it certainly isn't very realistic. Mom calls it fantasy.

5. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas.

Does it count? *hopeful grin*

Edit #2: If it counts, I'll have to re-arrange the order, since you're also particular about that.

[Groin Redbeard]

Originally Posted by Lalwendë

If you put two things by one author down I will have to leave the second out of the count - this applies to Groin Redbeard who was naughty and chose two Tolkiens.

Then I guess the Odyssey should also be taken out, since Homer also wrote that book as well as the Iliad.

I don’t read fantasy that much and I don’t know of any other good fantasy books.

1. The Hobbit
2. Iliad
3. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

[Dimturiel]

It took me quite a lot to make up my mind about my choices and the order in which I should put them, but here they are at last:

1. "The Lord of the Rings", in my opinion the best book ever, and surely the one that had the greatest impact on me.


2. The "Harry Potter" series by J.K. Rowling. I was really hooked on these books. I'm sorry they're finished, really, as there'll be nothing to wait for with so much excitement from now on.

3. "Something wicked this way comes" by Ray Bradbury. It's an impressive book, very very well-written. I read it in only one day, I just couldn't put it down.

4. "The Neverending story" by Michael Ende. This book held once the place that LOTR now has in my heart. I remember reading it over and over again. I was very fond of the characters, especially of Bastian, and I still identify with him, being an avid reader myself.

5. "The wonderful adventures of Nils Holgersson" by Selma Lagerlof. I was really small when I read it, and it was the first book that had a great impact on me, and for this, it still has a special place in my heart.

[Gwathagor]

Originally Posted by Groin Redbeard

What are you talking about Gwathagor? Do you call the Greek Gods real? Do you believe in Cyclopes'? That stuff is no more real than Lord of the Rings. Trojan war may have been real, but not all the Gods, magic, and monsters that Homer puts in his book.

OF COURSE IT'S REAL! Do you think Homer just MAKES STUFF UP? Why are gods, magic, and monsters no longer plausible? What happened to us? Why COULDN'T there have been giants on the earth? What reason do you have to not believe "that stuff" existed?

Fate was God, the gods were demons, magic was magic, and the monsters were dinosaurs (and demons). It's fairly straightforward.

EDIT: Wildcats of Kilkenny? Why did I put that in there?

[TheGreatElvenWarrior]

Originally Posted by Gwathagor

OF COURSE IT'S REAL! Do you think Homer just MAKES STUFF UP? Why are gods, magic, and monsters no longer plausible? What happened to us? Why COULDN'T there have been giants on the earth? What reason do you have to not believe "that stuff" existed?

Fate was God, the gods were demons, magic was magic, and the monsters were dinosaurs (and demons). It's fairly straightforward.

EDIT: Wildcats of Kilkenny? Why did I put that in there?

I like how you say these things Gwathagor! Demons, demons, and even more demons! Being a Christian I do believe in Demons, but some people don't! And yes I do believe in Demons and Dragons too!( yes I did say dragons)


Anyway,I don't read much fantasy except for Tolkien... there is a bunch of newer fantasy out now that seems nockoffish(I make up words) well from what I've heard!

1: Lord of the Rings... I LOVE hobbits... well and for other reasons too! That is why I'm on the Barrow-Downs people!

2: The Chronicles of Narnia: I remember when I was like five or so my mom read them to me and in the last book I got freaked out because of the one God thing Tash (I think that was his name) anyway the picture in our book scared the living daylights out of me! I think I should read them again...


Well as I said I don't read much fantasy, but Harry Potter was banned by my mom (because it had witch craft in it or something) otherwise I would have probably read it...

But if you call the Illiad fantasy, I've never read it, but I've seen many adaptations of it... Of course I'm still young and I can take some books off of this book list! They probably would be good reads!

~TGEW

[THE Ka]

Originally Posted by Gwathagor

OF COURSE IT'S REAL! Do you think Homer just MAKES STUFF UP?

Well, if you look at it from the Aristotle perspective of literary critique, that could be easily supported. Considering that Homer was said to be 'blind', which symbolistically gives of the impression of a developed 'inner eye/sight', Aristotle's method could argue on the behalf of his poetics and epics by saying they emphasis the 'universal' (nature of everything, human nature...) which is seen as something nearer to the 'ideal' of Greek philosophy (according to only Aristotle, of course). So, unlike Plato, he's fine with showing the flaws of heros and gods, as long as it furthers the underlying message of character improvement and polishing the coal into diamond, etc.
Sort of like this: "writers of great dignity imitated the noble actions of noble heroes; the less dignified sort of writers imitated the actions of inferior men."

On the other hand, if you had Plato take a gander at it, he might take Homer's works and stomp them into oblivion because poetic works are the 'flit of imagination' and thus the threat of a 'state and ideal completely of logic morality and reason'. As long as the poets 'behave' and celebrate only the completely falseless of the Platonic state of reason, then Plato seems okay.


Sorry, I have a slight amusement in playing devil's advocate.

Though, that is a good topic to bring up reguarding familiar works.
Particularly though, The Odyssey is an amazing work. Lovely use of puns and development, plus the wit. I admire the Cyclops scene most of all, and the brief adventures of 'Nobody'.

~ Ramble for rambling Ka

[Groin Redbeard]

Originally Posted by Gwathagor

OF COURSE IT'S REAL! Do you think Homer just MAKES STUFF UP? Why are gods, magic, and monsters no longer plausible? What happened to us? Why COULDN'T there have been giants on the earth? What reason do you have to not believe "that stuff" existed?

Fate was God, the gods were demons, magic was magic, and the monsters were dinosaurs (and demons). It's fairly straightforward.

Thank you Gwathagor! I've never thought about it like that before, thanks for proving me wrong!

[ninja91]

1. The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
2. Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling
3. The Dark Elf Trilogy by R.A. Salvatore
4. The Inheritance Trilogy by Christopher Paolini
5. Forgotten Realms books from the early 1990's and

No explanation yet...need to check my Tribal Wars account!!!

*Not very groundbreaking, but they were some of the first fantasy novels I ever read. They're a bit close to me, although most are far from a masterpiece.

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Originally Posted by Gwathagor

OF COURSE IT'S REAL! Do you think Homer just MAKES STUFF UP?

*walks in, whistling* It's very probable Homer did not even exist... *walks away, whistling*

Anyway, to be on-topic, does SF count? Probably not, but just to be sure. (There are things however, that are SF, but in fact are better classificated as fantasy among my picks, but I am asking about pure SF here.)

[Gwathagor]

Regardless...

[THE Ka]

Originally Posted by Groin Redbeard

1. The Hobbit
It’s got dwarves! Lots and lots of dwarves!

...And their hats. Plus, Dwarves in barrels.

~ Don't forget... Ka

[Mithalwen]

"The Children of Hurin" ... for me the single most striking story in the whole mythology

The History of Danish Dreams Peter Hoeg

The Christmas Mystery Jostein Gaarder - nearly the Solitaire Mystery but this is enchanting.

The life of Pi Yann Martell


I suppose these are ones which stretch the fantasy definition but I don't read a lot of true fantasy. I enjoyed the Potter books but I am still sorting my enjoyment from the hype. Narnia, I loved as a child and found it heartbreakingly dreadful rereading it as an adult. I stopped before I got to the Silver Chair lest I discover I no longer loved Marshwiggles.

. I thought Northern Lights, one of the best written books I had ever read but one of the bleakest, The Subtle Knife was not as good and I actively loathed The Amber Spyglass, so that is out.

So for my final selection, even though for me his appeal is that he satirizes our world through discworld and so I hardly classify him as fantasy (though I know that sounds weird and Boromir88's sig would suggest that the great man would not agree with me), has to be Terry Pratchett, probably Maskerade as I love opera and Agnes is a heroine I can relate to - but it could easily be Hogfather .... especially at this time when some of us are liable to be worshipping "Bilious"