What other fantasy books do YOU read?

[vanwafeniel]

Aah..that explains it. I am keeping check of these supposedly good books for future reads but hav no time at the present. If you don't mind i'll stick to Iain Banks, one writer at a time for me! [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

[vanwafeniel]

Aah..that explains it. I am keeping check of these supposedly good books for future reads but hav no time at the present. If you don't mind i'll stick to Iain Banks, one writer at a time for me! [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] But i do love deep writings, i will look into eddison. If any one can recommend any other good sci-fi and fantasy i would welcome them,
cheers.
[img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

[Salocin]

Also George MacDonald is very good, even if you don't read (or understand [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] ) his real stuff. The Princess and the Goblin and The Princess and Curdie are really good childrens fairy tales, though I think any of us could enjoy and benefit from them.

Morwen- Lilith is very strange. The confusion with the christian allegory part of it stems from MacDonalds belief in what is known as Universalism or Origin's Herisy. He believed that everyone, from the most inocent new born who dies to the devil himself, will be saved in the end. He did not really believe in hell, instead he believed in a sort of uber-purgatory. When you die you will be subjected to "torments" and other things to slowly make you realize your sinfulness, repent, and be good. You sort of don't have a choice, though, since no matter what you will eventually have to repent. Heaven starts once everyone has repented and been purified through purgatory(including Satan) and the World is all hunky-dory. This view is unorthodox to say the least and most christians (including myself) consider it heresy (thus the title Origin's Heresy; Origin was the guy who came up with it).

C.S. Lewis, as has been said, adored Macdonald. In Lewis's book The Great Divorce (great book, highly recomended, and worderfully vivid, concise and short(this review brought to you by the department of redundency department [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]); it could be considered Fantasy since it is a fantastical view of heaven and hell), he casts Macdonald as His guide through Heaven.

MacDonald also wrote tons of Romances for a living (some how deep religious fantasy doesn't make much money [img]smilies/confused.gif[/img] ) I am not recomending Romances by any means, I think they are a horrible vice people should avoid and that they can very easily and quite often do ruin marrages by making the reader starry-eyed and giving the reader unrealistic expactations about being swept off their feet; I am just saying if you are already enthralled to them, Goerge MacDonald's romaces are probably better than most. Just a friendly word of advice [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] .

[the real findorfin]

Wow, am I the only sad, 'modern-fantasy only' freak here for a page or so. heres my bookshelf

David Eddings - The Belgariad (5 books), the Mallorean (5 books), The Elenium (3), the Tamuli (3), The Redemption of Althalus (1).

Sean Russel - The One Kingdom (1)

David Gemmil - The Drenai Tales, Vol.1 (3)

Raymond Feist - Magician, Silverthorn, The Darkness at Sethanon, Prince of the Blood

Sara Douglass - The Axis Trilogy (3), The Wayfarer Redemption Trilogy (3)

Chris Bunch - The Seer/Demon/Warrior King (3), Corsair (1)

Maggie Furey – The Heart of Myrial, Spirit of the Stone

Terry Brooks – The Shannara Series (4), the Heritage of Shannara (4), The Isle Witch (1 so far)

Robert Jordan – The Eye of the World

Philip Pullman – The Dark Material Trilogy (3)

JK Rowling – Harry Potter (4)

Anne McAffrey – Pern (only 2)

JRR Tolkien – Lotr (3), Silmarillion (1), Unfinished tales (1)


Not much, eh

[ April 21, 2003: Message edited by: the real findorfin ]

[Annalaliath]

1)Terry Brooks- i own many of the Shannora series except the new ones, talk about finances..... i also have a few of the Magic Kingdom For Sale Sold ones too.

2)Stephen Lawhead- i own the pendragon series, the silver hand trillagy, the other one i can't remember right now and i think the iron lance or something like it. i have also read and probably own Avalon.

3)CS Lewis-there are many book sets of the chronicales in my family alone.... and so far i have only heard bits and pieces of meer christianity

4)Ray bradberry- Something Wicked this way comes

5)JK Roaling- I oen these too but they are initially banned in my parrents house

6)Forgotten relams- the dark elf ones

7)Dragon lance

8)Anne Rice- own a few but some are too sexually explicit for my tastes

9)Susan cooper- the dark is riseing series

10) Frank Peretty- never finished was too scary

there are so many more that i cannot remember that i shall stop here.......

[Arvedui III]

Herm, well, I really like the "Dune" series and anything by Orson Scott Card, especially the books about Bean, and um, the dark elf forgotton realms, and um, the books by Jeff Shaara, and most things by Leon Uris, and um, course the Narnia cronicles, and Harry Potter, and um, well I can't think of any more so I'll stop there. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

[kittiewhirl1677]

Let's see...
~Here's my list of fantasy books:
~The Chronicles of Narnia
~Star Trek:TNG books, any of them
~Anything else by Tolkien
~Merlin
~Silverwing
~Sunwing
~Redwall(I used to. I stopped a while ago cause I got bored)
~Harry Potter

There's more, but as usual, I can't think of anything right now. I can't remember the names of some of the best series!! [img]smilies/eek.gif[/img] ARRGH! [img]smilies/mad.gif[/img]

[ April 21, 2003: Message edited by: kittiewhirl1677 ]

[MLD-Grounds-Keeper-Willie]

Well, kudos to Dain for reviving this thread!

the essentially tragic Cuchulain stories from Ireland

Those are some great myths (or stories, whichever you prefer) Kalessin.

I'm surprised that only one person (Hilde Bracegirdle) has mentioned Richard Adam's novels. Forgive me if others have too, while reading 5 pages I might have not noticed it. Watership Down is my favorite book excluding Tolkien's works. The Plague Dogs is great also, I reccomend that you finsih it Hilde Bracegirdle. As for Shardick, I never read that. And have you read Tales from Watership Down? It's the sequel to Watership Down, but I'm not sure if it's good or not.

Other books I enjoy that aren't fantasy are Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt, Dubliners by James Joyce, The Call of the Wild and White Fang by Jack London, and Dracula by Bram Stoker. That's all I could think of off the top of my mind.

[Birdland]

G-K Willie - did you know that Jack London wrote a time travel novel, called Star Rover? It's about a condemned prisoner who escapes his cell by traveling to past lifes. Last time I read it was high school, but I remember enjoying it very much.

And while we're on the subject of Richard Adams; I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Maia. A plucky heroine saves a kingdom. At 891 pages, this is one honkin' big book, but it's a page turner.

Warning: since the plucky heroine starts life as a sex slave, there is lots of racy stuff. (Adams does like his racy stuff.)

[Amanaduial the archer]

Maia is indeed a hefty book, but its a great read. I devoured it in a few days, reading it at pretty much any time I could. Why is it there are so many fantasy heroines called maia/maya....?

Redwall(I used to. I stopped a while ago cause I got bored)

Ditto Kittie. I used to love those books, and when I read over them, Brian Jacques writing is still as captivating as ever, but they do get a little samey after a while. He makes some fantastic heroes though, like Martin, Mattius, Mariel, the hares of Salamandastron and the rest. Mariel of Redwall or Martin the Warrior are my favourites. Or The Long Patrol. Or Salamandastron...

One of the books I read more recently was 'Spartan', by valerios Massimio Manfredi (that is one heck of a name!). Its set in ancient Greece, mainly in and around, surprise surprise, Sparta. It is about a two Spartan boys, on of whom is born crippled, and by the harsh laws of Sparta, his father must abandon him to the elements and the wild beasts of the mountains. But by chance, this boy is found by a Helot shepherd, one of the race enslaved by the Spartans. Despite guessing the boy's heritage, the shepherd brings the boy home and brings him up as his grandchild, naming him Talos, after a Helot warrior of myth. But as the boys grow, seperately, each unknowing of the other, another twist of fate one day throws them together, intertwining their fates...

Another is Peter Dickensons 'The Ropemaker'. This fantasy book is incredible and is about a girl, Tilja, who lives in the Valley, a small and peaceful place, the only place isolated from the mighty power of the Empire. The reason it is so is because, long long ago, the sorceress Asarta gave help to two of the dwellers of the Valley, casting a spell on the place that would protect it for ten generations. But now the power of the spell is faltering, and Tilja and her companions must set out to find Asarta, if she isnt already dead, or to find the sorcerer Faheel, in the hope that the spells may be renewed and their Valley saved. But time is getting short as the Emporers army readies itself to once more attack the Valley, and to save it the companions must stretch the very limits of time and magic itself, changing the never ending rope of time...

[Nuinatariel]

Wow. I never thought I would find so many people who liked the same books that I do (besides Tolkien). Anyway, here's my list of favorite fantasy:

J.R.R. Tolkien-anything he wrote
Philip Pullman- His Dark Materials trilogy
Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman- Dragonlance series
Orson Scott Card- any of the Ender books
Gabriel King- The Wild Road and the Golden Cat
Brian Jacques-Redwall series
Mercedes Lackey and Larry Dixon-The Mage Wars trilogy
Alan Dean Foster-Kingdoms of Light

I think that's it. I've probably missed some, though. Michael Crichton is one of my favorites, too, but he's more sci-fi than fantasy.

I knew I had forgotten something! Diana Wynne Jones is another favorite of mine, especially her books with griffins in them.

[ April 22, 2003: Message edited by: Nuinatariel ]

[arelendil]

i really like Narnia. almost as much as Tolkien.

I love the idea that they knew each other. When you read HoME and you see that Tolkien really respected C.S Lewis' opinion. And if you look at the dedications in the front of the books, many of Lewis' are to Tolkien and the other way around.

[vanwafeniel]

Woah you guys read way more that me! But i do love most of the same books, i love the Ann Rice books, anything by Iain Banks and i love Hitch-hikers guide to the galaxy. hmm...the chronicles of Narnia were good but i don't really like Phillip Pullman. I didn't find Ann Rice's books that sexually explicit, they werre averagely gory though! [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

Tales from Watership Down? No, I didn’t know about that one. Seeing as I’ve been rereading things with my daughter I will have to look for that when we get to Watership Down.

The Star Rover book sounds interesting too. I like all Jack London’s works that I’ve read.

[Lyra Greenleaf]

20 times reading this thread I was about to get annoyed and post angrily defending my favourites that people have said bad things about, but hey- everyone has different tastes! This I had to comment on though:

*Nothing* is as deep as Tolkien. I don't think any other author has ever dedicated so much time and sheer intellect to the creation of a secondary world.

Says who? There are lots of dedicated people out there, Robert Jordan, for example, has made up an impressive history for his world and bits of a language. That may not be as extensive as Tolkiens, but the sheer volume of the Wheel of Time might make up for this. Taste is one thing but you can't say no-one was ever as dedicated.

Sorry, my list of fantasy books are:
# Tolkien!
# Robert Jordan, The Wheel of Time
# Amy Stout, The Sacred Seven
# Elizabeth Moon, The Deed of Paksenarrion
# JK Rowling, Harry Potter
# CS Lewis, Narnia
# Philip Pullman, His Dark Materials
# Tamora Pierce, Everything she's ever written!
# Marianne Curley, The Named and Old Magic
# Eoin Colfer, Artemis Fowl
# Victoria Hanley, The Seer and the Sword
# Diana Wynne Jones, The Worlds of Chrestomanci, etc
# Patricia Wrede
# Kevin Crossley-Holland, Arthur and...

Thats all the ones I can remember. I loved all of them, but would especially reccommend Robert Jordan and Tamora Pierce. Tamora Pierce is more aimed at children, but I'm 18 and they don't seem to young for me. I'd try them however old you are, after all some people suggest LOTR is a childrens story!

[vanwafeniel]

hmm...i still don't like Phillip Pullman but your the only person here who has read Eoin Colfers Artemis Fowl books. I salute you on that one! [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]
I agree withyou on the "deep" thing, i would say that most writers dedicate themselves to their work though Tolkien did indeed go very deep. [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

[vanwafeniel]

hmm...i still don't like Phillip Pullman but your the only person here who has read Eoin Colfers Artemis Fowl books. I salute you on that one! [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]
I agree withyou on the "deep" thing, i would say that most writers dedicate themselves to their work though Tolkien did indeed go very deep. [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

[Thinlómien]

I've read so many fantasy books that I won't list them all...
My favorites (except Tolkien) are Robin Hobb's books and Ursula Le Guin's Earthsea -stories.

[Kitanna]

I'm reading The Sight right now by David Clemens-Davies (or some name close to that, my spelling may be off) and it's a good book, though rather sad.
I recently finished Tamora Pierce's Wolf Speaker which was an excellent book.

[Gurthang]

I know its probably already been mentioned, but I really like the Wheel of Time. They're pretty long, but I would definitely recommend them. I've also been looking at the Bartimaeus Trilogy, but they won't bring the last WoT book back to the library. Guh!

[Shelob]

Encaitare, Mists of Avalon is well worth the read. And I know how you feel about being unable to find a bookmark...

Elsewise I would suggest Brave New World (Aldous Huxley), anything by H.G. Wells (including When the Sleeper Wakes...even though that has the worst ending ever.) and any short stories by Ray Bradbury (though especially The Exiles and The Long Rain.)

While those are top on my list I've also enjoyed:
David Eddings (suggested to me by my very tolkien-geeky friend)
Katharine Kerr (suggested to me by a friend...or 'borrowed' *coughstolencough*...whichever...)
The increasingly inaccurately named Hitchhiker's Trilogy by Douglas Adams
The Princess Bride by William Goldman
Blindness by Jose Saramago (Warning on this one though...read with caution)

as well as a ton more I can't write out in full but will gladly name if requested to.

[MLD-Grounds-Keeper-Willie]

Birdland:

did you know that Jack London wrote a time travel novel, called Star Rover?

Actually no, I didn't. But I'll have to check it out. It seems wierd that Jack London would write something like that. Did he write any other books like that?

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Maia. A plucky heroine saves a kingdom. At 891 pages, this is one honkin' big book, but it's a page turner.

I will definately read that. i like lnog books because when you get in to a book and it's short, it seems like such a pity it was over so fast, but when you read a book that you get in to and it's long, I seem to enjoy it much more. Thanks Birdland! [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

Amanaduial the archer:

One of the books I read more recently was 'Spartan', by valerios Massimio Manfredi

Maybe this is just me, and sorry if it is, but isn't there a myth like that where the boy is adopted by a pack of wolves? I think I heard of a story like that but it may be just a variation or I may be getting two stories confused with each other.

[ April 22, 2003: Message edited by: MLD-Grounds-Keeper-Willie ]

[Amanaduial the archer]

Eoin Colfer, Artemis Fowl

No!!! Well, the Arctic Incident was better than the first one; during the first one I thought I was going to fall asleep. Artemis is a great character, as is Holly, but in the first one, I just couldnt get into it- it was devoid of description. However, I heard a rumour that they were making a film of one or both of the books...

The Named and Old Magic though....Good grief, how havent I said them yet?! I love those books, they are seriously some of my favourites ever. Arkarian, Jarrod, Ethan, Isobel and even Rhauk are such fantastic characters!

[Lady Alasse]

I enjoyed the C. S. Lewis Chronicles of Narnia and his space trilogy - Out of the silent planet, Perelandra, & that Hideous Strength.

I also enjoy reading star wars books especially the New Jedi Order (I can't belive they killed Anakin!)

I read one of the sword of Shanara books but it just seemed to weak after Tolkein.

I also like Robin Mckinleys Rose' Daughter- a retelling of Beauty and the beast.

[vanwafeniel]

Yes!!! An Artemis Fowl movie would be excellent! I agree with amanaduial, Arctic incident was much better than the 1st, I found the plot to be better. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] Has anybody read the wishlist, another Eoin Colfer book. It isn't as good as the Artemis Fowl books but is a good, short read. Very short actually, about an hour! [img]smilies/evil.gif[/img]

[Amanaduial the archer]

Oh, its not that short! Yes I have- the ending seemed a bit too quick, like it was rushed, but it would also be quite high on my list. Its much better from Eoin Colfer.

[drigel]

I feel so old now lol
Watership Down was such standard fare in the 70's im shocked people never heard of it. Donaldson's Covenant series and the Dune series was as well. I suppose Dino DeLaurentis effectively killed the Conan image for the young pups here but if you like LeGuin, try Robert E Howard. She helped finish a few Conan tales herself.

[MLD-Grounds-Keeper-Willie]

I knew I was forgetting something!

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, by Robert C. O'Brien

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

I personally, knew of Watership Down but didn’t know about the sequel. Did you?

(Adams does like his racy stuff.)

Hope the rabbits aren’t racy in this one! [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

Saw some George MacDonald at the library yesterday. Think I'll check one out after we finish Alice in Wonderland & Through the Looking Glass.

Ursula LeGuin - Earthsea Stories, really-really magnificent creation, a lot of things written by Strugatski brothers and Ray Bradbury. I guess I´m a bit old fashioned...

[Birdland]

Since we're bringing up animal-based fantasy, I might as well throw in Tad William's Tailchaser's Song, a cat-centric adventure.

I understand Tad Williams has written two fantasy trilogies as well. Has anyone read these?

Oh, And G.K.-Willie - Since Jack London is now in the public domain, the complete text of Star Rover is available online here. There is another novel based on past-life experience, called Before Adam. It is also available at the above link.

[ April 23, 2003: Message edited by: Birdland ]

[Mitheithel]

I like Anne McCaffrey and her dragon-realms. I`ve read "The Flight of Moreta" and "Dragonflight", wich I think is her best.

[Luinalatawen]

I just finished reading Summers at Castle Auburn by Sharon Shinn. Has anyone else read it? It has great plot development and I really got into it.

[Luinalatawen]

I have read Watership Down. I love rabbits. I currently have 5 as pets. That's why I absolutely had to read it.

I had to read Slaughterhouse Five for school. I usually don't like novels we have to read in school, but actually really enjoyed it. It's SciFi and totally different than what I usually like, so I guess it was a nice change.

[Lyra Greenleaf]

I haven't read Watership Down but I used to watch it on the BBC. It was too sad for me, I used to cry in the Animals of Farthing Wood for crying out loud!

Personally I liked both Artemis Fowl books equally, and preferred the Named to Old Magic but I agree about the characters. Well, actually Jarrod seemed too digging for popularity. OK, so he turned out good in the end but still...

[vanwafeniel]

How odd!i'm exactly like Lyra, i used to watch Watership down and it was so upsetting!We'd sit like an inch away from the tv cos we were stupid but it was still my fave program as a kid! Plus i love Artemis Fowm books! Eoin Colfers a funny writer,
I still adore Iain Banks or Iain M. Banks and Anne Rice. I know i said i would not attempt Philip Pullman because of a bad first try but i am re-readng the amber spyglass! I will let you all know! [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

[Amanaduial the archer]

No, I think Jarrod was just trying to fit in, and he was after all trying to distance himself from Kate as much as possible. I mean, the girl told him he had a curse on him, he had a right to be a little freaked...

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

Yes, Watership Down is sad….. I remember having a night of semi-insomnia…. I was trying to design the prefect rabbit hutch while half asleep! Take-care of dem rabbits, you know?

[Durelin]

Read Malory's Le Morta D'Arthur. Arthurian legend is cool. And Robert Jordan's books are great! All of them! They don't get boring! Seriously, it tells a great story with great characters, it rocks! Okay?

[img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

[Keneldil the Polka-dot]

For Arthurian Legend fans I'd suggest Mary Stewart, Bernard Cornwell, Jack Whyte, and Stephen Lawhead. Susan Cooper also wrote a sort of Aurthurian spin off.

Only one other fan of Stephen R. Donaldson's Covenant books? The hero is hard to like, but I grew up reading his stuff along with Tolkien and Le Guin.

Someone asked about George R.R. Martin...I like his stuff a lot. Looking forward to the next book.

Robert Jordan....loved his early stuff...now he just needs to get it over with. Same with Eddings...he should have known when to quit.

Jack L. Chalker has some good sci-fi stuff. The Quintara Marathon. And Rings of the Master.

Tad Williams' Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn series and Robin Hobb's Farseer trilogy are both good too.

Not one single mention of Michael Moorcock. Unbelievable.