What other fantasy books do YOU read?

[Tinuviel of Denton]

Where do I start?
Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time, Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth, C.S. Lewis, definately, love Frank Peretti, anyone else read The Stone and the Flute by Hans Bemman, I like Dragonlance too. Le Guin, absolutely. Most of the authors you all have mentioned I like.
Robert Jordan is going to write thirteen books, I think, because thirteen seems to be an important number in there.

[ April 27, 2003: Message edited by: Tinuviel of Denton ]

[Sophia the Thunder Mistress]

Oh yes! Whoever mentioned Mary Stewarts Arthurian things, they're great [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] Lawhead's are good too, Taliesin in particular.

Another vote for Perelandra, Rats of Nimh, Watership Down, and Earthsea (Tombs of Atuan is my favorite!)

Sophia

[Airerûthiel]

• Philip Pullman books - I've just finished The Amber Spyglass and I'm looking for more of his work to read
• William Nicholson's The Wind on Fire trilogy
• Terry Prachett's Discworld books - if you haven't read these, they are absolutely hilarious
• C S Lewis - Chronicles of Narnia
• Ursula Le Guin's Earthsea books
• Rats of Nimh - I love those books
• and I don't know who it's by, but the book is called Across the Nightingale Floor

[ April 27, 2003: Message edited by: Airerûthiel ]

[Amanaduial the archer]

Talking of Arthurian legend, The Seeing Stone and the sequel, At the Crossing Places by Kevin Crossley-Holland are quite good. The second one is better, but I am waiting eagerly for the final part of the trilogy, The King of Middle Marsh.

What books are most popular here then? Ursula Le Guin seems to have some up quite alot, and Philip Pullman's acclaimed Dark Materials.

[The Saucepan Man]

Not one single mention of Michael Moorcock. Unbelievable.

I would refer the honourable member to my earlier post:

However I do recall greatly enjoying Robert E Howard's Conan books and Michael Moorcock's Prince Corum series.

I think that Moorcock's works (the Corum and Elric books) get a few other mentions on thus thread too. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

[Salocin]

In order from Best to not as good as Best, here are my favorite fantasy/SciFi authors.


************Tolkien*****************

Besides ME stuff I really liked Roverandom, Farmer Giles of Ham, Smith of Wotton Major, and Leaf by Niggle in that order. Is it just me or is Leaf by Niggle about Pergatory?


***************C.S.Lewis**************

In order:

The Space Trilogy-
Amazing. The best SciFi I have ever read. I would include the Dark Tower here.

The Screwtape Letters-
Increadable insite into the wiles of the enemy. Required reading for anyone who wants to not go to hell [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] .

The Great Devorce-
Increadable insite to why certain aspects of Christianity that one might question are the way they are. Again, required reading for above reason.

The Chronicals of Narnia-
Maybe its just that I take these for granted because I grew up with them and sort of "discovered" Lewis's other stuff, but I like his other stuff better. Still really good though.

Shadowlands-
Say the BBC production. Really good.
Animal Land-
I am not sure if that is the title. Stories of cute fuzzy animals Lewis wrote with his brother at a young age. Published post-humerously from notebooks that were almost burned. Anyone else ever seen this?


*************George MacDonald*************

His books are the only ones I can not put in order:

Lilith-
Besides the Universalism, a pretty good Fantasy. The presence of a plot is questionable though. It seems as if the nameless protagonist could have done any number of things different and the outcome would have been the same. Again, the Universalism.

Fantasties-
Another good Fantasy (they called them Romances back then) I never finished it though. Again, an intreging plot is lacking. Besides his letting out his shadow and falling for the evil willow lady, the nameless (see a pattern) protagonist never does anything but walk [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img].
Please don't be turned off by my negative reviews of those two books. They are really good, its just that their good qualities are hard to explain.

The Princess books(The Princess and the Goblin and The Princess and Curdie)-
Really nice fairy tails with good morals. Good for reading to small children though, as with all of MacDonald's stuff, there is a lot of deeper meaning, so you should probably read them again when you are older (I assume almost everyone here is "older")


************Lloyed Alexander************

Pyridain Chronicals-
Really cool. Tarran matures before you're very eyes!

Some weird books about a tom boy herroine in the 19th century-
Probably the only girlly books I ever read. The first one was sort of good, but they are all the same and the plots are completely rediculase given the time, place, and characters.

Doesn't he have a bunch of weird books about cats? I mean really weird ones like Time Cat or something? Oppinions please.


*****Stephen Lawhead (tie with Alexander)*****

Pendragon Cycle-
Taliesin and Merlin are works of art. I never got past the third part of Aurthur and never read any of the other books. The last two points of view in Aurthur were just to boring though the first one (was it Pelias?) was really good.

Dragon King Trilogy-
Pretty good. Way to protestant and it seems to artificial compared with, say the Pendragon Cycle and Pyridain Chronicles. It is quite comical seeing him try to portray a civilization of protestants that got raptured as mystirious, mystical, and ancient. [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img]

Bizantium-
I haven't actually read this *yet* (its length is very intimidating) but I have heard good things about it.

Doesn't he have a SciFi trilogy? Anyone read it who could tell me if it is any good?


*************Frank L. Baum**************

The Life and Adventures of Santa Clause-
I really nicely done, fairy tale type, "alternative" to any Santa Clause myths. Unlike the Oz books there seems to be a deffinate hyrrerarchy and Order of power in this book. I liked it a lot. Is it true they did a messed up chartoon based on this?

The REAL Oz series (not the run offs published after he died)-
Good fairy stories with nice plots, interesting magical items (I love the three magic pearls!), and interesting characters, though one or two are extremely similar. No really underlying meaning or messages (though there is an interesting theory of The Wizard of Oz being an Allegory of the first William Jennings Brian Presedential campain. The Scarecrow is the Farmers, the Tim Woodman is industrial workers, the Cowardly Lion is Brian, and they are taking the free silver standard (the silver slippers) up the gold standard of the Yellow Brick Road. There is more to it than that, but that's all I remember.), just a mindless fairy story. The main draw back I see is that, for such a developed fantasy world, there is no underlying power structure controlling the magic, or atleast we never see more than glimpses at it (the magic cult with the aprons is the only example I can think of). It just seems like everything is possible. There is not Higher Order. There is a nice detailed map in the latter ones though [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img].

Other Oz like Fairy Tails (Queen Zixi of Ix, Dot and Tot of Merryland, The Demon of Electricity)-
His lesser known books, surely. They are basically the same as the Oz books, though a little better developed (he was bored with Oz, so I think he put more effort into them). I own Queen Zixi of Ix. They have Dot and Tot of Merryland in some closed stacks in a library out here. I got them to let me in and read the first few chapters once (I think they thought I was doing a report because they kept asking if I wanted to take notes and if I did to please do them in pencil [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img] ). I have never been able to find The Demon of Electricity, though the description I read sounds very intreagueing.


Well that sure was long. I won't be posting here in a while [img]smilies/redface.gif[/img] .

Hey, this is my 100th post! One more and I'm a wright

[ April 27, 2003: Message edited by: Salocin ]

[Amanaduial the archer]

Has Diana Wyne-Jones been mentioned yet? Both the Chrestomanci series and the Dalemark Quartet.

[vanwafeniel]

I loved Farmer Giles of ham and Roverandom Still ploughing my way through The amber spyglass aswell as other banks books. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

[Keneldil the Polka-dot]

*nods to Saucepan man*

Sorry, I missed your post Saucepanman. This thread was six pages when I got to it, lot of authors mentioned.

Someone help me out.....can't remember an author's name..he wrote "Sword of the Lictor", "Claw of the Concilator" a few more....aww nevermind I just remembered. Gene Wolfe. Has anyone read these? I tried to once a long time ago and couldn't get into them.

[ April 29, 2003: Message edited by: Keneldil the Polka-dot ]

[Helkahothion]

Not much I'm afraid.

Harry Potter and the philosophers stone
Harry Potter and the prisinor of Azkaban
Harry Potter and the the goblet of fire

Okay I admit it, I read HP. Don't kill me!

[vanwafeniel]

Im afaid i must kill you because hp is a ginormous crime!!mwhahaha...ugh, can't stand Daniel Radcliffe let alone his eyebrows. [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img]

[Melephelwen]

Right, so here I go.
Any fantasy I ever read is fantastic! (I should've been born as a boy - then people wouldn't glance as much when I say I love it... *sigh* [img]smilies/frown.gif[/img] )
Anyways, everythings been mentioned before, I believe, but you'll get it anyways.

Terry Brooks, Shannara stuff
Terry Pratchett, (I especially love the books he wrote about Escape of the Gnomes, I think, even though it's for children)
David Eddings, Belgariad books.
J. K. Rowling, I don't care what anybody says about Harry Potter, I have to admire her - c'mon, the books are well-written, and in such few years, and... *rambles on for a few minutes*
Philip Pullman, His Dark Materials
And Tamora Pierce! I know they're mostly childrens books, but they're still good. I read all I could find on my local library, and looking for more.

And all mentioned in this thread is now on my to-read list, (every author mentioned, cut&paste, takes more than 3 pages A4! [img]smilies/eek.gif[/img] )

[The Saucepan Man]

J. K. Rowling ... I have to admire her ... and in such few years ...

Yes, and in those few short years, she has (according to the Times "Rich List") become the richest woman in the UK, more wealthy than the Queen. I have to admire her too, although with a tinge of jealousy. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

I cannot believe that, in my previous posts on this thread, I neglected to mention Enid Blyton's Faraway Tree books - The Enchanted Wood, The Magic Faraway Tree and The Folk of The Faraway Tree. Although they are books for young children, they are nevertheless fantasy books of a sort.

For those who haven't read them, they are about a group of children who discover the magic Faraway Tree in the Enchanted Wood, which is populated by such wondrous folk as Moonface, Silkie the Fairy and, of course, the Saucepan Man (no, my nick is not original [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img] ). The children and their new friends have adventures in the different lands that come to the top of the Faraway Tree.

There were my favourite books as a child, until I read the Hobbit, and I recently "rediscovered" them by reading them to my 5 year old daughter. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

[Helkahothion]

ugh, can't stand Daniel Radcliffe let alone his eyebrows.

*grab's his black list and scribbles down(with a eagle feather ofcourse) "vanwafeniel"*

*takes out a two barrled shot gun and scouts for vanwafeniel*

Mwuhahahaha, I'm evil [img]smilies/evil.gif[/img]

[Amanaduial the archer]

Down, Helka, down!

ugh, can't stand Daniel Radcliffe let alone his eyebrows.

*raises one of her own eyebrows* And if I told you I knew him in real life, then what?

[Salocin]

Real life? Whats that?

[manaratowen]

ok, ive noticed a few dragon lance readers out there, so ill chime in...lol. ive read every single dragonlance book since margret weiss and tracy hickman started out with just one trilogy...lol. i even have the leaves from the last home, and have made some of the recipies from it. oticks spiced potatos are the best.

[Helkahothion]

And if I told you I knew him in real life, then what?

OMFG! You know Daniel Radclif?

[GaladrieloftheOlden]

ugh, can't stand Daniel Radcliffe let alone his eyebrows.

Right... "live and let live" mutters Menelien to herself [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

OMFG!

How did that 'f' find it's way into that? *looks innocent* [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img]

~Menelien

[Helkahothion]

I guess it slipped in. I hate it when that happens. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

[Amanaduial the archer]

Yes. I met him at Gloucester Cathedral, and have met him a few times since then, not at big fan meetings things. Nice guy.

[Helkahothion]

I... Am.....so....jelous....right.....now!

[Lyra Greenleaf]

Helka you are very odd. It just has to be said, I'm sorry.

Amanaduial I definitely salute your taste in books (except for the "Artemis Fowl is boring" thing). Diana Wynne Jones is brilliant, and so is Arthur and the Seeing Stone/at the Crossing Places.

Oh and I used to love the Faraway Tree, well all Enid Blyton really. What can I say- I wanted to be middle class!

[ May 03, 2003: Message edited by: Lyra Greenleaf ]

[Helkahothion]

Helka you are very odd. It just has to be said, I'm sorry.

You're lying you meanie. My mommy says that I am not weird. I'm special, that's all.

I have just remembered did anybody read Alone on the world? It was the first book that made me cry. Wonderfull. Really wonderfull. Beautifull story. I can't remember the writer. Terrebly sorry.

[GaladrieloftheOlden]

I think I've heard of a book with a title somewhat like that, but never read it. I think. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

~Menelien

[Helkahothion]

I don't know if it was called that way. I read it in Dutch. It was called:

"Alleen op de wereld." Which literaly translates to "Alone on the world."

So maybe that helps a little.

[Amanaduial the archer]

I think I've heard of Alone In The World. Who is it by?

[Helkahothion]

I just found out. It is written by Hector Malot. Don't know if that rings a bell with anyone. The main character is Remi. Although that was the name in the Dutch version.

[al'Thingolfin]

Hmm, I started reading other fantasy books than Tolkien a couple a months ago, so I haven't read so much yet:

Robert Jordan - The Wheel of Time 1-10
Terry Goodkind - The Sword of Truth 1-4
Raymond E. Feist - Magician
Author unknown - Romance of three kingdoms

[GaladrieloftheOlden]

Helka- could you tell me where it is possible to find the book you mentioned? I always read things recommended by other BDers, if I can, so I've decided to try it, but I couldn't find it on amazon. As for fantasy... hmm... I've read some Tamora Pierce lately, and she's not bad. (She's also my math teacher's friend [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img]) I really love all books by Phillip Pullman, and there is a new drop dead funny book which is half its own story and half Harry Potter parody. I don't know if it's out in English yet, but anyhow, it's called Porry Gatter [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img]

~Menelien

[Donlammenion]

hey has any one here head any of the David Eddings books The Diamond Throne from the Elenium trilogy then the follow on trilogy the Tamuli.

Two other good series from eddings are the Belgariad and the Malloreon.

Eddings like Tolkein puts alot of emotion into his characters. These books border on war/fiction as there are alot of well versed battles but they are still very pleasant reads without to much blood and gore.

I would suggest these books as first fiction reads as they are books you don't want to put down.

An other good writer is Sara douglas the author of the Axis trilogy another great read and once again a series you don't like to put down.

Those are my faves hope some of you know of hes books and agree

Don

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

[Eruwen]

Where has this thread been this whole time? I have not seen it once! Anyway, I read many fantasy books...even besides Tolkien. They're pretty much the only things I like reading other than my Bible.

My favorite author other than Tolkien would have to be C.S. Lewis. He is one of the greatest fantasy writers of all time. I've read Out of the Silent Planet, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe,, and I have a whole shelf full of his books I havn't read yet.

I also like older books and epic poems from authors such as Homer. Mythology has had a large impact on my life. I have read many types of writings about Greek and Roman Mythology, though I couldn't even begin to tell you what they were called. It was so long ago.

I was going to read the first Harry Potter book, but my mom said it wasn't that good of a book so for some reason I didn't. I might just pick it up and start reading it again though. They sound good to me. There was also this tilogy that my friend at school had. They sounded interesting, but I cannot remember what they were called. They were about this girl and boy who had exotic animals as pets, but I don't think the girl and boy were Human. It was strange, but it sounded cool. If anyone has any idea at to what they might be called, you can inform me. Other than that, I havn't read many other books. I really need to get out more anyway.

[Melephelwen]

She's also my math teacher's friend

EEP!!! [img]smilies/eek.gif[/img] Wow... What was the name of your school again? Can I visit, and meet your teacher, and then meet Tamora Pierce, and then and then and then...?
Sorry for this off topic thing, I just wish I knew a writer, or just somebody who knew one (except my mum, but she doesn't count)

Oh, and I just thought up another author, Lene Kaaberbøl.
She's a Dane, but she's actually translated. (Wooo, now there's a sensation!)
Amongst others, she writes on the W.I.T.C.H.-series, main author I believe. She also wrote "The Shamers Daugther", "The Shamer Eyes", "The Serpent Gift" & the Katriona trilogy. Very good books [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

[Lyra Greenleaf]

Tamora Pierce is really brilliant. Unfortunately most bookshops put her in the 8-12 years section, so I kind of saunter in, looking side to side for staff and little kids. Aaargh! Then I go home and read the stuff it says about, ahem, getting pregnant and wonder why they think just because it's fantasy it has to be childish...

[Amanaduial the archer]

I know, I dont know why she gets put in the kids section. I mean, in one of the books I remember a few lines in particular...*ahem*

The fantasy section in the waterstones near me is great though- its pretty big. But they dont get things in paperback for ages...Im still waiting for the new Maggie Furey book to come out off hardback.

[Lyra Greenleaf]

I know, I dont know why she gets put in the kids section. I mean, in one of the books I remember a few lines in particular...*ahem*

My point precisely. Waterstones are planning to corrupt poor innocent 8 year olds!

[Feared Half-Elf]

Has anyone read Tamora Pierce's Song Of The Lioness quartet? I thought that one is the best so far!

[Finwe]

My favorite fantasy authors are:

- David Eddings
- Mercedes Lackey
- Tamora Pierce
- Maggie Furey
- Terry Goodkind
- Piers Anthony

I particularly enjoy Mercedes Lackey books. Somehow, the Shin'a'in always appealed to me. Perhaps it was because they were horse-breeders, and I love horses!

[GaladrieloftheOlden]

Not fantasy, but I'm bursting to recommend one of my favorite authors: S. E. Hinton. She wrote 2 moderately "little kid" books, picture ones that is, The Puppy Sister being fantasy, Big David, Little David being... uh, I haven't read it yet, sorry, don't know. But she also wrote a few wonderful books that I recommend to all. One of these is The Outsiders, having a taste of everything, funny and sad, sweet and sour. That Was Then, This Is Now is amazing, but the end is terribly hurting. When I read it I walked around for three weeks in a daze, and reread all the book many times, except for that piece right before the ending, which I never touched again. There are 3 more, but those were my favorites. Not fantasy, and they're not for everyone, but I say they're certainly worth reading. And they make me cry, which is all too rare in the books and movies I read and watch.

~Menelien

[Finwe]

I definitely agree with you about The Outsiders. That book is one of the best that I've ever read, even if it isn't fantasy. It seemed to sum up all of teenage angst in a few chapters, which is something that I've never seen any other author do.