What other fantasy books do YOU read?

[Kitanna]

Originally Posted by Morthoron

Not wishing to sound like a chauvinist, but I found Mists of Avalon dreadfully boring and devoid of humor. I prefer T.H. White's retelling of the Arthurian cycle in The Once and Future King. Mary Stewart's Merlin series (The Crystal Cave, The Hollow Hills, etc.) is interesting in parts, but is rather somber, and tends to meander later on in the series.

Didn't Mary Stewart write The Wicked Day as well? Another book that gives a different perspective, this time from Mordred's view. I never finished it because my mom stole it from my shelf when I put it aside for school work. But from the little I was able to read of Mary Stewart's other works they were fantastic. If Bradley had cut Mists of Avalon down it would be a much better book. I do love how she makes Morgan Le Fay less a witch and more a person who's been used poorly by those around her.

[Lalwendë]

Originally Posted by Morthoron

Not wishing to sound like a chauvinist, but I found Mists of Avalon dreadfully boring and devoid of humor. I prefer T.H. White's retelling of the Arthurian cycle in The Once and Future King. Mary Stewart's Merlin series (The Crystal Cave, The Hollow Hills, etc.) is interesting in parts, but is rather somber, and tends to meander later on in the series.

It's going to be impossible to express without it coming out all wrong, but Mists of Avalon seemed to have that hippy Glastonbury feel about it. Maybe the best way I can describe it is that it was a bit 'trippy'

I'd forgotten about the Mary Stewart ones - I read those not long after reading LotR for the first time and they stood up to the incredibly fussy taste I'd developed!

I've got Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book here, so I'm about to see what that's like...

I got The Lost Girls for Christmas - it's very good, and very, very, very adult.....Oh, and one I have to thank Pio for is The Fables - I finally read the first one last year and it was amazing! I'm trying to find the second one now...

[Gwathagor]

Originally Posted by Lalwendë

I got The Lost Girls for Christmas - it's very good, and very, very, very adult.....

Define "good."

[Lalwendë]

Originally Posted by Gwathagor

Define "good."

Good as in good Art. It's basically an adult imagining of the adult lives and 'adventures' of Alice, Wendy and Dorothy - approach with caution if easily (or even averagely) shocked (and short of cash - they're rightly not cheap, mass market books).

[Guinevere]

Originally Posted by Morthoron

Not wishing to sound like a chauvinist, but I found Mists of Avalon dreadfully boring and devoid of humor. I prefer T.H. White's retelling of the Arthurian cycle in The Once and Future King. Mary Stewart's Merlin series (The Crystal Cave, The Hollow Hills, etc.) is interesting in parts, but is rather somber, and tends to meander later on in the series.

Oh, I love Mary Stewart's Merlin series (and most of her other books) too. I read those in the seventies when I had no idea about Tolkien yet.
Speaking of Arthurian fiction (if that is fantasy?), I am very fond of Gillian Bradshaw's trilogy "Hawk of May", "Kingdom of Summer", "In Winter's Shadow".
I guess that's why I never tried reading the much praised "Mists of Avalon". I am so fond of the characters portrayed in Bradshaw's novels, I didn't wish to see them portrayed quite differently.

I started reading T.H.White's "The Once and Future King", but found it rather strange - it was just not my cup of tea.

[Gwathagor]

Originally Posted by Lalwendë

Good as in good Art. It's basically an adult imagining of the adult lives and 'adventures' of Alice, Wendy and Dorothy - approach with caution if easily (or even averagely) shocked (and short of cash - they're rightly not cheap, mass market books).

It's pornography, essentially.

[Morthoron]

Originally Posted by Guinevere

I started reading T.H.White's "The Once and Future King", but found it rather strange - it was just not my cup of tea.

That's why there's camomile, Earl Grey, oolong, etc. -- there's a cup of tea for everyone.

For me, it was an extremely funny book which turns very sad, and it's that juxtaposition of humor and melancholy which got me. And the profound nature of T.h. White's pacificism is imbued in the very fabric of the tale. One literally cries when Arthur, old and tired and wiser, raises his hands to stop the charge of his men and Mordred's, but his effort is as futile as trying to hold back a tidal wave, and he falls in the cataclym. One of my all-time favorites, right up there with LotR.

[Lalwendë]

Originally Posted by Gwathagor

It's pornography, essentially.

I wouldn't say so, as it's not created with the same intent in mind.

[Bêthberry]

Originally Posted by Lalwendë

I wouldn't say so, as it's not created with the same intent in mind.

Bethberry bites her tongue to avoid saying anything about the difficulties with authorial intention.

Originally Posted by Morth

Not wishing to sound like a chauvinist, but I found Mists of Avalon dreadfully boring and devoid of humor. I prefer T.H. White's retelling of the Arthurian cycle in The Once and Future King. Mary Stewart's Merlin series (The Crystal Cave, The Hollow Hills, etc.) is interesting in parts, but is rather somber, and tends to meander later on in the series.

Since this has been quoted liberally by several Downers, I might as well chime in to see if we can set a Downs record for most quoted post comment.

Also, not wanting to sound like a chauvinist, I too found MoA heavy going, in much the same way I dislike most of Atwood. The dogmatics are just too, well, dogmatic and I can take only so much knocking on my skull before my reading skills are numbed senseless.

Have never read Mary Stewarts' Merlin series so I'll take a look at them and maybe even a relook at TH White, as it's been years and years. . .

But for new current fantasy, I found The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss quite fascinating, especially from the perspective of a Tolkien read. The debt is there, but this is no mere pale imitation.

[Gwathagor]

Originally Posted by Lalwendë

I wouldn't say so, as it's not created with the same intent in mind.

Not according to Alan Moore.

[Lalwendë]

Originally Posted by Bêthberry

Bethberry bites her tongue to avoid saying anything about the difficulties with authorial intention.

Originally Posted by Gwathagor

Not according to Alan Moore.

Excellent! We could have a bit of a post-Barthes style fight on our hands here over this one

As the masterful Harry Hill says, there's only one way to find out...

[Enorëiel]

I've recently fallen in love with the Green Rider series. Well, I suppose you could say I re-fell in love with them. I read the first two in high school and then kind of forgot about them. I was in a bookstore recently and came accross them and bought them without a second thought. I'd really forgotten how much I loved the characters and story line. If you haven't read them I would definitely pick them up!

[Isabellkya]

Other Fantasy authors/books I've read....

Terry Goodkind
Terry Brooks (only the Shannara ones)
Robert Jordan
Stephen King (mainly The Dark Tower series)
Ursula Le Guin (though I've never technically read any of her fantasy, just the SciFi)
Tad Williams
Jack Yeovil (only the Genevieve books)
Neil Gaiman

There are some others, whom I would consider to be under the Horror section (since that is where you find them in bookstores); though some people have told me they are Fantasy as well.

After awhile, the stories seem to just be repeats of the same basic storyline.
So, definitely in need of a new read. xD

[TheOrcWithNoName]

The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, the Unbeliever, is always a firm favourite of mine.

I do find Donaldson's works a joy anyway, but his Covenant series is on a par with LOTR, and I sometimes wish Pete Jackson would bring some of the more accessible of these books to film.

[Pitchwife]

Originally Posted by TheOrcWithNoName

I sometimes wish Pete Jackson would bring some of the more accessible of these books to film.

Sorry, but trying to imagine what PJ would make of Covenant gives me the nosebleeds...

I've recently discovered Lukianenko's (I always forget his Christian name) Night Watch series and found it rather addictive - kind of an adult version of Harry Potter, complete with a secret community of wizards, vampires, werewolves etc., but very scary, very grey-in-grey and with a great setting (present-day Moscow).
Otherwise, my favourites are Ursula K. LeGuin, Tad Williams, Orson Scott Card (Alvin Maker series)... and Donaldson, of course. I've also read all of Jordan's The Wheel of Time and intend to find out how it ends, but I'm not particularly proud of the fact.

[Tigerlily Gamgee]

So, it's not REALLY "Fantasy," I suppose... but I just got done reading through all of the Sookie Stackhouse series books by Charlaine Harris. TRUE BLOOD got me hooked. If you are looking for some "mind candy," as I call it, check them out... it's not like they are super intelligent, but they are quick reads and quite enjoyable.

[Thinlómien]

Not like very many people could enjoy this recommendation, but Finnish fantasy is actually surprisingly good sometimes.

Unrelatedly, have people been reading Lian Hearn's semi-Japan fantasy series? I just found the third part of the trilogy from a library after having completely forgotten it exists... and I don't remember if it was good enough to really be worth a read.

*off to devour favourite authors Le Guin, Kay and Martin*

[Estelyn Telcontar]

I'm currently rereading Jasper Fforde's 'Thursday Next' series; I know I've already recommended them, but there aren't many books I like so much that I can reread them several times with intense enjoyment, so I'll mention them again. So witty, intelligent, literary, wacky, and absolutely hilarious!!

[skip spence]

Guess I'm not really a fantasy fan. I've got the impression Tolkien killed the genre off by perfecting it and when I tried to get into other fantasy works in my teens I did not get very far. To me they (I don't remember titles) were just pale copies or inferior variations, with the author obviously writing in the shadow of Tolkien. Then again, the books I did try might simply have been bad apples that put me off an otherwise decent harvest. Maybe I should give it another go. Any suggestions?

[Thinlómien]

Skippy, in your case I'd start from something else than the traditional-style fantasy. Neil Gaiman's Stardust plays with old fairytales and has a lot of sarcasm and evil jokes, and Guy Gavriel Kay's The Lions of Al-Rassan is more "alternative history" than fantasy: one of the main characters is based on El Cid and it is very much like early medieval Spain, but Kay has taken more liberty by placing the story in an imaginary world. That's two very good ones off the top of my head.

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Originally Posted by skip spence

Guess I'm not really a fantasy fan. I've got the impression Tolkien killed the genre off by perfecting it and when I tried to get into other fantasy works in my teens I did not get very far. To me they (I don't remember titles) were just pale copies or inferior variations, with the author obviously writing in the shadow of Tolkien. Then again, the books I did try might simply have been bad apples that put me off an otherwise decent harvest. Maybe I should give it another go. Any suggestions?

I would say you are basically right, skip. But I guess people could give you dozens and hundreds of suggestions here, but not sure if that is what you would like: the question would be, what are you expecting of the book. I don't believe there is a "second Tolkien", and if there is, then it would be just a copy. If you are looking for something "similar" in some way, there might be some things worth suggesting, but then again - what would you like: more of a "dragonhunting" stuff, or a more "realistic" world, some plotting, mystery, whatever...
I know for example one author, but first, he's a bit specific, and second, he is Polish and his books have not been translated to so many languages (to English, for example, but just very few of them and he's not probably that well known). His name is Andrzej Sapkowski, and the books would be called something like "Hexer" or stuff like that. Just if you saw it somewhere, I could recommend it to you to just check it - either you will like it or not. It is kind of a "monster-killer" stuff on first sight, but that's really just on first sight, it has much deeper story behind it (and in a way it's a bit parodical of the classic fantasy, but at the same moment remaining serious), and sometimes rather tolkienesque and also a lot more "realistic" in the portrayal of things (like, he is not "black and white" - no way, quite the opposite...).

[Guinevere]

Originally Posted by Thinlómien

Not like very many people could enjoy this recommendation, but Finnish fantasy is actually surprisingly good sometimes.

Unrelatedly, have people been reading Lian Hearn's semi-Japan fantasy series? I just found the third part of the trilogy from a library after having completely forgotten it exists... and I don't remember if it was good enough to really be worth a read.

I have read Lian Hearn's "Tales of the Otori" and found them very compelling and convincing, if a bit brutal. Certainly worth reading. (Btw, I just found out there is a sequel and a prequel to the trilogy!)

And I'm fond of Neil Gaiman's "Stardust" too! (the illustrated copy, by all means!) though I even prefer the movie!

Obviously I don't know any Finnish fantasybooks, but I love Mika Waltari's historical novel "Sinuhe the Egyptian" (I wish I could find translations of his other books)

[Morthoron]

My daughter and I are reading through Gaiman's Coraline, and it's a hoot! It seems Gaiman has about the same contempt for adults as did Roald Dahl in an earlier generation. My daughter has gotten stuck on a few words when Gaiman polysyllabifies, but overall it's great read for a nine-year old. A bit creepy in spots, I suppose (particularly the 'other parents' eyes), but we've been enjoying it immensely.

[Pitchwife]

Originally Posted by Guinevere

I love Mika Waltari's historical novel "Sinuhe the Egyptian"

Indeed, a great read! It's 30 years or more since I read it - about the only truly fascinating book in my parents' bookshelves at the time - , but it made a lasting impression. "All temples are dark houses..."
Actually, now I think of it, this book did much to awake an interest in early civilizations and the dawn of history in my adolescent mind, and thus prepared the way for Tolkien. I always imagined Númenórean culture as more or less Egyptian in style.

[Gwathagor]

It seems no one has mentioned Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, though I'm sure some of you have read it. If you haven't, I highly, highly recommend it. It's like an alternate history of England in which magicians and fairies play prominent roles well after the Middle Ages, and has one of the best interpretations of the land of Faery that I've read. The book itself starts off sounding a great deal like a Jane Austen novel and continues that way for much of the book, but as the plot thickens, it grows more and more descriptive and brutal and dark. Anyway, super cool book, very imaginative, and because the movie adaptation is already underway, you only have a couple years to read it before the film hits theaters and ruins the story for you.

[Morthoron]

Originally Posted by Gwathagor

It seems no one has mentioned Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell...

I had discussed JS & MR earlier in this thread...

http://forum.barrowdowns.com/showpos...&postcount=663

I came away from the book dissatisfied. It droned on far too long after a very promising start, and the characters became less and less interesting as the story advanced. Both Strange and Norrell both came off as a bit thick, and the allusions to imaginary books, although clever at the beginning, became an anchor no less heavy than the copious allusions found in Melville's Moby Dick (a novel I respect but despise all the same). As the Emperor told Mozart in the movie 'Amadeus', "There you have it -- too many notes."

I usually rate books on whether I would reread them (I do the same with movies). I would not reread this book.

[Gwathagor]

Originally Posted by Morthoron

I had discussed JS & MR earlier in this thread...

http://forum.barrowdowns.com/showpos...&postcount=663

I came away from the book dissatisfied. It droned on far too long after a very promising start, and the characters became less and less interesting as the story advanced. Both Strange and Norrell both came off as a bit thick, and the allusions to imaginary books, although clever at the beginning, became an anchor no less heavy than the copious allusions found in Melville's Moby Dick (a novel I respect but despise all the same). As the Emperor told Mozart in the movie 'Amadeus', "There you have it -- too many notes."

I usually rate books on whether I would reread them (I do the same with movies). I would not reread this book.

Oh, I'm glad to see that other people have read it. I'm sorry it bored you, though. As you're probably aware, Clarke did not intend for the footnotes to be published with the book, but simply wrote them for her own benefit and left them in when she sent the manuscript to the publishers, where she fully expected the footnotes to be excised. They are in no way essential to the story as a result and can be skipped over if one is in a hurry to finish the book. However, if one is willing to take the time to read them, they add a great deal to the sense of a larger, complete world that has, throughout its past several centuries, been deeply affected in every way by magic. I personally thought the footnotes were a lot of fun to read, particularly the legends and crazy anecdotes.

It is a long book, for sure, and is pretty slow during its first half. Once it gets moving, though, it's well worth the time invested.

[Thinlómien]

I just finished Ursula Le Guin's The Word for World is Forest and I'm happy that I decided to read it. Not only because it was a very good book (one of the best I've read this year), but also because I really seldom read science fiction and upon reading this book I realised I'd enjoy the genre a lot, because it can have such interesting ideas and also criticism of the way how humans treat each other and the nature.

[Bêthberry]

It might be Le Guin you are enjoying, Lommy, rather than the genre of SF, because she has a unique POV which not many other writers of SF follow.

JS and MR offers a unique alternate history, which is part of its charm. As Professor Fordim Hedgethistle once suggested, one can question some of the aspects of that alternative vision, but it is clever. As well, those who know Victorian culture might find a chuckle or two in it.

I'm still rather surprised that no one else has mentioned Patrick Rothfuss's The Name of the Wind, especially considering that a comparison to Tolkien would be quite interesting.

[Boo Radley]

Right now I'm working my way through Pratchett's Discworld series for the second time.

Love the man's mind and am greatly saddened that it's fading away...

[Thinlómien]

Originally Posted by Bêthberry

It might be Le Guin you are enjoying, Lommy, rather than the genre of SF, because she has a unique POV which not many other writers of SF follow.

Well, that could be, I admit - her Earthsea novels are among my top favourites of fantasy books ever.

The last book I read was George R.R. Martin and Lisa Tuttle's Windhaven. It was nowhere near the best fantasy books I've read but the narration was exceptionally vivid. I can recommend it.

[Boo Radley]

Originally Posted by Thinlómien

Well, that could be, I admit - her Earthsea novels are among my top favourites of fantasy books ever.

The last book I read was George R.R. Martin and Lisa Tuttle's Windhaven. It was nowhere near the best fantasy books I've read but the narration was exceptionally vivid. I can recommend it.

Which Martin book(s)? The A Song of Ice and Fire series? An excellent read, very reminiscent of the War of the Roses, I just wish there wasn't such a huge gap between books. But one should never attempt to hurry creativity.

[Thinlómien]

Originally Posted by Boo Radley

Which Martin book(s)? The A Song of Ice and Fire series? An excellent read, very reminiscent of the War of the Roses, I just wish there wasn't such a huge gap between books. But one should never attempt to hurry creativity.

Well yes I've read those and liked them very much, and sometimes I feel like strangling the author for keeping us in suspense and never finishing the next part of the series!

[Nerwen]

Originally Posted by Thinlómien

Unrelatedly, have people been reading Lian Hearn's semi-Japan fantasy series? I just found the third part of the trilogy from a library after having completely forgotten it exists... and I don't remember if it was good enough to really be worth a read.

I read the first one, Across The Nightingale Floor. I had rather mixed reactions to it– it was very well written, but a bit by-the-numbers when it came to characters and plotting.

I'd say it's worth a read, though.

[Boo Radley]

Originally Posted by Estelyn Telcontar

I'm currently rereading Jasper Fforde's 'Thursday Next' series; I know I've already recommended them, but there aren't many books I like so much that I can reread them several times with intense enjoyment, so I'll mention them again. So witty, intelligent, literary, wacky, and absolutely hilarious!!

YES!!!

The Thursday Next series is absolutely brilliant. I'd recommend them to anyone.

(Care for some toast, Estelyn?)

[Estelyn Telcontar]

No thanks, Boo, no toast - but you wouldn't happen to have some smuggled cheese around, would you? Or mabe a bit of Battenberg...

[Boo Radley]

Originally Posted by Estelyn Telcontar

No thanks, Boo, no toast - but you wouldn't happen to have some smuggled cheese around, would you? Or mabe a bit of Battenberg...

(Pssst! Per'aps... meet me down at me flyin' boat?)

[Morsul the Dark]

The Black Company Series from Glen Cook

Starting with an original Trilogy

The Black Company
The Shadow of fear (I thinks it's called just drew a blank)
The White Rose

those three books were amazing! great narrative and the "Baddies" are really scary and evil.... and then they show you the Other side of themselves like "The Lady"(that's what she's called) suddenly bursts into tears because she's afraid of death and why she protects herself and her empire so strongly, Cook makes the baddies human. also there is magic but in measured amount like Tolkien it's there but not over the top.

then there are the Books of the south:

A second trilogy about the Black Company;

These continue on the story and delve into the Company's history as well as making an extremely interesting plot leading right into the third set of books which contains four volumes......

and those four volumes are.... out of print! I stumbled across the first three the second trilogy I got in a newly printed compilation book, and the third sett I'm hoping will be coming out in such a way as well...

[Boo Radley]

Right now (Well... not RIGHT now. Right now I'm typing this post) I'm reading Monstrous Regiment, by Terry Pratchett, Very, very funny. It's one of the DiscWorld series.

[Eönwë]

Originally Posted by Boo Radley

Right now (Well... not RIGHT now. Right now I'm typing this post) I'm reading Monstrous Regiment, by Terry Pratchett, Very, very funny. It's one of the DiscWorld series.

Is that the one where they all turn out to be women?