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The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Fantasy: The Definitive Illustrated Guide
Edited by David Pringle, the co-founder of the science fiction magazine Interzone, The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Fantasy contains a wealth of informative facts and fascinating background information and over 200 colour and black and white pictures.
Fantasy is one of the oldest and most enduring forms of fiction and today has a huge following. From Alice in Wonderland to Dungeons and Dragons, The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Fantasy surveys the whole genre. With a wide range of informative and entertaining sections covering every aspect of fantasy, this book provides an invaluable glimpse into other realms. It's also fully cross-referenced and indexed.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1998
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
October 17, 2013
I should not sit here and justify my reading habits - but for this one I feel that I should. There are many guide books out there - and I will admit that if you think about it, why do we need them. The internet is faster - cheaper and can hold and adapt information in a way books never can. So by rights guide books if this nature are self limiting the second they hit print.
OR do they - you see for the internet you have to link one article or page to the next -to form one huge daisy chain of information which you are invariably led down by the author or creator - where as a guide book you can read in any order - on any subject - you can jump around pages or sections - going back over pages when you spies something new or interesting. These books to me are a gold mine for the simple reason you get out of them what you want to - and not what someone says you should.
So for me these guides however dated or limited in their content they may be not only have a place in my collection but have a very important one - and I often go back to them and start again - and I always come away with something new. This book is deceptively informative and great fun to read.
OR do they - you see for the internet you have to link one article or page to the next -to form one huge daisy chain of information which you are invariably led down by the author or creator - where as a guide book you can read in any order - on any subject - you can jump around pages or sections - going back over pages when you spies something new or interesting. These books to me are a gold mine for the simple reason you get out of them what you want to - and not what someone says you should.
So for me these guides however dated or limited in their content they may be not only have a place in my collection but have a very important one - and I often go back to them and start again - and I always come away with something new. This book is deceptively informative and great fun to read.
March 17, 2019
Skvěle a poučně popsaná historie fantasy žánru a jeho nejznámějších odvětví.
Ale tím to hasne.
Ale tím to hasne.
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August 22, 2008The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Fantasy by David Pringle (2006)
March 13, 2025
Huh.
For a book that has VERY definite judgments on what's good and what's bad, it's very uneven.
First off, the introductory essays for the various sections (interestingly, the only parts of the book that have clearly-stated authorship) are definitely worth reading. They explore the definition and origins of fantasy, the role it plays in culture and society in general, etc. If nothing else, a fantasy fan will find quite a bit to chew on from reading just those bits of the book.
The rest? Well, let's see. The section on movies was done in what I thought was a novel way: chronologically. It certainly helped to keep some order as the reader encounters new trends, new technology, and originals vs. sequels vs. reboots, etc. A lot of it was pretty interesting, actually... assuming it could be trusted. Occasionally names were dropped in the descriptions without any indication of who that person is and why they are even mentioned. And of the names that ARE mentioned, there are instances like the misspelling of Edward Bloom, a character in "Big Fish," as Edward Blood. There's also the photo they use to illustrate the big-screen version of "A Series of Unfortunate Events," naming the person pictured as Brad Dourif; in fact, it was Jim Carrey as Count Olaf, and Dourif wasn't even in that movie.
The TV section was also done chronologically, but there were issues there, too. "Jennifer Slept Here" is listed as having aired in 1973-74, when it was actually 1983-84. And Dick Sargent's name is spelled Sargeant (which isn't even the right spelling of the military rank).
I forget which section made reference to Confucius being "famously materialistic," which I don't think was the case. Maybe they were being facetious, but the sarcasm didn't come through.
And then there was the section on authors, which could have been amazing... and sometimes, it was. But too many times, the descriptions just devolved into listings of all the series and the individual books the author wrote, with almost no explanation of why we should care. Plus, authors like Piers Anthony weren't even mentioned -- I understand that not everyone can make the cut, but there was an entry for a guy who planned to write five books but stopped after three because he had issues with the publication process. I didn't recognize that guy's name, and I think it's a safe bet that you wouldn't either.
And in a crossover error, a book's plot is compared to a movie that came later (I suppose to indicate that if anything, the movie swiped the idea from the book, not the other way around). The author said the book was long before Guy Ritchie's "Memento"... only Guy Ritchie had NOTHING to do with "Memento." Guy PEARCE was the star, and Christopher Nolan directed it. There was also a reference made comparing an anthropomorphic duck to "Looney Tunes' Donald," but even I, a non-Disney fan, know that Donald Duck was a Disney character. Daffy was the Looney Tunes duck.
The section on video games was wasted on me. I'm not a gamer, and I skimmed most of it, finding little of it even worth noting. And the final section, which focused on fantastic worlds, seemed to be another opportunity to raise up Harry Potter as the ultimate marvel of fantasy fiction.
Now, some of this can probably be chalked up to the fact that this book was originally published in the late '90s, then was updated and republished in 2019. So a lot of new stuff had to be inserted into the revamped text (though in at least one entry, about C.S. Lewis's Narnia, it said that people had been reading the books for half a century, even though it was more like 70 years by the time the new edition was released). But viewed from another angle, one would think that an extra 20 years would give the authors (David Pringle is listed in the Goodreads profile, but it's obvious that there were A LOT of people who had their hands and fingers in this book) plenty of opportunity to research and get things right.
If the topic of fantasy interests you, then by all means take a look at this book. You'll probably really like parts of it. But be aware in advance that you're going to skip-jump through good bits of the text, often with your eyes glazed over. I guess that means you can move on afterward and read something else.
For a book that has VERY definite judgments on what's good and what's bad, it's very uneven.
First off, the introductory essays for the various sections (interestingly, the only parts of the book that have clearly-stated authorship) are definitely worth reading. They explore the definition and origins of fantasy, the role it plays in culture and society in general, etc. If nothing else, a fantasy fan will find quite a bit to chew on from reading just those bits of the book.
The rest? Well, let's see. The section on movies was done in what I thought was a novel way: chronologically. It certainly helped to keep some order as the reader encounters new trends, new technology, and originals vs. sequels vs. reboots, etc. A lot of it was pretty interesting, actually... assuming it could be trusted. Occasionally names were dropped in the descriptions without any indication of who that person is and why they are even mentioned. And of the names that ARE mentioned, there are instances like the misspelling of Edward Bloom, a character in "Big Fish," as Edward Blood. There's also the photo they use to illustrate the big-screen version of "A Series of Unfortunate Events," naming the person pictured as Brad Dourif; in fact, it was Jim Carrey as Count Olaf, and Dourif wasn't even in that movie.
The TV section was also done chronologically, but there were issues there, too. "Jennifer Slept Here" is listed as having aired in 1973-74, when it was actually 1983-84. And Dick Sargent's name is spelled Sargeant (which isn't even the right spelling of the military rank).
I forget which section made reference to Confucius being "famously materialistic," which I don't think was the case. Maybe they were being facetious, but the sarcasm didn't come through.
And then there was the section on authors, which could have been amazing... and sometimes, it was. But too many times, the descriptions just devolved into listings of all the series and the individual books the author wrote, with almost no explanation of why we should care. Plus, authors like Piers Anthony weren't even mentioned -- I understand that not everyone can make the cut, but there was an entry for a guy who planned to write five books but stopped after three because he had issues with the publication process. I didn't recognize that guy's name, and I think it's a safe bet that you wouldn't either.
And in a crossover error, a book's plot is compared to a movie that came later (I suppose to indicate that if anything, the movie swiped the idea from the book, not the other way around). The author said the book was long before Guy Ritchie's "Memento"... only Guy Ritchie had NOTHING to do with "Memento." Guy PEARCE was the star, and Christopher Nolan directed it. There was also a reference made comparing an anthropomorphic duck to "Looney Tunes' Donald," but even I, a non-Disney fan, know that Donald Duck was a Disney character. Daffy was the Looney Tunes duck.
The section on video games was wasted on me. I'm not a gamer, and I skimmed most of it, finding little of it even worth noting. And the final section, which focused on fantastic worlds, seemed to be another opportunity to raise up Harry Potter as the ultimate marvel of fantasy fiction.
Now, some of this can probably be chalked up to the fact that this book was originally published in the late '90s, then was updated and republished in 2019. So a lot of new stuff had to be inserted into the revamped text (though in at least one entry, about C.S. Lewis's Narnia, it said that people had been reading the books for half a century, even though it was more like 70 years by the time the new edition was released). But viewed from another angle, one would think that an extra 20 years would give the authors (David Pringle is listed in the Goodreads profile, but it's obvious that there were A LOT of people who had their hands and fingers in this book) plenty of opportunity to research and get things right.
If the topic of fantasy interests you, then by all means take a look at this book. You'll probably really like parts of it. But be aware in advance that you're going to skip-jump through good bits of the text, often with your eyes glazed over. I guess that means you can move on afterward and read something else.
August 24, 2021
The Fussy Reader
Big thank you to Welbeck Publishing for sending me this beast. It's quite an amazing book to own, packed full of pictures and illustrations printed in colour.
Much of the information within is offered in neat bite-sized chunks, making this a perfect read to squeeze in whenever I had a spare moment.
The artwork on the front is stunning, depicting the fall of Isengard as the Ents attack. This would actually make a great coffee table book for any fantasy lover except, y'know, one that actually gets read.
This encyclopedia begins with detailing the varying flavours of fantasy, what components define the fantasy genres, and how fantasy has influenced storytelling and life as a whole since the beginning of time.
I would even recommend this to writers of fantasy as well as readers. This book goes in-depth explaining not just subgenres of fantasy, but fantasy tropes, plot types, character archetypes, and more. It's definitely worth the read for readers and writers alike.
I'd also highly recommend this to any beginner fantasy lovers who want to get into book reviewing. The information on various 'terminology' within the fantasy sphere would be invaluable to anyone unfamiliar with it.
I like that the authors mention how that this is just a starting point and not a full list of subgenres, as not all are mentioned. A few that are excluded from the list--that I can think of--are Low Fantasy, Flintlock Fantasy, Portal Fantasy, and Magical Realism. But I was pleasantly surprised to find a section on Grimdark, one of my favourites in the genre.
I also appreciate that it's mentioned that the list of fantasy writers isn't a complete list. But with that in mind, I would have liked to have seen a bit more variety in the list. Of the 242 or so writers mentioned, only 21 were not American or British, and only 5 of these were non-English speaking natives. When I counted all the female authors, I was impressed to find about 85 present...then realised that 85 out of 242 is only just over a third.
(Of course, this isn't a full list of authors but I can't help but be a little disappointed more women weren't included, considering they exist. Would've loved to have seen V.E. Schwab, R.F. Kuang, Leigh Bardugo, and Anna Stephens on the list too, but hey.)
This list doesn't reflect poorly on the authors or their choices of whom to include but rather perfectly highlights the major flaw of the publishing industry. That unless you're male and/or American or British, breaking into the industry will be a struggle.
The list was very 'English native', and there's plenty of translated works that deserve acknowledgement too. I mean, Andrzej Sapkowski wasn't personally listed at all, and if he hasn't been a major influence in the fantasy genre then I don't know who has been. Maybe this is me being subjective, but I just would've enjoyed a tad more variety.
Also found it a bit odd that Brando Sando--an absolute pillar in the fantasy genre--got barely half a column of recognition in the entire book, and yet JK Rowling--possibly the most controversial woman of the decade--got almost a whole page to herself, not to mention all the movie and other mentions her works got. I'm not going to uncork THAT bottle, but just pointing that this may be a divisive decision for some readers.
Something I really appreciated was the use of 'she' in some of the story-type examples, rather than just assuming all fantasy heroes are men. I'm so used to seeing 'he' be used in fantasy examples that it almost took me by surprised to see the hero of a story being described as 'she'. It's the smallest thing, yet it means so much.
However, I do think that some of the film summaries would have benefitted from being a little more objective. Personal biases take over and become outright shade. A few times it felt like I was just reading passages for pieces of fantasy media I enjoy being slagged off simply cause the authors didn't like it. That's not to say they aren't absolutely entitled to their opinions, but just a neat little summary and a fun fact would've sufficed.
But in conclusion, this book is a love letter to fantasy written with care by someone who truly appreciates the nuances of the genre.
To this day there are still literally snobs who treat fantasy as a lesser form of storytelling, but you only read this book to learn that fantasy is one of the first, oldest, and original forms of storytelling, long before the invention of books or technology. As Terry Pratchett suggests in the foreword, in all likelihood, fantasy stories were the first thing created by proto-humans after the discovery of fire.
Of course, this can't be confirmed. It's mere speculation. But who's to say cavemen didn't sit around swapping stories in their primitive way about where they thought lightning came from?
The fantasy genre has had such influence on society, religion, and culture, whatever culture that may be.
"We are creatures of fantasy. We spend a lot of time in that huge ghost world with the bright colours, and one part of it is now called civilization."
Fantasy is not only a cornerstone of storytelling but also of life as we know it today.
Sounds dramatic?
It's true. You only need to read this book to see that.
"By the standards of our ancestors, we are sorcerers, able to conjure up knowledge or transport or food with just a few gestures, or some careful phrases."
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Big thank you to Welbeck Publishing for sending me this beast. It's quite an amazing book to own, packed full of pictures and illustrations printed in colour.
Much of the information within is offered in neat bite-sized chunks, making this a perfect read to squeeze in whenever I had a spare moment.
The artwork on the front is stunning, depicting the fall of Isengard as the Ents attack. This would actually make a great coffee table book for any fantasy lover except, y'know, one that actually gets read.
This encyclopedia begins with detailing the varying flavours of fantasy, what components define the fantasy genres, and how fantasy has influenced storytelling and life as a whole since the beginning of time.
I would even recommend this to writers of fantasy as well as readers. This book goes in-depth explaining not just subgenres of fantasy, but fantasy tropes, plot types, character archetypes, and more. It's definitely worth the read for readers and writers alike.
I'd also highly recommend this to any beginner fantasy lovers who want to get into book reviewing. The information on various 'terminology' within the fantasy sphere would be invaluable to anyone unfamiliar with it.
I like that the authors mention how that this is just a starting point and not a full list of subgenres, as not all are mentioned. A few that are excluded from the list--that I can think of--are Low Fantasy, Flintlock Fantasy, Portal Fantasy, and Magical Realism. But I was pleasantly surprised to find a section on Grimdark, one of my favourites in the genre.
I also appreciate that it's mentioned that the list of fantasy writers isn't a complete list. But with that in mind, I would have liked to have seen a bit more variety in the list. Of the 242 or so writers mentioned, only 21 were not American or British, and only 5 of these were non-English speaking natives. When I counted all the female authors, I was impressed to find about 85 present...then realised that 85 out of 242 is only just over a third.
(Of course, this isn't a full list of authors but I can't help but be a little disappointed more women weren't included, considering they exist. Would've loved to have seen V.E. Schwab, R.F. Kuang, Leigh Bardugo, and Anna Stephens on the list too, but hey.)
This list doesn't reflect poorly on the authors or their choices of whom to include but rather perfectly highlights the major flaw of the publishing industry. That unless you're male and/or American or British, breaking into the industry will be a struggle.
The list was very 'English native', and there's plenty of translated works that deserve acknowledgement too. I mean, Andrzej Sapkowski wasn't personally listed at all, and if he hasn't been a major influence in the fantasy genre then I don't know who has been. Maybe this is me being subjective, but I just would've enjoyed a tad more variety.
Also found it a bit odd that Brando Sando--an absolute pillar in the fantasy genre--got barely half a column of recognition in the entire book, and yet JK Rowling--possibly the most controversial woman of the decade--got almost a whole page to herself, not to mention all the movie and other mentions her works got. I'm not going to uncork THAT bottle, but just pointing that this may be a divisive decision for some readers.
Something I really appreciated was the use of 'she' in some of the story-type examples, rather than just assuming all fantasy heroes are men. I'm so used to seeing 'he' be used in fantasy examples that it almost took me by surprised to see the hero of a story being described as 'she'. It's the smallest thing, yet it means so much.
However, I do think that some of the film summaries would have benefitted from being a little more objective. Personal biases take over and become outright shade. A few times it felt like I was just reading passages for pieces of fantasy media I enjoy being slagged off simply cause the authors didn't like it. That's not to say they aren't absolutely entitled to their opinions, but just a neat little summary and a fun fact would've sufficed.
But in conclusion, this book is a love letter to fantasy written with care by someone who truly appreciates the nuances of the genre.
To this day there are still literally snobs who treat fantasy as a lesser form of storytelling, but you only read this book to learn that fantasy is one of the first, oldest, and original forms of storytelling, long before the invention of books or technology. As Terry Pratchett suggests in the foreword, in all likelihood, fantasy stories were the first thing created by proto-humans after the discovery of fire.
Of course, this can't be confirmed. It's mere speculation. But who's to say cavemen didn't sit around swapping stories in their primitive way about where they thought lightning came from?
The fantasy genre has had such influence on society, religion, and culture, whatever culture that may be.
"We are creatures of fantasy. We spend a lot of time in that huge ghost world with the bright colours, and one part of it is now called civilization."
Fantasy is not only a cornerstone of storytelling but also of life as we know it today.
Sounds dramatic?
It's true. You only need to read this book to see that.
"By the standards of our ancestors, we are sorcerers, able to conjure up knowledge or transport or food with just a few gestures, or some careful phrases."
August 19, 2018
Although it is dated now by almost 20 years, this "encyclopedia" provides an extensive catalog of fantasy literature, authors, film, television, famous locales and creatures and more, up to the year 2000. It has a definite Western slant, and is a British publication, but there is no lack of American content. The influences of other cultures and common Eastern fantasy elements are recognized, but unless an Eastern film or show had notable penetration or a clear influence in the West, it will not appear here.
The delineation between 'fantasy' and 'science fiction' is powerful, and you will not find the latter here, as it is reserved for a separate publication by the same editor.
Flipping through this oversized book will bring back memories of shows and movies that you have not given thought to in many years. Or, if you are a younger reader, it may guide you to explore older media titles to enhance your fantasy cultural immersion. In fact, this is where the book really shines; it provides a well-rounded education about the fantasy genre through history. The introduction provides a perfect summary of fantasy literature through history, dating back many centuries, and highlights all of the significant influences that led to the current state of the genre. It is scholarly and accessible. It has certainly prompted me to build up my 'to-read' list with some foundational works.
Going further than the editor, the introduction by Sir Terry Pratchett examines the development of fantasy in PRE-history, no easy task.
In my opinion, there was perhaps an effort to be too inclusive in the catalogs. For example, the fantasy authors section includes many names that have no real impact or recognition; some of them had simply had a couple of fantasy books out in the 1-2 years prior to this book's publication. If anything, this serves to highlight the relative dearth of fantasy then, compared to the explosion of current publishing, if it was worth listing even very minor authors.
The listings of TV and film in particular provide mini-reviews, which were often amusing. The authors were not afraid to be critical and personal where appropriate.
The delineation between 'fantasy' and 'science fiction' is powerful, and you will not find the latter here, as it is reserved for a separate publication by the same editor.
Flipping through this oversized book will bring back memories of shows and movies that you have not given thought to in many years. Or, if you are a younger reader, it may guide you to explore older media titles to enhance your fantasy cultural immersion. In fact, this is where the book really shines; it provides a well-rounded education about the fantasy genre through history. The introduction provides a perfect summary of fantasy literature through history, dating back many centuries, and highlights all of the significant influences that led to the current state of the genre. It is scholarly and accessible. It has certainly prompted me to build up my 'to-read' list with some foundational works.
Going further than the editor, the introduction by Sir Terry Pratchett examines the development of fantasy in PRE-history, no easy task.
In my opinion, there was perhaps an effort to be too inclusive in the catalogs. For example, the fantasy authors section includes many names that have no real impact or recognition; some of them had simply had a couple of fantasy books out in the 1-2 years prior to this book's publication. If anything, this serves to highlight the relative dearth of fantasy then, compared to the explosion of current publishing, if it was worth listing even very minor authors.
The listings of TV and film in particular provide mini-reviews, which were often amusing. The authors were not afraid to be critical and personal where appropriate.
May 20, 2024
A true "ultimate encyclopedia" of fantasy would need to be a lot bigger than this. It's marred by too many of the authors' unsupported opinions such as "J.K. Rowling's masterful Harry Potter series" -- either tell us why it's masterful or cut the adjective.
Omissions: Buffy, Borges, Calvino, Sidney Sime, hardly any mention of Lovecraft, only glancing references to Powell and Pressburger or to George R.R. Martin or to Tanith Lee, nothing about Empire of the Petal Throne in the fantasy games section. So really they're just looking at one specific kind of fantasy and idiosyncratically picking the material they're familiar with. But that does at least mean they remember to include a reference to John Whitbourn, the master of the English New Weird, which was what induced me to buy the book. That and the fact that it was on sale for 2 quid in a Rochester charity shop.
Omissions: Buffy, Borges, Calvino, Sidney Sime, hardly any mention of Lovecraft, only glancing references to Powell and Pressburger or to George R.R. Martin or to Tanith Lee, nothing about Empire of the Petal Throne in the fantasy games section. So really they're just looking at one specific kind of fantasy and idiosyncratically picking the material they're familiar with. But that does at least mean they remember to include a reference to John Whitbourn, the master of the English New Weird, which was what induced me to buy the book. That and the fact that it was on sale for 2 quid in a Rochester charity shop.
June 30, 2018
Not really a reading book but a wonderful reference book of all things fantasy - movie, tv, books, authors and worlds. Probably getting a bit dated now (2018) but I think a must have for fantasy bookaholics. And of course any book that adds more words to any library by the brilliant and missed Sir Terry Pratchett is a must.
January 31, 2021
The collection and organization is well done but the focus was on what titles were released on what platform and that wasn't quite the information I was looking for. As a fantasy writers, I was looking for break downs done by tropes or lore.
It would be a great book to study if you wanted to know trivia information on the fantasy genre.
It would be a great book to study if you wanted to know trivia information on the fantasy genre.
October 6, 2017
I bought this book hoping to find some new fantasy material to read/watch. Unfortunately I came away quite disappointed. The editor's taste in fantasy is very different from mine and as a result the guide includes tons of works that I'd consider complete trash. Even more annoyingly, many of my favorite authors/books/movies are completely missing or only appear as short side notes. Furthermore, the book more or less completely ignores the wide body of non-English fantasy with just a few exceptions.
I didn't find the guide very useful as a reference guide either. Many of the entries are extremely shallow and even more worryingly contain a large amount of factual errors. The final section on games is particularly dreadful.
I didn't find the guide very useful as a reference guide either. Many of the entries are extremely shallow and even more worryingly contain a large amount of factual errors. The final section on games is particularly dreadful.
September 30, 2018
Too many of the texts have been written in a rather condescending tone for me to like this book. The copy I had was also full of factual errors, typos and grammar mistakes that made sentences sound plain strange. A lot of it read like a wikipedia list instead of something that would actually be pleasant to go through and honestly, it's pretty much another jerk-off session to same old titles as any other "fantasy guide" that overpraises Tolkien and late XX century authors.
TLDR: pretentious and boring, would not recommend.
TLDR: pretentious and boring, would not recommend.
June 9, 2012
This is a comprehensive guide that covers every aspect of the fantasy genre in books, film and gaming. Each section deals with a different aspect of the genre from its early beginnings to its modern connotations complete with numerous illustrations to support the text. A great reference guide and one that fantasy fans everywhere would enjoy although only hard core fans would want to sit and read every word given the level of detail each section provides (I admit I struggled at times).
February 1, 2011
Of necessity list-based, this was still a fascinating look at the world of Fantasy. The authors looked at all types of fantasy, including novels, magazines, TV, films and games. They also covered the fantasy authors, the worlds they created, and the characters. A wonderful introduction for anyone interested in the subject, or for ideas for where to start if you are new to it.
March 17, 2020
Kanskje den beste bruken for The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Fantasy har en som en introduksjon til sjangeren. Jeg har skumlest den ett par ganger og stoppet opp når jeg kommer over navn eller titler jeg er interessert i.
August 21, 2008
I just love having this book on my shelf. It's awesome :D
January 12, 2010
This book covers so much..It was a treat to read!
Read
November 18, 2017It's amazing how much has happened in the last decade to make this as dated as it is, but still a great tool for any fantasy geek.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews