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Getting into the Fantasy Genre
The Hobbit is probably a good place to start. Arguably the first ever modern (ish) fantasy novel. Funnily enough, this exact same question came up on Absolute Write recently. One of the regulars suggested this list:
Loyd Alexander's The Black Cauldron and its sequels
Mary Norton's The Borrowers
Ursula K. Le Guin's A Wizard of Earthsea (and sequels).
Madeline L' Engle's A Wrinkle in Time
Phillip Pullman's The Golden Compass
Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book and Coraline
Rowling's Harry Potter (of course)
The Lemony Snickett books.
Norton Juster's The Phantom Tollbooth.
O'Brien's Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH
Ende's The Neverending Story
William Goldman's The Princess Bride
Astrid Lindfren's Pippi Longstocking books
The Little Prince
Susan Cooper's The Dark is Rising etc.
Kristin Cashore's Graceling.
Agnes wrote: "Hello, I have just joined goodreads today so am a newbie. I am interested in getting into the fantasy genre and my question is where is a good place to start? I am used to reading thrillers mysteri..."Hello Agnes, a good start would be, Terry Goodkind or David Eddings, Tad Williams, Terry Brooks or Trudy Caravan. They are all great authors, there are so many to choose from, also have a look at the many talented fantasy authors we have here in the group, enough to keep you busy for a very long time. Hope you find something that takes your fancy.
Thank you very much for the recommendations. A lot of books/authors for me to look into.
You are right Agnes, so many great authors, let us know which one you try and what you think. Enjoy your new adventures!
After last Wednesday GL I have decided to read them all again, well not all at once of course. Evie has asked for a dragon birthday cake, I'm doing a good job of educating her don't you think ?
Excellent, Anita. Just don't let her watch Game of Thrones quite yet!
Another author is Jack VanceI'd suggest The Complete Lyonesse which I think is one of the best fantasy stories out there :-)
Gingerlily - Mistress Lantern wrote: "Excellent, Anita. Just don't let her watch Game of Thrones quite yet!"Not for a while !
Julian May's "Saga of Pliocene Exile" (aka The Saga of the Exiles) is amazing, has thriller elements, and I suspect that it is age-appropriate!The Many Colored Land, The Golden Torc, The Nonborn King and The Adversary.
I didn't enjoy the (published later) prequels. Much like H. Rider Haggard with 'She' and its sequels, the mythic elements seemed to have taken over the author's brain, so that they were in charge rather than the author.
Don't look it up on Wikipedia - the write-up there is completely garbled.
Oh I liked those as well.
And if you want to try Urban Fantasy (fantasy set in a modern context), I'd recommend Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files (was also a short-lived TV series, still available on DVD). He also has a new "olde worlde" fantasy series out, which starts with The Aeronaut's Windlass)Also, Ben Aaronovitch's Rivers of London (aka Peter Grant) series. (Aaronovitch was the Dr Who writer responsible for finally getting daleks to go up stairs!)
Both series are also brilliantly narrated on Audible.
I've heard a lot about Robin Hobb, any of her stuff any good? Also in the YA genre are the Mortal Instruments any good? Thanks again to everyone who replied
I wasn't that impressed by the Mortal Instruments books. The first one was fine, but the 2nd not so good and I never finished the third. I enjoyed the first Robin Hobb books, but I never got into the Liveship ones.
I'm sure many others would have different opinions though :)
The first true fantasy I ever read was The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. (C.S. Lewis.) Younger than YA, yes, but a really good place to start.And then, oh joy, he carried on with a series so you have the pleasure of Prince Caspian, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, The Silver Chair, The Magician's Nephew (which is first, chronologically, but was written later) and The Last Battle to come.
Avoid the films - the first was okay, but then the makers seemed to think they could 'improve' on the plots.
If you like laughing, it's hard to beat Terry Pratchett's 'Discworld' series, and whilst sadly there won't be any more of them, if you do take to them there's a rich seam to be mined. Only 'Eric' is total dross, IMO, but in the earliest ones he's still feeling his way, and starting from "Interesting Times" I feel the tone gets a bit darker. I'd suggest starting with 'Mort', 'Wyrd Sisters', 'Moving Pictures' and 'Guards, Guards'. If none of them grab you, I'd give up on him ...Tom Holt's first, "Expecting Someone Taller", is almost perfect. Sadly, I feel that he has never quite achieved the same level of perfection since. His books can be marred by bouts of silliness, that are obviously supposed to be funny, but which fall flat for me. "Who's Afraid of Beowulf" is the same book as "Expecting Someone Taller" but with the sex of the main protagonist reversed. However, there are only a couple of complete duds, and the "Portable Door" trilogy, especially the second one, is very good indeed.
Whilst she's categorised as a 'Chic-Lit' writer, Jenny Colgan's 'Working Wonders' is certainly fantasy, and funny. And it includes a description of Slough that deserves to be as well known as John Betjamin's "Friendly Bombs".Slough; where old concrete goes to die.
I would certainly take a look at Dartmoor...The Saving and Myrddin's War by B J Burton.Excellent stuff.
Fantasy is a genre I specialize in, and with the notable of exception of Jim's comment, I'm very disappointed at what is being suggested! :)I won't rant here, as it would be a good subject of another thread.
To be honest I'd consider Game of Thrones ideal for someone new to fantasy.There's no elves, dwarves, goblins, etc. and virtually no magic until about the third book.
Came back especially to say that I forgot to list The Horse and his Boy as part of the Narnia series. Seems to be a trait I'm developing!
R.M.F wrote: "Fantasy is a genre I specialize in, and with the notable of exception of Jim's comment, I'm very disappointed at what is being suggested! :)I won't rant here, as it would be a good subject of ano..."
I suggest a duel at dawn with Toblerones!
Will wrote: "The Hobbit is probably a good place to start. Arguably the first ever modern (ish) fantasy novel. Funnily enough, this exact same question came up on Absolute Write recently. One of the regulars ..."
Most if not all are classified as children's books, though there's a lot of goodies in that list.
Robin Hobb's massive tomes are loved by a lot of people. I've found them rather mixed, and so far have preferred the second trilogy, the one about LiveShip Traders, though that's as far as I've got. But they are all linked and explain things that happen a lot later so you need to start with the Farseer Trilogy (Assassin's Apprentice, Royal Assassin, Assassin's Quest). I wasn't 100% with them but they get better it seems.
For a YA series, I loved Garth Nix's Sabriel, Lirael and Abhorsen.Diana Wynne Jones is another good author for children and young adults, esp. her Dalemark series.
Older series include Andre Norton's Witchworld series, and a lot of her other books. Katherine Kurtz's long running Deryni series has a world based on medieval Wales but with people who have psychic powers and are persecuted by the church.
Michael Moorcock's 'Eternal Champion' connected series are classics, especially the ones about Elric of Melnibone.
There are a lot of Arthurian fantasies. The old classic is 'The Once and Future King' by T H White, but Mary Stewart's series mostly written in the 1970s and starting with 'The Crystal Cave' are well recommended too.
Gingerlily - Mistress Lantern wrote: "R.M.F wrote: "Fantasy is a genre I specialize in, and with the notable of exception of Jim's comment, I'm very disappointed at what is being suggested! :)I won't rant here, as it would be a good ..."
Don't mention that name. My poor ears! :)
Michael Cargill wrote: "To be honest I'd consider Game of Thrones ideal for someone new to fantasy.There's no elves, dwarves, goblins, etc. and virtually no magic until about the third book."
I found GOT to be very misogynistic IMO, so I gave it a wide berth.
I found GOT derivative and, frankly, badly written and only read book 1.I am amazed that no one else has mentioned Alan Garner.
The Weirdstone of Brisingamen is a perfect entry to fantasy, whilst The owl Service is just a brilliant retelling of one of the stories in the Mabinogion
Did you know that The Owl Service was ITV's first TV program in colour?
Will wrote: "I found GOT derivative and, frankly, badly written and only read book 1.I am amazed that no one else has mentioned Alan Garner.
The Weirdstone of Brisingamen is a perfect entry to ..."
Good post.
Will wrote: "Did you know that The Owl Service was ITV's first TV program in colour?"No. Didn't get a telly till they were old hat.
The Name of the Wind
is an excellent fantasy book.I also like Joe Abercrombie's stuff
The Blade Itself, which is a bit like GoT, but better written, and probably gorier.
Also, Joe Abercrombie is a seriously nice bloke. And GRRM isn't.
Will wrote: "Also, Joe Abercrombie is a seriously nice bloke. And GRRM isn't."I think that does come across in their respective books, which is probably why I prefer JA.
Will wrote: "I am amazed that no one else has mentioned Alan Garner.The Weirdstone of Brisingamen is a perfect entry to fantasy, whilst The owl Service is just a brilliant retelling of one of the stories in the Mabinogion .."
I still have nightmares about getting stuck in underground tunnels after reading one of Alan Garner's books.
Most of my fantasy favourites have already been mentioned.
I've never felt the urge to read (or watch) Game of Thrones though.
by the time I noticed Game of Thrones there was just too much of it to be bothered with :-)
Yeah, GoT is a bloated mess these days.
Jim and Rumph, you're incorrigible.
Too right, we can be curmudgeonly without encouragement :-)
But on a serious note as far as I can see, if you've read much about the English Wars of the Roses, Scots 15th and 16th century history and the best bits of the Italian 14th and 15th centuries, GoT starts looking a bit derivative and even a little predicable ;-)In fact his body count is a bit low
Patti (baconater) wrote: "Jim and Rumph, you're incorrigible."I bet you could corrige them, Patti.
I adore Game of Thrones. Can't get enough! :)
Two cookies for Tim.Cold day old cookie sludge from the bottom of a tea cup for Jim and Rumph.
Patti (baconater) wrote: "Two cookies for Tim.Cold day old cookie sludge from the bottom of a tea cup for Jim and Rumph."
And a nice hot lemon drink for me ;)
Yellow crayon dipped in hot water.
Patti (baconater) wrote: "Yellow crayon dipped in hot water."Real lemon squeezed and sliced
Stop torturing lemons, Janet. You meanie.
The Red Knight is a book I have very much enjoyed. Eagerly awaiting the fourth in the series. Would second Joe Abercrombie, and the Rivers of London series. Also Chris Wooding's Tales of the Ketty Jay - Retribution Falls is the first. Also very much enjoyed The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet fairly recently. Oh and Mark Lawrence, the Red Queen's War series and the Broken Empire...
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Books mentioned in this topic
Dragonflight (other topics)The Name of the Wind (other topics)
The Weirdstone of Brisingamen (other topics)
The Blade Itself (other topics)
Dartmoor...The Saving (other topics)
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Thanks,
Agnes