Fantasy Books (yay)!!!

[Sandy]

Hiya, everybody!:D

Since I'm a complex person with many different interests, I'd like to discuss about this with you too, because I haven't done it yet!

Okay, topic is FANTASY NOVELS. Do you adore them, like moi, or perhaps think they're for kids under 15, and shouldn't be taken seriously?

If I boast a little, I've read...*checks his list(YES, I DO have a list!)* about 150 different fantasy books (mostly in Finnish, but few in English too).

What i think is best fantasy are the Dragonlance- , Deathgate Cycle- and Forgotten Realms-sagas with all the elves, dwarfs and creepy-crawlers.
But of course the "different" type of fantasy is great too, just in a different way, eg Alvin- and Discworld-series (Terry Pratchett is just HILARIOUS!).

And what about "the grandmaster" then? Err, I'm probably the first fantasy-lover to say this, but I actually liked the movie better.*runs from the torches, axes and swords*
I'm of course talking about Tolkien and his masterpiece. But I wouldn't have read Lord of the Rings twice, if I hadn't liked it, but somehow the movie was more...touching, perhaps?

So, please, do tell what type of fantasy you prefer, if you prefer fantasy? (And I'm trying REALLY hard not to make this a favorite-thread, so please give it a chance!)

I'm waiting forward of hearing your opinion!:excited:

[Saiyjin Beijita]

Actually, I believe that Fantasy Writing is for the more mature readers, as it takes a certain level of maturity to grasp and understand the true meaning behind it.

Hmm, a Dragonlance fan. Hehe. Did you read Weis and Hickman's latest [I]Dragons of a Vanished Moon[/I]? I would love to discuss this series if you do read it, as I am a devout fan. :D

Also, I love Robert Jordan and his Wheel of Time series.

[Sandy]

I've read only the two first parts of the newest Dragonlance-trilogy (War of the Souls?), and I think Vanished Moon is the third part, that hasn't been published here yet, so DO NOT tell me spoilers!!!:smirk:

And Jordan...I see his books as the "Bold&Beautiful" of fantasy; I mean, the plotting is ashtonishing! The characters switch partners in every book (one English book has been translated to two Finnish books, btw), and the supproting characters change constantly -not to mention the enemies! Crazy man, that Robert Jordan-guy! But entertaining anyhow!;)

[Utena_Tenjou]

I think fantasy is for all ages.

My favorite fantasy is Lord of the Rings, of course I wouldn't read it twice.

[Saiyjin Beijita]

Hey Sagem have you read the old Dragonlance stuff, you know, Chronicles and Legends Trilogies. My fovorite book out of all that they've written woul dhave to Dragons of Autumn Twilight.

And be sure to pick up Vanished Moon as soon as it comes out over there. It is quite a suprising read.

[Sandy]

Yeah, I at least think I've read all the old dragonlances, surely everything that has been translated, so yes, Chronicles, Legends, New Generation, Fifth Age(not by Weis, I know)...

Hmm, I can't really say a specific book that was my favorite, but everything where there's Tasslehoff or other kents, or gnomes, those rock! Just hilarious...But somehow, Tasslehoff isn't as funny as he used to be in this new series..might be the translation, but I don't think so...well, he's the best character in the series.

Okay, it's almost midnight here, so maybe I'll hit the sack now! Goodnight!

[Mist]

[color=red][size=1] If you're into fantasy, you really should check out the Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind. They're really great![/color][/size]

[Corey]

There was one book I read in the DragonLance series.
Was it the Doom Brigade? Maybe it as something else. Anyway my friend stole it so I have no way of knowing for sure.

[PrettygurlRei]

i love Fantasy. I believe I like them the most because it takes you away from what is happening around you. Where do you get the series that the people above me are talking about. I love fantasy but I have never heard of those.

[Sui Generis]

I love fantasy books. Sure I'm only 14 so I don't know if I should be saying if its for maturer people or not, but I will anywayz. I think its for more maturer readers, just for the fact that it can get so complicated! I mean I love it, some kids honosly can't handel it. They begin to live the fantasy, and destroys them. Tis not good, but it hasn't done that to me YET, so I'm happy! I love them!

[Saiyjin Beijita]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by DarkOrderKnight [/i]
[B]There was one book I read in the DragonLance series.
Was it the Doom Brigade? Maybe it as something else. Anyway my friend stole it so I have no way of knowing for sure. [/B][/QUOTE]

You should go find this friend and get it back. Dragonlance books should be prized treasures. Well, Doom Brigade wasn't that great. You'd probably be better off just starting from the beginning with [I]Dragons of Autumn Twilight[/I].

[The Harlequin]

[font=gothic][color=crimson]I read fantasy novels to the point of death. I read The Hobbit in Year 2, LOTR Year 3. My problem is getting enough to read. With a reading average of 500 pages an hour, makes things difficult. As for some other stuff, well, there's Dragonlance, Forgotten Realms, The Deathgate Cycle, those Terry Goodkind books, and for some other authors: David Eddings, Melanie Rawn, Raymond Feist, Sara Douglas, Barbara Hambly, and Janny Wurts. Just off the top of my head... Yes, I know I have no life and read way too much. Anything by any of those authors, asiding Barbara Hambly, I have read at least 7 times over. And speaking of Janny Wurts, does anyone else read her "Wars Of Light and Shadow" series? I need to know when the sequel to Grand Conspiracy comes out!

14th time...[/font][/color]

[Krademon]

Well lets see what I've got.
Dragon lance chronicles vol1-3
Dragon lance ledgends vol1-3
dragon lance heros vol1-3
dragon lance tales vol1
and..and..many other nifti fantasy book.
I get alot of them at trash and treasure (kind of a place for massive lots of garage sales trinkets in one place).
I've read em all cept heros-vol3 It's a bit drab. I also have about three other dragonlance book but will have to dig for them.
My favorites are chronicles vol3(dragons of spring dawning, read it more than once) and heros vol1(the ledgend of huma)

[Sara]

A BOOK thread!

::happy sigh::

Oke-doke.

LOTR was a good movie, I was pleased how they did it. When you see book-based movies, you usually have to force yourself to remember, [i]it's [u]based on[/u] the book, it not turning the book into an identical movie.[/i] But LOTR was very well done, in my [not quite] humble opinion. Of course, you have to remember that they were writing the screenplay for a fanbase that's been growing steadily for 50+ years, and they knew they had to do a bloody good job of it, or somebody would get lynched. I read [i]Hobbit[/i] in second grade, [i]LOTR[/i] in third and fourth. [Actually, by fourth, I was re-reading the Hobbit, again.]

I can never just have one book going at a time. I'll have a looong book, a series, something lighthearted....So whatever I'm in the mood to read, I've already got something started. [Granted, I have to keep starting new ones....the silly things keep ending!]

I was a huge fan of McCaffrey's [i]Pern[/i] in fifth grade, read all the books she had out at that point in time. I still like them, I'm just not quite as obsessed any more. I can never remember if the first book is [i]Dragonflight[/i] or [i]Dragonquest[/i], I think it's thhe first...anyway, the one with the green cover. [At least, all the versions I've seen] :whoops:

Two other good series by McCaffrey are [i]The Rowan[/i] and [i]Acorna[/i] sagas. I very much recommend [i]The Rowan[/i]; I completely fell in love with Afra a few years ago. Acorna's good as well. [She's an alien who looks like a unicorn-girl, adopted by a couple of space miners, if I remember correctly. Good books, though quite honestly, I'm getting more into Science Fiction than Fantasy, but that line is a little blurry anyway.]

Robert Jordan, a friend of mine told me to read [i]Wheel of Time[/i] books, and I started the first one--I have yet to finish it. I'm getting there, but it's rather slow going. I never quite got into that book. It's a good book, and I can appreciate that fact, but I'm not really enjoying it as much as I thought I would be. I imagine I'll read at least the next two books, and if it's still a no go, well--I tried.

I do like Terry Goodkind books, though I've only read one or two. [They're always checked out at our library. -_-'] They're easier to get into than the [i]Eye of the World[/i] [Robert Jordan, again, for those who don't know.]

Le Guin's books are very good, the [i]Earthsea[/i] ones? I don't remember much about them other than the fact that I enjoyed them.

I also really enjoy the [i]Chronicles of Xanth[/i] or whatever they're called. I read the first few in sixth grade, though I have yet to find/read the rest. [It's about a land where everything's magic--and I mean [i]everything[/i]. Anything here [heh, Mundania] has a magical counterpart: centipedes become nickelpedes, Weeping willows [at least, I assume they're weeping willows....oO;] become carnivorous Tangler Trees, etc. An excellent setting for [i]any[/i] story.]

[i]His Dark Materials[/i] [Philip Pullman] is an excellent trilogy--though I'm surprised it hasn't ended up on every book-banning list on the country. The first one is [i]The Golden Compass[/i], for those of you interested. It's about this awesome girl called Lyra...and, well, read the book. It's a good one.

And of course there's the classic [i]Wrinkle in Time[/i] saga by Madeline L'Engle. I highly recommend this to anyone. It get's a bit semi-techinical in the beginning [Most people I tell to read it give up in the first chapter or two, when they start trying to explain the tesserect--which I thought was fascinating, buut hey, no accounting for taste] but stumble through it, if it bothers you. It really is a great book, with awesome sequels. Any fan of Old Testament History will have fun with [i]Many Waters[/i], but you don't have to believe a word of it to enjoy the telling. [When I found [i]Waters[/i] at my school library, I was ecstatic. I'd read all the others and had no clue I was ever going to *finally* find a book about Sandy and Dennys--my fab characters!]

I grew up on [i]Chronicles of Narnia[/i] and anyone who hasn't read them, should. Regardless of religion. :p I've gotten a couple non-christian freinds who've heard about the parallels tell me they won't read the books because they "don't want anything shoved down their throats." Puh-[i]lease.[/i] Accept the fact that C.S. Lewis [a good friend of Tolkien's, by the way] was a Christian, and get over it! If I can enjoy the fictional anti-christ-ness/evil, power-hungry God [Or so I've been told :smirk:] in [i]His Dark Materials[/i], and all the fictional Mother Goddess-ness and random other diety-ness in Tamora Pierce's [i]Song of the Lioness, The Immortals, Protector of the Small, Circle of Magic,[/i] and [i]Circle Opens[/i] quartets, and who knows what else-ness in all the other books I've read and loved, [i]you[/i] can live through a little fictional Christianity in some of the best fantasy books ever. [subliminal message=READ THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA AND LIKE THEM]'Kay?[/subliminal message]

[Sandy]

*sigh* Though I've read so many f-series, there's still many to go, eg LeGuin's "Earthsea" and P. Pullman's series.

I started my fantasy reading quite late, at the age of 13, I guess.
It started with "the Hobbit" and moved to Eddings and then there was no turning back. Let me say my opinion about some writers.

First, [B]Tolkien:[/B] I love his imagination, and I've practically eaten the books that many others say there boring or too complex, meaning "Silmarillion" and the one with unfinished tales (don't know it's English name). Lord of the Rings wasn't as good because it was written to schoolboys -lots of fighting, high morale, everybody was either totally good or rotten bad, no proper female-characters...ESPECIALLY the lack of females!
But I was a mere schoolboy when I first read it, so it touched me too.

[B]Eddings:[/B] I adored these books five years ago, but I read the latest of his books, "Althalus", half an year ago...and I hated it! It was torture to read it (but I never quit from a book)! Okay, the main idea and the beginning were good, but then it becomes just...horrible! All the villains are crushed like bugs, and *spoiler if anybody cares* Althalus makes his beloved goddess BREGNANT at the end! Gosh...

[B]Weis&Hickman:[/B] Ahh, they are something! Dragonlance-saga works perfectly, and it doesn't bother me that it still goes on! And Deathgate Cycle then...just amazing! And not too long, either. And it's world...something revolutionally well made. I've started to read the new "Blacksword"-series too, but I've only read the first book, so I can't say much about it, except the idea's quite interesting (the hierarchy among mages; well, read and you'll find out..)

[B]Salvatore:[/B] I'm actually quite disappointed about this guy, for his first trilogies to Forgotten Realms were awesome, but now his level is getting veeery low, especially this new "Demon"-trilogy (not Forgotten Realms): it's really unimaginative! The baddies are lambmeat (or how do you say it?), and the main characters just boring. Not good...
Luckily, this Elaine Cunningham, who writes "Daughter of the Drow"-series, has been able to save Forgotten Realms; her books are great, and I think that female f-writers are really underrated.

[B]Jordan:[/B] well, I commented him already, but I'm not nearly finished with his "Wheel of Time", and I'm thrilled to see what lies ahead...

[B]Hobb:[/B] Robin Hobb is the writer of the "Seer"-trilogy, if anybody remembers? I must say that he went the easy way, like so many other f-writers: let's take a boy who's really a son of king/great magician, let's stuck him with a beautiful girl, let the two wander around a fantasyworld gaining frineds and enemies, and then make them a royal couple at the end. This pattern has been followed such names as Eddings (Belgariad), Salvatore (Demon), Tad Williams (Thorn, Sorrow&Memory), Jordan (Wheel of Time), Feist (Serpentwar), and many others.
And Hobb was especially a disappointment, for the first book of "Seer" was really good, but like the others, the end was a total flop(?).

[B]Pratchett&Gaiman:[/B] the most funniest f-writers I know! Just read Discworld-series, Good Omens or Stardust, and you'll see why!

[B]Orson Scott Card:[/B] the "Alvin"-series is really something different! I'm not american, but still the "what-if"-style works on me. Big emotions and lot to think about, not to mention the personal characters. Do read!

Okay, then there's the three fantasy-detective books: "Murder in Tarsis", "Murder in Halruaa" and "Murder in Cormyr", all from different authors. The first one is based on Dragonlance, and the other two on Forgotten Realms, but none of them has nothing to do with the stories Weis&Salvatore have written. It's what makes them so good; characters you'll hear about only this once, and great surprises at the end, kinda like Agatha Christie-type of ending. Good entertainment, if you've read all your Poirots and Marples already.

Okay, I think this will do this time. I haven't yet mentioned properly "Fionavar", "Deverry", "Serpentwar", Holdstock, McCaffrey or Terry Brooks´, but they'll have their momet, I promise!;)

[Sui Generis]

Robert Jordan is amazing! I am only on the second book, but I LOOOOVVVVEeEEEEE the Wheel of Time series!!!

[Mnemolth]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Saiyjin Beijita [/i]
[B]Actually, I believe that Fantasy Writing is for the more mature readers, as it takes a certain level of maturity to grasp and understand the true meaning behind it.

Hmm, a Dragonlance fan. Hehe. Did you read Weis and Hickman's latest [I]Dragons of a Vanished Moon[/I]? I would love to discuss this series if you do read it, as I am a devout fan. :D

Also, I love Robert Jordan and his Wheel of Time series. [/B][/QUOTE]

Hmm....interesting...where I'm from fantasy is regarded as the poorer brother to science fiction which in turn is a poor cousin of 'real' literature. Smacks of elitism you say? I'd concede that point, but I still think its valid. Not too many of those glossy paperbacks have ever won a Booker Prize or captured a Nobel.

In fact the reputation of fantasy is held in such low regard by most 'real' writers I sometimes think its a pity. I believe some works of fantasy certainly deserve more critical acclaim. Of course, then I look upon the rows and rows of populist sugar candy, on any bookstore, that parades itself as fantastic fiction and I realise my mistake. ;)

Fantasy is a great place to start on the journey of reading and writing. But that's not where the trip should end. Of course saying something like that on a Board devoted to anime is probably nothing short of heresy! ;)

[Sandy]

Yeah, fantasy-literature isn't that highly-respected in Finland neither. When I brought a fantasybook to school so that i could read it during the breaks, some people said "Oh, you're reading that! I read those when I was in second class!" It's pretty irritating, as I didn't even read any books when i was in second class (just comics...).

But roleplaying is very popular in Finland, and most of the LARPers read fantasybooks, so there's no worry that it wouldn't succeed here, it's just quite underrated. Pity.:(

And of course people must read other stuff also (the classics and all), but since I'm a student, I get pretty fet up with the classics in the school, so I want to use my spare time reading fantasy. Right now, i'm reading three books at the same time: Elaine Cunninghams "Tangled Webs" (a sequal to "Daughter of the Drow"); Terry Pratchett's "Strata"; and R.A. Salvatore's "Demon Spirit", which is awful, but I just have to read it! I know, me all weirdo!:cross:

[Parabola-]

I had all the Fighting Fantasy books by Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone, but get rid of them all. Basically I just got bored of them. I have a few Dragon Lance books somewhere around the house though.

[zidane11]

Some are ok. But what I'd really like is if your a boy. No offense or anything.

[The Harlequin]

[quote]Salvatore: I'm actually quite disappointed about this guy, for his first trilogies to Forgotten Realms were awesome, but now his level is getting veeery low, especially this new "Demon"-trilogy (not Forgotten Realms): it's really unimaginative! The baddies are lambmeat (or how do you say it?), and the main characters just boring. Not good...
Luckily, this Elaine Cunningham, who writes "Daughter of the Drow"-series, has been able to save Forgotten Realms; her books are great, and I think that female f-writers are really underrated.
[/quote]

[font=gothic][color=crimson]Yeah, his later ones were bad. But Drizzt Do'Urden is the greatest character ever created! The demon series and the Crimson Shadow are bad though. Elaine Cunnigham's second book, Tangled Webs, was better than the first one though. The only problem I have with the entire series is Fydor(I think). The name. It's just too weird...

And speaking of weird, if you think three is bad, try eight!

Wheel of Time! Yes! Not as good as some of the other stuff but still excellent.

Dragonlance: Has anybody here read the Dhamon series, by Jean Rabe? Probably the best Dragonlance novels I've ever read.

I've read most of the Fighting Fantasy stories, including the ones transposed into novels. And their gaming/movie guide "Dungeoneer". However, I tended to concentrate on the ones that were fantasy rather then Sci-fi. In that vein, the best Fighting Fantasy books were that series, I can't remember the name, but I know the third book was called "The Seven Serpents". Great series, better than the other FF books.

Terry Pratchett: Never read any of them, but anybody who would like that kind of world, but a serious story, I would recommend a book called "Deathscent", It's by Robert Jarvis. Excellent book, like Pratchett in many ways. Not sure if he's written anything else though...

Anybody who thinks female writers are underrated has never read Sara Douglas, Isobelle Carmody (The Obernytwn chronicles, The Gathering etc), Melanie Rawn (Dragon Prince, The Mageborn Traitor etc), or, most importantly, Anne Rice! (Not the erotica she wrote under different names though) Anne Rice has to be one of the best writers I have ever enountered, and I've encountered a hell of a lot. Her vampyre series is excellent, and Lasher remains one of the best books I have ever read. Her story "The Mummy" is also excellent, mainly because it's not related to the movie. But yes, I would recommend Anne Rice to everybody! Asiding some of the content...

Anyway, that's my rant over for now. Somebody name some more authors so I can remember I've read them please... Hehehe.

15th time...[/font][/color]

[Sandy]

Fydor? You must mean Fjodor, Harlequin! And I don't think Fjodor is a weird name at all, a typical viking name just like Björn, Hrolf, Ulf and the others. When I first read the back cover of the "Daughter of the Drow", I almost laughed at the name "Liriel", because it's almost like a finnish onomatopoetic word for peeing.:D

Okay, let's not get childish!:rolleyes:

And I have heard so much about Anne Rice, but to this day I haven't found any of her books from the library, where I get all my reading (books are too expensive to buy here!). Okay, I have LOTR at home, but it was kind of a gift, so it doesn't count.

[Genkai]

LOTR all the way, but the movie wasn't too good.

i love fantasy novels!

i especially like Patricia C. Wrede, C.S. Lewis, Lloyd Alexander(who i live real near to), and chinese fantasy. likie, ANCIENT chinese fantasy that most people find boring.

Currently i'm reading the "His Dark Materials" series for the third time, and i must say, the longing for HDM art galleries gets greater and greater with each chapter! anyone els feel the same way?:freak: :freak: :sleep: :sleep: :nervous: :laugh: :nervous: :laugh: :nervous: :laugh: :nervous: :laugh: :nervous: :laugh:

[Sara]

It never occured to me.....But now, I must admit, I have a sudden need to draw Iorek....and Lee Scoresby! :love:

[Genkai]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Cera [/i]
[B]It never occured to me.....But now, I must admit, I have a sudden need to draw Iorek....and Lee Scoresby! :love: [/B][/QUOTE]

cool! Please post it on the Artwork/Graphic Design section, or PM me with it!:D :D