Fantasy Books
Fantasy Fantasy, More
Fantasy (you guessed it, I love fantasy)
The best of a huge field. In my opinion.
J.R.R.Tolkien. The world is divided into those who love Lord of the Rings and those who don’t. There is no convincing the haters—I’ve tried. This is the original, the best and the one I would take to my desert island. I always find something new in it every time I read it.
Tamora Pierce. Anything this woman writes is gold. She started off with the Song of the Lioness series, and has now written many more books about Tortall. She has also started another series, The Circle of Magic, which is equally good. A perfect lead into the world of fantasy literature.
Robin Mckinley. I first came across The Blue Sword and The Hero and the Crown, her Damar novels. But Rose Daughter, Beauty, Spindle’s End and any of her other books are just as good. She specialises in strong heroines and a healthy dose of irony. I love the way she takes an existing fairytale (ie Beauty and the Beast) and fleshes it out into a whole new story. I wish I could write half as well.
Ursula le Guin. The Earthsea Books are literary fantasy at its best. I was deliriously happy when she published Tehanu and The Other Wind many years after the first three books. She’s an all-round great writer.
Diana Wynne Jones. This is my children’s book heroine. I have read everything she’s ever written—and all her adult stuff too. The Chrestomanci books are ace, (and the newest, The Pinhoe Egg is the best ever). I suggest The Dark Lord of Derkholm and The Year of the Griffin for older readers. Very very funny.
Robin Hobb. Four series, Farseer, Liveship Traders and Tawny Man are all linked. Soldier Son is her ongoing new one, and just as good. Liveship is my personal favourite, but they’re all compulsive reading.
Guy Gavriel Kay. The Fionavar Tapestry is my second desert island choice for fantasy. I don’t think he’s written anything as good since. Feel free to disagree.
David Eddings. The Belgariad and The Mallorean were introduced to me by a very good writer called Douglas Hill. I bought one, bought all the rest immediately I’d finished it, and have been an Eddings addict ever since. That said, I think his later work is slightly repetitive. My son doesn’t.
Terry Pratchett. I couldn’t get into Discworld at first. Then I met Terry at a convention, told him so, and asked him for a recommendation. “Go for the throat, why don’t you?” is what he has written in my copy of Carpe Jugulum. I was hooked from about page 10, and now my children are fans too. My husband hates it when a new one comes out, because I lie in bed and shake with laughter all night. He tells me it is annoying for some inscrutable reason. I love anything that includes the Witches of Lancre, Death, Tiffany Aching or Sam Vimes. I’m not so keen on Rincewind and that blasted Luggage. But I wouldn’t have missed any of them for anything.
Robert Jordan. Love him or hate him (and the jury is out on a couple of the later novels in The Wheel of Time) this is an achievement of mammoth proportions. He has constructed a world of sweeping proportions. But 12 books in I really really really want him to hurry up and let us all get to the end. Please, Robert. Just do it.
Katherine Kerr. Celtic reincarnation with a sprinkling of Iron Age warbands, Elves and magical dweomer. Three linked series, Deverry, Silver Wyrm and Dragonmage, the last of which is ongoing.
Melanie Rawn. Dragon Prince and Dragon Star are her first and best. There’s quite a lot of blood and war, but also a great love story and some fascinating magic. I really like the idea of using the colours of the sun and stars to communicate by.