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I've always loved it. I've recently gotten back into YA fantasy - they've got some good books. I'm waiting for Rick Riordan's newest Olympus book to come out.
For 20+ years, my favorite author has been Raymond Feist, but I just can't get into his newest Midkemia book. I think I'm finally burnt out.
I wish Mercedes Lackey would write more Valdemar books. I really miss those. I also liked Robin Hobb's Farseer series. Of course I've read all the Harry Potter books. Great stuff there.
I've never liked Andre Norton nor some of the more traditional writers like Tolkein, George Martin, etc. And I really can't stand books about werewolves, vamps, etc.
Riordan's book came out last Tuesday and it's really good, as you would expect.
I've dug Feist since I was a kid, myself. His were the first fantasy books I ever read. Dude just tells a good story. I've definitely not been into the newer seriers nearly as much as some of the others. The Serpent War Saga might have been his best work, in my opinion. Maybe time for him to leave Midkemia for a while...
I haven't read Hobbs or Lackey. I generally, but not always, like Terry Brooks.
I'm not sure what you mean about George R.R. Martin being a traditional fantasy writer. His stuff is new and fresh... kinda turns the genre on its head a bit... I mean, in how many fantasy series do the good guys die, and the bad guys become, kinda, the good-ish guys?
One of my new favorites is Brandon Sanderson (the young guy who was chosen to friggin finally finish the Robert Jordan series... he just died, you know.)). Sanderson has an unfinished trilogy right now which starts with Mistborn. I really enjoyed it.
If you're into the YA fantasy stuff, you should check out the Bartimaeus Trilogy by Stroud. Pretty original and entertaining stuff.
I gotta say that I just could NOT get into the Terry Goodkind series. He's just not a good writer.
I do like fantasy, but it's gotta be well-written. This genre is my literary junk food, but it's still gotta taste good.
There was another lo-ong fantasy thread--but it's probably time to start a new one.
I like Feist as well as Lackey.
Love George RR Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series.
Colorado Native, in another thread I had asked you about Colorado's own Connie Willis. I really enjoy her stuff, especially the very fine The Doomsday Book.
Other favorite authors are Ray Bradbury and Mary Stewart. I really enjoy Stewart's Merlin series.
I've read quite a few of Anne McCaffrey's Pern books but am a bit burned out these days.
I like Diana Gabaldon's stuff too, though every now and then the loveydovey stuff gets to me.
I'm sure there are more fantasy authors I enjoy but will leave room for others to jump in.
I like fantasy quite a bit -- most of the authors mentioned here. I sometimes have to not get too absorbed with one author, however, and read too many of his/her selections because then the works seem just too 'formulaic' but that may be true of authors in other genres, too.
Ah, but of course Mary Stewart and Tolkien are classics.
Riordan's book came out last Tuesday and it's really good, as you would expect.
I've dug Feist since I was a kid, myself. His were the first fantasy books I ever read. Dude just tells a good story. I've definitely not been into the newer seriers nearly as much as some of the others. The Serpent War Saga might have been his best work, in my opinion. Maybe time for him to leave Midkemia for a while...
I haven't read Hobbs or Lackey. I generally, but not always, like Terry Brooks.
I'm not sure what you mean about George R.R. Martin being a traditional fantasy writer. His stuff is new and fresh... kinda turns the genre on its head a bit... I mean, in how many fantasy series do the good guys die, and the bad guys become, kinda, the good-ish guys?
One of my new favorites is Brandon Sanderson (the young guy who was chosen to friggin finally finish the Robert Jordan series... he just died, you know.)). Sanderson has an unfinished trilogy right now which starts with Mistborn. I really enjoyed it.
If you're into the YA fantasy stuff, you should check out the Bartimaeus Trilogy by Stroud. Pretty original and entertaining stuff.
I gotta say that I just could NOT get into the Terry Goodkind series. He's just not a good writer.
I do like fantasy, but it's gotta be well-written. This genre is my literary junk food, but it's still gotta taste good.
I haven't read the Mistborn books yet, but I read Elantris by Sanderson and it was really good, very original. the Wheel of Time series scared me and I never started it b/c it seemed like a never-ending series that the author lost control of. hopefully, Sanderson can reel it in and maybe even have a projected end date, then I could start on the books.
speaking of long series, I LOVE GRRM's A Song of Fire and Ice. I'm just finishing up the 4th book and will be waiting for the 5th to come out this fall
nrkelly, do you know what type of fantasy do you prefer? do you like high fantasy (typical sword-and-sorcery, Tolkien-esque stories), or low fantasy (urban fantasy, contemporary fantasy, etc. the Twilight series would be an example of this)? I love Wikipedia and have gotten a decent list of authors from various categories
my suggestions (I'll try to keep it brief):
A Song of Ice and Fire series
Temeraire series (historical fantasy set during the Napoleonic Wars but it's fought w/ talking dragons. think Dragonriders of Pern meets Master and Commander)
Inkheart (and I believe there is a sequel) by Corneila Funke
I used to read a lot of fantasy. First as a child with Lewis Carrol's Alice in Wonderland (What child hasn't?) and then Tolkien's The Hobbit.
As a young adult, I really became entranced, so to speak, with Mary Stewart's The Crystal Cave and her other Merlin books.
From there it was all downhill for several years to sci-fi fantasy paperbacks that I would not even donate to a book sale today!
I have now run full circle and find myself enjoying King Arthur and rereading most of T. H. White's fantasy tales. I think there is a lot of wisdom in stories such as The Once and Future King.
I am not into werewolves, space alien or horror type of fantasy tales at all. I leave those for the strong of heart and stomach!
nrkelly, do you know what type of fantasy do you prefer? do you like high fantasy (typical sword-and-sorcery, Tolkien-esque stories), or low fantasy (urban fantasy, contemporary fantasy, etc. the Twilight series would be an example of this)? I love Wikipedia and have gotten a decent list of authors from various categories
eevee, I like the typical sword and scorcery (not Tolkien though) and I've been eating up Young Adult fantasy lately. Tunnels, Fablehaven, Sisters Grimm, Seaptimus Heap, etc. I don't like Mercedes Lackey's elf series, but I read (and own) all of her Valdemar books.
You definitely wouldn't enjoy the Twilight series if you don't like the vampires and werewolves. I do recommend The Host by the same author of the above series, Stephenie Meyer. The Host is kind of like a good invasion of the body snatchers.
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YUP, I do
) and then Tolkien's The Hobbit.
