What other fantasy books do YOU read?

[Oddwen]

I just read "Anansi Boys" - I'd been wanting to read some of Gaiman mostly because of the talk around here. I'd read "Good Omens", but wasn't really impressed with the subject matter.

It's weird..."Anasi Boys" is very close to Douglas Adamses "Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul". I found it an easier read (less "british" I suppose), but wow. Is Gaiman is the next Adams? Hmm. I'll have to get my hands on something else of his to be sure.

[Encaitare]

Lal and Bethberry... I am ridiculously jealous. Did you go to a signing? On his website it says that you can send a book to the publisher and he'll sign it next time he's around there, but I want to see the man himself.

I agree that Neil Gaiman could very well be the next giant in fantasy writing. He definitely has the skill for it. Something else that pleases me about him is that he's probably the only favorite writer of mine who isn't dead! *knocks on wood*

[Lalwendë]

Alas, no! There had been a signing and they had a few copies left for sale. This is getting to be a habit for me now - missing signings. I also missed Christopher Lee by about 30 minutes a few years ago, but then I might have fainted if I'd met him anyway! Though I lie...I did get to meet Alan Lee of course! I was about fifth in line!

[Goldberry101]

I really like Eragon and Eldest by Christopher Paolini (not sure if that's spelled right) and I have one other question, kind of silly but how do you get a little picture under your name? This is my first time doing any kind of foum thing and it's kind of confusing.

[Lalwendë]

I've just had a book buying binge again (damn Waterstones and Tesco with their cheap paperbacks... ).

I read Urban Grimshaw and The Shed Crew in an evening or so, a true story and a little too gritty (but very good). So I decided to read something that was a total contrast afterwards, and I'm now onto The Mists of Avalon! I'd forgotten how good it was!

I must have read it in the mid 80's first time around and it was a library book so I've not set eyes on it since. Basically, its a retelling of the Arthurian myths from the point of view of the women, and it also has a very pagan feel to it. I'm currently at the point where Arthur is about to be conceived...

[Rhod the Red]

The Chronicles of Narnia, Harry Potter and David Edding's Tales of Berialand.

[Bêthberry]

Originally Posted by Lalwendë

I've just had a book buying binge again (damn Waterstones and Tesco with their cheap paperbacks... ).

I read Urban Grimshaw and The Shed Crew in an evening or so, a true story and a little too gritty (but very good). So I decided to read something that was a total contrast afterwards, and I'm now onto The Mists of Avalon! I'd forgotten how good it was!

I must have read it in the mid 80's first time around and it was a library book so I've not set eyes on it since. Basically, its a retelling of the Arthurian myths from the point of view of the women, and it also has a very pagan feel to it. I'm currently at the point where Arthur is about to be conceived...

Do I hear an echo of Tristram Shandy here? Any winding of clocks?

I wonder how davem's strictures about Tolkien's Christian subtext--or should I say LMP's Christian subtext apply--if at all--to a book which so directly incorporates the struggle between pagan and Christian visions.

This issue relates to a point Lalwendë made some posts ago about Neil Gaiman' s mythology. If I remember correctly, Lal suggested that our appreciation of his American Gods depends upon our prior knowledge of the old mythologies. Is this a failure according to davem's theory of experiencing fantasy?

I've recently finished a book which is not usually categorised as fantasy--William Gibson's Neuromancer--but science fiction. (Well, both are often subsumed under the rubric speculative fiction these days, so perhaps that division does not matter.)

Why do I have this urge to think of Neuromancer as fantasy? Especially since Gibson is 'credited' with inventing the idea of the Net. There is one aspect particularly in which his work reminds me very much of Tolkien: the language.

Gibson has so fully realised his time because he creates many new words to give shape, texture, credibility to his vision: technology is married to nature in his first sentence, which describes the sky in colours of television screens. His metaphors are astoundingly apt, sharp, direct. Tolkien created the elven languages and was scrupulously particular in his use of English philology to characterise Middle earth.

Is there something in the very language which an author uses to write his or her work that gives rise to the tradition of fantasy? Does fantasy involve a major reimagining of language, so that it is not merely descriptive of a different reality but actually implies that reality? Or is this simply a feature of the masters of the genre? (if I'm making much sense here)

[davem]

Originally Posted by Bb

This issue relates to a point Lalwendë made some posts ago about Neil Gaiman' s mythology. If I remember correctly, Lal suggested that our appreciation of his American Gods depends upon our prior knowledge of the old mythologies. Is this a failure according to davem's theory of experiencing fantasy?

i think it depends how much background the author gives the reader. I haven't read American Gods, so I don't know how much info Gaiman gives. Of course a fantasy novel can intentionally depend on a prior knowledge of Fairy lore or Mythology. Then again, there are fantasy authors who seem to hope desperately that his/her readers know nothing about the traditional stories. Anyone reading Stephen Lawhead's Arthurian series will be appalled by his twisting & misuse of Celtic legend for his own ends - this is a real case of a 'conscious Christian subtext' - in fact its not even a 'subtext', but a deliberate misrepresentation of the facts in order to promote his religion.

The case with Tolkien is different as, while he may have been inspired by ancient myths he has created a self-contained Secondary World which does not require any knowledge of Primary World myths & legends to be comprehensible (in fact bringing too much Primary World knowledge into one's reading can actually break the spell he weaves). This is different to what Lawhead does, in that once the Pagan themes are changed, subsumed into new forms the originals can be ignored.

Gaiman does not write epic fantasy in the Tolkienian sense, but explores ideas & themes from myth, folklore, contemporary fiction, modern culture. His stories take place on the borderland between, if you like the personal & the Collective unconscious.

Does fantasy involve a major reimagining of language, so that it is not merely descriptive of a different reality but actually implies that reality? Or is this simply a feature of the masters of the genre? (if I'm making much sense here)

Its the 'Green Sun' thing, I suppose....

[Saurreg]

Originally Posted by Oddwen

I just read "Anansi Boys" - I'd been wanting to read some of Gaiman mostly because of the talk around here. I'd read "Good Omens", but wasn't really impressed with the subject matter.

It's weird..."Anasi Boys" is very close to Douglas Adamses "Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul". I found it an easier read (less "british" I suppose), but wow. Is Gaiman is the next Adams? Hmm. I'll have to get my hands on something else of his to be sure.

Anasi Boys was what my friends and I describe as Gaiman off tangent. It is a good read but nevertheless it fails to capture the dark gothic essence that made American Gods and Neverwhere such nightmarish pleasures. I thought the only good part was when "fatty' entered the African Dreamland and enlisted the aid of the animal spirits against his brother. The birdlady bit was scary.

Mr. Nancy (Anasi the Spider sprite) was fun, but I would have prefered it if the book was on other characters such as Mr. Ibis (Thoth), Mad Sweeney (Irish Leprechaun) or my fav, Mr. Jacquel (Anubis).

For those of you who are not in touch with mainstream comics, Mr. Gaiman is now scripting The Eternals for marvel comics.

[Lalwendë]

Saurreg, what didn't you like about Wizard of Earthsea? I read this not that long after reading LotR for the first time and it was one of the scant few other fantasy books that impressed me - a failing which lasts to this day. I must read Earthsea again soon.

However, I can't as I've a few new books now. I've just got hold of the compilation of the first four Books of Magic - scripted by Neil Gaiman, with some Charles Vess illustrations. Some of the following volumes also look good, despite not being scripted by Gaiman; there was an interesting one telling the story of the Faerie Queen's life. I saw a new collection of Neil's shorter fiction and other writings has just come out - Fragile Things. Here's a poem by him in Journal Of Mythic Arts.

I've also picked up Susanna Clarke's new volume of shorter writings - The Ladies of Grace Adieu. This includes a story about the Raven King, John Uskglass. It's a very nice edition as I decided to splash out an extra £10 and get the boxed, special edition one.

[Saurreg]

I did not like the Wizard of Earthsea because it was IMO lacking in descriptions and details unlike LoTRs or the other fantasy books. I couldn't picture anything much from the narrative and felt so detached from the characters that I couldn't care less whether Ged won or lost at the end... Perhaps the Tombs of Atuan with its ancient temples, blood sacrifices and such would work better.


Susanna Clark eh? Did she write Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell? It was voted by my varsity's book club as the best fantasy book of the year back when it just came out. I should make time to look for a copy of that book that everyone swore by, however priority must be given to Don Quixote by Cervantes (Penguin Books edition).

P.S: Anyone here read Promethea by Alan Moore and J.H. Williams III? Some would consider it as mere main stream comic or worse, cheesecake filler. I however think that the story was as good as that of Neil Gaiman's Sandman.

[Lalwendë]

Originally Posted by Saurreg

I did not like the Wizard of Earthsea because it was IMO lacking in descriptions and details unlike LoTRs or the other fantasy books. I couldn't picture anything much from the narrative and felt so detached from the characters that I couldn't care less whether Ged won or lost at the end... Perhaps the Tombs of Atuan with its ancient temples, blood sacrifices and such would work better.


Susanna Clark eh? Did she write Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell? It was voted by my varsity's book club as the best fantasy book of the year back when it just came out. I should make time to look for a copy of that book that everyone swore by, however priority must be given to Don Quixote by Cervantes (Penguin Books edition).

P.S: Anyone here read Promethea by Alan Moore and J.H. Williams III? Some would consider it as mere main stream comic or worse, cheesecake filler. I however think that the story was as good as that of Neil Gaiman's Sandman.

Well from what I remember (I really must read it again, I picked it up and read a chapter a few weeks ago but had to lay it to one side as I was in the middle of something else) there wasn't all that much description either! Funnily enough I found the first book the best - not all of them had even been published when I read it (think it was only a trilogy?). But Ursula Le Guin seems to go more for getting into the heads of characters. I liked the way it was a lot darker than LotR though - you need contrasts like that - darker books and more hopeful stories.

Now I'd recommend Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell to anyone. A mad mixture of dark faerie, the Napoleonic wars and all served up in an Austen/Dickens style. With footnotes. A slow building story, you won't be able to put it down as you hit the final third part. The Penguin Don Quixote is a good translation anyway so davem says - he read it last year.

Also I opened up my copy of The Ladies Of Grace Adieu earlier (it was sealed in plastic) and was pleasantly surprised to find its full of fab Charles Vess illustrations.

[Saurreg]

Originally Posted by Lalwendë

Well from what I remember (I really must read it again, I picked it up and read a chapter a few weeks ago but had to lay it to one side as I was in the middle of something else) there wasn't all that much description either! Funnily enough I found the first book the best - not all of them had even been published when I read it (think it was only a trilogy?). But Ursula Le Guin seems to go more for getting into the heads of characters. I liked the way it was a lot darker than LotR though - you need contrasts like that - darker books and more hopeful stories.

Now I'd recommend Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell to anyone. A mad mixture of dark faerie, the Napoleonic wars and all served up in an Austen/Dickens style. With footnotes. A slow building story, you won't be able to put it down as you hit the final third part. The Penguin Don Quixote is a good translation anyway so davem says - he read it last year.

Also I opened up my copy of The Ladies Of Grace Adieu earlier (it was sealed in plastic) and was pleasantly surprised to find its full of fab Charles Vess illustrations.

As far as I know it, there are four Earthsea stories in the compilation (The Earthsea Quartet, Penguin Books 1993 edition) that I bought.

The Wizard of Earthsea
The Tombs of Atuan
The Farthest Shore
Tehanu

I have finished the first story and am into the third chapter of the second. Suffice to say I am starting to like Arha the High Priestess of the Nameless Ones very much for she strikes me as more "human' than Ged. I liked her vulnerability, her loneliness, haughtiness and shockingly yes, even her nonchalance in giving death or life. The description of the tombs and the ritual of seance with the Old Gods was also highly agreeable with yours truly.

So it is settled! The book about English magiks immediately after the book on a wayward insane Spaniard. Thank you for your recommendation.

I have read the illustrated Stardust that was illustrated by Charles Vess. IMO one of the best graphic novels for the pictures conveyed atmosphere and moods that the words cannot. Oddly, I like to read that book whilst listening to Kate Bush's The Dreaming. So I will keep in mind The Ladies of Grace Adieu whenever I head into the bookshops.

I have a feeling that my free time for the rest of this year would be spent very fruitfully.

[Lalwendë]

Originally Posted by Saurreg

I have read the illustrated Stardust that was illustrated by Charles Vess. IMO one of the best graphic novels for the pictures conveyed atmosphere and moods that the words cannot. Oddly, I like to read that book whilst listening to Kate Bush's The Dreaming. So I will keep in mind The Ladies of Grace Adieu whenever I head into the bookshops.

I have a feeling that my free time for the rest of this year would be spent very fruitfully.

The Charles Vess illustrated Stardust is the best. And I only managed to pick it up by mistake, when I found it in York's excellent little comic book shop when I was just browsing one day. Well worth the few extra quid and effort involved to get it!