What other fantasy books do YOU read?

[Gwathagor]

Originally Posted by Morthoron

I had discussed JS & MR earlier in this thread...

http://forum.barrowdowns.com/showpos...&postcount=663

I came away from the book dissatisfied. It droned on far too long after a very promising start, and the characters became less and less interesting as the story advanced. Both Strange and Norrell both came off as a bit thick, and the allusions to imaginary books, although clever at the beginning, became an anchor no less heavy than the copious allusions found in Melville's Moby Dick (a novel I respect but despise all the same). As the Emperor told Mozart in the movie 'Amadeus', "There you have it -- too many notes."

I usually rate books on whether I would reread them (I do the same with movies). I would not reread this book.

Oh, I'm glad to see that other people have read it. I'm sorry it bored you, though. As you're probably aware, Clarke did not intend for the footnotes to be published with the book, but simply wrote them for her own benefit and left them in when she sent the manuscript to the publishers, where she fully expected the footnotes to be excised. They are in no way essential to the story as a result and can be skipped over if one is in a hurry to finish the book. However, if one is willing to take the time to read them, they add a great deal to the sense of a larger, complete world that has, throughout its past several centuries, been deeply affected in every way by magic. I personally thought the footnotes were a lot of fun to read, particularly the legends and crazy anecdotes.

It is a long book, for sure, and is pretty slow during its first half. Once it gets moving, though, it's well worth the time invested.

[Thinlómien]

I just finished Ursula Le Guin's The Word for World is Forest and I'm happy that I decided to read it. Not only because it was a very good book (one of the best I've read this year), but also because I really seldom read science fiction and upon reading this book I realised I'd enjoy the genre a lot, because it can have such interesting ideas and also criticism of the way how humans treat each other and the nature.

[Bêthberry]

It might be Le Guin you are enjoying, Lommy, rather than the genre of SF, because she has a unique POV which not many other writers of SF follow.

JS and MR offers a unique alternate history, which is part of its charm. As Professor Fordim Hedgethistle once suggested, one can question some of the aspects of that alternative vision, but it is clever. As well, those who know Victorian culture might find a chuckle or two in it.

I'm still rather surprised that no one else has mentioned Patrick Rothfuss's The Name of the Wind, especially considering that a comparison to Tolkien would be quite interesting.

[Boo Radley]

Right now I'm working my way through Pratchett's Discworld series for the second time.

Love the man's mind and am greatly saddened that it's fading away...

[Thinlómien]

Originally Posted by Bêthberry

It might be Le Guin you are enjoying, Lommy, rather than the genre of SF, because she has a unique POV which not many other writers of SF follow.

Well, that could be, I admit - her Earthsea novels are among my top favourites of fantasy books ever.

The last book I read was George R.R. Martin and Lisa Tuttle's Windhaven. It was nowhere near the best fantasy books I've read but the narration was exceptionally vivid. I can recommend it.

[Boo Radley]

Originally Posted by Thinlómien

Well, that could be, I admit - her Earthsea novels are among my top favourites of fantasy books ever.

The last book I read was George R.R. Martin and Lisa Tuttle's Windhaven. It was nowhere near the best fantasy books I've read but the narration was exceptionally vivid. I can recommend it.

Which Martin book(s)? The A Song of Ice and Fire series? An excellent read, very reminiscent of the War of the Roses, I just wish there wasn't such a huge gap between books. But one should never attempt to hurry creativity.

[Thinlómien]

Originally Posted by Boo Radley

Which Martin book(s)? The A Song of Ice and Fire series? An excellent read, very reminiscent of the War of the Roses, I just wish there wasn't such a huge gap between books. But one should never attempt to hurry creativity.

Well yes I've read those and liked them very much, and sometimes I feel like strangling the author for keeping us in suspense and never finishing the next part of the series!