What other fantasy books do YOU read? - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Kitanna · 03-21-2006, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Encaitare

Let's just say anything and everything that Neil Gaiman has ever penned. Well, everything I've been able to get my grubby little hands on, anyway.

Yes, thanks to you and the prodding of my friend, I picked up volume one of The Sandman. In a few hours I was already half-way through volume two. I haven't finished the series yet, but so far I've claimed volume six (Fables and Reflections) as my favorite.

JennyHallu · 03-21-2006, 08:48 AM

Lommy...I've read both of those, and enjoyed them. There are two sequels to Abhorsen; keep reading, they're both good.

Tigana was excellent. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find the same magic in the other books I've found by Kay. I think the strength of Tigana was the loyalty to a single theme, that of patriotism, and I felt the book had a strong philosophical flavor. I really enjoy books that ask me to think.

As for Neil Gaiman...I have a number of friends who swear by his work...but I never really got into it so much.

Thinlómien · 03-21-2006, 12:22 PM

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Lommy...I've read both of those, and enjoyed them. There are two sequels to Abhorsen; keep reading, they're both good.

Abhorsen is the last one, and I've read the previous books (Sabriel and Lirael) already. I think the last book was the best and the second the worst. What about you, Jenny?

Quote:

Tigana was excellent. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find the same magic in the other books I've found by Kay. I think the strength of Tigana was the loyalty to a single theme, that of patriotism, and I felt the book had a strong philosophical flavor. I really enjoy books that ask me to think.

That's one of the reasons I enjoyed Tigana so much; it made me think. I also loved some of the characters, Dianora for example. I have a CD (Dido's Life for Rent) and some of the songs remind me so much of Tigana, especially Dianora, and I just can't understand why.

Connie Willis' Domesday book(?) is a masterpiece, though I'm not sure if it's fantasy...

Lalwendë · 03-21-2006, 03:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kitanna

Yes, thanks to you and the prodding of my friend, I picked up volume one of The Sandman. In a few hours I was already half-way through volume two. I haven't finished the series yet, but so far I've claimed volume six (Fables and Reflections) as my favorite.

Yay! Another fan! What did you think of the re-telling of Midsummer Night's Dream?

I've still to start on Smoke and Mirrors though. I bought Peter Ackroyd's Albion - The Origins of the English Imagination and have been reading that; it's not fantasy, nor is it fiction, but it's excellent, and recommended for understanding more about Tolkien.

Lathriel · 03-21-2006, 03:52 PM

I also really like Garth Nix, that is the Sabriel trilogy. I also read Across the Wall. It is a series of short stories and only one of them takes place in the Kingdom but the others ones I really good too. I really recommend it.

Kitanna · 03-21-2006, 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lalwendë

Yay! Another fan! What did you think of the re-telling of Midsummer Night's Dream?

I wouldn't put it on my favorites list, but it was still really good. A very interesting take on the play, that's for sure.

Encaitare · 03-21-2006, 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lalwende

What did you think of the re-telling of Midsummer Night's Dream?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kitanna

I wouldn't put it on my favorites list, but it was still really good. A very interesting take on the play, that's for sure.

The funny thing is that now whenever I'm reading Shakespeare and a character is talking about dreams, my ears sort of perk up and I think "What? Dreams? Morpheus? Yay!"

Lalwendë · 03-28-2006, 02:26 PM

I'm going to make Encaitare jealous now. I've just got a signed copy of Anansi Boys!

I hope my reading pile gets smaller soon so I can make a start on it!

Bêthberry · 03-31-2006, 08:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lalwendë

I'm going to make Encaitare jealous now. I've just got a signed copy of Anansi Boys!

I hope my reading pile gets smaller soon so I can make a start on it!

Well, I have a signed copy of Coraline. So there!

You know, there are times when I am reading Gaiman that I become absolutely convinced that he is the new/next Master of Fantasy, along the same lines as Tolkien. They're very different writers of course, in terms of world view and perspective, but in their ability to create magic on the page and to reimagine the world as a perilous realm, I think Gaiman is the Next Apparent.

What do y'all think? What are the common elements in Tolkien's and Gaiman's fantasy? Do they both understand how to reinvent mythology?

Lalwendë · 03-31-2006, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neil Gaiman

My great daydream when I was ten was to travel to a parallel universe exactly like ours - except that in that other universe, nobody had ever written Lord of the Rings. I would bring along my copy, get somebody to type it out for me in manuscript, send the pages off to a publisher, and then be celebrated as author of The Lord of the Rings without doing any of the work.

I love that quote. It's not only funny, and expresses what a lot of us have probably thought at some time or another (I know I have

), but it shows how a writer as skilled as Gaiman realises how what Tolkien wrote was unique and could not be repeated, how it was Tolkien' lifetime of work which produced Lord of the Rings.

I think we are always looking for the next Tolkien and always will be, but I don't think there ever will be another Tolkien. However, Gaiman could well garner such support as Tolkien did if he keeps on producing such good work, as he does share that understanding and appreciation of mythology. His work is most definitely of its time (as was Tolkien's - no sex, no swearing etc), reflecting a darker kind of world, and is already having an influence - how many girls go around dressed like Death, and boys as Dream?

The main difference that I see is that Gaiman, possibly due to being from a different era, is not afraid to confront the darker side of human nature, and he ties in figures such as John Dee and serial killers to his tales. Where Tolkien found it more difficult, certainly as he aged, to deal with chaotic ideas (such as Tricksters), Gaiman seems to have more freedom to play with these ideas.

And I also think that while Tolkien's work leads us on to mythology, Gaiman's work actually seems richer if we know something about mythology (and history and literature) before we read it.

03-21-2006, 08:48 AM	#2
JennyHallu The Pearl, The Lily Maid Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: In my luxury Barrow, snuggled up in a pile of satin pillows, eating fresh fruit. Posts: 1,628	Lommy...I've read both of those, and enjoyed them. There are two sequels to Abhorsen; keep reading, they're both good. Tigana was excellent. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find the same magic in the other books I've found by Kay. I think the strength of Tigana was the loyalty to a single theme, that of patriotism, and I felt the book had a strong philosophical flavor. I really enjoy books that ask me to think. As for Neil Gaiman...I have a number of friends who swear by his work...but I never really got into it so much. __________________ <=== Lookee, lookee, lots of IM handles!

03-21-2006, 03:52 PM	#5
Lathriel Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Wandering through Middle-Earth (Sadly in Alberta and not ME) Posts: 612	I also really like Garth Nix, that is the Sabriel trilogy. I also read Across the Wall. It is a series of short stories and only one of them takes place in the Kingdom but the others ones I really good too. I really recommend it. __________________ Back again

03-28-2006, 02:26 PM	#8
Lalwendë A Mere Boggart Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: under the bed Posts: 4,737	I'm going to make Encaitare jealous now. I've just got a signed copy of Anansi Boys! I hope my reading pile gets smaller soon so I can make a start on it! __________________ Gordon's alive!