What other fantasy books do YOU read?

[Thinlómien]

Originally Posted by Lariren Shadow

I've heard good and bad things about the Fionavar books. I've had friends swear by them and friends who thought they were cliche. I do know that Guy Gavriel Kay did write them after working on something Tolkien related(right now it escapes me as to what it was).

He helped Christopher Tolkien to edit the Silmarillion. But anyway, I can offer yet another opinion on Fionavar. They are downright cliché. Probably one of the most clichéish fantasy books I've read. But they are still simply brilliant, because Kay can pull it off. It doesn't matter if you've got all kinds of seers, dark lords, King Arthurs, semi-Beren&Lúthiens, elves sailing to west, werewolf liutenants trees of life and prophecies in the same book if the author knows how to use the elements exactly correctly. At times it's breathtaking.

I must say, though, that even though Fionavar is very good, I like many other books of Kay's better. Perhaps you could try them too if you're afraid of clichés? Tigana is a lovely, tragic fantasy epic. And if you're into sort of alternative history, you must read The Lions of Al-Rassan (I'm convinced that book is just perfect) and A Song of Arbonne. They are set in worlds very much like Spain under the Arab rule and medieval France, respectively, and they are among my favourite books, both of them.

Originally Posted by Lari

Currently I am reading The Time Traveler's Wife. It's very good and I would consider it sort of fantasy/sci-fi/a whole new breed of fiction all together. It's very good and highly recommend it.

I read it after three downers had praised it, but it was a kind of disappointment. Yes, it was nice, but that's it. I didn't find it especially moving or exciting or well-written or original. For me, it was too much like the sort of icky romantic women's literature...