Friday, February 4, 2011

Fantasy Starter List

1.  Anne McCaffrey: Dragonflight
2.  Katherine Kurtz: Deryni Rising
3.  Nancy Farmer: The Sea of Trolls
4.  Jennifer Roberson: The Novels of Tiger and Del
5.  Elizabeth Kerner: Song in the Silence
6.  Garth Nix: Sabriel
7.  David  & Leigh Eddings: Pawn of Prophecy
8.  Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman: DragonLance Chronicles
9.  Mercedes Lackey: Arrows of the Queen
10. Anne McCaffrey: Crystal Singer

Focus for this list:
When I retire, I want to live on Pern, Anne McCaffrey's fabulous setting for her Dragon Rider books (#1 on the list).  That said, each of these recommendations is a doorway into wonder, and many lead into sub-genres all their own.  Enjoy your explorations!

7 comments:

  1. Just stopped by to make sure that Dragonflight and Sabriel had made it on the list. No need to list the sequels. The books will suck you in to those all by themselves.

    I'd also recommend Tamora Pierce's Alanna series, and all of the subsequent connected series. They're theoretically "young adult" but at our house, new ones get read by teens/young adults and parents as fast as we can steal the book from each other.

    - Barbie

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  2. I'm anything but a fantasy-lover, but I really enjoyed Kristin Cashore's "Graceling" and Tad William's "Memory, Sorrow and Thorn"-series (got it from my ex). And I recently read Gaiman's "Good Omens" and thought it was pretty enjoyable. Are the books on your list comparable to mine - and do you think there's one I'd like if I like the ones I mentioned?

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  3. @ Barbie: I've got a list started (in my head) for those wonderful cross-over teen/adult books! And yes, I love Tamora Pierce! Have you read Sea of Trolls? You'd love it . .. it picks up where Beowulf finishes!

    @Doro: I think you'd really like Sabriel. It's a bit darker than some of the rest, and the second book in the series (Lirael) has the best library in all of fiction! Another one I think you'd like is Song in the Silence. It's beautifully written and just gorgeous!

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  4. Dragonflight, and Sabriel are always great books. :) Though Red Sands by Paul B. Thompson and Tonya R. Carter, both contributors to the Dragonlance tales anthology. Red Sands is a wonderful book about a group of five rather interesting companions and their chance at freedom. They escape the dungeons of the terrible and horrendous Sultan of Fazir in order to stop a Faziri conquest. They encounter an efreet (much like a djinn) in a zombie filled old trapped ruin in which they had taken refuge from a sand storm. They encounter flying strelli, a gentle race that needs their help. It's a good book that will draw you in and leave you wanting a sequel!

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  5. I am missing "The Song of Fire and Ice" by George R.R. Martin. The first book in the series is "A Game of Thrones". A podcast I listen to regularly just recently described it as "The Sopranos meets the Middle Ages". Also, another good one in the vein of "Dragonlance Chronicles" is "The Canticle" by R.A. Salvatore. My wife says I know more about fantasy than anyone she knows.

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  6. *grin* I absolutely LOVE all the recommendations I'm getting! :) So, here's an opportunity (and a challege) for you! Pick a genre, or sub-genre, and write up a list. I'll post it with you as the guest-author! This fantasy list was just a starter list, and I'd love to get some input from YOU as to what else you'd recommend to folks! My only rule? You must have actually read each book yourself! :) Ready? Set? Go!!!

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  7. I saw you over at Debbie's newbie party. What a great blog you have. I am your latest follower. I would love for you to come and check out my blog and follow me back at www.diybydesign.blogspot.com. Thanks so much.

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