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Realistic Fantasy...is there such a thing?

A

AisuKaze84

kickbox
I come to you oh wise sages of the forums to help me on my quest for tomes of fantastic knowledge....or in other words I would like to know if any of you have any suggestions on realistic fantasy novels? There has been a great fantasy void left in my life with the completion of the Harry Potter series which has left me yearning for new authors and new series to explore and devour. I am however well read enough to know where my tastes lie. I enjoy those fantasy stories that grow from realistic roots, ones I can easily relate to and appreciate, into fantastical flowers of creativity, which allow me to contempate the imagination of the author. I enjoy a rich mythos which the author uses to explore complex social interactions and cultural meanings. I have read and loved the Abhorsen trilogy by Garth Nix, and am currently reading the "His Dark Materials" trilogy by Phillip Pullman. I only pose this question to the forum because I have searched and come up fruitless and now seek help. Thank you for your time and advice!
 
Ursula LeGuin

Have you tried Ursula LaGuin? The Lathe of Heaven, The Left Hand of Darkness, The Dispossessed. There are several others I don't remember the titles of, including the Earthsea series. I particularly enjoyed The Left Hand of Darkness which is set on another planet with inhabitants who are human, but human with an important difference. The Dispossessed also has another planet setting and is an exploration of what it means to own nothing.
 
Mary Gentle - Ash: A Secret History.

It's an alternative history fantasy novel. It's mostly a realistic novel with just a hint of magic in there to move the plot along. The characters are just regular people, they aren't wizards flying around on dragons or anything.

It's set in the middle ages. It starts with Ash as a kiddie in the army camp having a fairy nasty time of it, and follows her as she grows up and leads her own team of mercenaries. So you get all the medieval fighting and siege engines and fun stuff like that, and then as the story progresses the fantastical elements start to edge in.

It's fairly dense and dark, and it's a big book, but I thought it was worth the effort. Anyhoo, there are plenty of reviews on Amazon to help you make up your own mind.
 
Rien said:
::cough:: Terry Pratchett, ::cough::
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Hardly real world leading into fantasy, is it?

How about Clive Barker novels? His stuff tends to bring on big collisions between this world and others, such as Weaveworld, Imajica, and The Great And Secret Show. For kids, there his Abarat Quartet which is currently two books in.
 
I tend to think that the Pratchett books are pretty realistic, and they're undoubtably fantasy novels, but I'm not particularly picky about that really. Colour of Magic isn't one of his best, though. I'd go with Reaper Man or Night Watch personally, or if you really want a stronger pull of fantasy, something in Lancre with Granny Weatherwax.
 
Umm... I have lots of things I might suggest, but I'm a bit stuck on the semi-realistic part. I have no clue what you mean... since I don't think I could stuff the novels you named into what I'd consider semi-realistic with a trash compactor...

Are you perhaps meaning set in the present day world as opposed to say, a fantasy realm? Or is there a particular thing you don't want, like no fantastical creatures, or no magic, or... ?
 
Litany said:
Mary Gentle - Ash: A Secret History.
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Agreed. This is the backup book on my nightstand. I read it at night when I forget to bring my daily read upstairs and am too lazy to go downstairs to grab it.
I think I've been reading it off and on for 2 years and am only halfway through. That shouldn't reflect on it's quality though.
And I believe it's been released in to 2 or 3 volumes as well, if you're not ready for the long haul.
I think a pre-Ash prequel was recently released as well.
Good blood & guts stuff!
 
I'm honored. I suppose one has need of only so many keychains.

And speaking of pickled, where's Freya? Reading a book? HAHAHAHA
 
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