The Fantasy Forum..........

[Prolixic]

Prolixic, I love GRRM. Totally engrossing. I passed it to a friend of mine and he said it was paedophilic (Dany). Said she was underage when she did it. I didn't notice that.
ds

Dany was 14 in the book when she was sold to be the Dothraki khaleesi or whatever. Sanya is married at 16ish and her wedding night is described. There are a bunch of kids in there, to be sure. I think Martin uses it--and uses it well--to describe a facet of the cruelty in that place. In other words its necessary to the story. They also talk about eunuchs and gelds and all sorts of stuff--but its not the main focus of the books. I don't think you could actually label it pedophillic.

Two series that I'd like to try are Marion Zimmer Bradley's, er I can't think of the title. And LeGuin's Earthsea. Are they worth the read time?

 

[direstraits]

No, I didn't notice her age she on her wedding night, and my thoughts were on her bravery with these bunch of people than on anything else.

Who's Sanya? If you meant Dany, if she did it before 16, then isn't that illegal (I know, I know, but in our context I mean)? There's lots of stuff I'd attach to the book and paedophilic isn't one of them, but isn't it applicable strictly speaking in this regard?

Read Earthsea. Get the first 3 books and then decide if you'll read the rest. The first 3 added together is thinner than any of GRRM's books, so no problem.

Were you thinking about MZB's Mists of Avalon?

ds

 

[Halo]

But you did with Canavan didn't you? And you enjoyed it.

Damn, ds, you spotted the one flaw in my logic! Canavan wasn't even a recommendation from anyone I know, either. I needed another book to get free postage from Amazon, and actually spent ages going through all those lists people post. Most were the usual Rowling, Pullman and Nix, but I noticed Canavan was in quite a few. She had good reviews, so I took the chance and the rest is history!

 

[direstraits]

Elementary my dear Halo. You're one of my favourite posters, so I pay attention.

But that's what makes it exciting, isn't it? The off chance you've plunged and taken a risk with an unknown author, and bang it's right on the money! I like to seek out new authors so that I have a backup list of people I know I can read in case I'm sick of the usual suspects.

 

[Halo]

Elementary my dear Halo. You're one of my favourite posters, so I pay attention.

I am? Hey, I could get used to all this flattery. Carry on, by all means!

 

[direstraits]

You know the bill's in the mail, right?

ds

 

[Halo]

No, I didn't know. I thought you were being sincere. I feel so cheated.

 

[direstraits]

Aww... here you go, Halo.

This little fellow is from Planet Panpan and likes to read scifi.

ds

 

[Halo]

Cute. Kinda squashed looking, but cute. Okay, you're back in my good books, ds.

 

[rune]

Yeah. The giants are stirring. Goodie. My voice may not be American Idol material, but at least it's awful enough to get some attention.

I have lots of unanswered posts as well, rune. But maybe we didn't catch each other at the right time. Wait, if you posted something about a foreign language book, then it'll stay unanswered from me. Go on then, rune, let's have your list of authors that didn't seem to get their share of the spotlight.

Prolixic, I love GRRM. Totally engrossing. I passed it to a friend of mine and he said it was paedophilic (Dany). Said she was underage when she did it. I didn't notice that.

I, uhm, don't like Terry Goodkind. I've never tried Brooks and probably never will.

I just know that if I see none on the shelves when AFOC comes out and I see someone holding it at the counter, I'm gonna grab it and run for it.

I'm still singing, people.

ds

Mark Anthony was an author I mentioned and no one added to the thread
Personally, though he hasnt written much, I think he is a very good author and I would of thought a few people would have discovered his Last Rune Series.

 

[direstraits]

Sorry Rune, but I'm not familiar with Anthony. I just checked Amazon, and I don't think he's available in the bookshops I frequent.

From what I've read, he may not be my cup of tea because I do not enjoy Goodkind, late Jordan, Brooks.

Any more?

ds

 

[rune]

Sorry Rune, but I'm not familiar with Anthony. I just checked Amazon, and I don't think he's available in the bookshops I frequent.

From what I've read, he may not be my cup of tea because I do not enjoy Goodkind, late Jordan, Brooks.

Any more?

ds

What kind of fantasy do you like?

 

[direstraits]

The list below is for fantasy only.

Love:
Ursula Le Guin
George RR Martin
Guy Gavriel Kay
Neil Gaiman

Like:
Lois M Bujold
Early Robert Jordan
Greg Bear (Duology called Songs of Earth and Power, a fantasy!)

Okay/Sorta/Kinda:
Stephen Donaldson

Don't like:
David Eddings
Terry Goodkind
Raymond E Feist


ds

 

[Bluraven]

I'm wondering why no one here has mentioned the Dragonlance saga from Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman? I would have thought that these were absolute "must reads" for fantasy fans?!

I would also like to ask you all, what kinds of stories do these authors you've mentioned tell? I'm not familiar with many Fantasy writers other than Tolkien, Lewis, Rowling, and most of the writers at TSR (I hate calling them Wizards of the Coast!!!). I tend to like "swashbuckling" adventure stories, with lots of swordplay and magic...but I am also of a poetic bent, and enjoy the mythic/historical aspect so prominent in Tolkien's Middle-Earth.

Any thoughts?

 

[Bluraven]

(P.S....sorry if I offended anyone by listing Rowling as a Fantasy writer!)lol

 

[Walker Boh]

Wow, I've been away a while...

Yay! Neil Gaiman! He's my favouritest author in the world!!

So...are there any Pratchett fans here?

 

[rune]

going from you list I would say Mark Anthony would fit into the bracket you like. He's not long winded like Goodkind, I personally find him a better writer by far

How about something different like China Mieville and Steph Swainston

 

[GOLLUM]

I'm wondering why no one here has mentioned the Dragonlance saga from Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman? I would have thought that these were absolute "must reads" for fantasy fans?!
Any thoughts?

Well I've read all of Weiss and Hickman's collaborations over the years and they're reasonable but pretty generic. The prose is fairly standard and the stories not terribly orginal. Having said that they're OK for something light IMHO, which is why I don't mind reading their stuff as a break between much heavier offerings.

My fav series was actually they're 7 part Death Gate Cycle...

How about something different like China Mieville and Steph Swainston

Now you're talking mate!....
*GOLLUM waves furiously at Rune hoping to draw her attention*....

 

[manatherindrell]

Well I've read all of Weiss and Hickman's collaborations over the years and they're reasonable but pretty generic. The prose is fairly standard and the stories not terribly orginal. Having said that they're OK for something light IMHO, which is why I don't mind reading their stuff as a break between much heavier offerings.

My fav series was actually they're 7 part Death Gate Cycle...

I have to agree with this person but I don't really take a break between heavy readings (I reread the wheel of time almost every time a new book comes out for it) so I can't say that I've read very many of them.

 

[DemoPlay]

I have read all the wheel of time books out .they are the best books ,just like lord of the rings i recomend it to people who love Fantasy Books.