Hatrack River Forum: Books like Enchantment

This is topic Books like Enchantment in forum Discussions About Orson Scott Card at Hatrack River Forum.

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Posted by Maratanos (Member # 11918) on :

I'm looking for new books to read, and at the moment I'm trying to find more books similar in concept to Enchantment.

Now, any given novel has a vast number of attributes, so it's necessary to qualify what I mean by that. Specifically, I'm hoping to find more books set in a fantasy (or sci-fi) setting featuring prominent romantic plots.

The problem I have is that the market is awash with so-called "romance novels", many of which are about little other than sex. My conclusions on the subject of what a good novel featuring a romantic plot would be have led me to conclude that, of necessity, there is a second, non-romantic plot which provides the context for the romance.

As of right now, I've poked around a fair bit, looking for other, similar, novels, but the only one I've managed to find so far is Neil Gaiman's Stardust.

To recap: I'm hoping somebody on here has some ideas of where I could find another novel featuring a romance, set in a sci-fi or fantasy universe and treating the topic with maturity (i.e. it's not about sex).

Any suggestions?

Posted by adenam (Member # 11902) on :

Graceling, Kristin Cashore
Enchantress From the Stars, Sylvia Engdahl

Posted by Traceria (Member # 11820) on :

I'm not sure how prominent a role romance will play in the plot since I'm only up to chapter 4, but Spindle's End by Robin McKinley is, if the title doesn't give it away, also another take on Sleeping Beauty. So far, it's highly entertaining. A friend gave it to me on loan.

That book, if you read it and like it (which I'm hoping I will, too) makes me think of some of Diana Wynne Jones books, namely Howl's Moving Castle and its sequels and The Dark Lord of Derholm and its sequel Year of the Griffin. They're young adult books, and are pretty safe for it, too.

Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :

How about Bujold's Cordelia's Honor? I personally hated that one, but I'm about the only person I've talked to who has. Assuming that you like it as much as everyone else seems to, it would fit the bill nicely.

Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :

It's much more than just a love story, and the love story in it is certainly unconventional, but Octava Butler's Wild Seed might be along the lines of what you're looking for too.

Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :

Bujold's A Civil Campaign, from later on in the series, might be more what you're looking for and, IMO, is much better as well.

Posted by Sala (Member # 8980) on :

I agree with Mr. P-H. A Civil Campaign is much better because it's from a seasoned author while Cordelia's Honor was her first book, if I recall correctly. Also, her new fantasy series "The Sharing Knife" -- Beguilement (2006), Legacy (2007), Passage (2008), Horizon (2009) is a romance fantasy. Very enjoyable, great romance, little sex, little bad language.

Posted by Maratanos (Member # 11918) on :

I feel like it might be worth qualifying that I honestly don't think it matters how much sex there is in a romance. No, the problem is that many novels that purport to be romances are about sex. About, not containing. It's a fairly fundamental and crucial distinction.

Posted by Traceria (Member # 11820) on :

Wouldn't worry about this group. I think they picked up on the distinction. [Smile]

Posted by Mockingbird (Member # 5640) on :

Maratanos - Your topic prompted me to login for the first time in ages since I love this genre.

I concur with the recommends of Lois McMaster Bujold - my favorite was actually her early book, Shards of Honor (now the first half of Cordelia's Honor). A Civil Campaign is very good but may make more sense if you read one or two of the books earlier in that series first.

Shannon Hale - Goose Girl
Robin McKinley - Beauty, The Hero and the Crown, The Blue Sword, Sunshine (several others but I tend to like her early works best)
Sherwood Smith - Crown Duel (originally published as 2 books, Crown Duel and Court Duel, but combined in the paperback. Make sure you have both halves. I would have died for this book as a teen.)
Connie Willis - To Say Nothing of the Dog
Patricia McKillip - The Changeling Sea
Mary Elizabeth Pope - The Sherwood Ring, and The Perilous Gard

As I look at this list I can see that most are in the YA category, but I'm way past that age myself and still recommend these wholeheartedly.

Happy reading!

[ March 25, 2009, 04:37 PM: Message edited by: Mockingbird ]

Posted by Sala (Member # 8980) on :

I second the Robin McKinley books. The Connie Willis book, To Say Nothing of the Dog, is one of the funniest books I've read. [Big Grin]

Posted by Snow Flake (Member # 12007) on :

For romance, I second Bujold's book, specially the one about Cordelia, but also Komarr and Ekaterin (sorry, that's the French titles…).

I'm also a great fan of the Darkover series by M Z Bradley. Lots of romance in there too, in most of the books. Then I'll recommand to take a look at Pern dragon's. Although that's usually not the plot, they are good story, and with good love story inside, now and then. For instance, I'd go with the stories of Moreta and Nerilka (I don't know the English titles either).

edit: I forgot to say Pern is written by Anne McCaffrey

Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :

I love both McKinley (she usually writes for younger readers but I love it all anyway) and To Say Nothing of the Dog.

I also really enjoyed Ella Enchanted (it's much better-- and somewhat different-- from the movie) and Fairest by Gail Carson Levine. I've also been wanting to read her book Ever.

Posted by Traceria (Member # 11820) on :

I love Anne McCaffrey's stuff, too, Pern in particular. You get hooked, and there are enough of them that it turns into quite a project trying to read them all. I read both Moreta and Nerilka when I had something flu-like a couple years ago, and I cried like a baby during one or both (can't remember now), but they are oh so good. Personally, I liked Renegades and All the Weyrs espeically, but you really need to start with the three Dragonriders books first for proper introduction. And I'm going to stop there or you're eyes will go crossed from having to read too much in one comment alone. [Wink]

Posted by Mockingbird (Member # 5640) on :

Gail Carson Levine's fairy tale books are generally good reads, though definitely on the Young Adult level. There are several other authors who have tried to capitalize on the fairy tale novel idea, in addition to Levine, Shannon Hale and Robin McKinley - Donna Jo Napoli comes to mind - but I think those first 3 do it best. I once spent a summer seeking out fairy tale novels, so I know whereof I speak. [Smile]

Others that I can recommend in the genre:
Just Ella and its sequel by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Tam Lin by Pamela Dean is very different (set at an Eastern liberal arts college and only really gets magical at the end) but very good if you like that kind of thing.
East by Edith Pattou
Princess Ben by Catherine Murdock

I'd also recommend Alphabet of Thorn, Winter Rose (another take on the Tam Lin story), and The Forgotten Beasts of Eld by Patricia McKillip. Her books are a very mixed bag for me. What I like, I really like, but many of her other books leave me cold or I bog down and give up (e.g., the whole Riddlemaster trilogy). She can get a bit artsy.

I liked Ann McCaffrey's original Dragonrider the best. She's rather lost me with her later books - too mass-produced.

And okay, this is outside the fantasy/SF genre, but if you like romance in your books without feeling like you need to wash your hands afterwards, I have to put in a plug for Mary Stewart's classic mystery-romances. Start with Nine Coaches Waiting, Madam Will You Talk, or This Rough Magic. (Don't bother with her last few books unless you're a completist, though.) I'm a former English major and her literary allusions still warm my heart.

ETA: The Host by Stephenie Meyer. Okay, the first half can be slow (skim if you need to), but the second half makes up for it. I cried. But in a good way.

[ March 25, 2009, 10:41 PM: Message edited by: Mockingbird ]

Posted by Synesthesia (Member # 4774) on :

I loooove the Host. It's a great book.
I'm trying to think of the name of this great book I read recently involving a talking St. Bernard, magic, some scary teacher and odd bits of metal you had to sing to to get them to work.
It was a cool book. Then there's a book called Impossible. It's more the real world meets the mythical. I had no idea Scarborough Fair was such a disturbing song. I got distracted by the vocals and pretty guitars and some stringy instrument. There's a rape scene in it though, but otherwise the sex doesn't happen until after marriage. So that's good.

I'll try to think of more. I keep forgetting all of the awesome books I read.

Posted by Traceria (Member # 11820) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Mockingbird:
And okay, this is outside the fantasy/SF genre, but if you like romance in your books without feeling like you need to wash your hands afterwards, I have to put in a plug for Mary Stewart's classic mystery-romances. Start with Nine Coaches Waiting, Madam Will You Talk, or This Rough Magic. (Don't bother with her last few books unless you're a completist, though.) I'm a former English major and her literary allusions still warm my heart.

Thanks for mentioning those! Mystery-romance sounds good to me. [Smile]

I'm afraid once I read the particular ones you've mentioned, I will likely be a completist and keep going. [Embarrassed]

Posted by Mockingbird (Member # 5640) on :

quote:
Thanks for mentioning those! Mystery-romance sounds good to me. I'm afraid once I read the particular ones you've mentioned, I will likely be a completist and keep going.

Let me know how you like them. They're some of my favorites. I wanted to be Linda in Nine Coaches Waiting - it's a bit like a Cinderella thing.

Posted by lynda (Member # 11730) on :

I liked The Host also.

Posted by Synesthesia (Member # 4774) on :

quote:
Originally posted by lynda:
I liked The Host also.

It makes me long for my very own Ian.

Jared is a bit too harsh and rough for my tastes.

Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :

If it hadn't been my wife that asked me to read The Host, there's no way I would have finished it.

Posted by Mockingbird (Member # 5640) on :

Killjoy. [Big Grin]

I admit The Host isn't exactly great literature, but it is a fun, romantic read (again, at least the last half of it). I would guess it doesn't appeal to all that many guys.

I went to our local (small town) library last night to try to find some of the books others have listed in this thread that I haven't already read, and totally struck out. I was bummed. I guess I'll have to pay to read Cashore or Engdahl. I did have better luck with some of the recommended books in the "Books read in 2009" thread over in the other forum. Read most of George R.R. Martin's Fevre Dream last night and dreamed of vampires. It was rather disturbing ....