posted
I've just been thinking about authors that, regardless of the actual quality of their writing, really thought out of the box. At least, as far as I was concerned -- By that, I mean, I've read certain books first, that may have heavily borrowed from other books series. For example, 'The Chronicles of Amber' was apparently shockingly similar to a book series that I haven't read. Even if the book series came first, I read the Amber series first, thus, I think of it as the 'original' series.
Anyway, I was wanting to list different 'realms' of fantasy. Some may share elements, but each author, or series, has a very unique element about it.
I'm not saying that the following books were the 'originals' (I don't think anything 'original' exists). I'm not saying that they're the best books to represent a fantasy 'realm'. Quite honestly, I'm not even saying some of these books are all that great. But, to me, in my experience, they were different.
So. I was wondering what other 'realms' of fantasy others may have read or experienced, or what other books could be compared in each 'realm' in addition to the following:
The Alvin Maker series, Orson Scott Card
It's his website, so he's listed first.
Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien
It's obligatory for me to list this.
The Chronicles of Amber, Roger Zelazny
Earthsea, Ursula K. LeGuin
The Firekeeper Saga, Jane Lindskold
Newford Novels, Charles DeLint
Technically, they're all standalones, but they overlap some... Really, anything of DeLint's is different. But, it's easier to just say 'The Newford Novels'
The Paksenarrion Books, Eliabeth Moon
I'd never seen such a focus on weapons and warfare in fantasy before. I'm sure there's been plenty of it before the Paksenarrion books, but they were the ones I read.
A Song of Ice and Fire, George R.R. Martin
Oh, the moral complexity. It makes my head hurt. I love Arya... and Sansa... and Samwell, and...
The Cloudmages, S. L. Farell
My first 'celtic' fantasy.
The Chronicles of Narnia, C.S. Lewis
Young Heroes, ???
There were three books, last I checked. It wrote fictional stories about heroic feats that Greek 'heroes', such as Hippolyte, or Atalanta, performed while still young. Good YA fiction.
Harry Potter, J.K Rowling
The Secret Country Trilogy, Pamela Dean
Dragon books (Talking to Dragons), Patricia Wrede
I'm probably really forgetting a lot, and there are probably better books out there for each 'realm'.
Also, I'm listing these authors/books as they come to mind. I have this feeling that I'm forgetting some really obvious choices, which is annoying. So. Does anybody have any additional realms? Help me out, please.
Posts: 438 | Registered: May 2006
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I knew I was forgetting something. That's what was bugging me so much!
I have no idea what series the Amber books were supposedly ripped off of. But I heard it somewhere on this board. (I'll have to use the search button)
Posts: 438 | Registered: May 2006
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Lois McMaster Bujold's fantasy, either her three novels in the Chalion universe or the recently started Sharing Knife series. In her worlds, magic has serious costs, and gods are truly limited (while still being very godlike).
Posts: 15770 | Registered: Dec 2001
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The first Amber series book, "Nine Princes in Amber," was published in 1970, according to wikipedia. I'm not sure which fantasy series it is supposed to be compared to, but I'd look at publishing dates.
Posts: 2034 | Registered: Apr 2004
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quote:Originally posted by fugu13: Lois McMaster Bujold's fantasy, either her three novels in the Chalion universe or the recently started Sharing Knife series. In her worlds, magic has serious costs, and gods are truly limited (while still being very godlike).
She is one of the best I have ever read....and I used to really dislike her writing based on soem of her earlier novels.
I owe Hatrack for making me try her again...the Chalion series is one of the best I have ever read, and The Sharing Knife is shaping up well.)
Posts: 15082 | Registered: Jul 2001
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Most definitely add to that list 'Jonathan Strange and Mr Norell' by Susanna Clarke.
I believe all I need to do is point to OCS's review of it to see why it's unique.
The first third of the book IMO was hard to get through. But the last two thirds were totally worth it. And being that the book is nearly 800 pages, those last two thirds are A LOT.
Posts: 1711 | Registered: Jun 2004
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Please, please, please someone convince me to finish Otherland. I read the first two books and loved them, and then read all but the last fifth or so of the third book before I had to return it to the library before moving away.
The place I had moved to didn't have it in their library. Other things eventually came up and lo, it has been about five years since I was reading the third book. I just can't seem to muster the energy to get all reaccquainted so I can finish the series.
Is it worth it? Hmm?
Posts: 3936 | Registered: Jul 2000
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Yes definitely worth it. There's a point where you get the feeling that the 'worlds' the. characters are falling into could just go on and on, but Williams controls that reasonably quickly after that, and anyway, the different worlds are so fascinating/chilling/appealing/terrifying you're prepared to allow him to run on a bit. Also, you get one of the most chilling and frightening villains you could ask for, with a suitably fitting fate. I read them 2 years ago, and already I, even with my limited familiarity with cyberspace, can see how the future that Willams describes is already taking shape. Well worth completing.
Posts: 867 | Registered: Dec 2003
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Dragonflight - taking dragons right out of the fantasy box, tucking them under her arm and running down the metaphorical street with them...
Posts: 892 | Registered: Oct 2006
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quote:Originally posted by CaySedai: The first Amber series book, "Nine Princes in Amber," was published in 1970, according to wikipedia. I'm not sure which fantasy series it is supposed to be compared to, but I'd look at publishing dates.
Link. Philip Jose Farmer's World of Tiers series.
Posts: 12266 | Registered: Jul 2005
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posted
Feels like a very thin connection. I haven't read the World of Tiers series -- just the wiki about the series.
But Farmer was not the first to write about immortals or decadent gods. I have read a fair amount of Farmer's other stuff and I don't think he has much in common with Zelazny, as a writer, beyond the fact that they both dip into the well of mythological and fantastical tropes on fairly regular basis, and they have similarly lean (though otherwise completely different) writing styles.
I think any time you write anything, there is going to have been something with similar ideas that came before it, and where you get (or lose) points for originality is in the way you execute the story, and in the way your characters experience the story.
What I know of Zelazny and Farmer tells me that those things are going to be incredibly different. And anyway, the ideas don't even, really, sound very close. But if the ideas *did* sound suspiciously close to me, the next step would be to look at the execution of the story.
This is why Harry Potter is not a rip-off of Ender's Game, or The Matrix is not a rip-off of, you know, pick any Philip K. Dick novel from the 70's, or why Neil Gaiman gets any credit at all.
When you boil any story down to the salt, it's already been told.
Posts: 2267 | Registered: May 2005
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I'm somewhat surprised that no one has mentioned it, but Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy is quite possibly the most unique fantasy series I've ever read. With the exception, of course, of the above mentioned Dark Tower series by Stephen King.
Posts: 292 | Registered: Jun 2006
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Not really a series, but I think Alfred Bester's The Demolished man, and more importantly The Stars My Destination really broke some new ground.
Anyone able to come up with what the original cyberpunk type boks were? Joan D. Vinge, whom I keep bringing up because no one seems to have read her books, wrote some of the best of the genre, if it even is a genre.
Posts: 1286 | Registered: Dec 2005
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It is a genre. Joan D. Vinge's books are terrific. The Demolished Man and The Stars My Destination are not fantasy.
Posts: 2267 | Registered: May 2005
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quote:Originally posted by TL: It is a genre. Joan D. Vinge's books are terrific. The Demolished Man and The Stars My Destination are not fantasy.
Hmm, come to think of it, you're right. They aren't fantasy.
A little sarcasm there. I think the more pertinent piece of information that I had forgotton was not the difference between fantasy and science fiction, but the fact that this thread was supposed to be about fantasy. But I'm sure that's what you meant, right?
Posts: 1286 | Registered: Dec 2005
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posted
Somehow, I thought this might be a discussion of GLBT Fantasy. Guess I've been away from Hatrack too long, or the circles I tend to move in are divergent from those likely to hang out here.
Or some combination of the two.
I recently read Swordspoint by Ellen Kushner and found it astonishingly beautiful. I'm a chronic description-skimmer (*shame*) and I didn't want to miss a word. It was a book that I honestly envied as a writer and loved as a reader. I wouldn't even try to imitate her, though.
The sequel, The Privilege of the Sword just won a Locus for best fantasy novel. I have not yet read it.
I would characterize the setting as more of a regency type of thing-- there are no fantastical elements in the novel's world. No magic or elves or dragons.
I guess the genre is dictated by the imprint, in this case.
Posts: 9293 | Registered: Aug 2000
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quote:I think the more pertinent piece of information that I had forgotton was not the difference between fantasy and science fiction, but the fact that this thread was supposed to be about fantasy. But I'm sure that's what you meant, right?
It is what I meant, actually. I'm slightly startled that you came up with another alternative. It never would have occured to me to accuse you of not knowing the difference between fantasy and science fiction.
I love both 'The Demolished Man' and 'The Stars My Destination,' by the way. I think 'Stars' is one of the top 5 science fiction novels ever written. (Which really just means: top 5 I happen to have read.)
What the heck....
For the record: VALIS, Dune, Ender's Game, The Stars My Destination, and uh, I'm not sure what 5 is in my mind right now. God Emperor? The Stand? Speaker for the Dead even? The Demolished Man even?*
*list subject to change
Posts: 2267 | Registered: May 2005
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Oh, I was just making a sarcastic remark about the way you pointed out something that is quite obvious, like I'm stupid. Of course, I know that's not how you meant it, and so don't take me seriously here (or anywhere, for that matter.)
I love The Stars My Destination. Did you know that they're in the process of adapting it for film? Unfortunately, IMDb requires you to be a member in order to access the page. LAME! I always thought it would be a great movie. It really needs no updating even though it was written over 50 years ago. It still stands as great sci-fi by any standards. Though the long period in total darkness when Foyle is in prison, that will have to be modified because you can't really do that in a movie.
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