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Post by geoffrey on Jul 22, 2011 9:17:33 GMT -6
My tastes evolve with the passing years. As of today, here is what would be on my shelf of must-haves, basically put in the order in which I like them:
M. A. R. Barker: complete works
J. R. R. Tolkien: complete works
Lilith by George MacDonald
A Voyage to Arcturus by David Lindsay
most of the fantasy stories by M. R. James, Arthur Machen, Algernon Blackwood, and Lord Dunsany
about half of Clark Ashton Smith's stories
She by H. Rider Haggard
The Dying Earth (first book only) by Jack Vance
What would be in your essential library of works of fantasy?
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Post by Falconer on Jul 22, 2011 9:38:01 GMT -6
Lots of these types of threads, lately. I’ll give it a lazy shot (no italics this time): Not sure if this counts as “fantasy,” but first I’ve got to have: The Bible (RSV with Apocrypha and notes)The Elder Edda, the Prose Edda, and the Völsungasaga The Mabinogion, Chrétien, and Malory Then the Brits: Tolkien: HoMe (except #7 and #8), UT, Hob, LotR, Adventures of Tom Bombadil, Smith/Giles Eddison: The Worm Ouroboros Lewis: Narnia & Space Then the Americans: Burroughs: Princess, Gods, Warlord, Master Mind, and Llana Vance: Dying Earth (first book) Lovecraft: Complete fiction Howard: Conan Anderson: High Crusade deCamp/Pratt: Harold Shea (just the ones Pratt co-wrote) |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 7, 2011 2:46:26 GMT -6
Sadly passed away a couple of years ago, but I never tire of re-reading any of David Gemmells' books:
Set in the beleaguered 'Drenai' lands, with heroes ranging from Old men to assassins looking for redemption. Not 'deep' just rip roaring reads.
1. Legend (1984) (Originally published in the USA as Against the Horde, re-released as Legend)
2. The King Beyond the Gate (1985)
3. Waylander (1986)
4. Quest for Lost Heroes (1990)
5. Waylander II: In the Realm of the Wolf (1992)
6. The First Chronicles of Druss the Legend (1993)
7. The Legend of Deathwalker (1996)
8. Winter Warriors (1996)
9. Hero in the Shadows (2000)
10. White Wolf (2003)
11. The Swords of Night and Day (2004)
They all range from 'good' to 'superb' (Legend and Waylander) in my opinion, and he dabbled with Post Apocalyptic/Western/Fantasy with the Jerusalem Man series:
Sipstrassi : Jon Shannow
1. Wolf in Shadow (1987)
aka The Jerusalem Man
2. The Last Guardian (1989)
3. Bloodstone (1994)
The Complete Chronicles of the Jerusalem Man (1995)
The main character is a bit of a loon - quotes the bible whilst smiting his enemies 'hip and thigh' with a pair of revolvers, tackling bandits, immortal bad guys and demons along the way.
And Gemmell did a number of stand alones/historical series, including his own take on King Arthur and the Battle of Troy. The only criticism I can level is the feeling we've seen some of his leading men and women before (usually in his own books)
I like a number of Authors, but never got on with Tolkien. LOTR was such a grind for me it took years to get through. Each to their own though!
Currently reading Lawrence Watt Evans Ethshar series (Starts with the 'Misenchanted Sword' about a Scout trapped behind enemy lines whose sword is enchanted by a Wizard. Pretty good read in my opinion)
Got a list as long as my arm to get through though, and always appreciate these kind of threads for the 'oooh I'll try that' factor.
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Post by thorswulf on Aug 7, 2011 15:40:19 GMT -6
Ach, the list is soooooo long.... Hmmm. Maybe some of the most inspiring books would be easiest.
Smith, Clark Ashton A Rendezvous in Averoigne- best anthology of several settings IMHO.
Anderson, Poul The Broken Sword, Hrolf Kraki's Saga, Three Hearts and Three Lions
Alexander, Lloyd Prydain Chronicles
Gemell, David Legend, Waylander
Frank, Janrae Any of her short stories are awesome!
Wellman, Maly Wade Any Silver John short story for atmosphere
Moon, Elizabeth The Deed of Paksenarion trilogy
Post, J.B. editor An Atlas of Fantasy
Sauders, Charles Imaro novels
Well just some of the stuff of the top of my head that I read over the last few years....
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Post by Deleted on Dec 22, 2012 18:10:16 GMT -6
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Post by Deleted on Dec 22, 2012 19:08:54 GMT -6
Well, if we're talking "essential", my list would be short:
Tolkien – The Hobbit, LotR
Ursula Le Guin – The Tombs of Atuan
Tanith Lee – Death’s Master
William Horwood – Duncton Wood
Howard – Conan
CAS – Zothique
Wil Huygen - Gnomes
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Post by cadriel on Dec 22, 2012 20:10:44 GMT -6
A lot of this is actually what's on my shelves as far as fantasy goes...
Howard's Conan (the Del Rey editions in 3 volumes)
Leiber's Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser (preferably the '90s White Wolf editions I first fell in love with)
The omnibus of Dying Earth
The Earthsea Trilogy by Le Guin
Moorcock's Elric series, both the original stories and the first 6 novels
The first five books of History of Middle-Earth, The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings
Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur (Penguin edition, 2 volumes)
The Deed of Paksenarrion by Elizabeth Moon
Black God's Kiss (anthology of Jirel of Joiry stories by CL Moore)
Under the Moons of Mars (3-volume omnibus of first 3 Mars novels by Burroughs)
Out of Space and Time (Clark Ashton Smith collection of short stories)
Memory, Sorrow, Thorn by Tad Williams
Except for the last 3 books, this is exactly what it would've been 12 years ago. I've read a lot of other fantasy but most of it slides off like water from a duck's back.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 22, 2012 22:06:47 GMT -6
Memory, Sorrow, Thorn by Tad Williams I've just recently completed that set and plan to read it soon, so I'm glad to see it appear on someone's list. Gives me hope that it will be a great read.  |
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Post by famouswolf on Dec 22, 2012 22:11:21 GMT -6
Mostly good stuff, and since no one has suggested it, the Nifft the Lean stories by Michael Shea. It's Jack Vance all over again, with Hell under earth, insane witches, spider gods, vampire queens, weird beasties, exotic cities, and pretty much the whole nine yards. This one would make and insanely good setting for dark fantasy.
And some pretty good inspiration for Hyperborea. Anvil Pastures and the Astrygal Isles, oh my.
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Post by kent on Dec 23, 2012 17:44:17 GMT -6
I have noticed that my interest in fantasy literature is far more stable than my interest in gaming supplements and I value the literature far higher than gaming products.
I would say,
First Rank:
The Worm Ouroboros - Eddison
The Night Land - Hodgson
The Children of Hurin - Tolkien
The Shadow of the Torturer - Wolfe
Cugel's Saga - Vance
Adept's Gambit - Leiber
Second rank
The Silmarillion
The better Fafhrd & Mouser stories
Zothique & the better CA Smith stories
The rest of Vance's Dying Earth stories
Some of Dunsany's tales
Third rank
LotR & the Hobbit
The Face in the Frost - Bellairs
Lyonesse - Vance
The rest of the Book of the New Sun - Wolfe
The Broken Sword - Anderson
?? Rank ??
The Gormenghast Trilogy - Peake
Im currently reading this for the second time and I am not quite sure in which rank it belongs yet.
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Post by crusssdaddy on Dec 29, 2012 15:10:09 GMT -6
I recently finished reading "The Pastel City" by M. John Harrison. I now have the entire Viriconium collection and intend to reread Pastel and then continue with the remaining stories, but I have a feeling it will be added to my essential list.
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Post by crusssdaddy on Dec 29, 2012 15:12:58 GMT -6
The only other I would add that I do not see here is "Mythago Wood" by Robert Holdstock.
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Post by Zenopus on Dec 29, 2012 22:38:10 GMT -6
The only other I would add that I do not see here is "Mythago Wood" by Robert Holdstock. Exalt! One of my favorites. First read it about 20 years ago in a Sci-Fi & Fantasy class in college. Also love Pastel City. M. John Harrison has an interesting blog: ambientehotel.wordpress.com/ |
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Post by Vile Traveller on Dec 30, 2012 2:19:54 GMT -6
The only other I would add that I do not see here is Mythago Wood; by Robert Holdstock. Exalt! One of my favorites. First read it about 20 years ago in a Sci-Fi & Fantasy class in college. I love Mythago Wood, not just for the story itself but all the implications and open ends therein. I used it as an entrance scenario for getting some 1920s characters into 4th age Middle Earth, many fond memories of that campaign. Unfortunately I didn't like anything else I've read by Holdstock. |
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Post by crusssdaddy on Jan 5, 2013 1:44:58 GMT -6
For those who have not yet read The Pastel City, the first paragraph is wonderfully evocative and may convince you to take the plunge:
"Some seventeen notable empires rose in the Middle Period of Earth. These were the Afternoon Cultures. All but one are unimportant to this narrative, and there is little need to speak of them save to say that none of them lasted for less than a millennium, none for more than ten; that each extracted such secrets and obtained such comforts as its nature (and the nature of the universe) enabled it to find; and that each fell back from the universe in confusion, dwindled, and died."
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ralph
Level 2 Seer
Over the hill and far away.
Posts: 47
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Post by ralph on Jan 5, 2013 4:25:05 GMT -6
Most of my essentials have been mentioned already but there seems to be a notable omission: Joe Abercrombie. His First Law trilogy is excellent and I am just finishing Best Served Cold, another superb read.
Looking forward to his next 2, which are sitting on my shelf...
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