Ah, yes. So many books out there. How do you know which ones are any good? I've decided to put a word in for a few of my favorite authors. So here ya go. My list of recommended reads in no particular order. Hope you like them!
KEY
~ = Title of the Series
* = Title of the Book
Madeleine L'Engle
*A Wrinkle In Time
*A Wind In The Door
*A Swiftly Tilting Planet
*Many Waters
*An Acceptable Time
The above list is not a complete list of all of her books, but of the ones I own and have read. L'Engle is an amazing writer that sort of set the standard for fantasy writing before it became really popular. The first three books listed above are in successive order. Many Waters, and An Acceptable Time are not necessarily the same way. All of her books are of a type that borders on science fiction. L'Engle's first book, A Wrinkle In Time, deals with the idea that the shortest distance between two points is not a line, but a wrinkle. I enjoyed them thoroughly and recommend them highly. Hopefully you'll enjoy them as much as I did!
Tanith Lee
*Black Unicorn
This book sticks out as one of my many favorites. Though I have never read any more of Lee's books, I truely enjoyed this one. It's a bit slow to begin with, but as it picks up speed you will find yourself drawn more and more into the character and storyline. My favorite character of the book may well be the peeve,which I am sure you will enjoy. If you get the chance and want a short read, this is the book for you.
The Dragonlance Saga
This is a multi-author saga. It is so large that I could not even begin to name the all of the books in it. If you like traditional fantasy this may be the series for you. All of the books are based on a world called Krynn. My first experience with Krynn was from the Dwarven Nations Trilogy,which I highly recommend. I've fallen in love with the species that is specific to this saga known as the Kender. Funny little guys. These books are published by TSR, which if I remember correctly, means that they are based off of RPG's. If anyone knows about this for certain and could contact me to let me know I'd truely appreciate it. Thanks.
Piers Anthony
Ah, yet another good writer with a ton of books under his belt. I thoroughly enjoy Piers Anthony's books. You can depend on them for a good laugh as well as a good plot. The characters are matchless. If you like puns these are most definatly the books for you. Anthony's books may seem a bit silly at first, but the plots of the books truely are very well written. Anthony does an amazing job with the technique of Suspending Disbelief. Definatly a good read. I find Anthony's books to be a great and refreshing addition to the fantasy genre.
Terry Brooks
~The Shannara Trilogy
*The Sword of Shannara
*The Elfstones of Shannara
*The Wishsong of Shannara
~The Heritage of Shannara Series
*The Scions of Shannara
*The Druid of Shannara
*The Elf Queen of Shannara
*The Talismans of Shannara
Terry Brooks reminds me a lot of the Tolkien books. I haven't read the first series, The Shannara Trilogy, but understand that reading those first help you to understand the second series since The Heritage of Shannara is based off of the first 3 books. I truely did enjoy these books. The writing is very good, and keeps you wrapped into the books. For some it may seem like a bit too much action as there is always something important happening in the story. But if you don't mind the constant details you should enjoy these books. I also recommend them to all Tolkien readers.
J.R.R. Tolkien
*The Hobbit
~The Lord of the Ring
*The Fellowship of the Ring
*The Two Towers
*The Return of the King
You can not have fantasy without another amazing great of writing, J.R.R. Tolkien. I have heard the complaint from many that they have not read The Hobbit merely because they were told to in school, or other reasons similar to that. My response is always that they don't know what they are missing. I, personally, have only read the Hobbit. I need to beg my brother to allow me to borrow his copies of The Lord of the Ring series. Nonetheless, I will never forget The Hobbit. For those of you who are too lazy to read, (First off why in the world are you here?) there is a lovely little animated movie version of this book out. It's pretty good, but as always the rule stands that the book is better than the movie! This author is a staple to the fantasy genre.
Graham Edwards
*Dragoncharm
*Dragonstorm
*Dragonflame
This writer is by far one of my absolute favorites. He definatly ranks up there close to the top, if not at the very top. I read his first book, Dragoncharm, last summer, and didn't know until I was in Britian this summer that there were more books by this author in the same series. So, while in Britian (or perhaps it was Scotland, my memory is a bit fuzzy on exactly where the store was.) I purchased the next book in this series, which is in line to be read this summer. This is another book for those who can handle lots of details. Just when you think the story might be over there is a whole new twist that leads into almost an entirely new plot. The plots and characters are some of the best around. This is a very deep book that deals a great deal with concepts rather than set rules. I found Edwards' form of magic, known in the books as charm, to be very interesting. This is definatly one of the top writers around, and you are truely missing something if you don't read these books. I urge you to pick them up.
Tamora Pierce
~Song of the Lioness Quartet
*Alanna: The First Adventure
*In the Hand of the Goddess
*The Woman Who Rides Like a Man
*Lioness Rampant
~The Immortals
*Wild Magic
*Wolf-Speaker
*Emperor Mage
*The Realms of the Gods
Ms. Pierce is an exceptional writer in the fantasy genre. I read her books in 7th grade, and have been reading them since then. I've read her first two series, and know that there are two more series out that are not listed here. I recommend checking into them as well. These may also be considered a quick read, but are most certainly an enjoyable one. Pierce's books are also the ones that truely inspired me to write fantasy, so I give her credit for my current hobby and passion for writing. I do not recommend these books for boys younger than 8th grade due to the fact that they may not be mature enough to handle some of the physical things described about Alanna in the Lionness Quartet. Otherwise these books are wonderful for middle school children and older.
Patricia C. Wrede
~The Enchanted Forest Chronicles
*Dealing with Dragons
*Searching for Dragons
*Calling on Dragons
*Talking to Dragons
Wrede's kind of fantasy dabs a bit more into the fairy tale sort of fantasy. Contrary to fairy tale material, though, is Cimorene, the princess who doesn't want to be a princess. Although the basic principals of fairy tale fantasy are there this is not your typical fairy tale. I enjoyed these thoroughly. I wasn't sure what to expect at first when I began them, but could hardly put them down once I was into them.
Lloyd Alexander
~The Chronicles of Prydain
*The Book of Three
*The Black Cauldron
*The Castle of Llyr
*Taran Wanderer
*The High King
*The Foundling
For anyone who's ever asked, this is the series where I got my screen name, Girgy, from. Although now that I look back through the book I see I may have spelled it wrong. I'll have to check on that. This series is a very light-hearted fantasy with very serious undertones. The comic relief is provided through the chracter of Girgy (or Girgi). If you are interested in reading about the struggles of a youth against the odds, this is definatly the series for you. I really enjoyed this, and was sorry to see them end once I had read them all. It's the type of book that makes you wish that it kept going once you reached the end and didn't have more to read. Like many authors listed here Alexander has other books that I have not listed. Definatly check out this series though. You'll be glad you did. Brian Jacques *Redwall *Mossflower *Mattimeo *Mariel of Redwall *Salamandastron *Martin the Warrior *The Bellmaker *Outcast of Redwall *Pearls of Lutra *The Long Patrol These tales are very well wrought and thought out. Yet another writer who gives you plenty of details, Jacques keeps you on the edge of your seat. The creative genius behind the animals of Mossflower, Redwall, and the surrounding area is amazing. One of my personal favorite parts of the stories is reading about the great feasts they have at the abbey. I enjoy trying to imagine the delectable creations behind the names that Jacques has created for them. I have never found characters like these. Some people might argue that if you've read one you can pretty much predict the others. They do tend to follow a very similar pattern, but I still recommend you read each book in turn since every book has it's own unique characters and story. J.K. Rowling *Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone *Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets *Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban *Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Are you at all surprised to find these books listed here? You shouldn't be! Yes, I too have joined the Harry Potter craze. Why? Because they really are that good. I recently picked up the latest book which is verging on 800 pages in length while I was in Ireland. These books are fantasy mixed with a character that you can relate to. Harry goes through the same problems that kids his own age go through, including popularity, school problems, reputation problems, and family problems. I haven't gotten ahold of the 2nd and 3rd books yet, but am dying to read them. I read the 1st book in one afternoon, though I'm not so sure I can do that with the 4th book. Hopefully you will all take the time to at least page through the first book. It's worth the time. Afterall it's not every day that a children's fantasy book tops the New York Times bestseller list. And these things don't just happen by chance! H.P. Lovecraft *The Best of H.P. Lovecraft *The Dream Quest of H.P. Lovecraft *The Transition of H.P. Lovecraft This writer is here for the lovers of darker fantasy. If you enjoy horror stories and you enjoy fantasy, this is most certainly for you. H.P. Lovecraft is a master of the macabre. He's been dead, I think, for a while now. His work stems off of the style of Poe. The stories that I've read of his, are strictly short stories. They are about 20 pages in length. The above listed books are compilations of his short stories. I enjoy them thoroughly, but don't recommend reading them right before you go to sleep. C.S. Lewis ~The Chronicles of Narnia *The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe *Prince Caspian *The Voyage of the "Dawn Treader" *The Silver Chair *The Horse and His Boy *The Magician's Nephew *The Last Battle A classic writer. I could not bear to leave these books out of my list. If you have not read these books you are sorely deprived of good literature. One of my favorite things about these books is how the mirror the story of Christ from the Bible. It's very interesting. I also believe Wonderworks did a movie series of these books. I'm not certain that all of them were done, but I do remember seeing some of them. They aren't your modern Disney movie, but fit the books well. There is also an animated version of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe out. But as mentioned before the books are better than the movies. The Wonderworks movies are perhaps one of the better representations of the books they were based off of that I have seen. As I said before if you haven't read these books, you must. There is no two ways about it. Every fantasy lover should read them. Allan W. Eckert *Incident at Hawk's Hill Yes, I know this is not a fantasy book, but I was intregued with this book when I read it and now I am suggesting it to you. It's a Newberry Honor Book, and after reading it I've decided it deserves every bit of that award. If you don't mind venturing out of the fantasy genre I would suggeset you pick up this book. It's only about 200 pages in length so shouldn't take you too long to take in. Nonetheless you will not regret taking the time to read it. Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins ~The Left Behind Series *Left Behind *Tribulation Force *Nicolae *Soul Harvest *Apollyon *Assassins Okay, these books are also not fantasy, though if you have never read the last book of the Bible, Revelation, you might easily confuse them with fantasy. These books are based off of an interpretation of the end times prophecy of the book of Revelation in the Bible. They are wonderfully well written books, and have kept me on the edge of my seat through the entire read. The characters are easy to relate to, and are very real as you are reading the books. I recommend that you read Revelation before reading these books. I also do not recommend that you read these books unless you are willing to have an open mind to the fact that this is only one interpretation of the end times prophecy. These books should be read with an open mind and an open heart. Jane Yolen ~The Pit Dragon Trilogy *Dragon's Blood *Heart's Blood *A Sending of Dragons I know you may be wondering how Jane Yolen managed to make her way in here. Well, this series is one of the most amazing I have ever read. They are definatly not your traditional fantasy, and even go a bit into sci-fi, seeing as they are set somewhere in the future. The acctual date is never given. These books are based in a world where the people depend on dragons to live. The characters as well as the dragons are wonderfully developed and seem to come alive with the story. This was another series that I was very sorry to see end when it did. I would have liked to have read more once it was over. I would definatly suggest picking this one up. It's wonderful. Susan Cooper ~The Dark is Rising Sequence *Over Sea, Under Stone *The Dark is Rising *Greenwitch *The Grey King *Silver on the Tree For those of you who are into Arthurian legend, but don't want a traditional Arthur book, these are your answer. Cooper's series is a basic good vs. evil series, that works off of concepts rather than set rules. I enjoyed these thoroughly. They take place in the areas of Cornwall, and the country of Wales. The imagery is beautiful. I highly recommend these books for their surreal plots and characters. They are very hard to put down once you've started them. Cooper does a spectacular job with suspending disbelief. She is certainly a master of that technique. These books are a great addition to the well rounded reader's list. girgy_@hotmail.com Copyright 2000
Brian Jacques
*Redwall
*Mossflower
*Mattimeo
*Mariel of Redwall
*Salamandastron
*Martin the Warrior
*The Bellmaker
*Outcast of Redwall
*Pearls of Lutra
*The Long Patrol
These tales are very well wrought and thought out. Yet another writer who gives you plenty of details, Jacques keeps you on the edge of your seat. The creative genius behind the animals of Mossflower, Redwall, and the surrounding area is amazing. One of my personal favorite parts of the stories is reading about the great feasts they have at the abbey. I enjoy trying to imagine the delectable creations behind the names that Jacques has created for them. I have never found characters like these. Some people might argue that if you've read one you can pretty much predict the others. They do tend to follow a very similar pattern, but I still recommend you read each book in turn since every book has it's own unique characters and story.
J.K. Rowling
*Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
*Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
*Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
*Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Are you at all surprised to find these books listed here? You shouldn't be! Yes, I too have joined the Harry Potter craze. Why? Because they really are that good. I recently picked up the latest book which is verging on 800 pages in length while I was in Ireland. These books are fantasy mixed with a character that you can relate to. Harry goes through the same problems that kids his own age go through, including popularity, school problems, reputation problems, and family problems. I haven't gotten ahold of the 2nd and 3rd books yet, but am dying to read them. I read the 1st book in one afternoon, though I'm not so sure I can do that with the 4th book. Hopefully you will all take the time to at least page through the first book. It's worth the time. Afterall it's not every day that a children's fantasy book tops the New York Times bestseller list. And these things don't just happen by chance!
H.P. Lovecraft
*The Best of H.P. Lovecraft
*The Dream Quest of H.P. Lovecraft
*The Transition of H.P. Lovecraft
This writer is here for the lovers of darker fantasy. If you enjoy horror stories and you enjoy fantasy, this is most certainly for you. H.P. Lovecraft is a master of the macabre. He's been dead, I think, for a while now. His work stems off of the style of Poe. The stories that I've read of his, are strictly short stories. They are about 20 pages in length. The above listed books are compilations of his short stories. I enjoy them thoroughly, but don't recommend reading them right before you go to sleep.
C.S. Lewis
~The Chronicles of Narnia
*The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
*Prince Caspian
*The Voyage of the "Dawn Treader"
*The Silver Chair
*The Horse and His Boy
*The Magician's Nephew
*The Last Battle
A classic writer. I could not bear to leave these books out of my list. If you have not read these books you are sorely deprived of good literature. One of my favorite things about these books is how the mirror the story of Christ from the Bible. It's very interesting. I also believe Wonderworks did a movie series of these books. I'm not certain that all of them were done, but I do remember seeing some of them. They aren't your modern Disney movie, but fit the books well. There is also an animated version of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe out. But as mentioned before the books are better than the movies. The Wonderworks movies are perhaps one of the better representations of the books they were based off of that I have seen. As I said before if you haven't read these books, you must. There is no two ways about it. Every fantasy lover should read them.
Allan W. Eckert
*Incident at Hawk's Hill
Yes, I know this is not a fantasy book, but I was intregued with this book when I read it and now I am suggesting it to you. It's a Newberry Honor Book, and after reading it I've decided it deserves every bit of that award. If you don't mind venturing out of the fantasy genre I would suggeset you pick up this book. It's only about 200 pages in length so shouldn't take you too long to take in. Nonetheless you will not regret taking the time to read it.
Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins
~The Left Behind Series
*Left Behind
*Tribulation Force
*Nicolae
*Soul Harvest
*Apollyon
*Assassins
Okay, these books are also not fantasy, though if you have never read the last book of the Bible, Revelation, you might easily confuse them with fantasy. These books are based off of an interpretation of the end times prophecy of the book of Revelation in the Bible. They are wonderfully well written books, and have kept me on the edge of my seat through the entire read. The characters are easy to relate to, and are very real as you are reading the books. I recommend that you read Revelation before reading these books. I also do not recommend that you read these books unless you are willing to have an open mind to the fact that this is only one interpretation of the end times prophecy. These books should be read with an open mind and an open heart.
Jane Yolen
~The Pit Dragon Trilogy
*Dragon's Blood
*Heart's Blood
*A Sending of Dragons
I know you may be wondering how Jane Yolen managed to make her way in here. Well, this series is one of the most amazing I have ever read. They are definatly not your traditional fantasy, and even go a bit into sci-fi, seeing as they are set somewhere in the future. The acctual date is never given. These books are based in a world where the people depend on dragons to live. The characters as well as the dragons are wonderfully developed and seem to come alive with the story. This was another series that I was very sorry to see end when it did. I would have liked to have read more once it was over. I would definatly suggest picking this one up. It's wonderful.
Susan Cooper
~The Dark is Rising Sequence
*Over Sea, Under Stone
*The Dark is Rising
*Greenwitch
*The Grey King
*Silver on the Tree
For those of you who are into Arthurian legend, but don't want a traditional Arthur book, these are your answer. Cooper's series is a basic good vs. evil series, that works off of concepts rather than set rules. I enjoyed these thoroughly. They take place in the areas of Cornwall, and the country of Wales. The imagery is beautiful. I highly recommend these books for their surreal plots and characters. They are very hard to put down once you've started them. Cooper does a spectacular job with suspending disbelief. She is certainly a master of that technique. These books are a great addition to the well rounded reader's list.
girgy_@hotmail.com
Copyright 2000
