Comments on: 6 Best Fantasy Novels

By: Dave Maier

Dave Maier — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 15:33:52 +0000

Zic, thanks for your response. I think I see what you’re saying about Kane (but I still liked the book). I’ll check out Sealey Head for sure. (And Forgotten Beasts is indeed fine.)

By: zic

zic — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 21:47:04 +0000

Extruded Fantasy would be a great band name. Credit to Sock Puppet of the Great Satan.

By: zic

zic — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 21:43:22 +0000

Dave Maier, I think Thorns is my least favorite of McKillip’s books; I found Kane devoid of anything except power and loyalty to the one person she loved. That the book hinged on Kane’s change of heart didn’t feel trustworthy to me; but it did provide fertile ground for a sequel. (I would have been happier if one of the librarians had found a text documenting Axis’s death in some way.)

“Ombria in Shadow” was wonderful, “Tower at Stoneywoods” and “Atrix Wolfe” great. But my favorite has to be “Bell at Sealy Head,” where McKillip’s simplified her story so well that the deeper meanings are below the surface, never slamming you on the side of the head. it functions beautifully as a fairy tale—leading you to understanding while you’re having a great time reading.

“Ombria” is wonderful.

But an older work, “Forgotten Beasts of Eld,” is a very fine read, too.

And I’d forgotten but must include Neil Gaiman’s “Stardust,” (Not the movie), a book where the magic of love is pitch-perfect. Even made my husband read it. And of course, “American Gods.” LOVED that book.

By: Doctor Slack

Doctor Slack — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 20:32:19 +0000

“Doesn’t Frodo sail off to the West?”

Just before his ship gets destroyed by Hurricane West.

By: roac

roac — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 20:20:10 +0000

Yes, but Sissy Spacek’s hand pops out of the grave at the end of Carrie.

(Undead Thread – now that would be a good name for a band!)

By: David

David — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 19:40:24 +0000

Doesn’t Frodo sail off to the West?

By: Moby Hick

Moby Hick — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 03:37:01 +0000

Thanks. I’ve been trying to make stupid jokes all day but that one just came to me.

By: Substance McGravitas

Substance McGravitas — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 03:25:38 +0000

Applause.

By: Moby Hick

Moby Hick — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 03:23:11 +0000

People say that Tolkien wasn’t good at writing anything but action. However, he could do romance, like the scene in the Silmarillion where Beren tells King Thingol, “I will not let life or death stand in the way of this sublime and funky love that I crave!”

By: LizardBreath

LizardBreath — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 22:16:51 +0000

Any George MacDonald fans … ? Don’t vomit all at once …

Yes, although I haven’t reread them as an adult.

By: Sock Puppet of the Great Satan

Sock Puppet of the Great Satan — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 21:52:42 +0000

“Emph. added. Has there ever been a writer of whom you could say “I strongly recommend X’s latest trilogy”? Tolkien had the right idea if you ask me.”

Tolkien didn’t even want the thing broken up into a trilogy; that was Allen & Unwin’s idea. On reflection, breaking it up into a trilogy has been good for publishers of fantasy, opening the market for Extruded Fantasy Product.

By: Rob

Rob — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 13:58:28 +0000

Elidor, Alan Garner
In Viriconium, M John Harrison
Grendel, John Gardner
Peace, Gene Wolfe
The Street of Crocodiles, Bruno Schulz
The Crying of Lot 49, Thomas Pynchon

By: Greg

Greg — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 10:30:25 +0000

(And kudos to Tolkien—his embedded fictions have the genuine lustre; the ‘reluctant postmodernist’ tag almost has me convinced.)

By: Greg

Greg — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 10:29:14 +0000

Thanks. Amazing the obvious memory holes.

Funny how some titles sound made-up and others are convincing.

Borges’ debt to Lovecraft underscored. Of course the Necronomicon is not fiction …

By: Phil

Phil — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 08:03:33 +0000

Alas, Hobb’s latest trilogy is really not good.

Emph. added. Has there ever been a writer of whom you could say “I strongly recommend X’s latest trilogy”? Tolkien had the right idea if you ask me.

(And I don’t mean Christopher.)