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14 Oct, 2011
2011-10-14 6:43:02 PM UTC
SonOfDolf --do you mind if I rename this thread "Other Fantasy Writers" (or something like that)?

That aside, I really (really) don't read that much Fantasy; depending in how you use the term. I read much fantastic fiction --in particular Supernatural fiction (or Weird literature). I did read Eddings, Gemmell, Pratchett etc when I was younger --they were all okay. To be honest, re-reading Tolkien recently, I can really see why some parts of the literary world don't rate Fantasy. I mean, they might think Tolkien is good, but probably think if this is literally the best Fantasy can offer --the genre isn't up to much. Sadly, the fault in this argument is that everything that is highly acclaimed/rated (where Fantasy isn't) doesn't faintly appeal to me; & I suspect I wouldn't really enjoy reading it. SF still offers much that captivates me too.

BH
15 Oct, 2011 (edited)
2011-10-15 12:00:20 AM UTC

Khamul wrote:
SonOfDolf --do you mind if I rename this thread "Other Fantasy Writers" (or something like that)?

Not at all


SF still offers much that captivates me too.

I recently read Eon from Greg Bear which I liked very much. Also still have to read Solaris from Stanisław Lem because the 1972 Tarkovskiy movie adaptation is one of my all time favorites.
15 Oct, 2011 (edited)
2011-10-15 9:29:48 AM UTC
I beat Khamul to it, and changed the title

I'll put in a plug for another site that I am member of, as that is a much better site for this type of question, we stick here to what the site is renowned for, collecting Tolkien

This question comes up a lot on the plaza and there are lots of posts about what other fantasy writers people like, and here is an example.

http://www.lotrplaza.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=242076

My answer to the question though is that I only really like one fantasy author's books, and I will let you guess who that is? (that last comment makes me think of the really hard questions on TV phone-ins, like my favourite, What colour is an orange?)
15 Oct, 2011
2011-10-15 1:08:43 PM UTC
Like Red, I too had a time when I was looking for fiction which would be similar to Tolkien's works, and tried reading a lot of the popular, best-selling fantasy/sf authors. None of these really were much to my liking, though.

What I've enjoyed, however, are those authors which have had a fresh perspective in speculative fiction, and which are good writers: I've much liked Jack Vance's Lyonesse series and the Dying Sun series. I'm currently reading Gene Wolfe's The Book of the New Sun series, which so far (just started with the second volume) I find to be really good. I've also been intrigued by some works of Robert Holdstock. An usual (in this context) recommendation would also be Philip Roth's The Plot Against America, falling under the label of "alternative history".
15 Oct, 2011
2011-10-15 9:06:52 PM UTC
I beat Khamul to it, and changed the title.
-Trotter

Still my title...

I'll put in a plug for another site that I am member of, as that is a much better site for this type of question, we stick here to what the site is renowned for, collecting Tolkien.
-Trotter

Trotter! --this section is for any discussion. We're almost all having a chat here!
Much better site indeed...

BH
16 Oct, 2011
2011-10-16 1:28:05 AM UTC
I haven't read much modern fantasy outside the works of Tolkien and Lewis, but I do enjoy the dystopian genre a lot (though this is probably a sub-genre of SF).

Also, I've read Ender's Game (again, more SF) and really enjoyed it, and I read the first Harry Potter book over the summer, but was sadly disappointed.
21 Oct, 2011
2011-10-21 9:53:00 AM UTC
I'm sure nobody really cares, but I just recently bought Memories Of The Space Age by J. G. Ballard (Arkham House, 1988). I'd read Ballard here & there before (perhaps the odd short story) and was not particularly impressed. This collection of stories brings together his Cape Canaveral stories. Thematically linked, in setting & tone, I found them captivating. This is one of the best short story collections I've read in years.

BH
24 Oct, 2011
2011-10-24 9:23:03 PM UTC
Lots of interesting suggestions in this thread. I will check them all out in time. Has anyone read the books of Robin Hobb, I've read some positive reviews on other sites.
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