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The Wheel of Time Series: by Robert Jordan
The best thing I've read since Tolkien. A backwoods farmboy and friends are thrust into the tides of history when it's discovered that one of the friends is the "Dragon Reborn". Magic is presented in a unique way, very original, very well written. The only drawback is that the series is not yet finished. There are 8 books so far, look for at least 10!
Book of fantasy based short stories. RJ's is called "A New Spring" and appears to be a novella about how Moir and Lan meet. In his online interview from Barnes and Noble on Oct. 19, 1998, 7pm (yes hours before the much anticipated release of "The Path Of Daggers") RJ states that this story and "The World..." took several months away from tPoD writing... I hope it was worth it... This one is My next purchase. Also writing in this book are: Terry Goodkind, Stephen King, Ursula Le Guin, Anne McCaffrey and Raymond E. Feist. YMMV.
Essential to Wheel of Time junkies. Provides much kewl background on the AoL and Hawkwing eras... Much, MUCH more! When I bought it, it was $40 bucks... I see now that Amazon lists it for $28! Wow!
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (J. R. R. Tolkien)
Tolkien is special. He has written so many wonderful works. Here are some of the best.
The Hobbit
The one that started it all. The master of fantasy's first published work. This is the story of lovable hobbit Bilbo Baggins and his quest to stay at home. (Hint: he fails miserably!)
The Lord Of The Rings
One ring to find them,
One ring to bring them all,
And in the darkness bind them."
In which Frodo Baggins, Bilbo's nephew, inherits his uncle's ring and goes on a quest to be rid of it.
Edited by: Christopher Tolkien
- The Silmarillion
- The Book of Lost Tales, Part 1 (History of Middle-Earth Volume 1)
- The Book of Lost Tales, Part 2 (History of Middle-Earth Volume 2)
- The Lays of Beleriand (The History of Middle-Earth Volume 3)
These four books have been published posthumously by Tolkien's son, Christopher. They were all taken from J.R.R's notes and contain the rich history of Middle Earth that is sometimes hinted at in the LoTR. This is why the LoTR stands the test of time so well. J.R.R. Tolkien actually wrote the entire history of middle-earth (as well as the Elvin language itself!) before writing the LoTR.
The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever: by Stephen R. Donaldson
Thomas Covenant is a leper. He finds himself thrust into a world where the laws of existence are fundamentally different. Colors have scent, touch imparts health or illness and his leprosy is seemingly cured by the power of this wonderful Land. Ah, you guessed it. Nothing is ever that easy. Lord Foul, the Despiser, and his servants - the Ravers, want to mess it all up. Oh yeah, Thomas Covenant, for all his Unbelief, holds the most powerful magical artifact in the Land - White Gold.
The Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever
The Riftwar Saga: by Raymond E. Feist
Very entertaining all around. Great battle and magic scenes. The mix of science and sorcery has always struck a chord with me and Feist does a great job!
Piers Anthony
Mr. Anthony is probably my favorite (living) writer. I first read his Incarnations Series because I liked the picture on the first cover of the first book! I've been hooked ever since page one of that book. One of Mr. Anthony's best qualities is his ability to mix science fiction and fantasy.
The Incarnations Of Immortality Awesome, spellbinding, you won't be able to put these books down! Each book is dedicated to a facet of life usually attributed to some mystical - hmm - karmic, um, thingy! There's death, time, war, fate, mother nature, evil and good. The different perspective is strange at first, but very compelling.
The Apprentice Adept Technology meets magic in different dimensions on the same planet. Our hero is a lower class worker in one dimension and the Blue Adept in the other.
Stephen King
I'm not a huge King fan, but he is so prolific that even a so-so author is bound to get a few right! And he's much better than so-so.
The Stand is King's finest work, Even though it's huge, it's almost impossible to put this book down in the middle of a chapter. Gripping and suspenseful. Features the obligatory King baddie: initials RF!
The Eyes Of The Dragon is a most un-King like work. A sword and sorcery fantasy, with plenty of intrigue and sub-plotting. You really feel for some of the characters. The master of horror is a master of other genres too. Also features the King baddie initials RF!
It... lest I forget... this is one of my favorite King books, but it illustrates the biggest problem I have with S. King's writing. His endings SUCK! Also see The Tommyknockers (not listed here) for more on King's SUCK-Y endings!
Needful Things was amusing and frightening at the same time.
The Shining A classic. Another sleep with the lights on kinda book! All work and no play...
The Long Walk (Richard Bachman) Reading this book was like watching a car crash, you want to but you can't look away! This book was disturbing on a number of levels. You begin to feel the futility and exaustion of the boys as the book drags on, but you just can't stop reading until you reach the end, if you reach the end, but then what...?
Watership Down: by Richard Adams
I first read this book because of a chapter in The Stand where one of the characters is reading it and can't put it down. I think it was Stu. He was right. This book is awesome. One thing more. This book opened my eyes to alot of "classic" writings that for whatever reason I had not read in high school. More classics to follow.
The Divine Comedy: by Dante Alighieri Translated by John Ciardi
Hoo boy. I figured that anything written circa 1300 and still in print today has got to be ok. I looked long and hard for a readable translation (original is in Italian) of this Great Work, and I finally found John Ciardi's. Immensely likable and very rhythmic.
This is the story of a man lamenting his lost love who died young. In the depths of his misery he is visited by an angelic vision who tells him how to see her again. He must first decend into hell (The Inferno), pass through purgatory (The Purgatorio), and finally through heaven (The Paradiso) to get to her. There are many levels of meaning at work at all times here. You will enjoy it.
George Orwell
Verrrry Disturbing author! REEEEaly makes you think.
1984 Is this where we're going?
Animal Farm : A Fairy Story ... Or is THIS where we're going. Who is leading who? Oink. Oink.
Helter Skelter: by Vincent Bugliosi with Curt Gentry
The story of the Charles Manson murders in the '60s as told by the prosecutor who put him in jail. Ok, I'm not much into murder mysteries, cop/lawyer thrillers, non-fiction or almost any other catagory that this book can be put into, except maybe disturbing - if you can call that a catagory. Well I couldn't put this book down.
Amityville Horror: by Jay Anson
Scared the be-cheesus out of me! I still won't get up at 3:15 am for anything, and I read this book in high school!
The Exorcist: by William Peter Blatty
Since I'm listing favorite horror here, I gotta include this one. Also veeery scary! Oooh! Leave the light on when you go to sleep!
The Tao Of Pooh and
The Te Of Piglet : by Benjamin Hoff
These books really changed my life, they are by no means "kids" books. They are not religious. They teach you how to relax and cope with whatever curve balls life throws at you. Read them, you'll thank me.
Earthsea Trilogy : by Ursula K. Le Guin
Alot of fun. Darker than most fantasy that I read, but very original and entertaining. Each book stands well on it's own. A boy finds he has the aptitude to become a wizard and goes off to this Isle of Wizards to study. He is snared by his own pride when he releases a Shadow on the land and must struggle to repair the damage done by his unintentional crime. The series follows his life.
Note apparently there is a new Earthsea book and this has been renamed a Tetrology. I have not read: Tehanu. You mileage may vary!
The Jungle Book: by Rudyard Kipling
This book is not just for kids! Or maybe I'm just a kid at heart! Here I continued to read some more of the so called "classics" that I never got around to in high school. This book was very enjoyable not just for the familiarity of the Mogli stories, but for the many others I had never seen before. All told with a wry humor that kept me going from story to story. Get it for some light reading. By the way, the Disney movie is almost nothing like the book!
Books to add:
Dragonlance
Moorcock - Elric and Swords.
Dune
Dilbert
Calvin & Hobbes
Bloom County
The Template: by Dave Milbut
This is where I play critic!
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