…for a beer!
Here’s my question – I’ve tried to introduce a couple of friends and family members to fantasy literature, and compiling an enticing list has been fun. What are the books that a) you think every fantasy buff should have read (Moorcock? Tolkein? Bradley?), and b) are good “gateway” books, that are accessible to someone who has never read fantasy and make them want to read further?
1 • Clint Harris said:
October 17th, 2008 at 12:50 pm, permalink
For someone who has NEVER read fantasy?…
Well, there’s the obvious, C.S. Lewis Narnia stories. But you know what? I don’t think they will hook people like they did a couple generations ago. I mean, you’ve got lamp posts in the middle of the forest, these kids show up in the middle of a war and besides being English and Human, there’s nothing much special about them. But there is the basic ingredients of what plants that seed in a story. You bring the reader, who can relate to the normal characters, over to this fantastic world and we learn everything there is through their eyes. It’s a wonderful trick that has worked on everything from The Hobbit to Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Both of which are brilliant books to introduce folks to the subgenres.
One of my entry books to Fantasy was “The Sleeping Dragon” by Joel Rosenberg. It’s a story about a bunch of gamers who meet one night to play what is basically Dungeons and Dragons. Their DM is actually a wizard from a fantasy world who sends them into another world as the heroes they have rolled up. You’ve got a little wish fulfillment there, but soon after one of them dies horribly, they realize they are in trouble. The rest of the story unfolds well from there, branching out into a series which combines sword and sorcery, modern human ingenuity, wry humor and human drama.
At the same time I got into those books, I also read John DeChancie’s “Castle Perilous” novels. A whole series of short books that center around the titular castle which is a doorway of 144,000 universes and worlds. The characters are normal folks that stumble into the castle and find themselves guests of Lord Incarnadine who informs them that while in the castle they will be treated as guests and will likely develop some kind of magical talent. The menagerie of characters include Linda, a cheeseburger conjuring American girl; Gene, whose talent is expert swordsmanship; and Snowclaw, a battle-axe wielding, candle-eating Wampa from Empire Strikes Back. Okay, he’s not really from Hoth, but minus Luke Skywalker frozen in the ceiling of his house and some Taun-Taun meat, you figure it out.
I had tried reading Lord of the Rings, and other high fantasy novels. As a beginning Fantasy reader, I had no idea what the hell I was getting into. Later on, it took three tries before I could get into “Eye of the World” because I had no familiarity. Same thing for “Sword of Shannara.” No frame of reference as a kid. This is a huge reason why I tried and failed (miserably) to read E.R. Edison’s “The Worm Ouroboros.” I mean, it’s happening on the planet Mercury? And we’re rooting for the Demons?!?
“The Hobbit?” well, that’s a little better. It’s more akin to the familiar characters of fairy tales than high fantasy. Trolls, dwarves (which for some odd reason always accompany each other in large numbers, complete with silly rhyming names), wizards and dragons. Susan Cooper’s “Dark is Rising” sequence is similar to this. If you know squat about King Arthur, they have you hooked.
Comic books aren’t a bad way to get into fantasy either. Recently I’ve seen the Stephen King “Dark Tower” comics. With great artwork (’cause after all, many of us are suckers for a terrific cover) and a story that relates with what people unfamiliar with fantasy might know, it’s not a bad place to start.
I wouldn’t recommend books like “Wraethu” by Storm Constantine, or even Moorcock’s Elric stories for entry readers. Not with the funky names, mind-twisting social structures, etc. It’s probably better to start off in familiar territory first, then branch out into the weird (good) stuff.
2 • catrambo said:
October 17th, 2008 at 1:03 pm, permalink
I remember reading the Rosenberg – the main appeal it held for me was that I played D&D 2-3 times every week and so it was SO COOL (at the time) to have someone writing about GAMERS.
And the Castle Perilous! I loved those.
I gave the LotR to someone about a decade younger a while back and he HATED it and thought it way too dry, writing wise. That was before the Jackson movies, though, so I would be curious to get his take on it now.
For me Andre Norton was a big pull, both to sf and fantasy. Thomas Burnett Swann was another, as were Fritz Leiber’s Fafhrd and Gray Mouser (who I still love, even though they got a bit more complicated in later years).
And, shamefully enough….Piers Anthony. I’d still put his first Xanth book on a list of influential fantasy. The rest just got way too concerned with panties.
3 • Michael Gordon said:
October 17th, 2008 at 1:14 pm, permalink
I’m not even going to touch topic “A” because I probably haven’t read even half of the Must-Reads.
Obviously there’s a huge difference between what to recommend to adults and what to recommend to kids. I’ve never actually met anyone who got into fantasy as an adult, and it seems a daunting task. A lot of people view fantasy literature as inherently juvenile. I think Neil Gaiman has some great books for both groups, as well as some of his comics.
I’d steer clear of LotR, though I eventually came to love it, it’s not something to start out on. Harry Potter has of course been proven as gateway to fantasy, but possibly only to a very limited branch of it.
I think it helps to find what genres someone already likes and find a fantasy equivalent. Certainly there’s romance fantasy, historical fantasy, mystery/crime fantasy, etc.
4 • Rick Hipps said:
October 17th, 2008 at 1:20 pm, permalink
A good starter book, appealing to YA & Adults alike, would be Verna McKinnon’s ‘Gate of Souls Book 1 of A Familiar’s Tale.’ It has everything a fantasy reader might want; action, magic, humor and a strong message of friendship and family. Ms. McKinnon is a writer to watch.
5 • catrambo said:
October 17th, 2008 at 1:21 pm, permalink
Yeah, that’s what I did with my mother when she said something along the lines of “well, if you’re going to write this sort of thing, I should read some of it.” She reads lit and romance, so I found stuff along those lines.
The ones that have clicked with her so far are Jo Walton’s Farthing series, Lois McMaster Bujold’s Chalion books, and Charlaine Harris.
6 • Clint Harris said:
October 17th, 2008 at 1:46 pm, permalink
I had a friend who got started (and honestly stuck) with the Thomas Covenant books. I tried, and stopped, reading them. Intensely depressing. Murky even.
The problem with Harry Potter, George R.R. Martin, even Robert Jordan, and maybe Tolkien is that you get used to their worlds. They are pretty much encapsulated, so it might be hard for a reader to get out of reading an epic of that scale and reading something else.
When environs are decidedly NOT Hogwarts or Middle Earth, their imaginations might switch off and they might lose interest. I’ve met kids that are Harry Potter fanatics, but couldn’t care less about fantasy books.
7 • Willis Couvillier said:
October 17th, 2008 at 2:00 pm, permalink
I’d give a newbie to genre the first Raymond E Feist Magician set – gaming epic fantasy written with a modern feel to the style. These are just fun to read, however the criticism, and the reader can go to the following areas of the series afterwards. Others are Rowlings, early Eddings, Dickson’s Dragon series, early McKillip — all solid fantasy stories with a straight-up style. After those, then you can start feeding them Bradley, Tolkien, Lewis, with a bit of Pratchet and anthony to lighten it some. Then to the heavies — Donaldson and Moorcock. Once they taste the heavies, then a bit of Asprin may be needed.
8 • Michael Gordon said:
October 17th, 2008 at 2:21 pm, permalink
My personal philosophy on recommendations is to neither give nor receive, at least when it comes to family and friends (in the real world). If I share a liking for a particular book/series with someone I may ask what else they read, but if they actively recommend I just smile and nod.
My mother, not being a fan of fantasy, categorizes the things I read and write as “weird”. Not in a derogatory way, but that’s how she sees them. So when she comes across a book that is “weird” she recommends it to me. I end up with a lot of recommendations for magical realism and surrealism, which is entirely not my area.
On the other hand, my wife likes two fantasy series, but has no desire to branch out. I am tempted to recommend Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrel, given her taste for Jane Austen, but I think it’s all too possible my suggestions to her will be just as off the mark as my mother’s suggestions to me.
9 • Rick Hipps said:
October 17th, 2008 at 2:39 pm, permalink
A good starter book, appealing to YA & Adults alike, would be Verna McKinnon’s ‘Gate of Souls Book 1 of A Familiar’s Tale.’ It has everything a fantasy reader might want; action, magic, humor and a strong message of friendship and family. Ms. McKinnon is a writer to watch.
10 • Michelle Muenzler said:
October 17th, 2008 at 2:49 pm, permalink
I feel in no position to tell anyone what they must or must not read, so I am skipping to part b.
Peter S. Beagle’s “The Innkeeper’s Song”.
The man has a deftness to his prose that makes his writing style both achingly simple and unexpectedly complex, and his lengths are decidedly un-tome-like, perfect for a reader who is unsure if they want to commit to the genre. The strangeness of his world is always tempered by an appreciation of the mundane, of the tiny moments, of the little thoughts that make us human, and it is those small things that bind the reader to every character in this book (and for a short book sharing the POV over about seven characters, that is quite a feat).
So yeah, I think for most people that would be the gateway book I would share with them.
11 • Loretta Sylvestre said:
October 17th, 2008 at 4:06 pm, permalink
If I was asked by a person who had never read fantasy to make a recommendation as to where in the genre to start, I’d consider their age and inclinations.
For instance for a “tween” to early-teen reader, I might recommend Suzanne Collins’ Overlander series, or something by Cornelia Funke, or even L’Engle — A Wrinkle in Time. Pullman’s His Dark Materials is a must read at some point, but definitely not a place to start, I don’t think.
For an older reader, particularly one who had been schooled on Dickens and so forth, how about Hope Mirlees’ Lud in the Mist? That’s a classic, both light and dark, a brief tale, and Mirlees seemed to have a knack for making it absolutely necessary to start the next chapter, now.
Does the reader like loud action and meta-fiction style humor? Then (yes I’m going to say it) The Dresden Files.
Do they like heavy magic and brooding wizards, or falling deep into Celtic Fey? There’s surely something by CJ Cherryh to fit the bill.
My first fantasy read that I can remember was The Borrowers. It seems like there was nothing between that and the Thomas Covenant books and Tolkien. Except for The Hobbit, I was way to young to understand those. But there was something about it that drew me back, again and again, until I started to get it, and love it. Not the recommended route for everyone though.
This has been an intriguing subject to ponder. Thanks!
12 • Jay Ridler said:
October 17th, 2008 at 4:12 pm, permalink
A) George MacDonald Phantastes: imagine Lewis Carrol writing Alice in Wonderland in first person while on acid! If you can’t handle this seminal, wild, imaginative, and looney toones work that both Lewis and Tolkien respected, you are not fit to wear a ring of power and are DOOOOMED.
B)Not Lord of the Rings. Those first fifty pages are like the world’s longest first taste of beer. You have to be committed to getting drunk to survive those chatty lessons on pipe weed.
Guy Kay’s initial trilogy (Finovar Tapestry) starts in the real world and then gets mythic and adventurous, so that would be an easier slide into secondary world fiction. Sort of a literary equivalent of the Dungeon and Dragons cartoon, where a rollar coaster sends a bunch of kids into a the TSRverse. And, I mean, what kid didn’t wish there local amusement parks worked like that!
JSR
13 • xanthalanari said:
October 17th, 2008 at 5:16 pm, permalink
I’m going to repeat what’s already been said about tailoring “gateway” books to a person’s interests. So my suggestions might go along the lines of:
Historical fantasy – one of Guy Gavriel Kay’s historical fantasies, Gene Wolfe’s Soldier books, Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, or Jaqueline Carey’s Kushiel books if they don’t mind the kinky sex.
Mystery/Detective – The Dresden Files (possibly also a step up from Harry Potter?)
Roleplaying or wargaming – James Barclay’s Raven books
Romance – early Laurel K Hamilton (with a warning about the later books!), Neil Gaiman’s Stardust
Mythology – Neil Gaiman’s American Gods, Anansi Boys, and Sandman.
“Heist” shows/literature (I can’t remember what this is called, but basically crime from the point of the criminals) – Scott Lynch’s Gentleman Bastard books.
Satire/political comment – Terry Pratchett’s Discworld books
For my must-reads, assuming they’re aimed at fantasy-heads such as ourselves
- Roger Zelazny’s A Night in the Lonesome October
- William Goldman’s The Princess Bride
- Pretty much anything by Gaiman or McKillip, or in the Fantasy Masterworks series
There are probably more but it’s late and I can’t think of them.
14 • C.L. Holland said:
October 17th, 2008 at 5:20 pm, permalink
Oops, 13 was me filling in my livejournal name by accident.
15 • Silviamg said:
October 17th, 2008 at 5:24 pm, permalink
No to Lord of the Rings here too.
I’d say:
1) “The Princess Bride”: It’s funny and entertaining. You can have a good laugh at all the little notes running through it.
2) “Never Ending Story” or “Momo”: Although meant for children, I’d recommend it to adults also. Ende’s writing is very moving.
3) As an introduction to magic realism, try short stories by Cortazar. For novel-length work Garcia Marquez and his “100 Years of Solitude” will show the readers a different kind of fantasy.
4) For a darker, more adult fantasy Tanith’s Lee “Night’s Master” is lush and sexy.
16 • Clint Harris said:
October 17th, 2008 at 6:04 pm, permalink
Wow, I don’t know about 100 Years of Solitude to introduce folks to fantasy. Maybe not even a gateway into Magical Realism. It’s a very complex book, though it is the quintessential MR novel. I would recommend Borges or even Kafka before the Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Especially Borges, but we’re not talking fiction for kids here unless they have an inkling at the stuff he’s writing about. Garcia Marquez has some short stories that blow your socks off without the long-term investment of “Solitude”.
17 • Todd Vandemark said:
October 17th, 2008 at 6:07 pm, permalink
::Loads scattergun and fires::
Alexander Lloyd’s “The Chronicles of Prydain” launched me into fantasy. The final book in the series, The High King, won the Newberry.
Le Guin’s “Earthsea Trilogy” is must read and a good gateway. When it comes to nonfiction, her collection of essays, Language of the Night, is surely a “must read” for those interested in fantasy.
Obviously, LotRs is required at some point.
The King of Elfland’s Daughter by Lord Dunsany is required for its influence on later works of Tolkien, Lovecraft, and Gaiman. Plus it’s kick ass in it’s own right all these years later.
Little, Big, by Crowley is regarded by many, including critic, Harold Bloom, as one of the best novels ever, in any genre. I’d agree.
The Book of the New Sun, by Gene Wolfe inhabits the borderlands of fantasy and science fiction. As science fantasy, it’s a must read as exemplar alone.
If you are into language and Dickensian characters, Peake’s “Gormangast Trilogy” tops the list.
And let’s not forget poetry!
Rime of the Ancient Mariner -Coleridge (who coined the phrase “willing suspension of disbelief,” an aesthetic towards which all authors must strive).
And my favorite, The Waste Land, by T.S. Eliot. You Tube has a recording of Eliot reading the work: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZdcYdE7mME (section 1).
… and on and on, such a rich genre, fantasy.
18 • Todd Vandemark said:
October 17th, 2008 at 6:14 pm, permalink
17 b) So in answer to your question, which are seminal AND are gateways, I’d say it depends on the reader’s age, interests, and sophistication.
19 • Andrew Kaye said:
October 17th, 2008 at 6:20 pm, permalink
I’d definitely suggest Jonathan Stroud’s Bartimaeus Trilogy to anyone who hadn’t read fantasy before. Easily one of my favorites. Even though the “student wizard” element might raise the eyebrows of folks leery of anything Harry Potterish, those thoughts quickly go away after the first chapter.
Hell, I’d add it to a fantasy buff’s must-read list, too.
20 • Tehani Wessely said:
October 17th, 2008 at 6:51 pm, permalink
Raymond Feist’s “Magician” was the one that got me hooked, although I’d dabbled in Tamora Pierce’s Lioness quartet and Lloyd Alexander previously.
I’d also recommend Alison Goodman’s “The Two Pearls of Wisdom”, a new book by an Australian author set in a pseudo-Asian world, because it’s just so damn good; also some Jennifer Fallon, some Glenda Larke and some Karen Miller for the typical quest fantasy books; and old favourites like the Belgariad series.
So … many … books! It’s very hard to name just a few, but I’ll stop there.
21 • Cat C. said:
October 17th, 2008 at 6:54 pm, permalink
(A) I have to say that I had a hard time getting into a decent chunk of the “must-reads.” I liked what Michael @ 3 said about finding a fantasy equivalent for other genre tastes. I think that can apply to the “must-reads” also – there’s “must-read” sword and sorcery, “must-read” high fantasy, etc. Even if you’re really into one subgenre you might not like the “must-reads” from another subgenre.
(B) I think it’s easier sometimes to get into fantasy if the main characters are human. It can be easier to relate to someone that is like you or someone you know than say, a Moon Man. When I was first reading fantasy, I liked reading books with characters I could relate to. Some of my first favorites were “A Wrinkle in Time” (Meg Murry), “Dealing with Dragons” (Cimorene), and “The Neverending Story” (Bastian Bux). So if I were to try and pick out a book for a new fantasy reader, I would look for something with a character they could relate to. Also, I would try and gauge by their other reading interests if they were character or plot oriented in their reading and try to find a book that fit that. It’s like figuring out if a person listens to a song for the lyrics or the music :0)
22 • Tanya McDonald said:
October 17th, 2008 at 7:55 pm, permalink
I’d have to vote for Pratchett’s Discworld books, too. Humor is a good gateway to just about anything. The Princess Bride can go on a bit in places, but it’s a good old fashioned adventure. I’d like to add Gaiman’s Stardust in the same category.
I can’t remember if I read Lloyd Alexander’s Westmark Trilogy before Lord of the Rings or not, but both trilogies hooked me into fantasy in grade school. But I’m a bit odd…
Not sure if anyone’s mentioned Charles de Lint’s books, but he does an amazing job of mixing the fantastic with the mundane and inviting the reader into his worlds.
23 • C.L. Holland said:
October 18th, 2008 at 6:07 am, permalink
Silviamg @ 15
I’m reading The Never-Ending Story for the first time at the moment. Even my fantasy-loving boyfriend despairs about how many of my books are “for children”. That’s something I find quite sad, actually – that so much good fantasy is cut off from a wider readership by implication that it’s childish to read it.
Todd Vandemark @ 17
Little, Big just doesn’t do it for me. It was OK, but I spent so long waiting for somthing to happen that I just lost interest.
24 • Autumn said:
October 18th, 2008 at 7:57 am, permalink
I really think it depends on the person. For most young men, I’d suggest George R.R. Martin since he isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty. War, blood, death, intrigue, and undead. My husband is particularly fond of this author’s work. The size of the books can be a bit daunting to someone who isn’t a frequent reader or doesn’t have the time to invest in something you could use to brain an enemy.
Smaller and straight forward boy friendly fantasy can be found in R. A. Salvatore. It’s D&D based, easy reading that can be finished quickly. A good gateway fantasy book. (not ones that I’m all that into though, personally)
For girls, I’d say Jacqueline Carey’s Kushiel books. Take the obsession with the ‘Twilight’ series with its romance and then make it really good, well written, and give the heroine some guts- and in the simplest form that would be the appeal of Carey’s novels on readers. The narrator is a woman who was raised in a society that celebrates love in all forms. She just so happens to be chosen by a god to feel pain as pleasure which makes her the perfect spy. Men like these books too, of course.
There are a lot of authors out there now doing new things with the genre that makes it really exciting. Not so much the boring, epics of old school fantasy which I loved as a child. I compare reading to wine tasting and that after much time and exploration, you begin to acquire a more well rounded taste and better appreciate the variations and techniques. My absolute favorite is literary fantasy. Fantasy that isn’t about magic, war, heroes but also about the art of writing. Literary eye candy. I also really enjoy cross genre creations like fantasy with a dollop of horror or sci-fi. I think going to the borders of the genre can attract new readers. Readers who brush off fantasy because they think of a hobbit named Frodo and just don’t have much interest in little dudes with big hairy feet.
25 • Chaz Brenchley said:
October 18th, 2008 at 1:31 pm, permalink
Patricia McKillip’s RiddleMaster trilogy, for both parts of the question…
26 • Randy Henderson said:
October 18th, 2008 at 3:28 pm, permalink
Embarrassing fact: As a young teen, Piers Anthony’s first Xanth trilogy was what got me really kicked off in the more “swords and magic users” type fantasy.
Though I had “gatewayed” before hand, having read L’Engle’s Wrinkle in Time, Bradbury’s Sound of Thunder, etc. And about the same time as the Xanth novels I read Lloyd Alexander’s The Chronicles of Prydain and Ursula K. Le Guin’s Earthsea trilogy — that is, I think that was the order (it all kind of blends together).
I also remember preferring television shows as a child like Star Trek and Outer Limits, and movies like Robin Hood, the old Eroll Flynn swashbuckler films, Three Musketeers, the animated Hobbit, the Last Unicorn, etcetera that I think helped lay the neural pathways for my fantasy-scifi reading preferences.
And I seem to remember being exposed repeatedly as a child to hero fables with names like “David and Goliath” or “Samson” (a Hercules rip off, if I recall), or the wise old wizard Noah and his magical boat (though I think that was a Gilgamesh knockoff), and some other similarly derivative but imagination-stirring tales with magical elements. Though I’m afraid I can’t remember the author…
Then I jumped pretty quickly into Lord of the Rings, and Thomas Covenant, but I would NOT recommend those to fantasy newbies – they are not light reading.
Feist’s first Riftwar saga remains one of my favorites and I think is a not-too-bad choice for newbies.
McCaffrey’s Harper Hall trilogy, and Mercedes Lackey’s Arrows of the Queen or Vows and Honor books are good choices for newbie readers who would enjoy female protagonists, as they are fairly short novels and entertaining, though both contain a bit of mature material.
Finally, I’d say as a recommend for newbies (in addition to any recommended by others above) perhaps Roger Zelazny’s first Chronicles of Amber series, for a couple of reasons. First, the books are very small, and therefore appealing as “give it a try” reading. Second, they are written in first person and action-oriented, and start off with a classic hook (man wakes up with no memory and with people apparently out to get him) that sucks the reader in. So, all in all, pretty easy reads, and pretty good stories.
27 • Randy Henderson said:
October 18th, 2008 at 11:07 pm, permalink
Datlow’s Years Best Fantasy and Horror anthology. It has variety, and short stories are easier to get people to read than full novels.
28 • Samantha Chapman said:
October 19th, 2008 at 12:37 pm, permalink
Y’know, as I’m going through and reading all these recommendations (have I got a lot I have to get to!), I’m remembering reading The Little Prince when I was really young. I would offer that book to anyone, it’s such a wonderful little story. For a young child, it’s something relatable and enjoyable, the sort of thing you’re still thinking about a few days later and acting out and drawing sheep of your own. That’s what fantasy’s really been about for me; something you can sink yourself into way after you’re done reading or watching.
29 • Clint Harris said:
October 20th, 2008 at 11:20 am, permalink
Samantha, I think of the Little Prince every time I have to clean the volcanoes (some might call it a chimney) at my house. Nice suggestion!
30 • Jeff Spock said:
November 6th, 2008 at 5:28 am, permalink
I cut my fantasy teeth on Alexander’s Prydain books; thirty years later my 11-year-old daughter adores them. I’d call them both seminal and gateway.
I’m finding that some of the classic seminal & gateway fantasy stuff from my youth — Wind in the Willows, The Hobbit, even the Pooh books — is definitely viewed as too slow and dry these days. Humph. Kids…
Moving into teen years, nothing quite blew me out of my socks the way the Amber series did. Definitely seminal, and gateway for adolescents. Earthsea as well, though I found it less captivating.
However, a separate paragraph must be added for Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser. S & G imho.
Is Vance’s Lyonesse trilogy seminal? Gormenghast? McCaffrey’s first Pern book?