April book study pre-poll. Fantasy.

Fenika · Mar 1, 2010

Alright folks, Fantasy is up again. What does everyone recommend? Popular, easily accessible, and so on.

What about some high rollers? LeGuin? MZ Bradley? (Kay! We need to actually get a book study with GGKay!!! Though we could wait for his new book, except it will be in hardcover...)

What about continuing our foreign theme? That is going well, particularly since one of the book study aims is to get us reading more widely...

Thoughts, ideas, suggestions, flames?

Fenika · Mar 1, 2010

Eek, forgot again. Please provide links to amazon or B&N or similar or I will be a sad smibble when it comes time to make the poll. Possibly even spiteful.

maxmordon · Mar 1, 2010

Ficciones by Jorge Luis Borges; a collection of short stories, mostly if not all with elements of fantasy in the mundane life and it can get read really fast (I read it in a weekend).

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0802130305/?tag=absolutewritedm-20

ELMontague · Mar 1, 2010

I would like something that's just one step out of reality, Gaiman-esque if you will, that stumbles into a whole new world. I'm reading Neverwhere and like that sort of thing. Although we've done Gaiman. Are there any other good ones to recommend?

rugcat · Mar 1, 2010

maxmordon said:
Ficciones by Jorge Luis Borges; a collection of short stories, mostly if not all with elements of fantasy in the mundane life and it can get read really fast (I read it in a weekend).

One of my absolute all time favorite story collections. But it's not really fantasy, it's. . . well, it's Borges.

KDexter · Mar 2, 2010

ELMontague said:
I would like something that's just one step out of reality, Gaiman-esque if you will, that stumbles into a whole new world. I'm reading Neverwhere and like that sort of thing. Although we've done Gaiman. Are there any other good ones to recommend?

Neverwhere is one of my favorite books, hope you're enjoying it!

Etola · Mar 3, 2010

ELMontague said:
I would like something that's just one step out of reality, Gaiman-esque if you will, that stumbles into a whole new world. I'm reading Neverwhere and like that sort of thing. Although we've done Gaiman. Are there any other good ones to recommend?

I don't know if this exactly matches what you're looking for, but I'm reading <i>The Child Thief</i> by Brom. It is dark fantasy/horror along the Gaiman vein, and the story is a weird retelling of Peter Pan. Amazon link A bit gory, and the writing isn't exactly top-notch, but the story is definitely pulling me along, and it's a neat twist on an old classic.

Fenika · Mar 3, 2010

I've been keen to put The Child Thief in the book study, but was waiting for the paperback. Looks like it comes out in mid August. Would we prefer to wait or does everyone who doesn't want to buy the hardcover think they can get it from their library or somesuch?

Also, I wonder if Gaiman is an author we could repeat (at least in the poll and see if it takes) Any thoughts?

Lastly, any other thoughts on Ficciones? It's low low fantasy then??

Liosse de Velishaf · Mar 3, 2010

It'd probably be better to wait for the paperback on this one. Despite the lukewarm reception on Amazon, it sounds like a very intersesting book.

geardrops · Mar 3, 2010

I'll say that despite lukewarmness, yes, THE CHILD THIEF is an incredible book (I managed to snag an ARC from SDCC last year and I was blown away).

I haven't read Borges. I think that'd be a good direction to go. Thinky-type fantasy. Also, I might suggest Hopkinson, maybe THE NEW MOON'S ARMS?

Fenika · Mar 5, 2010

AW ate my post from yesterday. Anywho, any last minute suggestions? I'll put the poll up tomorrow or so and have it run through Tuesday night.

rugcat · Mar 5, 2010

Fenika said:
AW ate my post from yesterday. Anywho, any last minute suggestions? I'll put the poll up tomorrow or so and have it run through Tuesday night.

I have no say, since I don't participate.

But I think a great book is Sabriel, Garth Nix. It's purportedly a YA novel, but well beyond that. It has some incredibly clever and inventive magical systems, plus I think he's one of the top writers around. I wish I could write anything close to it.

Amazon reviews mean little, if anything, but note it has 463 five star reviews out of 559 total. So I'm not the only one who likes it.

Check it out.

Fenika · Mar 6, 2010

Guess who didn't scroll down far enough while setting up the poll.

Sorry Rugcat. Remind me next time?

April book study pre-poll. Fantasy.

Fenika

Fenika

maxmordon

Penúltimo

ELMontague

rugcat

Lost in the Fog

KDexter

Etola

Still looking for stars...

Fenika

Liosse de Velishaf

geardrops

Good thing I like my day job

Fenika

rugcat

Lost in the Fog

Fenika