Your 2nd Best "Modern" Fantasy Work?

Fri Mar 06, 2009 7:17 am

By work, I mean novels, series, the written word...

It would seem to me that if there's a modern era of fantasy it would start with LeGuin's Earthsea in '68...

Some Other options, not limited to:
- American Gods, Gaiman
- Liveship Traders, Hobb
- Farseer, Hobb
- Princess Bride, Goldman
- Dark Tower, King
- Belgariad, Eddings
- Discworld, Pratchett
- Sword of Truth, Goodkind
- Shannara, Brooks
- Magic Kingdom for Sale, Brooks
- Riftwar, Feist
- Kingkiller Chronicle, Rothfus
- Tigana, Kay
- Darkness Before, Bakker
- Strange & Norrell, Clarke
- His Dark Materials, Pullman
- Abhorsen, Nix
- Neverending Story, Ende
- Dark Elf, Salvatore
- Temeraire, Novik
- Last Unicorn, Beagle

Post by **Holsety** » Fri Mar 06, 2009 7:45 am

I think I will go with Peake's Gormenghast trilogy, simultaneously acknowledging that my tastes vary with the hour and it might have been something else if I posted a minute later.

I feel vaguely uncomfortable seeing American Gods and Johnathan Strange on the list.

Post by **stonemaybe** » Fri Mar 06, 2009 8:02 am

Saga of the Exiles by Julian May

Post by **Loredoctor** » Fri Mar 06, 2009 10:23 am

The Book of the New Sun, by Gene Wolfe. Followed closely by A Song of Ice and Fire.

Post by **Infelice** » Fri Mar 06, 2009 11:16 am

Stonemaybe wrote:Saga of the Exiles by Julian May

I'll second that.... I liked the Galactic Milieu triology more tho, but i would class that as sci fi.

Post by **Orlion** » Fri Mar 06, 2009 2:35 pm

Titus Groan, I haven't read the other Titus (commonly called Gormenghast) novels yet, but I loved Titus Groan, it's just so damn different!

Sat Mar 07, 2009 5:58 am

But is Gormenghast really Fantasy? There's no magic...only nobility...or is it really part of a different sub-genre of Fantasy?

Post by **aliantha** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 12:25 pm

I think you can have fantasy without magic. Gaiman's "American Gods" springs to mind -- all the weird happenings in the book are divine intervention.

I voted for Malazan. Erickson's an awesome world-builder.

Post by **I'm Murrin** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 1:49 pm

"Fantastic" and "Magical" are not synonyms.
That said, on Titus Groan, the plotline involving the pregnant wet nurse is magical in a way.

Post by **Orlion** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 6:51 pm

One of the great things about the Titus books is that it defies all classification. It has some gothic undertones, but it is not gothic, it has some macabre elements but it is not macabre, you think there's symbolism, but of what you're not quite sure. However, I would argue that it is a fantasy work since it takes place in another world (or does it? We don't know).

Sun Mar 08, 2009 7:13 pm

Orlion wrote:One of the great things about the Titus books is that it defies all classification. It has some gothic undertones, but it is not gothic, it has some macabre elements but it is not macabre, you think there's symbolism, but of what you're not quite sure. However, I would argue that it is a fantasy work since it takes place in another world (or does it? We don't know).

What's really at the heart of the two novels? Is it the plot, characters, symbology, world? As this seems to be the front-runner I may have to give it a go...

Post by **Orlion** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 7:22 pm

To me, they are very character driven books, but how people, places, things, and events are described it also a prominent feature of the books. Peake was an illustrator, and I got the impression that I was reading a painted masterpiece...

Post by **Orlion** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 7:24 pm

But be forewarned, there is really no centralized plot. There is a centralized character, though, and that's Titus Groan.

Post by **Vader** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 7:31 pm

My tax notice.

Sun Mar 08, 2009 7:33 pm

I wouldn't be able to read it then...I need plot to drive suspense, which drives the confliction for the characters, which allows them to become heroic in many ways, which creates love from me...

Which is one of my main problems with Ruins, take for instance Liand...ugg, pointless character (at this point in the tale) who has no chance at heroism at all...

Post by **stonemaybe** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 11:00 pm

I wouldn't be able to read it then...I need plot to drive suspense, which drives the confliction for the characters, which allows them to become heroic in many ways, which creates love from me...

I couldn't get into Peake for some of those reasons you mention. He's all about writing style (I think) and very little plot. I can see how some people love it, but it's not for me.

Post by **wayfriend** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 2:02 pm

The Riddlemaster series is my second-favorite fantasy series. I think.

I love the Book of the New Sun, but hesitate to call it fantasy. (Just as I hesitate to say that it's not fantasy.)

Tue Mar 10, 2009 2:13 pm

wayfriend wrote:The Riddlemaster series is my second-favorite fantasy series. I think.

I love the Book of the New Sun, but hesitate to call it fantasy. (Just as I hesitate to say that it's not fantasy.)

McKillip?

Post by **The Dreaming** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 10:36 am

ATM I'm really feeling Pullman and HDM.

Post by **wayfriend** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 2:26 pm

jacob Raver, sinTempter wrote:
wayfriend wrote:The Riddlemaster series is my second-favorite fantasy series. I think.

I love the Book of the New Sun, but hesitate to call it fantasy. (Just as I hesitate to say that it's not fantasy.)
McKillip?

Patricia, yes.

Riddle-Master: The Complete Trilogy

Patricia McKillip

Kevin's Watch

Kevin's Watch

Your 2nd Best "Modern" Fantasy Work?

Your Fav/Best "Modern" Fantasy Work (besides SRD)?

Your 2nd Best "Modern" Fantasy Work?