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Post by spiritmage234 on Jun 9, 2007 11:30:01 GMT -5
So what is/are your favorite fantasy novel(s)? Mines are:
-The Kitty Series, by Carrie Vaughn -The Everworld Series, by K.A. Applegate -The Sweep Series, by Cate Tierman -Wicked:Witch & Curse, by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie
These are my favorite thus far. I'm not flaming on all of the Harry Potter fans, and the Lord of the Rings fans, and Earagon and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and so on. Don't get me wrong: I love those series too. But let's try to open some new horizons and talk about fantasy novel that people don't really exemplify, shall we? ^_^
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pirateliz
Avatar Aang
Co-creator of A Far Cry From Home.
Posts: 1,153
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Post by pirateliz on Jun 9, 2007 19:08:19 GMT -5
The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe is part of an expansive book set (around 7 I think off the top of my head.) called The Chronicals of Narnia.
I really love my Lord of the Rings and Chronicals of Narnia, I love Harry Potter but Mrs. Rowling was simply following in the steps of the two greats of fantasy literature. (In my opinion.) As for other Fantasy novels I like; The 10th Kingdom by Kathyrn Wesley hands freakin down. This book is simply hilarious. It takes all the old fairy tales and smashes them together in a way that it isn't a spoof, it is an entirely real land where fairy tales are real. The Brothers Grimm did not make the stories up but instead lived them in this book. The book is hilarious full of love, adventure and everything that makes a great story great! I've read that book so many times that its falling apart on me. This one is probablly my all tiem favorite even though I already mentioned how I liked the others. Hawksong by Ameila Atwater Rhodes is another great novel. I can't say enough praises on that one. Its about a world of shap shifters and war and two royals and their attempt to stop the war by coming together. Very well written! The Uglies Trilogy by Scott Westerfeld. The only thing is this one is more of a turn over to science fiction. This book is about how in the future instead of getting a drivers liscence at 16 you recieve plastic surgery to make you beautiful. THen you are sent to live in the world of the pretties where it is non stop parties and everyone is beautiful and looks the same. But there is a deadly secret to this plastic world. This trilogy really makes you think about society and the messages of the media. I reccomend it for the thinkers. These books are right behind The 10th Kingdom.
Those are mine!
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Post by spiritmage234 on Jun 10, 2007 10:04:56 GMT -5
The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe is part of an expansive book set (around 7 I think off the top of my head.) called The Chronicals of Narnia. I really love my Lord of the Rings and Chronicals of Narnia, I love Harry Potter but Mrs. Rowling was simply following in the steps of the two greats of fantasy literature. (In my opinion.) As for other Fantasy novels I like; The 10th Kingdom by Kathyrn Wesley hands freakin down. This book is simply hilarious. It takes all the old fairy tales and smashes them together in a way that it isn't a spoof, it is an entirely real land where fairy tales are real. The Brothers Grimm did not make the stories up but instead lived them in this book. The book is hilarious full of love, adventure and everything that makes a great story great! I've read that book so many times that its falling apart on me. This one is probablly my all tiem favorite even though I already mentioned how I liked the others. Hawksong by Ameila Atwater Rhodes is another great novel. I can't say enough praises on that one. Its about a world of shap shifters and war and two royals and their attempt to stop the war by coming together. Very well written! The Uglies Trilogy by Scott Westerfeld. The only thing is this one is more of a turn over to science fiction. This book is about how in the future instead of getting a drivers liscence at 16 you recieve plastic surgery to make you beautiful. THen you are sent to live in the world of the pretties where it is non stop parties and everyone is beautiful and looks the same. But there is a deadly secret to this plastic world. This trilogy really makes you think about society and the messages of the media. I reccomend it for the thinkers. These books are right behind The 10th Kingdom. Those are mine! Yeah I know, but that's the only one that people really talk about. I've never heard anyone talk about the Magician's Nephew or Prince Caspian. So, I guess it's ok if we talk about the other books in the Chronicles of Narnia. I've wanted to read The Brother's Grimm. It sounds interesting! Guess I'll talk about my books. When I read fantasy books, I mainly go for those involving witchcraft, but not just cliche witchcraft, more Wicca witchcraft. I look at books that not only display supernatural spells, but also those that go into dept about Paganism, Wicca, etc. The books I listed above, Sweep and Wicked, are those kind of books. I like Harry Potter, but it's just too cliche magical instead of "magickal", with one word spells that say, "Hoozlepuffle!" to call on a big wave of fire or "kerjizzle!" to make time stop (I'm perfectly aware that they never said any of those words in Harry Potter as far as I know ) I guess I can say that I like fantasy books that have a more cultural perspective than a more childish one like Harry Potter. Not that I'm saying Harry Potter's bad.
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ZukosGirl
Bolin
Mad-Eye and Sokka have so much in common
Posts: 2,043
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Post by ZukosGirl on Jun 10, 2007 10:42:46 GMT -5
My favorite would be the Page series by Tamora Pierce. The books are about a young girl who is trying to become a knight. They're really great books with many mythical creatures in them.
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Post by appacatbus on Jun 10, 2007 11:13:42 GMT -5
When listing what books we should exclude, dont use etc. I have no idea what falls under etc. ^_^
His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman and A Song of Ice and Fire by George RR Martin Both infinitely better than all the fantasy drivel kids all love these days.
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Post by spiritmage234 on Jun 10, 2007 11:27:07 GMT -5
^Lol. Pretty much and overly publicized book(e.g., anything with it's own international merchandise line) would fall under etc. That's what I meant I guess. ^_^'
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pirateliz
Avatar Aang
Co-creator of A Far Cry From Home.
Posts: 1,153
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Post by pirateliz on Jun 10, 2007 12:01:30 GMT -5
I understand what you mean with a culture perspective which is partially why I devour historical fictions. The Brother's Grimm fairy tales are EXTREMLEY violent. Fairy Tales were meant for adults, not children originally. Then when they were told to children they were used to scare them so they wouldn't wander around in the woods or something. Disney and other writers sweetend it up. Like in the original Cinderella the step-sisters cut off their toes and heels in order to fit into the shoe and they realize that they aren't the right person when blood starts shooting out the shoe. They also have their eyes pecked out by crows when they go to Cinderella's wedding. In Repunzel(sp?) the prince falls into a thorn bush when he tries to rescue her and has his eyes poked out. In Red Riding Hood she's molested by the Wolf and then eaten (but later rescued.)
Those are just some of them...and I guess I kinda went way off topic ^^; Twilight and New Moon by Stephanie Myers are some pretty good fantasy books.
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Post by spiritmage234 on Jun 11, 2007 6:09:25 GMT -5
Yeah, so did nursery ryhmes. A tale about three blind mice that get their tales cut of my some lady wouldn't soothe me to sleep. :/ And further more, many of you already know that all versions of Cinderella that are told all over the world originated from the original ancient Chinese text about the orphan girl left to be a slave to her step mother and sister. The whole glass slipper deal came out from Chinese tradition of footbinding, since the Emperor in the story liked women with small feet (aka, Chinese Cinderella girl). So in the end, C.C. goes off to live happily ever after with the Emperor, and her step mother and sister get crushed by boulders in their cave home. Fairy tales also had many hidden 'motifs' and 'themes' if ya know what I mean. Like with Little Red Riding Hood, the red hood represents (how can I say this without making a spectacle of myself), Little Red Riding Hood's entry into womanhood and the wolf represents a lover....a seducer.....a child predator.... So I can see what you mean when fairy tales were in some way intended for adults. Guess that just proves that not all fairy tales have a happy ending (in one way or the other). ^_^' In fact, many fairy tales never ended with 'happily ever after', but just like you said, Disney and other righters of today just sweetened it up for todays over sensitive and over protected children. This makes me wanna read up on folklore more... I think all get some more books on the subject on my next trip to the book store. I think we should have a separate thread on the books or critical thinking boards about folklore and their ture intent. EDIT: I just read up on the origins of Cinderella, and the earliest version was a Greco-Egyptian version, recorded around the first century BC.
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pirateliz
Avatar Aang
Co-creator of A Far Cry From Home.
Posts: 1,153
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Post by pirateliz on Jun 11, 2007 11:37:13 GMT -5
In the original french version that really got spread around it was a fur slipper but there was a mistake in translation and it became a glass slipper.
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Post by Koikitten on Jun 11, 2007 11:40:17 GMT -5
Watership Down has to be my absolute favorite Fantasy book.
I've never enjoyed Harry Potter, and Eragon was alright.
I'm more of a non-fiction reader.
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The Blue Chibi
Cabbage Merchant
you cannot push the river... nor can you hold it back
Posts: 4,130
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Post by The Blue Chibi on Jun 11, 2007 14:06:19 GMT -5
In the original french version that really got spread around it was a fur slipper but there was a mistake in translation and it became a glass slipper. ^ Yeah, vair (fur) sounds like verre (glass) in French. People are still arguing that one. For fantasy books, I find Diane Duane's Young Wizard series to be great. She's been clinically trained in psychiatry and she minored in astronomy, so they're not only entertaining but also pretty hard-core books, while reasonably free of the cringeworthy fluff that usually turns me off in sci-fi. amazon link to first bookUrsula K. leGuin's Earthsea series pwns all. amazon link to first bookRobin McKinley's The Blue Sword and The Hero and The Crown continue to haunt me. And Diana Wynne Jones never fails to make me laugh while still maintaining a respectable profundity. amazon links to Howl's Moving Castle and Castle in the Air
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Post by Koikitten on Jun 11, 2007 19:08:24 GMT -5
^ HOW COULD I FORGET HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE?! -headdesk-
That's one of my favorite all-time books. Miyazaki's movie inspired me to read it.
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Hana
Avatar Roku
:3
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Post by Hana on Jun 12, 2007 13:09:58 GMT -5
Beauty - Robin Mckinley
It is a wonderful re-telling of the story of Beauty and the Beast set from Beauty's point of view. (No, it is nothing like the Disney movie.)
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Post by spiritmage234 on Jun 12, 2007 13:11:03 GMT -5
^Then that I gotta look into.
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Orangey
Painted Katara
Posts: 5,587
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Post by Orangey on Jun 12, 2007 13:27:47 GMT -5
The Warriors series by Erin Hunter (really three people, Victoria Holmes, the series editor and the two writers, Kate Cary and Cherith Baldry). It's about cats, mainly wild cats living in the four warrior Clans. It's creative (the Erins have really dreamt up an amazing world; you'll never look at your cat the same way again!). It's also heartbreaking and real, with many main characters dying. The plots are also outstanding, with alliances constantly changing; loyalty is an important theme in the book. And there's romance (it's brought out the shipper in me).
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