Fantasy literature discussion round

[Sinbad]

This is the place to discuss, recommend and talk about any book that falls under the category of "fantasy literature"
Spoilers are okay, but I think we should maybe mark them, since proboards has no function to hide spoiler parts of our pots. Therefore, just as a recommendation, once we get into details of something, we could add a [glow=red,2,300]SPOILER FOR [INSERT BOOK TITLE HERE] [/glow]so we don´t ruin the fun for those that still intend to read the books that are being talked about. Thanks for the suggestion, Derm.

And thus, discussion shall be moved here.

[Dermott]

Thanks captain

Do you mean to past and copy the previous discussions about fantasy novels we have already had on the welcome chat? Or Proboard has the function to move the single posts in a another tread?

[Sinbad]

Welcome

I don´t think it will be necessary to copy / paste it, but we can of course do that. There is no special function to move posts.

[firouz]

Sinbad's list:

Hm, okay, let me see, these are some of my favourites:

ROBIN HOBB: THE FARSEER TRILOGY
I mentioned that one somewhere on here already, to Derm I think. It´s a trilogy set in a fantasy world but it´s fantasy with sort of a “real” touch to it, some magic, something mythical creatures but it feels very “real”. The story has something biographical to it and is written from the p.o.v. of a bastard prince who grows up at the king´s court and who possesses both a gift that´s frequent in the royal line (something like telepathy) and the gift to communicate and bond with animals, something that´s seen as perverse in his society. Very intriguing, intense tale with lots of intrigue and very in depth, original characters and a very cool underlying mythology / background history

PHILIPP PULLMAN: HIS DARK MATERIALS TRILOGY
Awesome stuff and somewhat non conventional fantasy. Based on the idea that there are uncountable parallel universes, each with an evolution on its own this is a tale about god and evil, religion, science and souls. Starts in a world similar to our own where humans´ souls live outside their bodies in the shape of animal spirits.

JONANTHAN STROUT: BARTIMAEUS TRILOGY
Just like the farseer books this is written in first person, or at least some of it is. Main character is a cunning, somewhat evil genie whose history reaches back to ancient Egypt and who is forced to serve a young, ambitious wizard named Nathaniel. The whole thing takes place in an alternative England where society is separated into wizards and common people. Wizards don´t have extra powers, but they have the extra knowledge they need to submit demons to their wills, because only demons can do the magic for them. Great stuff and very funny in many places.

MICHAEL ENDE: THE NEVERENDING STORY
If you haven´t read this all time classic yet, it´s high time. :-) It´s written by a German author and was turned into a movie in 1982 already, but the book is far better (even though the first film was cute). A 10 year old boy, Bastian, finds a mysterious book and skips school to hide inside his school and reads the book. It´s called “The Neverending Story” and is set in the imaginary world of fantasia which is in peril because some sort of strange void is slowly destroying it. By and by, Bastian understands that he is part of the story as he notices that things he thinks and does have an effect on the story he reads.

OTTFRIED PREUSSLER: THE SATANIC MILL (GERMAN TITLE: KRABAT)
Another classic. The main protagonist is a beggar boy in Eastern Germany in the 18th century. Drawn by a strange dream, he ends up in a mysterious mill and starts to work there, only to slowly find out that the miller boys are not only just told how to run a mill but in particular how to perform dark magic. And as much fun as this is at times, Krabat soon finds himself drawn into it all and has to see that this puts him into mortal danger that only love can overcome.

JAMES A. OWEN: THE CHRONICLES OF THE IMAGINARIUM GEOGRAPHICA
(BOOK I: HERE, THERE BE DRAGONS)
Another trilogy I have read two books of for now. The whole flair of it is worth it. An unusual book since the author is also an illustrator meaning the book has pictures at the beginning of each chapter. The story: somewhen during World War I, three young men, John, Jack and Charles meet in London in accident when somewhen all three of them know, an Oxford Professor, has been found murdered in his office. In the dead of night they suddenly find themselves chased by werewolf like creatures and are saved in last minute by a strange fellow named Bert who takes them away with him on his ship, the Indigo Dragon and tells them that they are now the Keepers of the so called Imaginarium Geographica, an atlas book that contains maps of every world that has ever been made up in mythology and fiction. They enter the world of the geographica, a wild mix of all sorts of myths and tales and they get to know that there have always been keepers, many of them famous writers such as Shakespeare, who watched over the geographica, but now the lands are in danger because the Winter King is threatening to take over and erase all those lands. This book is really difficult to describe, it´s sort of an ode to all fantasy and mythology, because if you know your way around there you will notice well know characters of fiction all the time. There are hints at Alice´s wonderland, Neverland, Atlantis, Avalon…. The list is endless and the characters are well known, too. It´s no typical fantasy book, it´s something special for people who love fantasy. It´s set in a sort of alternative reality too, because the main characters are no ordinary people, either. An enchanting tale, it just made me go “Awwww” all the time.

[Sinbad]

Thanks Firouz.
And here is talya´s last post in the general welcome chat so we cancontinue discussing.

"Mm, the higher magicians are supposed to be strong, they have all the training & years of practice. But yes ofcourse, I forgot how shocked they were when Sonea first attacked them in the purge, & how utterly confused they acted. Also, it was clear later that the guild took the arena lessons merely as sports, it wasn't enough to prepare them for the ichani's.
& yes, that disturbed me too. Where were the others? The 20 weren't equally strong, I suppose only the strongest of them came first, & after the defeat, others didn't dare to attack.
About lord fergun, you are bound to hate him, after you know that magicians like Rothen & Lorlen do belong. But i dunno why, in his death scene, I felt pity for him. No matter how loathsome he is, don't deserve to be murdered so brutally. But when I think of Rothen, & all those last moments of the magicians that he had to endure because of the blood gem Kariko made of his blood, it was horrible & still sends a chill down my back only to think of it."

[Sinbad]

May 31, 2009 11:37:02 GMT -5 Sinbad said:

About lord fergun, you are bound to hate him, after you know that magicians like Rothen & Lorlen do belong. But i dunno why, in his death scene, I felt pity for him. No matter how loathsome he is, don't deserve to be murdered so brutally.

Exactly the same here.

May 31, 2009 11:37:02 GMT -5 Sinbad said:

But when I think of Rothen, & all those last moments of the magicians that he had to endure because of the blood gem Kariko made of his blood, it was horrible & still sends a chill down my back only to think of it.

I liked Rothen throughout the entire series. He´s always been sort of what I call an Obi-Wan-character.

[Talya]

Hehe, that's exactly how I pictured him, like Obi-wan! ;D
There's so many similarities between them, both of their apprentices learned black magic! ;D

[firouz]

Talya:

I was wondering if I should thank you, Sinbad, for pointing out 'black magician's trilogy' to me ... Its worth all the late nights I have to endure to go through it!

I am on the 2nd part of the novice, I'm loving Sonea!!! & Rothen of course, not to mention Darrien..... I wish I have some magical potential & can join the guild, instead of the med school...

[Sinbad]

Totally. I guess roles like that are just one of the standard types of fantasy literature characters. You know the elderly mentor figure: seen in Gandalf, Dumbledore, Obi-Wan, Rothen, Brom (Eragon),...

Firouz: It´s okay, you can stop the copy pasting now, we got the connection again But thanks for the intro post.

[Talya]

Totally! All of our heroes turn out to be orphans (literary speaking), & these fatherly figures towers over to protect them anytime with their warmth & wisdom...
Sinbad has dim-dim too!

[Sinbad]

Totally. How could I forget about Dim Dim…
And also, it´s typical for the mentor figure and the apprentice figure / main protagonist / hero figure to separated at some point:
Happens with Dumbledore and Harry, Gandalf and Frodo, Eragon and Brom, Rothen and Sonea, Sinbad and Dim-Dim, Obi Wan and Anakin…
There was this article about fantasy literature basic sterotypes somewhere, I got to google for that one…

[Talya]

;D Yes! Absolutely! I never thought about that! *gives sinbad a 10 out o' 10*

[Talya]

Um... Are you going to separate Kelwyn & Vilyo too?

[Sinbad]

*shifty eyes* You wouldn´t want spoilers now, would you?

Huh, right, they fit into that pattern, too. Even though I would doubt that Kelwyn is as powerful as any of the ones mentioned above.

[Talya]

*winks* Nah! No spoilers! I can wait to find out myself!

That article you were talking about, did you find it? Then please post the link, I'm waiting for it.

Now, back to 'the high lord', what do you think of Regin there? It was funny having him act so grateful towards Sonea, I never thought he can put all the enmities behind & will actually apologise to her. Reminds me of Malfoy in the battle of Hogwarts!