What to Read?

[TheokinsJ]

This question has been on my mind for a while now- I am thinking of (Again) scrapping my draft and starting over, although this time I suppose I've come to the conclusion that perhaps I need time out from writing, and to spend some time reading. This may sound odd to some of you, but I have never actually been a great reader- I can't remember the last time I read a book series or a fantasy novel- probably five or so years ago.
I've created a list of books, a rather long list, to read- to teach myself how to write a book, by learning from how others have done it. The list includes who some might call the 'greats'; Tolkien and George RR Martin, JK Rowling and CS Lewis, then some older stuff; David Eddings and Barbara Hambly.

I started reading last week, and I must say I've enjoyed it immensely, I've decided to take a year's break from my novel, to read and to learn and to get ideas. So, suppose the question I'm asking is; what fantasy books/series/authors would you recommend reading? I'm wanting to read anything I can get my hands on; but I was wondering if any of you have any books/series you've liked that you'd recommend? Books you think every aspiring writer should read.

 

[Malik]

I would suggest that the reason you're scrapping your draft again is because you don't read. Starting a novel but not reading is like signing up for a marathon but not training.

It doesn't matter what you read. I rarely read fantasy but I'm constantly reading 3-4 books at a time.

Just find an author, a subject, or a genre you like, and read the hell out of it.

 

[Malik]

If I were to take a year off from writing to polish my craft, I'd read The St. Martin's Handbook and do all the workbook problems. I'd also read Anne Lamott's Bird by Bird, which for my money is the best book ever written on writing. I'd go back through my ancient manuals of arms and call up my brother the swordsmith and technical consultant, and dedicate at least three nights a week to swordsmanship. I'd also subscribe to writing blogs -- not fantasy blogs (no offense, y'all), professional writing trade blogs -- and set aside an hour a day for study.

I recommend Lapsing Into a Comma. IMO, every writer should have this on their desk. I also have a great book on my desk from the 90's called Dare to Be a Great Writer. What I like about it is that it's full of thousands of little snippets and ideas to help your fiction; you can just open it up to any page and it gives you something to think about.

Read the giants -- Goodkind, Tolkien, Martin, all the Harry Potter crap -- and know their work, so that you know what every other fledgling writer is trying to do right now and not to do it, too.

I hope this helps.

 

[Mythopoet]

I've compiled a list that I call The Mythopoet's Master Fantasy Reading List that covers the fantasy genre for about 150 years. It starts with modern fairy tales (in this case, meaning stories that are not just retellings of older fairy tales but have their roots in the fairy tale tradition far more than the upcoming fantasy tradition) and continues through the fathers of the modern fantasy genre (MacDonald, Morris, Dunsany, Eddison, Howard, Tolkien, etc.) and on to today.

I posted it in a thread in the novels forum but I'll link to the version on my blog that I am able to update as I go along. I've spent a couple of years putting the list together and it often gets added to or adjusted as I learn more about all the fantasy work out there.

The Mythopoet’s Master Fantasy Reading List | Falling Toward Mythopoesis

 

[TWErvin2]

The two top novelists that I read and reread/studied to learn how to write are:

Roger Zelazny and Steven Brust.

Roger Zelazny's Chronicles of Amber (especially the first five), A Night in the Lonesome October, Lord of Light and Creatures of Light and Darkness are all good works. Maybe look and see what tickles your interest and run with one of them. Creative, interesting characters and good pacing.

Steven Brust's Vlad Taltos series is pretty solid. They're fast reads with quick paced action and witty or snappy dialogue.

A recent fantasy favorite of mine is the Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne. Good character development and a solid story arc, while having individual arcs within each novel.

If you want to go outside of fantasy, I'd recommend Robert T. Bakker's Raptor Red. He's a well-known paleontologist, and the novel is set in the early Cretaceous, following the life of a Utah Raptor over the course of a year. Very well down and some lessons on perspective and how creatures look at and interact in the world might be of interest.

You mentioned, Hambly, TheokinsJ. I did enjoy Those Who Hunt the Night, but really it is a novel that's impossible for the reader to figure out the ending, although it sort of sets itself up as a mystery. Still a good read and Ysidro is a great character to follow in the story.

Good luck as you move forward. I can tell you that I did study authors and how they did things when I decided I wanted to write a novel. Others I read and paid attention to were Stephen R. Donaldson, Michael Moorcock, Harry Turtledove and Laurell K. Hamilton.

 

[Gurkhal]

If you really don't know what to read. Just go into libary, think of something else and pick a novel at random from the shelf. After a few times you've read stuff that you would never even have heard about before.

 

[skip.knox]

First, you don't need to read fantasy. I could make the case for reading all kinds of other literature, but I think the case makes itself.

Second, be sure to read crap. Seriously. Read magazines. Read self-published works (not that all of them are crap). Read someone you know you don't like. Then here's the key: read them out loud, and make notes. This will implant in your brain all kinds of warning alarms for the next time you begin writing.

Third, don't stop writing. Just write other stuff. Write stuff you tell yourself you aren't going to care about. Write a memoir. Write a detective story. Write humor. But writing itself is a habit and a muscle. You can fall out of a habit. The muscle can get flabby. You can set aside your novel for a year, if you think that's the thing to do, but don't set aside writing!

 

[WeilderOfTheMonkeyBlade]

For me if I had to choose some books to study the absolute HELL out of, it'd be Stephen Erikson and George RR Martin for the Fantasy, and Bernard Cornwell and Simon Scarrow for Military History, they do battle scenes SO well. And I love a good battle scene or fifty.
And then you can then throw in a couple of history and history of warfare encyclopedias.

But I'm constantly reading; not good, seeing as I have my A.S exams in about three weeks, but I always have a pile of books by my bead ready to read.

I am flabbergasted that you write and don't read......But if it works for you, then, hey.

 

[kayd_mon]

Read R. L. Stevenson, Oscsr Wilde, Lewis Caroll, Mervyn Peake, Virginia Woolf, Poe, Irving, Dumas, and Tolkien. Then read whatever you like. But read!!