Has everything been done?

[Weaver]

The Dark Is Rising (and the rest of the 6-book series) -- really, really good. But don't watch the movie based on it. I only took a chance on it because of who played the villian (yes, pun there), and oh was I ever disappointed.

I think we can count any series that began before 1977 as pre-'77 for the discussion at hand.

 

[Addison]

There's two sides to this coin.

The stories of farmer-turned hero, evil god bent on domination, brave knight rescuing a prisoner princess and all of those have been written.

But they haven't exactly been done. Each writer brings their own tone, experience, characters and overall story. So a story hasn't been told every way it can until it's dull. Heck there are some writers I believe who reach back to the old ways as, quoting my cousin, "It's so old it's new!".

For example we've read the story of a rag tag party setting off to rescue the kidnapped princess right? My brother found a book like that but the catch was the princess didn't want to be rescued. This wasn't "The Enchanted Forest Chronicles". This book was "The Ogre Downstairs". So whatever you bring to the table is yours to mix and serve. Everyone's eaten chicken before but they keep eating it.

 

[Chessie]

I don't know if these would be considered fantasy but thought I would recommend them on this thread anyway: The Jungle Books by Rudyard Kipling along with Riki-Tikki-Tavi are great reads (somewhat along the lines of Wind in the Willows), also Arabian Nights is wonderful and filled with exotic tales and settings.

 

[A. E. Lowan]

For my two cents, don't just read the classics. Read the crap - it may surprise you. Read romances, Read mysteries. Read newspapers. Read cereal boxes. If your eyes are holding still, read a bill board.

Read.
Read.
Read