[Reading Group] April 2014 VOTING OPEN (Classics)

[Philip Overby]

EDIT: Voting is now open. Please place your votes at the end of the thread.

The decision was made to go with the theme of "Fantasy Classics."

I'd like to select differently this time, if that's OK.

Pick three books, but please only choose one that you nominated. The other two must be nominated by other people.

This time the votes will be tallied as an "absolute democracy." Meaning whichever book gets the most votes wins, instead of making your first choice, alternate choice, etc. like before.

Voting closes on March 16th (although I may extend it a little longer depending on how many votes we've gotten).

The Princess Bride by William Goldman
Mazirian the Magician by Jack Vance
Swords and Deviltry by Fritz Lieber
The Jewel in the Skull by Michael Moorcock
Bran Mak Morn: The Last King by Robert E. Howard
The Black Company by Glen Cook
Jirel of Joiry by C.L. Moore
Darker Than You Think by Jack Williamson
Titus Groan by Mervyn Peake
Elric of Melnibone by Michael Moorcock
Shadow and Claw (The Book of the New Sun) by Gene Wolfe
The Birthgrave by Tanith Lee
The Once and Future King by T.H. White
Kindred by Octavia Butler
Lord Foul's Bane by Stephen Donaldson
Forgotten Beast's of Eld by Patricia McKillip
The Worm Ouroboros by E.R. Eddison
A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. LeGuin
Dune by Frank Herbert
Hyperion by Dan Simmons
The Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams
Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury
Swordspoint by Ellen Kushner
Silverlock by John Myers Myers
The Mabinogion Tetralogy by Evangeline Walton

That's a lot!

Get your votes in soon so people can make purchases or borrow them.

 

[Ankari]

my vote is with

3. The classics-This theme would focus on classics in the fantasy genre that don't normally get discussed much. This would exclude some more famous works like Tolkien, but may highlight authors that some may not be as familiar with.

I think it's good for authors to go back to the roots of fantasy, to unravel what it is that captivated audiences in the beginning. I'm thinking of Robert E Howard or Morcock. I've read REH, but not Morcock.

 

[Steerpike]

I think all of those sound good. I'd also like to see books that aren't your typical commercial fantasy. Books like Peake's Gormenghast, or Glen Duncan's The Last Werewolf, or Caitlin R. Kiernan's The Drowning Girl. These are books that are quite different from the standard commercial sorts of fantasy that dominate the book shelves. It would be interesting to read some of those and branch out a bit from what is there in the bulk of the genre.

 

[Steerpike]

I think it's good for authors to go back to the roots of fantasy, to unravel what it is that captivated audiences in the beginning. I'm thinking of Robert E Howard or Morcock. I've read REH, but not Morcock.

Ah...Elric would be fun. Also, Fritz Leiber, or C.L. Moore's Jirel of Joiry stories (one of the first female heroines of Sword and Sorcery, and the best (and least steerotypical) from that time period). Also, Jack Vance's Dying Earth.

 

[Philip Overby]

That's a good point. I've never read Moorcock's work myself with only briefly reading Von Bek and The Dreamtheif's Daughter. I guess he's one of those I think I'd really like, but I don't know where to start.

Names to consider could be folks like Robert E. Howard, Fritz Lieber, Jack Vance, Mervyn Peake, Gene Wolfe, Michael Moorcock, etc. The only concern would be finding books in multiple formats.

Ninja'd!

I agree with the above sentiments obviously!

 

[Steerpike]

Wolfe's The Shadow of the Torturer would be good. Part of a series, however. But it can be read on its own.

 

[Philip Overby]

Steerpike: I also think non-traditional fantasy could be a really good theme. With Prince of Thorns and His Majesty's Dragon we're still kind of in that commercial zone. So it would be cool to read some fantasy that doesn't fit the traditional definition so to speak. This could include new or old works.

Edit: I have that Wolfe book, so I'd be good to go on that one! However, Wolfe is one of those I notice is like Steven Erikson. People either dig him or think he's difficult to get into. I like what I've read so far for sure though. It's one of those "occasional reads" for me.

 

[Philip Overby]

OK, so I think we'll go with classics for the them unless anyone has any objections? The definition of "classics" is pretty loose, but I'm sure we'll come up with some great nominations.

If there are no objections, I'll edit the original post and we can start nominating books to read for April.

 

[Philip Overby]

OK, so here are my first three nominations (maybe more depending how many nominations we get).

1. The Princess Bride by William Goldman Amazon.com: The Princess Bride: S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure eBook: William Goldman: Books

2. Mazirian the Magician (aka The Dying Earth) by Jack Vance Amazon.com: Mazirian the Magician: (previously titled The Dying Earth) eBook: Jack Vance: Books

OR (bundled version)

Tales of the Dying Earth: Jack Vance: 9780312874568: Amazon.com: Books

3. Swords and Deviltry by Fritz Lieber Amazon.com: Swords And Deviltry (Lankhmar) eBook: Fritz Leiber: Books

Bear in mind the accessibility and cost of the books you recommend. Some classics aren't available in e-book format, so that may be a deal breaker for me (I don't mind getting a cheap paperback, but I don't want to order some special edition, leather tome version). Of note, I've been wanting to read Karl Edward Wagner for a while now, but almost all editions of his books are out of print it seems so they're very expensive.

 

[Ankari]

OK,

First nomination is from Michael Morcock, The Jewel in the Skull

Robert E Howards' Bran Mak Morn: The Last King

Glen Cook's The Black Company

 

[Steerpike]

Classics?

My nominations are:

Jirel of Joiry - created by C.L. Moore in the 1930s as her response to the hypermasculine barbarians of the pulps.

Jirel Of Joiry: C. L. Moore: 9780441385706: Amazon.com: Books

Darker Than You Think - Jack Williamson. Maybe the first modern urban fantasy, published in the late 1940s. Good book.

Amazon.com: Darker Than You Think eBook: Jack Williamson: Kindle Store

Titus Groan - Book one of Gormenghast, by Mervyn Peake. The first two books tell a complete story, so I'm going against my own general feelings on a series. It's hands-down the best written fantasy novel (at least in English), and has been called one of the best written novels of the 20th century.

Amazon.com: Titus Groan eBook: Mervyn Peake: Kindle Store

Elric of Melnibone - Michael Moorcock's sorcerous albino, last of a line of emperors. Iconic stuff.

The Book of the New Sun - Gene Wolfe. Enough said. This volume has the Shadow of the Torturer and Claw of the Conciliator. Shadow stands alone as a book.

Amazon.com: Shadow & Claw: The First Half of 'The Book of the New Sun' eBook: Gene Wolfe: Kindle Store

The Birthgrave - Tanith Lee. 1975 Nebula Award nominee (assuming we could find it in eBook)

The Once and Future King - T.H. White's classic tale of King Arthur.

Amazon.com: The Once and Future King eBook: T.H. White: Kindle Store

Kindred - published by Octavia Butler in the 1970s. A time travel tale of a young black woman who is transported back into the body of one of her ancestors in the antebellum south.

http://www.amazon.com/Kindred-Blues...e=UTF8&qid=1393262128&sr=1-1&keywords=kindred

Lord Foul's Bane - classic fantasy from Stephen Donaldson

Amazon.com: Lord Foul's Bane (The First Chronicles: Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever) eBook: Stephen R. Donaldson: Kindle Store

Forgotten Beasts of Eld - Published in 1974, winner of the World Fantasy Award for author Patricia McKillip.

The Forgotten Beasts of Eld: Patricia A. McKillip: 9780152008697: Amazon.com: Books


I suppose I should probably stop there.

 

[Steerpike]

*NOTE*

Sorry - I conveniently forgot to limit it to three! Let's just go with the first three on my list, above, then. Those are my nominees. The rest, people can check out if they're so inclined.

 

[Ophiucha]

Titus Groan.
Elric of Melniboné.
The Worm Ouroboros.

It's a good theme, so I'll be happy with whatever gets picked.

 

[Philip Overby]

Steerpike: It's cool to nominate several ones. I'd just like to see people get in at least three at first and then we can consider others afterwards.

So far some really great nominations. This one's going to be hard!

 

[Philip Overby]

Another question: if something is only available for Nook can I convert it somehow to use on my Kindle? I'm just wondering since any choice I make (unfortunately) will probably be for books available via Kindle or a really cheap paperback. I worried some about choosing a classics theme due to availability of some of the books or reprints that are slightly different.

Regardless, I'll try to pick the book that appeals most to me and figure out how to get it one way or another.

 

[Steerpike]

Download Calibre to convert. At least if there is no DRM.

 

[ACSmyth]

1. The Princess Bride by William Goldman
2. Swords and Deviltry by Fritz Leiber
3. A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula LeGuin

 

[Philip Overby]

AC: You picked two of my nominations.

 

[ACSmyth]

Well, I'm trying to pick books I've got, but haven't read. Maybe our book heaps are similar? Although from our respective posts, I'd say not!

 

[Philip Overby]

I think if we actually sat down and looked at our respective book piles, they might be pretty similar. I'm trying to "spread my wings" so to speak so I'm trying not to limit myself to only one kind of fantasy if possible.

Right now we're just nominating books to be voted on later. So we'll do an official vote some time in March.