Your favorite fantasy novel of all time?

[chrisw]

Hey, everyone! I'm new, so forgive me if this has been discussed ad nauseum. I figured what better way to make an impression than by starting a stimulating conversation.

Well, hopefully it's stimulating.

I'm gonna go with R.A. Salvatore's Homeland. The character development of Drizzt DoUrden--a character I can't stand nowadays--is too good to miss.

 

[Steerpike]

Hard to choose, because there are so many options.

Peake's Gormenghast, I suppose. The first two books, which tell a complete story and are "fantasy" despite the absence of magic.

 

[Graham Irwin]

It's not traditional, but the story of Musashi by Eiji Yoshikawa is just fantastic and mystical enough to qualify as fantasy for me, and it's scope and depth staggers me every time I read it.

I realize it's a biography of sorts, but it's treated like a historical fantasy, and the journey Musashi goes through is heightened reality.

 

[Ravana]

Peake's Gormenghast, I suppose.

And I say again, "No, really?"

Dang, that's a hard one to answer. In terms of what I've re-read the most–which I think has to be a major consideration in identifying a "favorite"–it would have to be LotR. Glen Cook's Black Company has closed the gap substantially, however; keeping in mind that it started out with a two-decade disadvantage in my ability to re-read it, I'd have to say that one's probably my favorite.

Other contenders would be Steven Brust's Jhereg and Yendi, and Roger Zelazny's Chronicles of Amber (and Lord of Light, to the extent that it resembles fantasy–which is considerable–even though it's SF).

 

[Steerpike]

And I say again, "No, really?"

Dang, that's a hard one to answer. In terms of what I've re-read the most–which I think has to be a major consideration in identifying a "favorite"–it would have to be LotR. Glen Cook's Black Company has closed the gap substantially, however; keeping in mind that it started out with a two-decade disadvantage in my ability to re-read it, I'd have to say that one's probably my favorite.

Other contenders would be Steven Brust's Jhereg and Yendi, and Roger Zelazny's Chronicles of Amber (and Lord of Light, to the extent that it resembles fantasy–which is considerable–even though it's SF).

Ravana - I love every single book/series you've mentioned. I'm curious what you think of Brust's Dragaeran "romances." Phoenix Guard, 500 Years After, and so on. As much as I love the Vlad Taltos books, those other have become my favorites. I particularly like Tazendra as a character.

 

[Ravana]

Ravana - I love every single book/series you've mentioned. I'm curious what you think of Brust's Dragaeran "romances." Phoenix Guard, 500 Years After, and so on. As much as I love the Vlad Taltos books, those other have become my favorites. I particularly like Tazendra as a character.

Oh, they're a lot of fun, too. I just like the Taltos ones more. There isn't a one of the Dragaeran novels I haven't read at least twice… and the only one I've only read twice is Tiassa, and that's because I just got it at Christmas.

Yeah, Tazendra's a hoot. For some reason, I really like Aerich… not quite sure why. Pel's good—would probably be my favorite, except that he's a bit too "mysterious": appropriate for the character and his function, but unfortunately leaving what you know are the most interesting parts of him off-camera. (I think his "conversation" with Sethra, and subsequent report of it to Kâna, is one of the best bits in the whole series.) In either series, I'd have to say Sethra's my overall favorite, though.

 

[Mike Carmel]

Terry Goodkind - Sword of Truth series.

 

[karriezai]

Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn.

 

[Arkius]

Inheritance from the inheritance cycle (Eragon) I really love how in depth paolini goes about well... Everything the characters the landscape and I really like the magic system In his books

 

[Azza]

Hmmm, I have many favourites but let's say Trudi Canavan's Black Magician Series ... awesome, imaginative magic system and interesting characters =)

 

[Klee Shay]

Hard to list an all-time favorite. At the moment I'd have to go with Kristen Britain's 'Green Rider' series. I don't have 'Blackveil' yet but will soon.

 

[Reaver]

Of ALL time?

"The Cat in the Hat" by Dr.Suess.
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It was the first book I ever read and to this day I still enjoy it. Talking bipedal cats with magic powers? Talking fish with the morals of a Puritan? It doesn't get much more fantastic than that.

 

[Queen Medb]

I think for me it would have to be Enchantress from the Stars. It was more of a mix between sci-fi and fantasy than just fantasy. It was really memorable even though it's been at least 5 or 6 years since I've read it.

 

[dragonangel517]

The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever. I read it in Jr High, and it got me hooked on series fantasy. From there it was Terry Brooks, and Katherine Kurtz, and so on ans so on. Series is just about all I read now days.

 

[Acra of the Wind]

As cliche as this might sound, possibly the Hobbit. Bilbo Baggins is my favorite character in fiction of all time. I suppose maybe because I love to watch how inventive he is and how much promise he has in the eyes of Gandalf and the dwarves. Although i love Wizard's First Rule, and the Immortal Nicholas Flammel series, but there will always be a special place in my heart for The Hobbit.

 

[Neurosis]

Without an doubt, I can say "Viriconium" By M John Harrison. Its somewhat like if T.S. Eliot wrote a Fantasy/Sci-Fi amalgamation, with a flash of fertile and frightening imagination in the milieu of pulp dying earth novels.

 

[Xanados]

Elantris. I haven't even finished it, but Elantris. I am emotionally attached to the book.

 

[Drakhov]

Michael Moorcock's Eternal Champion books - particularly the Elric / Stormbringer novels and the Chronicles of Corum - the Warhound & The World's Pain also.

Robert Adams Horseclans - they've been out of print for a long time now, but i still come across them in second had bookstores occasionally, and i think if you look on Amazon they can be got for pennies.

If you like comic fanstasy, I would recommend Mary Gentle's Grunts (And anything by Terry Pratchett

 

[rachelwrites527]

My favorite has to be straight up Lord of the Rings. I saw the first movie at the age of eight and fell in love. I started reading them when I was eleven and haven't stopped since. I re-read them quite often.

 

[San Cidolfus]

You know, I'm going to go against the grain here and say Watership Down. I read Adams as a young, impressionable sprat and absorbed the essential lesson then that even the most unlikely of characters can have the most memorable adventures.

It also qualifies as one of the finest finales I've ever read. The last hundred pages couldn't be turned fast enough.