A question about contemporary fantasy

[fuzzyoctopus]

I think Tolkien was a great linguist, with amazing ideas, but his writing I can take or leave.  It's very  hard to read, and therefore while his books may be great, they're not accessable.  King's writing can be read by anyone, and in fact in my high school, that's how they'd get remedial students to read.

The purpose of this thread is to recommend books to Kije.  You don't have to like SK, but you can't say "No, Kije, don't read him because I don't like him."  Don't "Un-recommend" him.  That's what I meant.

And no- I have no problem putting King with Cervantes, but then I'm a huge fan of his so why should I have a problem with it?

[The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers]

I like Peter David a lot, but I'd never compare his accomplishments to Shakespeare. I enjoy George Lucas films too, but I'd never compare his accomlishments to the best of the best in terms of art. I just can't imagine anyone comparing Stephen King to genius on that level. <shrug>

[EUOL]

"Stephen King's writing is securely rooted in the great American tradition that glorifies spirit-of-place and the abiding power of narrative. He crafts stylish, mind-bending page-turners that contain profound moral truths - some beautiful, some harrowing - about our inner lives. This Award commemorates Mr. King's well-earned place of distinction in the wide world of readers and booklovers of all ages."

--Neil Baldwin, chairman of the National Book Foundation (the guys who give out the National Book Awards.)

Of course, giving SK a National Book Award sparked a huge controversy, but he's one of the few popular authors to ever get one.  (Ray Bradbury's the only other one who comes to mind.)

But, anyway, this discussion isn't really about SK's writing.  It's about fantasy, specifically high fantasy.  I haven't read gunslinger yet (I bought books 2-5 because I saw them on sale, but I don't have the first one....)  but knowing what I do of them, I'm not sure they fit Kije's criteria.

[The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers]

"Stephen King's writing is securely rooted in the great American tradition that glorifies spirit-of-place and the abiding power of narrative. He crafts stylish, mind-bending page-turners that contain profound moral truths - some beautiful, some harrowing - about our inner lives. This Award commemorates Mr. King's well-earned place of distinction in the wide world of readers and booklovers of all ages."

See, I don't think what I've read of his is mind-bending or page-turners. I don't think most of them contain much profound. Stylish, yes. I can see him glorifying spirit-of-place (though that's a vague enough term), but I don't see him glorifying narrative when he doesn't take care with his own narration.

[fuzzyoctopus]

I think we could easily move this to the rants section, but I don't feel the need to defend King today; I think his writing defends itself well enough and if you haven't read as much of it as I have, then that's too bad for me.

[Fellfrosch]

I wouldn't compare SK to Shakespeare or Cervantes, but I'd certainly compare him to Dickens: a popular, "play to the cheap seats" writer who, in a hundred years, will probably be considered an A-list author. But, as has been said before, this thread is not about SK.

For Kije's list, I'd makes sure to include Piers Anthony and the Dragonlance books. Hollow dreck, perhaps, but certainly iconic of the period you're looking at.

[EUOL]

Dragonlance, yes.  Anthony...well, perhaps.  He's fallen out of favor recently, but he certainly was a powerful force in the late 80's/early 90's.  

[The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers]

well, if we're talking representative.... Terry Brooks was really big. Yeah Sword... was published in 1977, but that didn't change his popularity in the 80s, when he released several more books, including mroe Shanarra and the Magic Kingdom series.

[EUOL]

Speaking of the infamous '77, there's also Thomas Covenant.  It was first published in the late 70's, but it was also very popular in the 80'.  In fact, TC2 was the ONLY fantasy book that got on the Publisher's Weekly yearly top ten bestseller list before Harry Potter came along.  (Yup.  Jordan/Goodkind/Brooks never managed it.  They probably got on the weekly lists, but they were never one of the top ten for the year.)

[Slant]

Two words: David Gemmel.

[fuzzyoctopus]

Did you decide if you wanted young adult fantasy as well, or just adult fantasy?

[Lieutenant Kije]

I think I'll stick with straight fantasy.  Of course, many people relegated all fantasy to the children, so...yeah, actually, if you want to mention some of the more representative YA fantasy pieces of the period that'd be great.

So far I get this: Anthony, Eddings, Weis/Hickman, Jordan, Goodkind, Brooks, Feist as the most representative.  

And possibly Hobb and Martin, and Gemmel.

Am I missing some stuff people really think should be included?

[fuzzyoctopus]

Well if you haven't read the Enchanted Forest series by Patricia Wrede you should.  Or anything by Dianna Wynne Jones, especially "Howl's Moving Castle"

Other than that- YA fantasy at least tends to be shorter.  A nice Saturday's read or something.  You could try something like Tanith Lee's "The Black Unicorn"  

[Slant]

Or "The Last Unicorn."

If you are looking for young adult fantasy, the Prydian Chronicles were always a favorite of mine.  The Narnia stuff just hits you over the head with the heavy-handed Christian symbolism.  

As for the Dragonlance books: when you are 12, Raistlin is cool beyond words.  When you read the series again at 25, Raistlin is a whiny twerp.  

Oh, and I like the woman who does all that modern-day Celtic stuff.  I can't remember her name off the top of my head.  She did a book based on a Gypsy ghost story called Mulengro years ago which is still a good read today.

[stacer]

I think someone's already mentioned Susan Cooper's The Dark Is Rising series, which was published in the 70s anyway. For newer stuff, there's Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl books. Susan Fletcher's dragon books are definitely high fantasy: Dragon's Milk, Flight of the Dragon Kyn, and Sign of the Dove.

The best of these, and also the most representative, is Garth Nix's Sabriel/Lirael/Abhorsen trilogy. He's Australian and it just gives a flavor to the books that you don't get in other high fantasy. I highly enjoyed them. They were published within the last few years (starting in 1995).

Also, Robin McKinley's The Blue Sword and The Hero and the Crown. One of them, can't remember which one, got the Newbery Honor the year it was published (early 80s).