First "So You'd Like To"

So I finally did something I wanted to for a LONG time now... (a couple of years, I suppose)

In the tradition of posts such as A Fantasy Bibliospective and Bibliospective, here is my attempt at an Amazon.com "So you'd like to" guide.

It is called "So you'd like to... be a High Priest of High Fantasy? (and some SciFi)". Take a look -> the link leads to Amazon.com.

Alternately, click on "Read more" to read the text contents of that guide right here. Peace... Out!

So you'd like to... be a High Priest of High Fantasy? (and some SciFi)

Welcome to my guide to High Fantasy, which is peppered with what I consider mandatory SciFi. It aims to take you through most of the SFF I have read thus far. Newcomers to the genre can use this guide as a 'reading program' ;) while veterans can use it to see if they want to re-read something or fill a few holes in their bibliographies.

The order is how I'd advise to someone interested in progressing their reading through the genre in proportion to the maturity/ contemporariness of what they read. The payoff for the veterans would therefore be near the end of the list.

As you probably know, SFF is given to a lot of serialization. So this guide will start you off on the first books in some recommended SFF series, and trust you, Google, and Amazon to come together and lead you on to the further books.

So first up, all newbies read up on your Tolkein! He's the great grand-daddy (well, nearly so) of all things fantasy. The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, (read 'The Hobbit' after LOTR), Foundation (Foundation Novels (Paperback)),

Then I'd suggest you read up on Arthur C Clarke and Isaac Asimov - the grand-daddies of all things sci-fi. Some of their most mind-blowing titles (in order of essential reading) are:

Foundation and Empire (Foundation Novels (Paperback)), and Second Foundation (Foundation Novels) (avoid the other Foundation books), I, Robot, Childhood's End, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Rendezvous with Rama, and The Collected Stories of Arthur C. Clarke (a flawed collection, but still worthwhile). Take a gander at Isaac Asimov: The Complete Stories, Vol. 1 for some real gems too...

You're just attained the rank of SFF Novice! Congratulations.

To attain further ranks, start off with Robert Jordan - he makes an excellent post-Tolkein bridge to the high fantasy world. His "Wheel of Time" series, while meandering of late, is still a nice read. It starts with The Eye of the World (The Wheel of Time, Book 1). Between Jordan's tomes, catch up on Harry Potter (as if you haven't read em already!) starting with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Book 1). If you're childish enough, try Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl (Artemis Fowl, Book 1).

Tad Williams' Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn series is another reasonable Tolkein derivative, starting with The Dragonbone Chair (Memory, Sorrow and Thorn), as is the recently over-hyped Inheritance Trilogy from Christopher Paolini, starting with Eragon (Inheritance, Book 1). I'm told The Last Unicorn makes a good read as well - I personally don't like it too much. A lot - LOT - of people will recommend the Narnia series by C.S. Lewis (a peer and friend to Tolkein); I personally don't. But if you want to check out The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (The Chronicles of Narnia) anyway... its your call! As you can see, thus far all your fantasy reading has been Tolkein and his legacy (although Jordan is a departure).

On the Scifi side of things, you've already got enough to read on your hands, and Asimov and Clarke pretty much sum up SciFi for me. But still, there are other classics to be read.

Must reads include The War of the Worlds (Tor Classics), The Time Machine, and The Invisible Man (Signet Classics (Paperback)) by H.G. Wells, and Edgar Rice Burroughs' excellent Barsoom (Martian) saga starting with A Princess of Mars (Modern Library Classics) for a good dose of testasterone.

Congratulations - once you read all of the above, you will have managed to acquaint yourself with some classics in the genre, and will have read some entry level stuff, or stuff likely to be discussed at an average water cooler. You have attained the rank of SciFi and Fantasy Initiate. Now to move to the higher levels.

A note of caution - all fantasy and scifi beyond this is not for 'young adults' or other naive categories of people. If you are the kind that laughs gleefully, (or maniacally) when an author writes something gritty/ gory, or does the unexpected - read on. If you cried when Gandalf died in the Fellowship of the Ring, stop now.

Read Stephen R Donaldson's Lord Foul's Bane (The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever, Book 1), the first in a projected ten book series (two trilogies and a quadralogy) collectively called the Chronicles of Thomas Covenant. Although he starts off as a Tolkein derivative (on purpose), he shoots wide pretty soon. A word of caution - his books are a one shot (and often erroneous) education in vocabulary!

Next, in a genre-bender, read Stephen King's excellent Dark Tower septet, starting with The Gunslinger (The Dark Tower, Book 1). Once you finish the 7th book (The Dark Tower) dont waste time in catching your breath, and start on Dan Simmons' Hyperion quartet, starting with Hyperion. Buy these books two at a time - you will not be able to tolerate the time lapse between reading books 1 and 2, or 3 and 4 as 1 and 3 end on cliffhangers. If you really like Simmons' style, read his other two part series based on the Trojan myth, starting with Ilium.

This would be a good time to catch up on one of the most popular series out there - A Song of Ice and Fire by George R R Martin. It kicks off with A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 1). A word of caution here too - while the first three books are excellent, a simple Google search will tell you of the Jordanesque problems the author is having in managing to tell his tale in a timely fashion.

As a breather, sip on Susannah Clarke's standalone Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell or Audrey Niffenegger's The Time Traveler's Wife. Then read up on The Great Book of Amber: The Complete Amber Chronicles, 1-10 (Chronicles of Amber) by Roger Zelazny, which is pretty cool (they say - I haven't read it yet)

As mandatory reading before becoming an Acolyte, you have to read a LOT of Neil Gaiman now, both graphic novels and novels. So start with his excellent EXCELLENT Sandman collections, beginning with Preludes and Nocturnes (The Sandman, Vol. 1). I have read ten of these (the main sequence), but I understand there are a few standalones out there too. Get 'em all! Now move to Stardust (P.S.), followed by American Gods and Anansi Boys.

Congratulations - you just made Acolyte, and can now be brought to the real payoff - the mysteries and joys of Priesthood.

As a lead in to some excellent pre-Tolkein literature (which you will have to find and read on your own), read The Worm Ouroboros.

Now the real payoff. Two series that have (and still are) blowing me away with their grandeur.

The first, which I cannot rave enough about, is Steven Erikson's Tales of the Malazan Book of the Fallen. (Book 7 of 10 coming out in April 07). It starts with Gardens of the Moon (The Malazan Book of the Fallen, Vol. 1). Easily the BEST high fantasy literature out there.

The second, which I love because it seems to be philosophical on a level matching Erikson, is R Scott Bakker's "Prince of Nothing" trilogy that starts with The Darkness That Comes Before: The Prince of Nothing Book I (Prince of Nothing).

Once you read these, you can call yourself a Priest of High Fantasy. (Only if you generally liked what you read so far - if you didn't, you're a shmuck for not stopping long ago! :P )

You have also pretty much caught up with my reading curve... so let me tell you some things about where my reading is headed.

First - I am avoiding two pretty popular series ("The Two Terry's" I call them). That is Terry Brooks' Shannara series starting with this trilogy - The Sword of Shannara Omnibus, and the other series by Terry Goodkind, called "The Sword of Truth", which I abandoned about 20 pages into the first volume, Wizard's First Rule (Sword of Truth, Book 1) for being rather bland.

Second, a couple of series I haven't yet managed to read ("The Two Robins"), given the fact that I have a life, in spite of all the evidence to the contrary) are: Robin Hobb's Farseer trilogy, starting with Assassin's Apprentice (The Farseer Trilogy, Book 1) and Robin Cook's Black Company books starting with The Black Company: The First Novel of 'The Chronicles of The Black Company' (Chronicles of The Black Company), which Erikson himself recommends and was inspired from.

So finally, fellow Priest of High Fantasy, here's your last revelation. There's only two ways to move to the next level:

1. Write a high fantasy epic of your own that is worthwhile OR
2. Keep reading books (and visiting internet message boards, fan-sites and suchlike), write "So you'd like to" guides, and send me some recommendations for a few decades to come...

Ah well... thats 'nuff for now I suppose!

:)

Cheers... out!

PS: Uh... the name of the guide was a misnomer. I didn't help you become a High Priest of anything. Just so you know :D