TheNinthWord

Read Timon of Athens, which I really didn't enjoy. Started Mary Stewart's Merlin Trilogy today though, and I'm already very interested in it.

My dad reads a bit, mostly in the bath and it takes him weeks to get through a book. My sister has her moments when she's really into reading, but they come and go. My mum reads mostly non-fiction business/marketing/self-improvement books. My friends have always been into reading. It just happened to be something we all enjoyed doing, and didn't make a big fuss of it. Naturally, being a literature student, most of my friends at uni are avid readers, and I still love to catch up and talk about books with some of my sixth form friends. Not sure if any of these influenced my love of books, or whether it was just my own exploration and me not being put off by family or friends who refuse to pick up a book. It might have been different if my friends through life have seen books as geeky/uncool (which they totally aren't!)

Read The Sword in the Stone. I'll get around to reading the entire series soon, but I only need to read the first book for my seminar next week, and I have so much other reading to get done I don't have time for the whole book now. Moving on to Mary Stewart's The Merlin Trilogy now. Again, I'll probably only read the first book, The Crystal Cave. I'll make time to read the rest soon.

Yes! A chance to convert someone to the amazing realms of fantasy fiction! Harry Potter is rightly very popular, and is easy to get into. It's really not just for kids. If you wanted to get into Tolkien, I'd start with The Hobbit. The Lord of the Rings is amazing, but it can be a bit daunting for a first fantasy. Neil Gaiman is also a great fantasy writer. Stardust and Neverwhere are brilliantly written, and have a dark humour to them. I can also recommend The Sword in the Stone/The Once and Future King, by T.H. White, for the some classic King Arthur, knights, and Merlin. And if you fancy something entirely light-hearted, Terry Pratchett's Discworld series is fantastic. Each novel in the series stands on its own, and there are laughs on every page. I'd recommend The Colour of Magic (because it's the first one), and Thief of Time (because it's my favourite). Just a selection of my favourites which I think anybody will enjoy. Good luck with your fantasy reading!

Updated with my new Waterstones review book, Lucky Break, and I finished The Seeing Stone on the train on the way home.

I'll be honest and say that I haven't read any Holmes stories; I tried Hound of the Baskervilles when I was younger. I was just going by what I (fuzzily) remember from the programme. I apologise for the mistake.

I should mention that this post may contain a few spoilers. I disagree that the literary hero is dead. I just think it's evolved. Whilst it might be true to say that writers focus on a character's flaws more often nowadays, it still takes an extraordinary amount of strength to overcome these "ordinary" flaws and succeed. I'd even be tempted to say an "heroic" amount of strength and courage. A modern hero is an ordinary person in an extraordinary situation, yet still comes through against all the odds. Of course, there are tragic heroes, where they don't make it, but there is usually some cathartic moment they have just before they die; a moment of enlightenment. Compare Beowulf, one of English literature's earliest heroes (around 1000 years old), with, say, Pamela from Richardson's Pamela, then on to your example of Sherlock Holmes. (I apologise for the length of this post already). Beowulf is the typical "hero". He exhibits great strength, great bravery, great nobility. He overcomes monsters, though he eventually meets his downfall at the hands of the dragon. The poet doesn't seem to mention his weaknesses at all (though some can still be interpreted from the text, such as his constant need to fight, even when he perhaps shouldn't). Then jump forwards 700 years to one of the earliest novels, Pamela. This is a somewhat different case, since the hero is in fact a heroine, but she still exhibits strength (of will), bravery (against a man she is afraid of), and nobility (through her indomitable virtue). She is still a hero, though more normal than most. She is a servant, who happens to catch the eye of her master who then attempts to seduce her. Her resistance is commendable, but though she eventually succumbs to his advances, she does so with grace. She accepts the events, and flourishes. Her heroism comes not from her stubbornness, but from her ability to adapt to the new life that terrified her at the start of the novel. Then jump forward another few hundred years to Sherlock Holmes. Faulks mentioned that he is one of the first "superheroes"; his almost inhuman ability of deduction is unmatched. But Faulks goes on to mention that Holmes still has his vices. He is addicted to solving crimes. When there are no crimes to solve, he turns to drugs to fill the gap. This is an example of a character whose nobility, strength, and bravery are compromised by morality, but he is still heroic. I'm trying to think of a modern example, but I'm struggling. The modern stuff I read is mostly fantasy, where the epic hero is still very much alive, though much changed from older examples. I'll take the example of Griet from Tracy Chevalier's Girl with a Pearl Earring. Her stance as a heroine is unusually passive. Whilst her presence in the Vermeer household causes lots of problems, it is because of other characters' reactions to her, not because of anything she does. She is the perfect servant, doing what she is told, even when she must sit for Vermeer's painting. She is torn between loyalty to her master, and loyalty to his wife. It is a case of the ordinary person in an extraordinary circumstance. Despite her limitations as a maid, despite her inability to resist Vermeer, she is still heroic. She maintains her virtue, though it is a great struggle to do so. She remains likeable. Throughout it all, through strength of will, great bravery, and great nobility (she knows the consequences of her actions, and is prepared to meet them) she maintains her status, what she sees as her "proper place" in life. She has her flaws, but she comes through and keeps what is most important to her. No. The literary hero is still around. Edit: made the change pointed out by Vladd.

Your fairy is Ash Goblinnest He brings riches and wealth. He lives in forests of oak and lime trees. He is only seen when the sun sets on the day of a completed harvest. He wears autumnal leaf colours and had gentle green wings like a butterfly. Tempted to write a short story about him.

Finished Lud-in-the-Mist today. It's only taken me a few weeks... Really need to speed up the reading if I'm going to get it all done in time. Starting on Book One of the Arthur trilogy by Kevin Crossley-Holland now.

Finished Lud-in-the-Mist just a few minutes ago. Very good book. I'll review it later, then post a link to it. Edit: Post a review on my blog. Link is hereand also in the list above.

Black Swan yesterday. Such an odd, yet fantastic film. Thoroughly enjoyed it. And now I can't get Tchaikovsky out of my head... Dum, de-de-de-de-dum, de-dum, de-dum, de-de-de-de-de-dum.

Added the Shakespeare I've been reading. Forgot about them. I feel like it's cheating, adding plays as books, but I think they're individual enough to include.

The Fellowship of the Ring My partner hadn't seen any of the Lord of the Rings films yet, so I've initiated him. He says he enjoyed it. I'm not so sure.

It might be Mistborn that influenced the decision for him to write the Wheel of Time books, but now I think about it, it might actually have been Elantris. Ah well. It was still him being chosen to write the remaining WoT books that made me read his books. It's not the length of the book that bothers me; just the physical size. I like to take books with me when I go out, especially if I'm travelling anywhere on public transport. The edition I saw in the shop would be too bulky to take out with me. I'm not quite sure what you mean be "one general sort of reality". If you mean that his books all take place in the same world, I'm afraid I can't answer that since Mistborn is the only Brandon Sanderson I've read.

I'm currently reading the Mistborn trilogy (about half way through the second book). I absolutely love it. I might go so far to say that Brandon Sanderson is one of my new favourite authors. I can definitely recommend the first book, The Final Empire. The characters are so likeable and realistic, and there is a lot of action. The magic system is definitely very interesting; it's unique and complex, but easy to understand. I chose Mistborn because apparently that's the book that made Robert Jordan's wife select Sanderson as the author of the final books in the Wheel of Time series. I, too, have been struggling with the Wheel of Time. I started Book 10 last year, but didn't get around to finishing it. I really want to get to Sanderson's books in the series though. I saw The Way of Kings on the bookshelf, and it's a HUGE book. Not just in width, but in height as well. It looks like the size of a chunky hard-back, but it's a paperback. I think I'll wait until the produce a slightly smaller version. I think I'd struggle to fit it in my bag at the moment. But, more importantly, are you enjoying The Way of Kings?

@Pixie: Ah yes, talking animals is definitely fantasy. Which reminds me about Brian Jacques and his Redwall series. I've read a couple of his already, and from what I remember it seems ideal. Thanks for reminding me (in a roundabout way)! We're studying The King of Elfland's Daughter on the module, but thanks anyway =). @chrysalis_stage: Since two of you have suggested China Mieville, I'll make sure I give him a go. I'll check out the Abarat books as well. I haven't heard of Hal Duncan or Mary Gentle, but I'm sure a quick google will tell me more =). Thank you.

@pickle: I'll certainly check it out. It could be interesting to see how he weaves horror conventions with fantasy conventions. Thank you! @Karsa Orlong: I'm afraid Canadians don't count either. Whilst I could make small references to them, I really have to focus my main ideas on English/British/Irish authors. I'll definitely have a look at Alan Campbell and James Barclay though. A quick wikipedia search tells me they could be ideal. Thanks!

@Amesy: I don't think Sci-Fi counts in the module. We've been looking at Old English/Medieval texts like Beowulf, Chaucer, the Arthurian stuff, and seeing how more recent authors adapt them. Rankin and Abercrombie are both I've heard of before, but never gotten around to reading. @pickle: Ah, yes, I forgot about Pullman as well. I really enjoyed His Dark Materials. I've read a little bit of Barker, but not much, and it seemed more horror-based than fantasy. Is there a particular book of his you'd recommend? @Chrissy: As much as I would love to use Adams, I don't think I can use Sci-Fi novels as part of the module . Thanks anyway! Thanks for your suggestions, everybody! It looks like I've got a lot of reading ahead of me.

No, actually. Again, I've seen his name on a lot of books in bookshops, but I've never got around to buying and reading them. Perhaps I should give him a go. Thanks

She's written a lot more than I'd expected. Will definitely have a look at reading one or two of her novels now, just to see what they're like.

Wow, thanks for the responses! @Chrissy: I saw the recent thread for The Last Dragonslayer, and I'm intrigued by Fforde. I'll take a look at some of his Thursday Next series. @Pixie: We're actually studying Merlin's Wood, The Once and Future King and Lud-in-the-Mist. I'm part way through Lud and I "lud" it . Merlin's Wood was also a fantastic read. It had me completely hooked. I'll have a look at the Gormenghast Trilogy, though; I've seen it on the shelves before but didn't think to buy it. Will definitely consider it. @pickle: How could I forget Lewis! And I call myself a literature student... Mieville sounds interesting. I read Neverwhere a little while ago, and really enjoyed it, so UnLundun sounds ideal. We're studying a bit of Gaiman; a couple of pieces from Smoke and Mirrors. Thank you all very much for your help! I'll definitely look at getting hold of copies of your suggestions, and hopefully using them in my studies.

I'd be tempted to read this just because it's Sandi Toksvig. And also because the topic is an unusual insight into WWII which I haven't heard much about before. But she's such a funny comedienne, I'd imagine her writing is humorous and clever. I didn't even know she wrote novels. Anybody know if she writes novels for adults as well as for children?

Hi all. Does anybody have any recommendations for favourite English/British authors of fantasy novels? I ask because a module for my degree at the moment is studying fantasy fiction, and I'd like to get some wider reading done. Sadly, a couple of my favourite fantasy authors are American, and as an English Literature student, my studies have to focus mostly around English authors. I can refer to American authors a little, but the main focus is English/British. I know of a fair few; Pratchett, Tolkien, Rowling, Moorcock, Gaiman, etc., but I was wondering if there are many more out there that anybody would recommend, particularly if said author plays around with the genre/alludes to other fantasy literature. I'd be very grateful for any help. TNW

I hardly ever read crime novels. Maybe it's a genre I should branch into. I attempted to read Hound of the Baskervilles when I was a lot younger. I didn't get through since I didn't appreciate anything that was happening. It was a lot of big words and adults talking about things I didn't understand. I think the only other crime novel I've read is Past Mortem by Ben Elton. Not the best example of a crime novel, I'm sure, but it was fairly enjoyable, if very disturbing in places.

I watched Inception for the first time on the plane on the way to America just before Christmas. I have seen other films since then (I'm sure I watched one on the flight back a few weeks ago, but I can't remember what it was for the life... wait. Avatar.) but that's the one that sticks in my head the most. Brilliant film (back on Inception). Even though I watched it on a screen no bigger than my face, the effects were amazing, and the complicated concept was very well produced. I know a lot of people pan Avatar for being a remake of Pocahontas/Dancing with Wolves, just with pretty effects, but I love it. It makes me cry when . I want to be a Na'vi. I guess I'm in a rambling mood this evening.