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Author
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Comment
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evil little pixie
Registered User
(1/25/05 10:14 am)
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Re: WoW!
Gigi, everything I recommended above will never leave my bookshelf (although _The Grand Tour_ probably would if it hadn't been co-written by Patricia C. Wrede, but hey, she's allowed one that's not quite as good when the rest are so awesome). I have all of her books and it took me years to find them because they're mostly out of print and we didn't have the internet until I was a senior in high school, but they are definately worth the work. Oh, I forgot to mention Barbara Hambly's vampire novel _Those Who Hunt the Night_, (might be shelved in horror or with her other books in fantasy) but it's also wonderful, although I didn't like the sequel as much. The _Bunnicula_ books by James Howe are very funny on both children's and adults' levels and have a pretty good vocabulary for kids' books. Amelia Atwater-Rhodes has written some good young adults' vampire and shapeshifter books, especially considering that she was only 13 when the first one was published. _Dragon's Bait_ by Vivian Vende Velde (in young adult) is excellent. I could recommend several more if I were at home and not at college, but unfortunately I had to leave the vast majority of my books behind or I would never do my homework. :lol
Oh, and of the books I mentioned in my first post, _Blood and Chocolate_ is werewolves, _The Keeper of the Isis Light_ is mild sci-fi, and the rest are fantasy.
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Crceres
Registered User
(1/25/05 1:58 pm)
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Good stories
Did you want books specifically based on fairytales?
In that case, "anything by McKinley" is a definite yes.
My favorite story collection is _Smart Dragons, Foolish Elves_ While not all retellings, the stories are well written and very funny. Another good collection is the Looking Glass book of stories, but I think it's been out of print for a while (our copy has been on the shelf--when not being read--for forty years.)
Pratchett is good, but make sure you like his style before buying anything.
Evangeline Walton has the most beautiful retelling of Rhiannon that I've come across--the whole Mabinogian tetralogy is lovely and heartwrenching, but _Song of Rhiannon_ shows up in fairy tale collections, not just mythology.
There are some superb retellings of myths, including _the King Must Die_ and _the Compleat Enchanter_. (Renault and L. Sprague de Camp)
And since no one else has suggested it, Lord of the Rings
:D
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Elizabeth Genco
Registered User
(1/26/05 12:19 pm)
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Re: Good stories
I second the Evangeline Walton. Her retellings of the four books of the Mabinogion are mind-blowing (I don't use those kinds of phrases often!)
Here's a link to Amazon:
www.amazon.com/exec/obido...alufairyt/
It's a classic.
---
What's that fiddle player in the subway thinking
about?
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gigi
Unregistered User
(1/26/05 3:37 pm)
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My MOst Favorite
well perusing my shelves The Little princess by frances Burnett, Ella Enchanted by Levine, Ever After by wedy Loggia, Shadow Spinner by Fletcher and The Harry Potter #3 (prisoner of Azkaban) and The Lord of the rings by tolkien. The Outlaws of Sherwood by mckinley
Also I have read many tales of King Arthur and I have a small collection of about 4 books going so far.
Tristan And Iseult by Sutcliff.
I have an eclectic taste but I love long words and lyrical descriptions.
I read Tolkien becasue Everyone ws talking about it in 5th grade and I recently read it again last year. I love the descriptions and symbolism of the whole tale.
thank you
gigi :D
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AliceCEB
Registered User
(1/26/05 5:58 pm)
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Re: My MOst Favorite
I've recommended this several times on another thread, so I guess I should here: Neil Gaiman's Smoke and Mirrors. It's a compilation of short stories, many with fairy tale themes, all of them adult. I will never think of Snow White or the Troll Under the Bridge in the same way. Although I thoroughly enjoy his novels and comics, I particularly enjoy his short fiction.
Best,
Alice
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redtriskell
Registered User
(1/27/05 1:01 am)
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you should see my library...
Your enthusiasm is wonderful. As for books that I would hunt the Earth for if they were ever lost... let's see... Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman; The Immortal Unicorn, edited by Peter Beagle and Janet Berliner (short stories with unicorn themes, but not at all childish); Small Gods by Terry Pratchett; all of the Year's Best Fantasy and Horror volumes edited by Terri Windling and Ellen Datlow; Briar Rose by Jane Yolen; The Deathbird by Harlan Ellison (short stories again); The Armless Maiden edited by Terri Windling (short stories with fairy tale themes and dealing with abuse- not for the faint of heart); Something Wicked This Way Comes by the impeccable Ray Bradbury...actually, there are too many to list them all. I avoided mentioning stuff other folks suggested. I also suggest Neil Gaiman's Sandman series of comics (or graphic novels, if you prefer that term) and just about anything by Tanith Lee. I have about 3,000 or so books in my personal library and I wouldn't part with any of them for love or money. They cover much in the sci-fi/fantasy/horror realms, but also history, picture books (like Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Book by Brian Froud), mythical studies, and folktales. I have a special fondness for the short story and I consider myself lucky to have found a great number of anthologies. I have most of the original Orbit series and a goodish number of the original Analog collections. There are many fine fantasy tales tucked in those collections because before about 1965 or thereabouts, if you managed to sell a fantasy tale, it was to a science fiction magazine. Oh yeah, I highly recommend anything by Avram Davidson- he was ostensibly a science fiction writer, but I think most of his work is better classified as fantasy. Happy reading.
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gigi
Unregistered User
(1/27/05 4:06 pm)
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Something Wicked this way comes
My teacher suggested it to the class for Christmas break reading. It sounded creepy though so i didn't read it. Did I miss out on something good?
A plot overview would be nice. :D
Don't worry I won't mind if you give away the ending either.
Actaully I like it when I know what I am leading up to except maybe in mystery novels.
gigi :D
Where do you keep All those books? You must have a fairly good sized house. Wow.
Ps Thank you for the compliment. (Im blushing);)
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Crceres
Registered User
(1/27/05 6:58 pm)
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Re: Something Wicked this way comes
Something Wicked...a circus comes to a small New England town, and seems to grant the townspeople their fondest dreams--except there is always a catch in the granting. The only ones to realize there's something very wrong are the town librarian and his son.
It is rather creepy, yes, but no more than many common fairy tales.
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redtriskell
Registered User
(1/28/05 3:25 am)
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Re: Something Wicked this way comes
Something Wicked is, in my opinion, one of the greatest dark fantasies ever conceived. It may be the fountain from which modern dark fantasy sprang. It is a mirror for the human soul, if that's not too lofty a proclamation. As such, it is a story terrifying, sad, poignant, lyrical, and beautiful. Yes, there are some creepy bits- I personally guarantee you will never look at a carousel the same way again- but it is also about the greatness of the human spirit. On the surface, it is very much about two New England boys and their adventures at a carnival that isn't at all what it appears to be. Underneath that story is another story about friendship, growing up, fathers and sons, and the darker aspects of having one's desires realized. I cannot recommend it highly enough; if it were up to me, everyone in America would have to read it.
I do not live in a huge house, but I *do* have twelve bookcases full to the brim and overflowing onto any handy surface. Sometimes I suspect the books are going to lodge a formal protest and demand better living conditions. But, as they don't pay rent, they will just have to accept the current status... ;) At least until I become fabulously wealthy and can build a room just for them.
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gigi
Unregistered User
(1/28/05 9:48 pm)
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book shelves
*12 book cases!*
GAsp :eek :eek
Faints in Shock.
I only have 4 ! I am so jealous.!
gigi :rollin
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janeyolen
Registered User
(1/31/05 4:32 am)
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Re: book shelves
Only twelve? We have bookcases in every room of two houses! One house has fifteen rooms, one seven. Piker! <G>
Jane
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gigi
Unregistered User
(1/31/05 9:29 pm)
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Bookshelves
Tall Bookcases or short ones?
Two Houses?
Gosh you Are living extravagantly! :eek
I aspire to your great heights of having bookshelves in every room. Although one house would be enough...
*Shakes head, Sadly*
How many years did it take to acquire those wonderful books? :rollin
Where do you Buy Nice Bookshelves?;)
I got mine at an estate sale.
gigi
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Elizabeth Genco
Registered User
(2/1/05 4:58 pm)
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Re: Bookshelves
I can't resist adding to the bookshelf count, though I know I'm in danger of hijacking the thread. We've got...
*counts*
8 floor to ceiling, and two that are half that size. In a one-bedroom NYC apartment. And my boyfriend put up some shelving in odd places to accomodate the overspill. 85-90% of all that is mine. The poor guy had to limit himself to one of those bookshelves when he first moved in. It's gonna be a crrrazy library, once we get the rest of his books from the other side of the country (and a bigger place!).
---
What's that fiddle player in the subway thinking
about?
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Anansia
Registered User
(2/1/05 6:52 pm)
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Re: Any Great Books to recommend?
I have just read the Old Kingdom trilogy by Garth Nix: Sabriel, Lirael, and Abhorsen. I am having a lot of trouble getting myself to return them to the library, even tho I don't have time to read them again straight away. They are 'dark fantasy' I guess - all about death, but I found them very positive.
Also have just started Nix's Keys to the Kingdom series (Mr Monday, etc.), which appears to have been inspired by the Christian myth (e.g. 7 deadly sins) but includes references to fairy tales such as the Pied Piper. And also to the Ancient Mariner, now I come to think of it, tho that's not fairy tale.
I have been raving about all these books to everyone I meet.
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anamithim
Unregistered User
(2/2/05 9:10 pm)
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books
what is the best book by charles de lint?besides the blue girl, i already read that.
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redtriskell
Registered User
(2/3/05 1:21 am)
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Re: books
In my opinion, the best book by Charles DeLint is Memory and Dream. It's about Newford. His best short story is Winter Was Hard in Dreams Underfoot, followed closely by Mr. Truepenny's Book Emporium and Gallery in The Ivory and the Horn.
And as a side note, I hope someday to have enough books to fill two houses! :D
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janeyolen
Registered User
(2/3/05 3:49 am)
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Re: books
House w 15 rooms is in Massachusetts. Old farm house. Bookcases (some built-ins, some free standing, some glassfronted) in every room, including the bathrooms. (Which brings room countup to 18!) Though no bookshelves in kitchen, but in pantry. (19.)
House w. 7 rooms is in Scotland. Mostly free standing bookshelves, none in bathrooms, but built in in kitchen, great hall, tv room, one of bedrooms. Stand-ups in greast hall, living room, one bedroom, tv room. Books litter tables, chairs, sideboards, etc.
Just back from Wigtown, Scotland's second-hand book town. Came back with about 25+ new research volumes of folklore, folktales, and diaries of uppity medieval women.
Jane
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AliceCEB
Registered User
(2/3/05 7:40 am)
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Re: books
Diaries of uppity medieval women? Jane, tell us more!
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gigi
Unregistered User
(2/3/05 3:54 pm)
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-whoa_
Bookshelves in the bathroom? Wow! :eek
I guess it's an easy reach when you're in the bathtub, eh?;)
First hand accounts like diaries are really terrific. I am so envious right now. I wouldn't mind even if their authors were uppity medieval women either. At least it allows for great gossip.
Thanx for replying (even though I have turned poison apple green with envy)
gigi
:rollin
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Elizabeth Genco
Registered User
(2/3/05 8:32 pm)
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deLint books
Regarding deLint books, I've heard lots of folks praise MEMORY AND DREAM. It's on my big list of deLint books to read, which is large. ;) Current favorite has to be SOMEPLACE TO BE FLYING.
His short stories are a kick, too -- you might enjoy the WAIFS and STRAYS collection.
In other news, I'm incredibly jealous of Jane's bookshelves. :)
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