James Barclay

Drizzt · Joined: 07 Mar 2005 Posts: 1081 Location: Easington, UK

We've all read plenty, but what's the ONE book/story that really got you into fantasy?

For me it was The Hobbit. I'd read Narnia and enjoyed them, but after reading The Hobbit the genre really stuck with me.
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Mantyluoto · Joined: 21 Sep 2005 Posts: 573 Location: Somerset, UK

The Dragonlance Chronicles for me

Parmenion · Joined: 06 Oct 2006 Posts: 584

Legend...was the clincher, i had read narnia etc...but this was the deal maker.
another series that sealed it for me was memory sorrow and thorn

Selik · Joined: 20 Jan 2005 Posts: 1524 Location: South Shields

The Hobbit for me as well. I went through a faze in secondary school of reading nothing at all, the went to college and picked up Elfsorrow which i'd hold resposible for getting me back into reading again...... did that sound like it was a bad thing? Confused

It wasn't meant to. Razz

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Ry_Darrick · Joined: 25 Aug 2004 Posts: 106

Although I read Lotr when I was really young, I never really put it into any genre, it was just Lord of the rings, I know its fantasy but I just don't think thats the best way to describe it, lotr is just simply undefinable in my opinion, it is just incredible. So I don't think i can say that lotr made me hooked on fantasy. Wizards First Rule in the Sword of Truth series was my first love in fantasy, and all the SOT books after that, I love them and they make me want to read for a living. I can't say I'm really hooked on fantasy, because I read as much fantasy as I do other types of books, but definetely SOT for me, or even shadowheart which I read shortly after.

Lizzy · Posted: Thu Oct 26, 2006 3:18 pm Post subject:

As a whippersnapper I read all sorts of books covering all sorts of genres and styles.

As an adult, Philip Pullman's Dark Materials trilogy got me back into fantasy (inspired Xmas present from hubby). I then read Garth Nix and Trudy Canavan as my nurse lent them to me. Then I strolled into Waterstones and picked up a purple book......
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Jen · Posted: Thu Oct 26, 2006 3:30 pm Post subject:

It was that same purple for me too Lizzy.

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Ry_Darrick · Joined: 25 Aug 2004 Posts: 106

His Dark Materials is a fantastic read, I read a fair few fantasy books a few years ago, but I just never associated them with fantasy, they were just fiction and not fact, now I know that there are so many different genres...

TheJovialGnome · Joined: 05 Jan 2005 Posts: 295 Location: Boston

For me it has to be The Gormenghast Trilogy, deep and pacy plot with loads of interesting characters and a really readable writing style......

OK, OK - I'm joking, Very Happy

along with Ry LOTR was my first fantasy book more years ago than I care to remember and in common with Lizzy, after hearing Philip Pulman interviewed on Radio 5 that got me into His Dark Materials and I too wandered into Borders, saw a purple book (it helped that it was on a 3 for 2 offer!) with an Elf mentioned on the back and the rest is history Laughing

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Tk421 · Joined: 06 Jan 2005 Posts: 275 Location: United Kingdom

I think I was heavily into the fantasy element long before reading my first fantasy book really. It was a couple of movies I'd watched with my parents as a youngling. but the first fantasy book I read that made me want more was one called Kyrik and the lost queen. Just a sort of pulp fantasy about a conan like character. Oh.. and a queen who didn't have a decent gps system.
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Malop · Joined: 14 Aug 2005 Posts: 205 Location: United Kingdom

I can't ever remember not reading fantasy and sci-fi. Sometimes the fantasy might not be classed as traditional fantasy but I still saw it as that.

The authors that kept me going were Gemmell and Pratchett mainly, until I came across James' books.

I still read a lot of sci-fi and my all time favourite author, is and shall always remain Isaac Asimov.
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Fry · Posted: Fri Oct 27, 2006 5:09 am Post subject:

Yep. It was The Hobbit for me too I think. I read it many moons ago when I was ickle. I'll never forget that feeling of wonderment. Smile

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Grace · Joined: 28 May 2006 Posts: 302 Location: Bristol

Probably the Hobbit, back when i was sweet and innocent at seven. Gods, that's nearly a decade ago Shocked

Maybe also Equal Rites, by Terry Pratchett. I read his Bromeliad books earlier, but i didn't like them much. Maybe i'd apprieciate them more now.
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DeathJunior · Joined: 20 Oct 2006 Posts: 177 Location: Louth, England

I really can't remember, but i've been into fantasy since Infants school ... probably biff and kipper and those magic key kids going off to fantastic lands and places in their own bedrooms and back yards.
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Selik · Joined: 20 Jan 2005 Posts: 1524 Location: South Shields

Actually, you have a point there. I think The Hobbit was a step up to a more mature level of fantasy from more infant type books.
Hadn't thought of that.
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