Read on-- fantasy fiction : reading lists for every taste / Neil Hollands.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Hollands, Neil.

Contributor:

Edith E. Clark Endowment Fund.

Series:

Read on series

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Fantasy fiction, American--Bibliography.

Fantasy fiction, American.

Fantasy fiction, English--Bibliography.

Fantasy fiction, English.

Fiction in libraries--United States.

Fiction in libraries.

United States.

Readers' advisory services--United States.

Readers' advisory services.

Public libraries--United States--Book lists.

Public libraries.

Genre:

Bibliographies.

Physical Description:

xix, 210 pages ; 24 cm.

Place of Publication:

Westport, Conn. : Libraries Unlimited, 2007.

Summary:

Created to offer a different perspective on the fantasy genre and reach a broader reading audience (including fans), this book offers new reading paths for fantasy lovers. It organizes more than 800 titles into over 100 lists, in such categories as "The Magic of Threes: Fantasy's Best Trilogies," "The Fellowship Is the Thing: Companions on a Quest," "Fan-to-Sea-Nautical Fantasy," and "When Groan Men Scry: Puns as a Fantasy Tradition." The organization and approach are based on various appeal factors of the genre. A great tool for advising readers, creating reading lists for library Web sites, flyers, and newsletters, and making checklists or reading plans for adults and teens who enjoy fantasy fiction.

Contents:

Introduction: Take Off Your Mask; It's OK to like Fantasy xv

Chapter 1 Story 1

Down the Rabbit Hole: The Way from Here to Fantasyland 1

Never Mind the Acne; I'm Here to Save the World: Coming-of-Age Stories 3

Magic 101: Memorable Systems of Magic 5

Dizzy Spells: When Magic Goes Awry 7

Domestic Disputes: Fantasy's Fickle Family Values 8

End-Djinn Trouble: When Magic Meets Technology 10

Fabulous: The Best Fantasy Derived from Familiar Fables 11

Holy Grail, Batman! Amazing Quests for Magical Objects 13

There and Back Again: Fantasy in Which the Journey Is the Story 15

Games of Thrones: Fantasy's Most Devious Royal Intrigues 17

Wander Lust: The Great Love Affairs and Romantic Pursuits of Fantasy 19

Why Does This Baby Have a Tattoo? Prophecy and Fate in Fantasy 21

"You Killed My Father, Prepare to Die!" The Fantasy of Revenge 22

It's Not Nice to Fool with Mother Nature: Ecological Fantasy 24

Poor, Poor Powerful Me: Accepting One's Power and Otherness 26

Barbarians at the Gate: Invasion Fantasy 28

Armageddon Out of Here: Fantasy's Furious Final Battles 29

Sailing into the West: Dying Lands and Races 31

Once upon a Time: Fantasy's Love Affair with Books and Storytelling 32

Dangerous Minds: Marvelous Mental Powers 34

Speak Softly and Carry a Big Sword: Fantasy's Memorable Weapons 36

Riddle Me This: Fantasy's Fascination with Brainteasers 37

To Hell and Back: Necromancy and the Afterworld in Fantasy 39

Lyres and Lutes and Fiddles and Flutes: Music in Fantasy 40

Curses (Foiled Again): The Making and Breaking of Fantasy's Worst Curses 42

At an All-You-Can-Eat Buffet, Don't Eat All that You Can: Great Books in So-So Series 43

Down the Generations: Epic Family Sagas of Fantasy 45

Chapter 2 Character 49

The Fellowship Is the Thing: Companions on a Quest 50

Bosom Buddies, Odd Couples, and Dynamic Duos 51

Chivalry in Flower: Fantasy's Most Noble Knights 53

Developing Damsels, Not Distressed: Feisty Princesses and Tomboy Treasures 54

Damsels Who Deal Distress: Women Warriors 56

Conans for Librarians: Fantasy's Strongest Barbarian Warriors 58

Wizards and Warlocks: The Wise, the Wily, and the Wacky 59

Witches: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly among Fantasy's Women of Magic 61

Absolutely the Worst: Fantasy's Most Detestable Villains 62

Rogues' Gallery: Thieves, Assassins, and Other Charismatic Scoundrels 64

Life in the Hood: Monks and Other Religious Figures in Fantasy 66

Finding Courage: Fantasy Heroes Look Deep Within 68

Animal Attractions: Fantasy Characters to Bring Out Your Wild Side 69

The Care and Feeding of Magical Creatures: A Fantastic Menagerie 71

Smaug Gets in Your Eyes: Fantasy's Formidable Dragons 73

Just off the Turnip Cart: Country Folk Who Make Good 74

Bastards! And Other Returns of the King 76

The Ancient Races: The Best Fantasy Featuring Dwarves and Elves 77

The Long and Short of It: Giants and Little Folk 79

...And Some Visits with Even Stranger Peoples and Races 80

Ye Gods! Deities in Fantasy 82

Rainbow Warriors: Cultural Diversity in Fantasy 83

Looking for Some Hard-Headed Women: Fantastic Female Characters 85

If They Hit You in the Head, Keep Your Wits Gathered about You: Resourceful Lead Characters 86

Whiny, Self-Interested, and Undependable...I Can Relate to That: Fantasy's Antiheroes 88

What a Wonderful World: Fantasy Settings You'll Long to Visit 92

It Seems Like Old Times: The Best Fantasy of the Ancient World 94

Eric the Well-Read: The Best of Viking Fantasy 95

Cam-a-lot: The Many Faces of Arthurian Fantasy 96

Medieval-Doers: Fantasy's Favorite Setting 99

Celtic-kle Your Fancy: Fantasy in the Celtic Tradition 100

London Calling: The Grand Tradition of Fantasy in an English Setting 102

Easterns: Fantasy with the Flavor of Asia 104

Steampunk: Forward-Looking Fantasy in Victorian Settings 106

Alternate America: Finding Fantasy in a New World 108

Contemporary Style Is Not Just for Furniture: Modern Worlds with Fantastic Spins 110

Battle-Tested: Fantasy That Puts You in the Middle of the War 112

Borderline: The Weirdest, Most Whimsical Trips into Fantasy Realms 113

Fan-to-Sea: The Best of Nautical Fantasy 115

In Forest Deep: Fantasy Journeys into the Woods 116

Urban Developments: Big-City Fantasy 118

Fantasy Underground: Dark Trips into Dungeons and Deep Places 120

Running Hot and Cold: Fantasy Thrills on the Thermometer 121

It's All Academic: Fantasy Books for School Are Fun to Read 123

Rated RPG: The Best Fantasy for Gamers 124

Chapter 4 Mood 127

Fantasy for Fantasy Lovers: Right down the Middle of Genre Conventions 128

Reinventing the Genre: The New Weird 130

Smashing of Bone, Spurting of Blood: High-Violence Fantasy 131

Washing of Face, Breaking of Nail: Low-Violence Fantasy 133

Passing Fancies: The Best Fantasy to Pass around to the Whole Family 134

Tickle Your Fancy: Fantasy to Make You Giggle, Smirk, and Guffaw 136

So Bad They're Good: Villains for Days When You'd Rather Join in the Evil Laughter 138

Badass Fantasy: Heroes Who Don't Take Anything from Anyone 139

Flights of Fantasy: High-Flying Fantasy to Read on an Airplane 141

Magic between Two People: Fantasy for Romance Readers 142

Steaming Up the Looking Glass: When Romance Is Nice, but Sex Is Better 144

It Was the Dark Lord in the Conservatory with the Candlestick: Fantasy for Mystery Readers 146

The Dark Fantasy Tradition: Spine-Chilling Fantasy for Horror Readers 148

The Mythic Past: Great Fantasy for Historical Fiction Lovers 149

Rocket Ship or Dragon Sticker? Fantasy for Science Fiction Fans 151

Seriously Fantastic: Fantasy for Literary Fiction Readers 153

Tiptoeing Hesitantly into the Real World: Literary Fiction for Fantasy Readers 155

Picture This: Graphic Novels of Fantasy for the Visually Inclined 156

Fantasy behind the Films: For Those Who Like to Compare Books with Movies 158

Chapter 5 Language 161

Magic Words: Fantasy Writers with a Gift for Language 161

Worth an Epic Effort: Complex Fantasy to Challenge the Reader 163

Frothy Fun: Lighter-than-Air, Easy-Reading Fantasy 165

Repartee Animals: Dialogue-Driven Fantasy 166

Elevated Muses: High-Tone, Genteel Fantasy 168

The Slangs and Argots of Misfortune: Gritty, Low-Tone Fantasy 170

Details of Sound and Fury: High-Description Fantasy Signifies Everything 171

It's All about Me: Fantasy in the First Person 173

When Groan Men Scry: Puns as a Fantasy Tradition 174

Reading Aloud Allowed 176

Slow Build to a Big Finish: Fantasy for 4:00 A.M. Finales 178

Fast-Paced, Can't-Put-'Em-Down Fantasies 179

Never-Ending Stories: Lots of Pages but Worth the Weight 181

Never Toss a Dwarf: Fantastic Fantasies with a Low Page Count 182

Appendix 1 Suggested Trilogies and Other Series 185

The Magic of Threes: Fantasy's Best Trilogies 185

Let's Make the Magic Last: Series that Hold Up from First Book to Finish 187

Appendix 2 Award-Winning Fantasies 189

World Fantasy Award for Best Novel 189

Locus Award for Fantasy Novel 190

Mythopoeic Award Winners-Adult Novel 191

Mythopoeic Award Winners-Children's Literature 192

Fantasy Novels that Won the Hugo Award 192

Fantasy Novels that Won the Nebula Award 192.

Notes:

Includes index.

Local Notes:

Acquired for the Penn Libraries with assistance from the Edith E. Clark Endowment Fund.

ISBN:

9781591583301

1591583306

OCLC:

122423425