Fantasy literature is popular as never before. J.R.R. Tolkien is perhaps responsible for starting the literary wave, but the American George RR Martin is the first that has been super celebrity by writing about dragons and demons. Even our own Tone Almhjell (formerly Address newspaper journalist) felt the magical pull of Martin and launches this Thursday’s debut novel “The Twist Rose Key” in New York City.
George R.R. Martin himself does not follow the breathless writing that fantasy and sci-fi writers love to do. He recently stated that he intends to complete volume six of “A Song of Ice and Fire” before the TV series took him (the TV series “A Game of Thrones” is now in its third season started with the first part of book number three in the series). The sixth and penultimate part of the printed book cycle entitled ‘The Winds of Winter “and is initially planned for release in 2014. It does not mean that the book is actually going next year. Martin has repeatedly said that he intends to spend the time he needs. Something that came out clearly from the six years he spent on writing “A Dance With Dragons” (2011), which came six years after the fourth book in the series.
A game of thrones
“A Game of Thrones” was originally intended as the first book in what is planned as a trilogy, Martin “A Song of Fire and Ice.” An epic fantasy works inspired by Rose War in England (1453-1487), “Ivanhoe” by Sir Walter Scott and Tad Williams’ Memory, Sorrow and Thorn “trilogy. Martin had this to say at this time that he challenged himself to create a world that did not contain the naivety and the pompous character descriptions that characterized the genre.
World Builder
Thus began George RR Martin to build their world. In the same way that sci-fi godfather Frank Herbert’s Dune universe created, the Martins fictional Westeros also a complex maze of characters, bi-characters, political intrigue and narrative layers. A thirty odd pages devoted to the end of each book to the ever growing cast of characters that populate Westeros. A cast of characters who more than any other is characterized by Martins peculiar penchant for killing their protagonists in the most gruesome ways. A grip that Martin himself explains that a virtue of necessity.
– Well, it’s war, and war has this effect on people. People are dying. Which oddly enough does not happen very often in fantasy novels. I do not write ‘A Song of Ice and Fire “for enough once to tell about the battle between good and evil. The books about the contrast between reality and perception.
See also: Dances with Dragons
See also: Outside wall
Also read: ‘Game of Thrones’ determines child’s name
Martins inspirations
One of those inspired Martin to write “A Song of Ice and Fire” was the American writer Tad Williams trilogy “Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn” that includes the books “The Dragon Bone Chair (1988),” Stone of Farewell “(1990) and” To Green Angel Tower “(1993). The trilogy is high fantasy and Williams took in its first step towards becoming the world-builder, he is known as today. “Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn” is more than a little inspired by “Lord of the Rings” and stands comparison with Martins own bokverk as far more cliche and formula based. But do you get past Williams elaborate structure of the characters and the world that is “Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn” one of the best fantasy trilogies you can read.
is better when Tad Williams second attempt to build fantasy worlds. Fire Box Administration “Otherland” blends sci-fi, fantasy and cyberpunk in beautiful harmony. Funny, scary and exciting. Williams journey through both time and space computergenerete worlds is unmatched in the fantasy genre. Highly recommended if you have time for you. ‘Otherland’ books are in fact four of the very thickest in the fantasy genre where each volume contains over 1000 pages.
However, if Martin’s descriptions of everyday life in the King’s Charge struck a string with you as Tad Williams second attempt at creating a fantasy cycle for you. The four books in “The Shadowmach Saga” is fantasy-by-the-numbers so it stays and offers a much more tedious world building than the trilogy “Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn.” There’s not much in “Shadow March” until far out in the second book, but then Williams in return built his fantasy world so detailed that all the pieces fit in the puzzle. Recommended for those who have good patience and plenty of time to read.
Also read: Still awesome
See also: Lost in fantasy shelf
See also: Today’s adventure
Archaeologist Erikson
Almost as popular, but the literature so far from George RR Martin as you can get in the fantasy genre we find Canadian Steven Erikson. His (huge) contribution to fantasy literature bearing the name “Malazan, Book of the Fallen” and counts currently ten volumes. Unlike Martin as not helpful descriptions and inner monologue Erikson’s strongest side. What gives Malazon books his character is Erikson deteljerte and picturesque descriptions of events and actions. Malazan books can best be described as Dark Fantasy. Here is the huge impact, detailed ingested tell about what happens on the battlefield, bizarre magicians and a variety of protagonists in no way appears to be particularly sympathetic. About Martin’s genre answer to Steven Spielberg then Erikson David Lynch.
Erikson skips happily between both characters and timelines to suit him. Which makes Malazan books harder to read than Martin’s work. On the other hand, if you’ve got a taste for Eriksen’s dystopian world building so you will be hooked for good. The biggest problem with ten volume work is the first novel in the series, “Gardens of the Moon” is the heaviest and the most difficult to penetrate the ten. The book is also not necessary to understand the series as a whole, so our recommendation is that you start with the second book, “Dead House Gate” and take it from there.
Humor and blood
Youngster on this list are British Joe Abercrombie. He made his first mark with “The Blade Itself” (2006), a book that would prove to be the first in the trilogy “The First Law”. Abercrombie has nothing of either Martin or Erikson bit heavy and classic approach to the genre. The language flows effortlessly and Abecrombie takes so many liberties with the genre conventions that the result is often hilarious. Abercrombie is a master of dialogue and appears to be an exceptionally breath of fresh air in a genre that at times has been so tail heavy that it threatened to topple of its own weight. If you are a newcomer to the fantasy genre then Abercrombie is the perfect place to start.
veteran
We are not going away Robert Jordan on this list. Much has been said and written about the late American writer, but the 15 books of his work in the “Wheel of Time” series is undeniably the most important thing that has been written in the genre next to Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings” and Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire. ” Jordan died in 2007 before he could finish the series, but Jordan’s longtime collaborator Brandon Sanderson undertook the task of completing the series.
“Wheel of Time” is perhaps the most impressive example of world-building in the genre. Jordan was also a specialist in detail and embroidered like both their characters and their actions down to the smallest detail. This obsession made the series lost a bit of momentum after book 7, but the series picked up towards the end and Brandon Sanderson contributions made “Wheel of Time” was completed in a satisfactory manner. The first book in the series “The Eye of the World” was released in 1990 and the very last “A Memory of Light” came in January this year.
“Wheel of Time” is considered one of the greatest classics of the genre.
Other recommendations:
King Killer Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss. The series counts as far as two books: “The Name of the Wind” and “Wise Man’s Fear.”
The Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb. The series includes the following books: “Assassin’s Apprentice”, “Royal Assassin” and “Assassin’s Quest”.
The Gentlemen Bastards by Scott Lynch. The series has so far: “The Lies of Lock Lamora”, “Red seas under red skies” and “Republic of thieves.”
The Sword of Truth by Terry Goodkind. It’s a pretty big subject we recommend Goodkinds books. The reason is that the very first “Wizard’s First Rule” is one of the best stand-alone novels are written in the genre. The sequel “Stone of Tears” is also good, but the subsequent nine novels that make up the story of Richard Cypher reasonably steep plunges down the quality scale. Goodkind is a firm believer in Ayn Rand’s objectivism, which makes his books at times characterized much of this.
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