Lord Yamas Fantasy Book Review

One of the most charming books written in the fantasy genre has to be Princess Bride by William Goldman.  Both the book and the film that was made from it are cult classics. As fresh today as the day it was first published.  A tale of true love and swashbuckling adventure. 

It is difficult to put your finger on which sub genre of fantasy the Goblin Emperor fits into.  Most of the elements that most people associate with good fantasy, like sorcerers, dragons, enchanted blades, and mighty heroes are missing. And the hero is an ordinary man, or half elf half goblin in this case, with no special powers who just has to muddle through when plonked on the throne and told he's now emperor. A great read. Unputdownable

In this week's podcast I give you my take on A Song of :Ice and Fire by the hugely popular fantasy author, George R R Martin.

Ann McCaffrey might be best known for Dragonsong and other stories set on the world of Pern but I prefer her Crystal Singer Trilogy. Perhaps this is because the woman at the centre is a deeply flawed character who should be difficult to like - but isn't.  Wonderful stuff.
 

One of the best debut novels in the world of fantasy has to be King Rat by China Mieville. He is better known for his later works, such as Perdido Street Station, but my heart belongs to his first novel, King Rat, which updates one of the best-known fairy tales by placing it in the London of the 1990s.

The modern fantasy genre has its roots in myths and fairy tales. One persistent theme in the English language has been the tale of King Arthur, his sword Excalibur and the Knights of the Round Table. It has been told again and again in different ways for centuries. It is a central myth of English folklore. Many of the giants of the fantasy genre have reimagined it. But none have matched what is known as the Merlin Trilogy by Mary Stewart, where we are told the story through the eyes of the wizard, Merlin.

The legacy of Mary Renault cannot be underestimated. Her marvellous historical fantasy trilogy about Alexander the Great was one of the first in any genre to break the mould and include homosexual love in a popular literature. Writing more than half a century ago,  she dared to break the rules not only with her Alexander series but with many of her other published works.

The most successful author in the world of fantasy has to be J K Rowling. Her Harry Potter series and the films they spawned have been enjoyed by hundreds of millions of adults and children alike. We can thank this very gifted writer for making so many people fall in love with fantasy. Many of them have gone on to buy books by other authors in the genre. I would say she is as influential as J R R Tolkein.   

The Little Prince is a magical book, a modern fairy tale, written more than eighty years ago, and it still enchants adults and children alike. Undoubtedly one of the best introductions to the world of fantasy that has ever been written

Fantasy comes in many different guises. It ranges from Romantasy to Grimdark and from Sword and Sorcery to Magical Realism. One of my favourite books which doesn’t quite fit into any of the sub genres that I generally read is Piranesi by Susanna Clarke. While there are many who scoff at fantasy as not really literature, I offer this novel as a prime example of great writing.