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Anyway, here goes;
Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell - Susanna Clarke
The King of Elflands dughter - Lord Dunsany
Anything by Neil Gaiman
Any of the fantasy work of Robert E Howard. He wrote over 600 stories so if you need any more info let me know.
It all depends on your definition of "fantasy". If you prefer to restrict yourself to other worlds, heroics, swords and sorcery, and the like, then I couldn't argue with the above recommendations. There's Tolkien of course, but I daresay you've devoured his complete works by now.
But there's also a lot of fantastical writing that falls more naturally into literary fiction. Angela Carter and Jeanette Winterson are two of my favourites; Carter's knack for creating atmospheres is unsurpassable, and Winterson does the most mind-boggling things with traditionally inspired fairy stories. There's the magical realism school. There are the likes of Susanna Clarke and Alasdair Gray who write magically infused, historical epics. And don't dismiss those writers whose work traditionally gets categorised as "for children" - John Gordon, Diana Wynne Jones, Alan Garner and Michael Ende all have imaginations that put many writers of "adult" literature to shame.
If you're into fairy tales try comparing Robin Mckinley's 'Beauty' and 'Rose Daughter' both reworkings of Beauty & The Beast, but written 20 odd years apart. Then take a look at her novel 'Sunshine' which is a far more modern take on B&TB (this 'beast' being a vampire)
Neverwhere. Neil Gaiman.
Wicked. Gregory MacGuire (or better yet go see the show. V. good!!!)
Legend or anything by Gemmell. Except Echoes of the Great Song.
Raymond Feist really annoyed me. I thought "Magician" was brilliant but as the series wore on his Tolkien plagiarisms became more and more blatant and his imagination ground to a halt. I gave up after deciding that "Darkness at Sethanon" was one of the worst sequels I'd ever read.
Robert Jordan is certainly descriptive, but he does go on and on, with no end in sight, even after the tenth volume.
I'd like to recommend one of my personal favourites, Katherine Kurtz's Deryni series. I've been reading this since 1977!
The first trilogy has recently been re-published, with light editing to take out inconsistencies with later volumes.
It's set in a well described medieval kingdom (Katherine Kurtz is a medieval historian) in which the magic of the Deryni is set against the Church. It causes some mental anguish for the characters who feel they have a vocation to the priesthood and are also Deryni magic users - not to mention the danger of being burnt at the stake if they're found out!
Ursula le Guin is a fantastic writer, but most of her stuff is SF rather than fantasy.
The Earthsea series is definitely fantasy, but was originally aimed at children (I wouldn't be comfortable with a child reading Tehanu, the fourth in the series, though - it includes the rape of a child who is then thrown into a fire).
Comments
It needs to be fantasy fiction with plenty of description.
Any suggestions?
Anyway, here goes;
Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell - Susanna Clarke
The King of Elflands dughter - Lord Dunsany
Anything by Neil Gaiman
Any of the fantasy work of Robert E Howard. He wrote over 600 stories so if you need any more info let me know.
That should keep you going for a while.
Richard
But there's also a lot of fantastical writing that falls more naturally into literary fiction. Angela Carter and Jeanette Winterson are two of my favourites; Carter's knack for creating atmospheres is unsurpassable, and Winterson does the most mind-boggling things with traditionally inspired fairy stories. There's the magical realism school. There are the likes of Susanna Clarke and Alasdair Gray who write magically infused, historical epics. And don't dismiss those writers whose work traditionally gets categorised as "for children" - John Gordon, Diana Wynne Jones, Alan Garner and Michael Ende all have imaginations that put many writers of "adult" literature to shame.
Trudi Canavan - all her books!
Paul sussman - the Lost Army of Cambyses (historical fantasy)
Wicked. Gregory MacGuire (or better yet go see the show. V. good!!!)
Legend or anything by Gemmell. Except Echoes of the Great Song.
I'd like to recommend one of my personal favourites, Katherine Kurtz's Deryni series. I've been reading this since 1977!
The first trilogy has recently been re-published, with light editing to take out inconsistencies with later volumes.
It's set in a well described medieval kingdom (Katherine Kurtz is a medieval historian) in which the magic of the Deryni is set against the Church. It causes some mental anguish for the characters who feel they have a vocation to the priesthood and are also Deryni magic users - not to mention the danger of being burnt at the stake if they're found out!
The Earthsea series is definitely fantasy, but was originally aimed at children (I wouldn't be comfortable with a child reading Tehanu, the fourth in the series, though - it includes the rape of a child who is then thrown into a fire).