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I can't speak to Abercrombie, but Kay writes fantasy history. Nate Send a noteboard - 24/01/2010 09:15:05 AM
I'm getting names but I'm trying to figure out the themes, the ideas and the style...I really should have framed my original question better.


Or historical fantasy, either way you want to say it. He sets up made-up worlds with some historical or mythological similarities to periods of Earth history, and then writes touching, careful, powerful stories within those frames.

His first trilogy, The Fionavar Tapestry, is pretty much his effort to prove that high fantasy in the Tolkien vein can still be done powerfully without looking derivative. It's about modern real world people who are taken to a fantasy land filled with myth and history and conflict, where they each discover their different destinies. In terms of emotional impact and epic quality, by the time the series is over it's competing with if not surpassing Lord of the Rings. But it requires a pretty broad suspension of disbelief to get past the initial sections, and the story takes a little bit to get going. Once it gets going, it's one of the best quality high fantasies I've read, and makes all the other Tolkien clones look like children playing with tools they don't understand. There are multiple sections of such epic density that I couldn't tear my eyes from the page. It's a story about finding a place in the world, about duty and sacrifice, about defying evil and living with the consequences of your mistakes. It's got Christian mythology, King Arthur mythology, and probably others but it's been a good ten years since I read it.

After that he goes on to write quieter historical fantasies, but still powerful ones. Tigana is the only other one I've read, and it is excellent. A history of family and lovers within a fantasy war, illustrating powerfully the terrible costs that war exacts on them all. Good book.
Warder to starry_nite

Chapterfish — Nate's Writing Blog
http://chapterfish.wordpress.com
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Recommendations for a fantasy series - 22/01/2010 03:27:38 AM 1543 Views
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^ This. - 23/01/2010 04:16:53 PM 902 Views
If the series isn't done she won't read it. - 24/01/2010 03:09:02 AM 931 Views
That's fair. It won't be done for awhile. - 24/01/2010 08:59:54 AM 1090 Views
and she'll laugh her ass off at times *NM* - 24/01/2010 09:51:16 PM 410 Views
i've been digging the hell out of the incarnations of immortality series by piers anthony - 22/01/2010 05:26:07 AM 924 Views
What is the basic premise? *NM* - 24/01/2010 03:09:37 AM 398 Views
Re: What is the basic premise? - 24/01/2010 06:15:55 PM 1057 Views
I'll second the recommendation, btw. - 25/01/2010 11:03:56 AM 912 Views
This is a shot in the dark - 22/01/2010 07:37:49 AM 1108 Views
How many books are there and what are they about? *NM* - 24/01/2010 03:10:11 AM 495 Views
The Empire series by Feist and Wurtz? - 22/01/2010 12:47:50 PM 1057 Views
This is getting to be information overload - 24/01/2010 03:11:18 AM 844 Views
Right - 25/01/2010 02:12:06 PM 962 Views
Empire trilogy is awesome - 24/01/2010 09:57:39 PM 1056 Views
I did, way back when - you don't need to have read Riftwar. *NM* - 24/01/2010 10:06:05 PM 412 Views
Si. - 25/01/2010 02:10:45 PM 887 Views
A big thank you to everyone with suggestions!!! - 22/01/2010 01:17:54 PM 922 Views
Abercrombie or maybe Guy Gavriel Kay. *NM* - 22/01/2010 03:14:03 PM 432 Views
Seconded - 22/01/2010 09:07:44 PM 819 Views
Can you give me a bit more insight (either of you) ? - 24/01/2010 03:12:23 AM 938 Views
I can't speak to Abercrombie, but Kay writes fantasy history. - 24/01/2010 09:15:05 AM 913 Views
Kay is a beautiful writer. - 25/01/2010 05:01:14 PM 1065 Views
I'd suggest Stephen King's Dark Tower series. *NM* - 22/01/2010 03:21:12 PM 433 Views
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Melanie Rawn's Dragon Prince and Dragon Star Trilogies - 22/01/2010 04:29:43 PM 901 Views
I enjoyed the Dragon Prince series. - 22/01/2010 10:19:31 PM 1025 Views
The heavy emphasis on the word "Dragon" in both series makes me wary - 24/01/2010 03:15:52 AM 878 Views
Yeah, I always had the same worry when it was suggested to me. - 26/01/2010 12:53:14 AM 1123 Views
You have now - 24/01/2010 02:19:11 PM 901 Views
Go completely in another direction - 22/01/2010 06:22:45 PM 911 Views
Eh...I don't think so. *NM* - 24/01/2010 03:16:57 AM 392 Views
Series are hard. - 22/01/2010 08:10:30 PM 1110 Views
Does she like Lovecraft any? - 23/01/2010 12:06:48 AM 943 Views
McKillip is lovely. *NM* - 23/01/2010 12:34:36 AM 349 Views
No, she doesn't like Lovecraft. She's a girl, after all. - 24/01/2010 03:19:31 AM 839 Views
In that case... - 24/01/2010 03:29:21 AM 991 Views
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I love your false modesty. - 23/01/2010 10:35:25 AM 1038 Views
Dark Fantasy may be good. - 24/01/2010 03:23:31 AM 951 Views
Re: Dark Fantasy may be good. - 24/01/2010 05:45:35 PM 972 Views
Jennifer Fallon - Second Sons - 23/01/2010 12:59:10 PM 769 Views
Is it finished? *NM* - 24/01/2010 03:23:50 AM 379 Views
Yes it is. - 24/01/2010 09:52:24 AM 808 Views
Daniel Abraham... - 24/01/2010 11:07:16 AM 932 Views
Wars of Light and Shadow by Janny Wurts - 24/01/2010 05:20:44 PM 1054 Views

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