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Posted by: pMASTER Aug 16 2008, 20:59

Any readers of Fantasy in here? If so, what do you read? And what would you expect from fantasy stories, or how should they be like in your opinion (for example, something like Lord of the Rings or rather the sort of stories the role player games are based on)?

Posted by: Bence Aug 16 2008, 21:32

Lord of the Rings - must say it's the best Fantasy book/movie ever. Seen/red it many times. You find every element of a just cause in that book. Courage, patriotism, love, faith, hope, willpower. The ultimate experience! I also recommend The Silmaris which preludes LOTR. The whole world of Tolkien's imagination with Gods, kings, heroes, filler stories. Breath taking book. Respect, RIP Tolkien
Oblivion - probably the best RPG game of all time with Morrowind. It has a long and comlicated story. A world with its own gods, heroes, culture, races. A must-have for RPG fans.

In short, the main element of Fanatsy and well... everything else is the just cause! That's the most important thing.

Thank you!
(Have to start reading the Silmarils again! )

Posted by: Benoist Aug 16 2008, 21:44

As Bence, Tolkien books, "The Hobbit", "LOTR" and "The Silmarillion".

Posted by: BigglesTrevor Aug 16 2008, 23:59

Read the tolkin books , simply awsome, so much more than the films can provide.

for the record hell is not hot enough for JRPG's.

Posted by: TheVipersFang Aug 17 2008, 01:02

The original Starship Troopers novel by Robert Heinlen. Told as a life story and being very different to the films of the same name. Some people say there are elements of facism and militarism in there but from the point of view of the storyline I do not believe them to be in a bad way but more of a survival of the species kind of way. The concept that humanity is flawed and people only partially allying against a common foe that threatens genocide always raises the question in the back of my mind of how well we humans would fair if something like that happened for real.
This novel has influenced much since it was written and still does, its on many recommended army reading lists too.

Also as a side note this original 1950's vintage novel has been the basis for many of the scifi movies and games that have been extremely popular over the years. The film Aliens and the game StarCraft are 2 good examples of this.

Interestingly the military technology of night vision and command networks were first proposed as basic infantry tools in this novel as was the concept of a power suit which many modern armies have been trying to get functional for years.

Posted by: Bence Aug 17 2008, 09:30

Yes, I've red Starship troopers too! It's one of a kind. Although, the film adaptions were not as good as I expected. The first one was really cool. The second was fair, the 3rd was a disaster!

@Benoist Sorry, I didn't mention The Hobbit! Although it wasn't very long, it's still very good.

Posted by: Benoist Aug 17 2008, 09:48

Sci-fi and fantasy aren't the same thing.

Posted by: gruftschreck Aug 17 2008, 09:49

At the moment I read the last two books of the series of A Song Of Ice And Fire. By far the best fantasy novels I read by now.

Posted by: Bence Aug 17 2008, 09:51

Read Lord of the Rings!

Sci-fi and fantasy aren't the same, but sci-fi is fantasy in some ways..... it's a matter of perspektiv!

Posted by: gruftschreck Aug 17 2008, 09:58

Lord of the Rings are great novels too, but I think the series of a Song Of Ice And Fire is even better, because it takes place in exactly the fantasy setting I like to play PC games in, or play in PnP groups.

Posted by: Bence Aug 17 2008, 10:00

Maybe worths reading it. Perhaps I will one day!
Atm I'm reading Mein Kampf, after that The Silmarillion, and maybe after that I shall read this book!

Posted by: Sheildsy Aug 17 2008, 11:45

I just finished Finity....cross of fantasy and sci-fi....2010 and hilter won WW2 in 1952.
interesting concepts, such as the fall of the U.S.A, the world being broken into 'Riechs' rather than nations.
eg, 'Asian Riech is China, Japan, ect' 'Australian Riech being Aussieland and NZ ect ect'

Also intersting concept of secret experiments ect ect

Posted by: pMASTER Aug 17 2008, 12:08

QUOTE(Bence @ Aug 17 2008, 10:30)

Posted by: Bence Aug 17 2008, 13:46

Many ppl complaing about the Hero of the Federation. It wasn't very good but it wasn't very bad either. I especialy liked it. Well can't compare it to the first one!
The 3rd movie, look really... don't watch it. The title is Marauder but you can't see them untill the last 10 minutes. The story is boring, special effects are extraordinary bad. The end of the movie is all about religion, that praying and God will win this war, bla bla bla. I complete dissapointment!

Posted by: Avalla'ch Aug 17 2008, 20:34

Can't belive no one mentioned Wiedzmin (The Witcher)
(Well, maybe it's beacause not much people known it before the game and it was translated in mostly europian languages and english was exception, but they are translating it now from what I have heard)

I have read all the books (Saga + Short Stories) and it was pure masterpiece. Saga about Geralt and little Ciri was kick-ass (Rest in peace Cahir Mawr Dyffryn aep Ceallach)! I just hope that A.Sapkowski will make more

I also like J.R.R. Tolkien (nuff said, LOTR hype + movie was mentioned zillion times, I like band Black Metal band Summoning that was influenced by Tolkien) and R.E. Howard (Conan stories etc.)

...



That guy on the right is Geralt (In disguise of course!)

Posted by: gruftschreck Aug 18 2008, 10:27

here is the amazon luink to the first book of a song of ice and fire:

http://www.amazon.com/Game-Thrones-Song-Fire-Book/dp/0553381687/ref=pd_bbs_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1219051229&sr=1-1

the first review describes the books rather good

book 1 is called: A Game of Thrones
book 2: A Clash of Kings
book 3: A Storm of Swords
book 4: A Feast for Crows

Posted by: Bence Aug 18 2008, 10:53

Allready bought the "A Game of Thrones" .
Dude, I hope it worths it! It wasn't very cheap!

Posted by: Deadeye Aug 18 2008, 16:31

Some while ago I read :

Anders series by Hohlbein :
http://www.hohlbein.net/de/h/h0hb0ls12a/index.htm

It's primary written for kids but it catched me nevertheless..I had to find out how it ends.

Posted by: Daniel Aug 18 2008, 17:57

The Hungry City chronicles.

Extremely vastly imagined world set in a future after the "60 Minute War". Interesting, action packed, with some epic scenes, and some developments of theoretical concepts about now.

For example, wars are fought using mainly mechanicals means i.e. air balloons with rocket pods. But you also get technologies from the past such as dormant orbital weapons stations and direct energy weapons.

It's pretty quirky, especially some of the aircraft names. And there's some pretty brutal scenes for if you ever think it's getting too light hearted.

All in all, would make a seriously good Strategy/RPG/FPS combi game.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hungry_City_Chronicles

Posted by: pMASTER Aug 27 2008, 00:46

The reason why I asked this reason in the first place was my curiosity what may people make excited about these stories which are pretty much the same all the time...

Posted by: Avalla'ch Aug 27 2008, 10:00

QUOTE(pMASTER @ Aug 27 2008, 01:46)

Posted by: pMASTER Feb 13 2012, 04:46

Remember this topic?
Well, I did.
I've devoured tons of fantasy books since and even though I enjoyed them I always kinda felt that something was missing to satisfy me to the fullest. It's difficult to explain what I'm actually up to... I feel I'd like most something in between The Lord of the Ring's level of black-and-white fairy tale High Fantasy and rather dark fantasy like A Song of Ice and Fire where the thin line between good and evil is blurred in a way even more extreme than it is in our real world.
And being the grounded cripple I am right now, I started to write a fantasy story on my own. Not to publish it, I guess none of us would live to see the day, but to find out what exactly I found missing and to show myself that I can be creative enough.
Everybody's got to have a hobby, I'd say. And as I learn Icelandic and Chinese these days - I sh*t you not by the way - I was in the right mood to begin the creation of a fantastic realm. No matter who you are or what resources you have, it's really difficult to do this without borrowing too much stuff from existing stories. My borrowings hardly go beyond the existance of sword wielding men, Elves, Orcs and Dwarves though. The story is set to mean something and resemble a thing that's been haunting me every now and again ever since I became a sentient being - that is why this world (and most likely any other world, too) can produce a Mother Theresa as well as a Heinrich Himmler and why that never stops.

This is gonna be intriguing.

Posted by: Daniel Feb 13 2012, 19:51

Sounds good! I always thought i'd write a novel some day, just to prove to myself I had it in me. Certainly does sound intriguing, best of luck with it!

Posted by: pMASTER Feb 13 2012, 20:28

Thanks!
I used to laugh at my parents for always wanting me to do something creative with my time but now I can only recommend it. No matter how much time you put into it, strangely enough it's always refreshing.
Regarding the things I want to do differently... it's anything from simple tweaks to the biggest deals of the plot. Just an example: The "good guys" of my story will come from the east. Did it ever occur to you that no matter what genre of fiction the east is always associated with the evil? Hence no evil in the east with me. Or another thing: Of course I will come up with an evil force of corruption to serve as the villain. But in fantasy there is always a magic ring or magic sword or a spell that needs to be broken for the villain to be defeated. Not with me, though. My villain will be the kind of the evil that every sentient being can carry within and it will not be defeatable with weapons or the destruction of some artifact - leaving it up to imagination if this evil really exists or if it is buit a metaphor.

Aye, to the tavern lads!

Posted by: pMASTER Jul 23 2012, 11:36

Edited pending revision... not steampunk-wise, though.

Posted by: D@V£ Jul 23 2012, 13:15

Too cliche, but also, at the same time, not cliche enough. Replace all the characters with steampunk Orcs.

Posted by: pMASTER Jul 23 2012, 20:10

Steampunk, eh?