Dragons? Yea or Nay?

[Nyssa]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Possibly. But I don't really consider it urban fantasy. No high-rises for sure. The last one I read took place in a city, yes, but not contemporary at all. I've always considered what most people refer to as "urban fantasy" to be mostly contemporary settings with a focus on supernatural elements. That's not really my cup of tea. I assume what you're referring to as "traditional fantasy" is fantasy based primarily on medieval European-ish culture with magic, quests and an orphaned stable/kitchen boy/girl who has special powers/heritage that must be revealed to them by a wise old father/mother figure? It's all good, if so. I just wore that particular trope out. I consider that "High" or "Epic" fantasy. I'm more of a "Low" fantasy fan myself. Low on magic and heavy on grit. With an emphasis on stand-alones or very, very short series (2-3 books at most). Most urban and epic fantasy series seem to go on forever.

Please give me an example. Out of what you're read: What would you consider your favorite? What would you consider your least favorite?

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by Nyssa

Please give me an example. Out of what you're read: What would you consider your favorite? What would you consider your least favorite?

Out of all fantasy I've read? Or just the Low Fantasy that I find myself gravitating more and more toward? Either way I don't really do best/worst lists well, but off the top of my head:

The historical fantasies of Guy Gavriel Kay stand out (The Lions of Al-Rassan, Tigana and Under Heaven) as well as Tim Powers' The Stress of Her Regard. I also like gritty authors like Joe Abercrombie, Richard K. Morgan and newcomers Daniel Polansky and Mark Lawrence. Then there's fantasy/steampunk hybrids like Dexter Palmer's The Dream of Perpetual Motion, Anthony Huso's Last Page and Felix Gilman's Half-Made World. Paul Kearney's The Ten Thousand is tasty. Oooh! I almost forgot Robert Anton Wilson's Historical Illuminatus Chronicles.

As for least favorites, the only thing that immediately comes to mind is Robin Hobb's Soldier's Son Trilogy (although I have enjoyed some of her other works), Harry Potter (blasphemy!), Tad Williams, Brandon Sanderson, Robert Jordan and Terry Goodkind.

Does that help at all?

[Nyssa]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Out of all fantasy I've read? Or just the Low Fantasy that I find myself gravitating more and more toward? Either way I don't really do best/worst lists well, but off the top of my head:

The historical fantasies of Guy Gavriel Kay stand out (The Lions of Al-Rassan, Tigana and Under Heaven) as well as Tim Powers' The Stress of Her Regard. I also like gritty authors like Joe Abercrombie, Richard K. Morgan and newcomers Daniel Polansky and Mark Lawrence. Then there's fantasy/steampunk hybrids like Dexter Palmer's The Dream of Perpetual Motion, Anthony Huso's Last Page and Felix Gilman's Half-Made World. Paul Kearney's The Ten Thousand is tasty. Oooh! I almost forgot Robert Anton Wilson's Historical Illuminatus Chronicles.

As for least favorites, the only thing that immediately comes to mind is Robin Hobb's Soldier's Son Trilogy (although I have enjoyed some of her other works), Harry Potter (blasphemy!), Tad Williams, Brandon Sanderson, Robert Jordan and Terry Goodkind.

Does that help at all?

I meant the Low Fantasy, sorry. I forget sometimes that people can't actually read my mind. I'm curious about the low or no magic aspect, and what makes those novels "Fantasy". I'm guessing they all have non-humans?

[MrsJoseph]

As an avid fantasy reader, I read almost all sub-genres of fantasy. I'm not too in to the gritty fantasy (can't stand torture) but the rest? Yep, all of it. It does seem that DD is into Urban Fantasy more so than Epic. While a lot of people have tried to focus "urban" with "modern" it is not really the case. Urban Fantasy needs to take place in a mostly Urban environment, that's all.

Speaking of Urban...DD, have you read The Lies of Locke Lamora? It's all the rage with my urban fantasy reading male friends...

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by MrsJoseph

Speaking of Urban...DD, have you read The Lies of Locke Lamora? It's all the rage with my urban fantasy reading male friends...

I've really enjoyed the first two, but the fact that there's like 7 books planned overall, virtually guarantees that my interest will start to wane shortly (that's IF Mr. Lynch overcomes his personal hardships and actually publishes again).

Originally Posted by Nyssa

I'm curious about the low or no magic aspect, and what makes those novels "Fantasy". I'm guessing they all have non-humans?

Sometimes, but not usually—not the stuff I normally read anyway. Imaginary worlds and/or invented cultures/religions all contribute to making it "fantasy."

[ATDrake]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

You got that so very very wrong. The correct quote is...

Instant Awesome Just Add Dragons

The index page for the super-trope about debatably clichéd stuff sometimes being gratuitously (and successfully) added for extra cool points and marketability (which seems to be the point of this thread) is "Everything's Better With…", and that's why I linked there instead of directly to the dragon-specific sub-page*.

Going by the contents of that index, the bestest story in the world would have to have deep-fried chocolate-covered-bacon-eating disco-dancing bagpipe-playing jewelry-bedecked LEGO-mecha-operating lava-walking ninja princess samurai zombie drägöns named Bob. With frickin' laser beams on their heads and goggles that do nothing.

It would surely implode and collapse into some sort of sparkly singularity from the sheer accumulated mass of all that awesome.

* Besides, TV Tropes probably has/will retitle it at some point. I was deeply disappointed when they switched over all the "You Fail [Insert Field of Knowledge Here] Forever" pages to the much more boring "Artistic License".

[MrsJoseph]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I've really enjoyed the first two, but the fact that there's like 7 books planned overall, virtually guarantees that my interest will start to wane shortly (that's IF Mr. Lynch overcomes his personal hardships and actually publishes again).

Republic of Thieves had a recent publishing announcement.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by MrsJoseph

Republic of Thieves had a recent publishing announcement.

Yeah, I read Spanton's "hopeful" publication date.
I respect the guy, but I've seen way too many "we hope to publish it by..." dates come and go on far too many books to lend this particular announcement much credence. The bottom line is that they are still waiting for final delivery of the manuscript.

I do hope it turns out to be true though. I think Lynch is an incredible talent and was saddened to learn about his personal emotional setbacks at such a crucial time in his writing career. It would be great to see him get back on track.

[Nyssa]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I've really enjoyed the first two, but the fact that there's like 7 books planned overall, virtually guarantees that my interest will start to wane shortly (that's IF Mr. Lynch overcomes his personal hardships and actually publishes again).

What happened to him?

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Sometimes, but not usually—not the stuff I normally read anyway. Imaginary worlds and/or invented cultures/religions all contribute to making it "fantasy."

Ah.

[Nyssa]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I've really enjoyed the first two, but the fact that there's like 7 books planned overall, virtually guarantees that my interest will start to wane shortly (that's IF Mr. Lynch overcomes his personal hardships and actually publishes again).

What happened to him?

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Sometimes, but not usually—not the stuff I normally read anyway. Imaginary worlds and/or invented cultures/religions all contribute to making it "fantasy."

Ah. So David Weber's Honorveres would count as "Fantasy"?

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by Nyssa

What happened to him?

Clinical depression brought on by the double whammy of the passing of a close relative and his marriage falling apart in a relatively short period of time.

Originally Posted by Nyssa

Ah. So David Weber's Honorveres would count as "Fantasy"?

Maybe... if it wasn't Military Science Fiction, that is.
Perhaps you should just break down and read one of my recommendations and decide for yourself if you think it qualifies as "Fantasy." I'd suggest The Lions of Al-Rassan.

[Nyssa]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Clinical depression brought on by the double whammy of the passing of a close relative and his marriage falling apart in a relatively short period of time.

Oh goodness! Well I hope he recovers.

[Grimm]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

You definitely read different fantasy than I do.
The last fantasy I read was about a drug dealer trying to catch a killer of children in a post-industrial slum.

Just finished Low Town myself. Really enjoyed it.

[Thedragongod]

Now that I think of it, the only non cliche dragon is a Space Dragon :P
I haven't read that many dragon books except Eragon and Pern, and I only skimmed those, so I guess that doesn't count as reading it.

[VydorScope]

Mean like this one?