50 Essentiall Epic Fantasies

jgaiser · 06-11-2013, 06:07 PM

Four SF/Fantasy bloggers have seperately put together their lists of what they consider to be the 50 essential epic fantasies with the following rules:

*No more than one book or series from each author. For example, J.R.R. Tolkien could go in for The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings series, but not both.
*No anthologies.
*You can only list books that you have read.
*Definitions of “essential”, “epic” and “fantasy” are left to personal interpretation.

Some interesting choices.

Justin Landon

Liz Bourke

Jared Shurin

Tansy Rayner Roberts

Some I've read. Some I've partly read. Some I've never heard before.

Fluribus · 06-12-2013, 12:43 AM

I've read, or am vaguely familiar with, most of the stuff until the late 90s. After that I'm hit-or-miss.

Loved the classical and medieval works being on the list. I've either read them or got them on the 'coming soon' list.

Jared, I believe, mentioned that he's going to hell. He can give 'em my regards since I don't intend to visit. But I agree that a familiarity with the King James Bible would be good. Not just for epic fantasy. (KJB was probably the book that instilled my love of beginning sentences with conjunctions.)

Lyndon Hardy's "Master of Five Magics" is one that I haven't thought of in ages.

Xanthe · 06-12-2013, 12:50 AM

Number of books from their lists that I have read:

Justin Landon - 6
Liz Bourke - 7
Jared Shurin - 5
Tansy Rayner Roberts - 9

Probably won't read many more of them in the near future because I'm sort of out of the traditional fantasy phase at the present. Put a dragon on the cover and for sure I won't even pick the book up. Ditto any books about a young orphan boy, whose parents are unknown to him, who goes off on a quest/journey accompanied by a mage/old soldier/mysterious traveler.

crich70 · 06-12-2013, 01:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jgaiser

Four SF/Fantasy bloggers have seperately put together their lists of what they consider to be the 50 essential epic fantasies with the following rules:

*No more than one book or series from each author. For example, J.R.R. Tolkien could go in for The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings series, but not both.
*No anthologies.
*You can only list books that you have read.
*Definitions of “essential”, “epic” and “fantasy” are left to personal interpretation.

Some interesting choices.

Justin Landon

Liz Bourke

Jared Shurin

Tansy Rayner Roberts

Some I've read. Some I've partly read. Some I've never heard before.

I don't think that "The Hobbit" counts as epic fantasy simply because it isn't long enough. I mean LOTR is split into 3 Volumes each of which in the table of contents is split into at least two books and it covers months of time, thousands of miles and many, many events all over the place. The hobbit on the other hand is a lot shorter and is basically just a "there and back again" story. All the characters (save Gandalf) who go on the trip to reclaim lonely mountain from Smaug stay together for the most part throughout the course of the story. In LOTR on the other hand they start out together and go their separate ways for most of the story up until the very end.

Fluribus · 06-12-2013, 01:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crich70

I don't think that "The Hobbit" counts as epic fantasy simply because it isn't long enough. I mean LOTR is split into 3 Volumes each of which in the table of contents is split into at least two books and it covers months of time, thousands of miles and many, many events all over the place. The hobbit on the other hand is a lot shorter and is basically just a "there and back again" story. All the characters (save Gandalf) who go on the trip to reclaim lonely mountain from Smaug stay together for the most part throughout the course of the story. In LOTR on the other hand they start out together and go their separate ways for most of the story up until the very end.

Make the trilogy a few pages longer. Stick "The Hobbit" in as a preface. Epicity achieved.

Istvan diVega · 06-12-2013, 01:42 AM

Surprisingly I've read all but a dozen or so of all the books/series listed. Many excellent choices, but also many I'd have left off the lists if it was up to me.

Dazrin · 06-12-2013, 02:16 AM

I really wish I wasn't trying to get away from reading Fantasy this year...some very interesting new finds on these lists.

My TBR list just got a lot longer.

DrNefario · 06-12-2013, 03:36 AM

I had a quick look at the lists, and my main thought was: 50 is way too many.

FizzyWater · 06-12-2013, 03:44 AM

I don't particular care for "epic" fantasy...but I was curious if the two I've read would make it to the lists. There were books there I never would have labeled "epic fantasy"...King's The Stand? It was interesting to skim the lists.

DrNefario · 06-12-2013, 08:31 AM

That's why I thought 50 was too many (although I haven't read The Stand, so can't say whether I'd allow it or not.) If you can afford to waste 10 entries on genre prehistory, and can afford to include blatantly ineligible books (CJ Cherryh's Faded Sun trilogy? Really? I mean, I liked it a lot, but it's plainly SF. Now the Morgaine series I could have accepted.) then it doesn't seem like you're going to end up with a very distilled list. I'd have gone for a top 20, maybe 30 at the outside.

Still there are some interesting recommendations in there which I'll be following up.

I would argue that to count as epic fantasy, the fate of nations - at the very least - needs to be at stake. That might allow The Hobbit, given that it includes the Battle of Five Armies, but would probably rule out something like the Lies of Locke Lamora, which has a narrower focus.

DiapDealer · 06-12-2013, 08:55 AM

There's no point in trying to come up with a standardized definition of "Epic" or even "Fantasy," for that matter. I always get a kick out of how the most popular response to lists of these kind is what "they got wrong." As if right/wrong even applies to something as subjective as this.

Istvan diVega · 06-12-2013, 09:33 AM

Like the intro in the very first link says: "Definitions of “essential”, “epic” and “fantasy” are left to personal interpretation."

Meaning that as long as two or more people are involved you'll invariably end up with allsorts.

jgaiser · 06-12-2013, 11:09 AM

Yep... Epic Fantasy is in the eye of the beholder.

GeoffR · 06-12-2013, 04:14 PM

Jack Vance doesn't make any of their lists? The Dying Earth or Lyonesse would be on mine.

QuantumIguana · 06-12-2013, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fluribus

Make the trilogy a few pages longer. Stick "The Hobbit" in as a preface. Epicity achieved.

With some duct tape, you can make the Silmarillion, the Hobbit and LotR into one really big epic volume.

06-11-2013, 06:07 PM	#1
jgaiser Omnivorous Posts: 3,283 Karma: 27978909 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Rural NW Oregon Device: Kindle Voyage, Kindle Fire HD, Kindle 3, KPW1	50 Essentiall Epic Fantasies Four SF/Fantasy bloggers have seperately put together their lists of what they consider to be the 50 essential epic fantasies with the following rules: No more than one book or series from each author. For example, J.R.R. Tolkien could go in for The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings series, but not both. No anthologies. You can only list books that you have read. Definitions of “essential”, “epic” and “fantasy” are left to personal interpretation. Some interesting choices. Justin Landon Liz Bourke Jared Shurin Tansy Rayner Roberts Some I've read. Some I've partly read. Some I've never heard before.

06-12-2013, 08:55 AM	#11
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 28,891 Karma: 207182180 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	There's no point in trying to come up with a standardized definition of "Epic" or even "Fantasy," for that matter. I always get a kick out of how the most popular response to lists of these kind is what "they got wrong." As if right/wrong even applies to something as subjective as this. Last edited by DiapDealer; 06-12-2013 at 01:08 PM.

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06-12-2013, 12:43 AM	#2
Fluribus Guru Posts: 891 Karma: 8893661 Join Date: Feb 2012 Device: Kindle	I've read, or am vaguely familiar with, most of the stuff until the late 90s. After that I'm hit-or-miss. Loved the classical and medieval works being on the list. I've either read them or got them on the 'coming soon' list. Jared, I believe, mentioned that he's going to hell. He can give 'em my regards since I don't intend to visit. But I agree that a familiarity with the King James Bible would be good. Not just for epic fantasy. (KJB was probably the book that instilled my love of beginning sentences with conjunctions.) Lyndon Hardy's "Master of Five Magics" is one that I haven't thought of in ages.

06-12-2013, 12:50 AM	#3
Xanthe Plan B Is Now In Force Posts: 1,894 Karma: 8086979 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Surebleak Device: Aluratek,Sony 350/T1,Pandigital,eBM 911,Nook HD/HD+,Fire HDX 7/8.9,PW2	Number of books from their lists that I have read: Justin Landon - 6 Liz Bourke - 7 Jared Shurin - 5 Tansy Rayner Roberts - 9 Probably won't read many more of them in the near future because I'm sort of out of the traditional fantasy phase at the present. Put a dragon on the cover and for sure I won't even pick the book up. Ditto any books about a young orphan boy, whose parents are unknown to him, who goes off on a quest/journey accompanied by a mage/old soldier/mysterious traveler.

06-12-2013, 01:42 AM	#6
Istvan diVega Inharmonious Posts: 416 Karma: 2157616 Join Date: Jan 2013 Device: Sony PRS-950, Galaxy Tab 2 10.1	Surprisingly I've read all but a dozen or so of all the books/series listed. Many excellent choices, but also many I'd have left off the lists if it was up to me.

06-12-2013, 02:16 AM	#7
Dazrin Wizard Posts: 2,735 Karma: 75825105 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: PDXish Device: Kindle Voyage, various Android devices	I really wish I wasn't trying to get away from reading Fantasy this year...some very interesting new finds on these lists. My TBR list just got a lot longer.

06-12-2013, 03:36 AM	#8
DrNefario Wizard Posts: 2,227 Karma: 12029046 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: UK Device: Kindle, Kobo Touch, Nook SimpleTouch	I had a quick look at the lists, and my main thought was: 50 is way too many.

06-12-2013, 03:44 AM	#9
FizzyWater You kids get off my lawn! Posts: 4,220 Karma: 73492664 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Columbus, Ohio Device: Oasis 2 and Libra H2O and half a dozen older models I can't let go of	I don't particular care for "epic" fantasy...but I was curious if the two I've read would make it to the lists. There were books there I never would have labeled "epic fantasy"...King's The Stand? It was interesting to skim the lists.

06-12-2013, 08:31 AM	#10
DrNefario Wizard Posts: 2,227 Karma: 12029046 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: UK Device: Kindle, Kobo Touch, Nook SimpleTouch	That's why I thought 50 was too many (although I haven't read The Stand, so can't say whether I'd allow it or not.) If you can afford to waste 10 entries on genre prehistory, and can afford to include blatantly ineligible books (CJ Cherryh's Faded Sun trilogy? Really? I mean, I liked it a lot, but it's plainly SF. Now the Morgaine series I could have accepted.) then it doesn't seem like you're going to end up with a very distilled list. I'd have gone for a top 20, maybe 30 at the outside. Still there are some interesting recommendations in there which I'll be following up. I would argue that to count as epic fantasy, the fate of nations - at the very least - needs to be at stake. That might allow The Hobbit, given that it includes the Battle of Five Armies, but would probably rule out something like the Lies of Locke Lamora, which has a narrower focus.

06-12-2013, 09:33 AM	#12
Istvan diVega Inharmonious Posts: 416 Karma: 2157616 Join Date: Jan 2013 Device: Sony PRS-950, Galaxy Tab 2 10.1	Like the intro in the very first link says: "Definitions of “essential”, “epic” and “fantasy” are left to personal interpretation." Meaning that as long as two or more people are involved you'll invariably end up with allsorts.

06-12-2013, 11:09 AM	#13
jgaiser Omnivorous Posts: 3,283 Karma: 27978909 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Rural NW Oregon Device: Kindle Voyage, Kindle Fire HD, Kindle 3, KPW1	Yep... Epic Fantasy is in the eye of the beholder.

06-12-2013, 04:14 PM	#14
GeoffR Wizard Posts: 3,821 Karma: 19162882 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Te Riu-a-Māui Device: Kobo Glo	Jack Vance doesn't make any of their lists? The Dying Earth or Lyonesse would be on mine.

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