The Recommended Fantasy Author List

Author Last Names K through P

Last update: March 1, 2009 **Guy Gavriel Kay (b. 1954)
  • The Fionavar Tapestry
  • The Summer Tree
  • The Wandering Fire
  • The Darkest Road
    Bad Things Can Happen To Good People in Kay's books. Be forewarned, but read them anyway. This is yet another take on Arthurian legend.
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  • Tigana
    A standalone about a land under a particularly nasty curse, and the inhabitants' fight to end it. Complex, very well written. Your FAQmaker tried it after receiving numerous glowing recommendations, and now adds her voice to the chorus
  • A Song for Arbonne
    Another excellent standalone from Kay. The fantasy world is loosely based on medieval France (specifically Eleanor of Aquitaine's Court of Love).
  • The Lions of Al-Rassan
    Kay's latest, set in a time and place reminiscent of Moorish Spain. Wow, do I like his stuff - great characters, marvelous story, vivid world. He just gets better and better. The fantasy content of Kay's work is shrinking, and it is virtually non-existent here.
  • The Sarantine Mosaic
  • Sailing to Sarantium
  • Lord of Emperors
    This duology is set in an alternate Holy Roman Empire.
  • The Last Light of the Sun
    Kay's "northern" book, focusing on the Vikings, Anglo-Saxons and Welsh, roughly in and around the time of Alfred the Great. Kay also recently released a book of poetry titled Beyond this Dark House.
  • Ysabel
    Differing from Kay's usual historic settings, this book takes place in the world of today: in a modern springtime, in and around the celebrated city of Aix-en-Provence near Marseilles. Dangerous, mythic figures from the Celtic and Roman conflicts of the past erupt into the present, claiming and changing lives.
    • Marvin Kaye (b. 1938)
  • The Umbrella series
  • The Incredible Umbrella
  • The Amorous Umbrella
    Peter calls these two 'light, amusing, Gilbert and Sullivan-themed literary world hopping.'
    •      Paul Kearney (b. 1967)
  • The Way to Babylon
    Kearney's first book.
  • A Different Kingdom
    A contemporary fantasy. Michael Fay discovers the forest behind his Irish grandfather's farm contains different times and creatures.
  • Riding the Unicorn
    A stolid, unimaginitive prison officer is hearing voices and strange sounds...then the visions of another world begin.
  • The Monarchies of God
  • Hawkwood's Voyage
  • The Heretic Kings
  • The Iron Wars
  • The Second Empire
  • Ships from the West
    An alternate-history fantasy epic taking place in a late-medieval Europe and Middle East. The Hawkwood of the title is captain of an expedition to a New World, with a ship full of persecuted Jews and magic users escaping the Inquistion.
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  • The Sea Beggars
  • The Mark of Ran
  • This Forsaken Earth
    The Guardian described this as "Master and Commander with added magic."
    • Marjorie B. Kellogg (b. 1946)
  • The Dragon Quartet
  • The Book of Earth
  • The Book of Water
  • The Book of Fire
  • The Book of Air
    The four Dragon books are being reissued in the winter of 2005 in two omnibus editions. Kellogg also wrote some very good SF back in the 80's as "M. Bradley Kellogg".
    •      *Katharine Kerr (b. 1944)
  • Deverry
  • Daggerspell
  • Darkspell
  • The Bristling Wood ('Dawnspell' in the U.K.)
  • The Dragon Revenant ('Dragonspell' in the U.K.)
    Daggerspell has recently been re-released in the U.S. The new edition has been re-edited by the author, however this consisted mainly of tightening some passages and some grammatical cleanup. NO scenes were added or taken out. Darkspell has also been reissued by Bantam Spectra, and it too has been re-edited by the author, and, according to Katharine Kerr, "...there are 5 or 6 changes to the action along the way..." Sarcyn's character undergoes the most significant changes. A *fine* author - her readers (and that includes the FAQmaster) recommend her highly.
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  • The Westland Cycle
  • A Time of Exile
  • A Time of Omens
  • Days of Blood and Fire ('A Time of War' in the U.K.)
  • Days of Air and Darkness ('A Time of Justice' in the U.K.)
    More about Deverry.
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  • The Dragon Mage
  • The Red Wyvern
  • The Black Raven
  • The Fire Dragon
    And yet more Deverry.
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  • The Silver Wyrm trilogy plus one
  • The Gold Falcon
  • The Spirit Stone
  • The Shadow Isle
  • The Silver Mage (forthcoming late 2009/early 2010)
    The final four novels will complete the story of Deverry (although she certainly hasn't ruled out a return sometime in the future), and in Britain they're being as books four, five, six, and seven of The Dragon Mage. Originally intended to be a trilogy, the third book had to split in two. Kerr intersperses SF novels with her fantasy output, and they're worth reading, too.
    •      Stephen King (b. 1946)
  • The Eyes of the Dragon
    Good standalone fantasy (there are so few of those out there these days...) I enjoyed it, and I am *not* a Stephen King fan.
  • Dark Tower series
  • The Gunslinger
  • The Drawing of the Three
  • The Waste Lands
  • Wizard and Glass
  • Wolves of the Calla
  • Song of Susannah
  • The Dark Tower
    Eriond says this is a great series that is improving as it goes along. "It's about a gunslinger who's seeking his father's murderer, picks up an "adopted" son and three companions, and is slowly losing his mind." Eriond also says to skip The Gunslinger - "it's wretched! You don't really need to read it to understand [the series]." Another recommender strongly disagrees with him, and, now that the series it complete, it turns out that you DO need to read the first book to understand what is going on.
    •      Mindy Klasky
  • The Glasswright series
  • The Glasswright's Apprentice
  • The Glasswright's Progress
  • The Glasswright's Journeyman
  • The Glasswright's Apprentice
  • The Glasswright's Test
  • The Glasswright's Master
    On-going series.
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  • Season of Sacrifice
    Standalone novel unrelated to her Glasswright's series.
  • Code of the Dragon (maybe forthcoming - currently on hold)
    According to the author, "Dragon is a new type of fantasy novel for me. It has magic, based on pre-Christian Slavic folklore. It has a stratified society, based on daily life in Ancient Rome...And, it has dragons!" Her next books will be published by Red Dress Ink, and will be in the "chick lit" category.
  • Jane Madison trilogy
  • Girl's Guide To Witchcraft
  • Sorcery and the Single Girl
  • Magic and the Modern Girl
    From Red Dress Ink, the adventures of a librarian who discovers that she's a witch.
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  • As You Wish series
  • How Not To Make a Wish (forthcoming Oct 2009
  • When Good Wishes Go Bad (forthcoming)
    A wish-granting genie always manages to complicate the lives of the people he's supposed to help. Another paranormal/chick lit series from Red Dress Ink.
    •      Richard Knaak (b. 1961)
  • The Dragonrealm
  • Firedrake
  • Ice Dragon
  • Wolfhelm
  • Shadow Steed
  • The Crystal Dragon
  • The Dragon Crown
  • The Horse King
    Light reading of the 'Dragonlance' variety (in fact, Knaak has three DragonLance novels under his belt), but it is a totally separate series. The books are related, but it is possible to read them separately.
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  • Dragonrealm Origins
  • The Shrouded Realm
  • Children of the Drake
  • Dragon Tome
    Further information about the Dragonrealm.
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  • Frostwing
    Standalone about an immortal sorcerer haunted in his dreams by the gargoyle Frostwing, who knows the truth about him. (Corrected capsule description courtesy of the author, who presumably has a better idea than Paul on what the book is about).
  • King of the Grey
  • The Janus Mask
    Two more fantasy standalones.
  • Dutchman
    A new variation on the Flying Dutchman, taking place in Chicago.
    •      *Katherine Kurtz (b. 1944)
  • Deryni Chronicles
  • Deryni Rising
  • Deryni Checkmate
  • High Deryni
    The first published Deryni books. Although these are not first in the internal chronology of the series, Kurtz herself has recommended that new readers start with these. Takes place in a Wales-like alternate world where a portion of the population (the Deryni) have magical abilities
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  • Camber of Culdi
  • Camber of Culdi
  • Saint Camber
  • Camber the Heretic
    Jumps back in time to examine the history that lead to the world of the "Deryni Chronicles."
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  • The Histories of King Kelson
  • The Bishop's Heir
  • The King's Justice
  • The Quest for Saint Camber
    Picks up where the "Chronicles" left off.
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  • Heirs of Saint Camber
  • The Harrowing of Gwynedd
  • King Javan's Year
  • The Bastard Prince
    Apparently, Bad Things *Regularly* Happen to Good People in the later books of Katherine Kurtz. Her fans are quite dedicated, and she has a newsgroup at alt.books.deryni.
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  • King Kelson's Bride
    A standalone continuation of the Deryni saga. Kelson finally gets a wife.
  • The Childe Morgan trilogy
  • In the King's Service
  • Childe Morgan
  • Book three (forthcoming someday)
    The latest Deryni trilogy. These take place prior to the events of the original Deryni trilogy, with the first book exploring the relationship between the Haldanes and the Corwyns. The second and third books will take the story right up to the start of Deryni Rising.
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  • Two Crowns for America
    A non-Deryni book. This one takes place in an alternate history colonial America.
  • St. Patrick's Gargoyle
    A standalone. The gargoyles on the city's churches are actually guardians, and do they have some tales to tell...
    •      Katherine Kurtz and Deborah Turner Harris (b. 1951)
  • The Adept series
  • The Adept
  • The Lodge of the Lynx
  • The Templar Treasure
  • Dagger Magic
  • Death of an Adept
    Set in modern day Scotland, Kheldar says "I recommend them to everybody, not just readers of Sci-Fi/Fantasy." Harris also has several books of her own out, listed under her name.
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  • The Templar series
  • The Temple and the Stone
  • The Temple and the Crown
    A third book is being planned, which will feature Robert the Bruce's brother who briefly became King of Ireland.
    •      Ellen Kushner (b. 1955)
  • Swordspoint
  • The Fall of Kings co-author Delia Sherman
    Two novels about swordsman Richard St Vier and his companion Alec. No actual magic is in these, but the world is definitely not ours.
  • The Privilege of the Sword
    Standalone set in the world of Swordspoint.
  • Thomas the Rhymer
    A stand-alone based on the Scottish ballad. Kushner has also edited several excellent fantasy short story collections
    •      **Mercedes Lackey (b. 1950)
  • The Valdemar Books
  • titles follow
    Each of the following is a separate series, but they all take place at various points in the history of the world of Velgarth (which contains the country of Valdemar). There is also at least one stand-alone (By the Sword) about Valdemar. Her fans are as dedicated as the Jordanites and they have their own newsgroup at alt.books.m-lackey
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  • The Last Herald-Mage
  • Magic's Pawn
  • Magic's Promise
  • Magic's Price
    Introduces the Herald-Mages and their equine Companions.
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  • Vows and Honor
  • The Oathbound
  • Oathbreakers
    A sorceress and a swordswoman are bound together with a blood oath that may be impossible to fulfill.
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  • Queen's Own
  • Arrows of the Queen
  • Arrow's Flight
  • Arrow's Fall
    The story of Talia, the herald to the Queen.
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  • Mage Winds Trilogy
  • Winds of Fate
  • Winds of Change
  • Winds of Fury
    Princess Elspeth of Valdemar becomes caught up in the Tayledras' war against an evil mage.
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  • Mage Wars Trilogy (co-authored by Larry Dixon)
  • The Black Gryphon
  • The White Gryphon
  • The Silver Gryphon
    The early history of the land of Valdemar.
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  • Mage Storm Trilogy
  • Storm Warning
  • Storm Rising
  • Storm Breaking
    The most recent series. Valdemar and Karse are old enemies, but they are forced into an alliance when they are both threatened by a greater foe.
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  • Owl series
  • Owlflight
  • Owlsight
  • Owlknight
    Takes place after the Mage Storms series. These are described as young adult books.
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  • Take a Thief
    A stand-alone story about Skif, Talia's close friend in the Arrows series.
  • Brightly Burning
    The lastest Valdemar book is the story of Lavan Firestorm, who discovers he has the gift of firestarting.
  • Diana Tregard Investigations
  • Burning Water
  • Children of the Night
  • Jinx High
    Supernatural mysteries, featuring Diana Tregard.
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  • Bardic Voices
  • The Lark and the Wren
  • The Robin and the Kestrel
  • The Eagle and the Nightingale
  • Four and Twenty Blackbirds
    The books in this series do stand alone. NOT part of the Valdemar series.
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  • Bardic Choices
  • A Cast of Corbies (co-author Josepha Sherman)
    A new series in the Bardic Voices world.
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  • The Elemental Masters
  • The Fire Rose
  • The Sepent's Shadow
  • Gates of Sleep
  • Phoenyx and Ashes
  • The Wizard of London
  • Reserved for the Cat
    Loosely related series of books taking place around the turn of the 19th century, following a hidden group of alchemical masters.
  • Dragon Jousters series
  • Joust
  • Alta
  • Sanctuary
  • Aerie
    A young slave dreams of being a Jouster - one of the few who can actually ride a flying dragon.
  • Tales of the Five Hundred Kingdoms
  • The Fairy Godmother
  • One Good Knight
  • Fortune's Fool
  • The Snow Queen
    In the Five Hundred Kingdoms, the destiny of witches, knights, princesses and such are regulated by The Tradition, a magical force that is one of the primary sources of magic. Fairy Godmothers, Champions and Wizards are responsible for ensuring that The Tradition is upheld. These came out under Harlequin's Luna line, which means there's lots of romance with the fantasy.
  • Firebird
    A standalone, based on Russian folktales. Lackey is a wildly prolific author, co-authoring books with everyone under the sun. I've listed very few of the co-authored works; if you're interested in everything that Lackey has been involved with, be sure to visit her website.
    •      Stephen Lawhead (b. 1950)
  • The Pendragon Cycle
  • Taliesin
  • Merlin
  • Arthur
  • Pendragon
  • Grail
  • Avalon
    Once again, we return to Camelot..."The quality disintegrated after the first two books - Arthur was disappointing..." according to one recommender.
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  • The Dragon King Trilogy
  • In the Hall of the Dragon King
  • The Warlords of Nin
  • The Sword and the Flame
    A separate trilogy.
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  • The Paradise War
  • The Song of Albion
  • The Silver Hand
  • The Endless Knot
    Doug noted that even though he isn't particularly a fan of celtic fantasy, these books really appealed to him.
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  • Byzantium
    'Joining a select band of monks to present a book to the Holy Roman Emperor himself, Aidan jouneys to the farthest reaches of the known world,' sez the advertising released by HarperPrism publishing.
  • The Celtic Crusades series
  • The Iron Lance
  • The Black Rood
  • The Mystic Rose
    Trilogy set during the Crusades.
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  • The King Raven Trilogy
  • Hood
  • Scarlet
  • Tuck
    "Bran ap Brychan finds his world ripped from its foundation as invaders topple his father's kingdom and send the young prince fleeing into the forest." This is a new take on the Robin Hood story.
    •      Tanith Lee (b. 1947)
  • Unicorn series
  • Black Unicorn
  • Gold Unicorn
  • Red Unicorn
    Young adult series. Entertaining, and lacking some of Lee's usual dark undercurrents.
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  • Tales from the Flat Earth
  • Night's Master
  • Death's Master
  • Delusion's Master
  • Delirium's Mistress
  • Night's Sorceries
    Genevieve calls these 'absolutely gorgeous.'
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  • Kill the Dead
    "Fantasy without superheroes - refreshing change" Lee is best known for her stories of Paradys, the 'city of decadence and decay, of luxury and lasciviousness.' Based on the title, I'd guess this explores similar territory.
    •      *Ursula K. Le Guin (b. 1929)
  • Earthsea
  • A Wizard of Earthsea
  • The Tombs of Atuan
  • The Farthest Shore
  • Tehanu
  • Tales From Earthsea
  • The Other Wind
    Your FAQmaker says: Read these. Tehanu was written 15 years after The Farthest Shore - it's very different in tone from the first three, and several recommenders specifically DIDN'T recommend it (But I do. I'll tell you what to do - wait until you are at least 25 before reading Tehanu. Age seems to be the real separating factor between those who like it and those who don't). These books are true classics of the genre, beautifully written, tightly plotted, and engrossing. Tales is a collection of short stories, one of which, "Dragonfly", leads to the latest book.
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  • Annals of the Western Shore
  • Gifts
  • Voices
  • Powers
    You'll find these on the Young Adult shelves. Each novel is a stand-alone, taking place in the same world.
    •      Fritz Leiber (1910-1992)
  • Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser
  • Swords and Deviltry
  • Swords Against Death
  • Swords in the Mist
  • Swords Against Wizardry
  • Swords Against Lankhmar
  • Swords and Ice Magic
  • Knight and Knave of Swords
    Ya wanna know who invented the term 'Sword & Sorcery'? This is the guy. The series is made up of short stories, novellas, novelettes, and one novel (the final book). The above-listed 7 books contain all the stories, arranged in chronological order, with Swords and Deviltry featuring the Hugo-award winning "Ill Met in Lankhmar." Note that the final two books (Swords & Ice Magic & Knight & Knave of Swords) show, IMHO of course, a real drop in quality.
    •      Madeleine L'Engle (1918-2007)
  • The Time Trilogy
  • A Wrinkle in Time
  • A Wind in the Door
  • A Swiftly Tilting Planet
    The first book stands alone (and won all kinds of awards - it deserved them). L'Engle has added another book to the trilogy titled Many Waters (it features the twins), and some of the characters have also made cameo appearances in her other books. They're in the young adult section of your library.
    •      *C.S. Lewis (1898-1963)
  • Chronicles of Narnia
  • The Magician's Nephew
  • The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
  • Prince Caspian
  • The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
  • The Horse and His Boy
  • The Silver Chair
  • The Last Battle
    Classic! Look for them in the children's sections. Most bookstores will have boxed sets available. Note that The Magician's Nephew was actually the 6th book written, and for many years in the U.S. the series was printed with it as book six. However, Lewis preferred that the books be read in the above order, and recent reprints have respected his wishes.
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  • The Space Trilogy
  • Out of the Silent Planet
  • Perelandra
  • That Hideous Strength
    Lewis' adult version of a Christian-allegory fantasy.
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  • Till We Have Faces
    A different type of fantasy from Lewis. This is a retelling of the story of Cupid and Psyche, told from the point of view of Psyche's sister.
    •      Astrid Lindgren (1907-2002)
  • Ronia Robber's Daughter
    Well, she didn't ONLY write about Pippi Longstocking. Denis says this is an enjoyable young adult fantasy.
  • The Brothers Lionheart
    Two young brothers become involved in a struggle to free two beautiful valleys from a tyrant and his dragon.
  • Mio, My Son
    A young prince tries to free children that are kidnapped by an evil knight with an iron claw instead of a hand. Christina informs me that Lindgren is loved by children from ages 5 to 95.
    •      Megan Lindholm (b. 1952)
  • A Saga of the Reindeer People
  • The Reindeer People
  • Wolf's Brother
    Prehistoric fantasy with a minimum of magic.
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  • Ki and Vandien series
  • Harpy's Flight
  • The Windsingers
  • The Limbreth Gate
  • Luck of the Wheels
    Straightforward fantasy series about a pair of wanderers in a well-constructed world where humans are only one of a number of intelligent races. The fans who have discovered Lindholm via her works under the pen name 'Robin Hobb' will find these books the closest in tone and subject to what they're used to.
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  • Cloven Hooves
    Standalone dark fantasy set in present day Alaska and Washington state.
  • Wizard of the Pigeons
    Urban fantasy that has a strong cult following. Many people consider this to be her best work, and, of course, it is out of print and difficult to find.
    •      Holly Lisle (b. 1960)
  • Arhel Novels
  • Fire in the Mist
  • Bones of the Past
  • Mind of Magic
    Standalone novels all set in the same world and featuring the same protagonists.
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  • Minerva Wakes
    Standalone with a heroine from our world who must travel to a magic world to save her family.
  • Devil's Point series
  • Sympathy for the Devil
  • The Devil and Dan Cooley (with Walter Spence)
  • Hell on High
    Standalones that take place in contemporary North Carolina where the denizens of hell have literally be let loose. These satires are described as 'rollicking fun'.
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  • The Secret Texts
  • Diplomacy of Wolves
  • Vengeance of Dragons
  • Courage of Falcons
    A new series. Warning: The ending of the first book is a real cliff-hanger. However, the three books listed do tell the complete story and this is not another of the never-ending tales that so many supposed trilogies have turned into these days.
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  • Vincalis the Agitator
    Stand-alone prequel to the "Secret Texts" trilogy."
  • The World Gates
  • Memory of Fire
  • The Wreck of Heaven
  • Gods Old and Dark
    Two women from our world are pulled into a world of magic, where they must unite to stop an evil that threatens both worlds.
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  • The World of Korre
  • Talyn
  • Hawkspar
    Stand-alone epic high-fantasy romance. The second book takes place in the same world, and is also a stand-alone.
    •      Morgan Llywelyn (b. 1937)
  • Red Branch
    Denis says this one is "perfect celtic fantasy!" It's about Cuchulain (try saying that three times fast).
  • The Horse Goddess
    Another Celtic fantasy. Jo found it "wonderful! ...with explanations for lots of changes in the Celtic lifestyle, interesting little quirks which made me think along different lines."
  • The Arcana (with Michael Scott)
  • Silverhand
  • Silverlight
    The tale of Silverhand, who is destined to save the world from Chaos.
    •      Jean Lorrah (b. 1940)
  • Savage Empire series
  • Savage Empire
  • Dragon Lord of the Savage Empire
  • Captives of the Savage Empire
  • Flight to the Savage Empire this volume co-authored by Winston Howlett
  • Sorcerers of the Frozen Isles
  • Wulfston's Odyssey this volume co-authored by Winston Howlett
  • Empress Unborn
    Out of print, but Luke says they're worth looking up. The series is in the prcess of being reprinted in several omnibus volumes. The first, titled "Dark Moon Rising", contains the first three books of the series, and the second "Prophecies" contains books 4 and 5. There's no word on when or if the final two will be reprinted.
    •      Eric Van Lustbader (b. 1946)
  • Sunset Warrior series
  • Sunset Warrior
  • Shallows of Night
  • Dai-San
  • Beneath an Opal Moon
    Baz sez that this is "quite a good series, well worth a read again." A sword and sorcery adventure set in a post-holocaust society, it has a samurai flavor. Lustbader has gone on to quite a bit of commercial success with martial arts adventure books, that, while they aren't fantasies, do contain quite a bit of oriental mysticism.
    •      R.A. MacAvoy (b. 1949)
  • Tea With the Black Dragon
    Out of print, but worth looking up. This was her first book - its sequel (Twisting the Rope) is nowhere near as good.
  • Damiano trilogy
  • Damiano
  • Damiano's Lute
  • Raphael
    Fantasy in Renaissance Italy
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  • Lens of the World trilogy
  • Lens of the World
  • King of the Dead
  • Belly of the Wolf
    MacAvoy is fond of creating heroes who remain stubbornly innocent to the point of idiocy. Some readers find this annoying (yeah, I'm one of them), but she is a good writer, and always tells an interesting story.
    •      George MacDonald (1824-1905)
  • The Princess and the Goblin
    Author of a great many classic children's fantasies (my personal favorite is The Light Princess). If you managed to miss him in your youth, give him a try now.
    •      Arthur Machen (1863-1947)
  • The Three Imposters
    Michael calls this one 'a masterpiece.'
  • The Hill of Dreams
    Michael also loves this one, saying it has 'evocative images and a superb flow of the language.' Machen's work strongly influenced Lovecraft and other writers of gothic sf and fantasy.
    •      Bertil Martensson (b. 1945)
  • Road Trilogy
  • Vagen Bort (The Road That Leads Away)
  • Vagen Tillbaka (The Road That Leads Back)
  • Vagen Ut (The Road That Leads Out)
    So far as I can determine, these have never been translated from Swedish to English. Olof highly recommends his work, and notes that they are based on Swedish folklore, not the usual English folklore.
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  • Vingmastarens Dotter (The Wing-Master's Daughter)
  • Detta Ar Verkligheten (This Is Reality)
    •      George R.R. Martin (b. 1948)
  • Song of Ice and Fire
  • A Game of Thrones
  • A Clash of Kings
  • A Storm of Swords
  • A Feast For Crows
  • A Dance For Dragons (forthcoming)
  • The Winds of Winter (was A Time For Wolves) (forthcoming)
  • A Dream of Spring (forthcoming)
    I don't normally touch a limited series until all the pieces are published, but I broke my rule on this one. Martin is a veteran of the SF field, and this is an excellent fantasy with complex characters and a magnificently baroque setting. The first volume took the 1997 Locus award for best fantasy. This started out as a four-volume series, went to five, Martin promised that six volumes would be it, but now I see an eventual seventh volume listed on his website. He also promised that the third book wouldn't take as long to complete as the second. He lied. Let's see how well he does with the fifth volume.
    •      *Julian May (b. 1931)
  • The Saga of the Pliocene Exiles
  • The Many-Colored Land
  • The Golden Torc
  • The Nonborn King
  • The Adversary
    Set six million years in the past. I'm told this is kinda like 'elves and dinosaurs.' It is related to May's SF series, "The Galactic Milieu," so if you like her you've got more books to look for.
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  • Boreal Moon trilogy
  • Conqueror's Moon
  • Ironcrown Moon
  • Sorcerer's Moon
    A high fantasy trilogy from May.
    •      **Anne McCaffrey (b. 1926)
  • Dragonriders of Pern
  • Dragonflight
  • Dragonquest
  • The White Dragon
    Yeah, they're SF, but they're included here by popular request. Lots more have been published since the first trilogy, and they've gotten more and more SFnal as they've gone along.
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  • Harper's Hall trilogy
  • Dragonsong
  • Dragonsinger
  • Dragondrums
    Geared more toward the Young Adult market, your FAQmaker considers this trilogy to be the most fantasy-based of the Pern books.
    •      Dan McGirt (b. 1967)
  • Jason Cosmo
  • Jason Cosmo
  • Royal Chaos
  • Dirty Work
    Open-ended humorous adventure series featuring a woodcutter turned hero through a case of mistaken identity. Kalten really really likes this series.
    •      Vonda McIntyre (b. 1948)
  • The Moon and the Sun
    This Nebula Award-winning novel transcends genre classification. The story of what happened when a sea monster was brought to the court of Louis XIV, I highly recommend this one.
    •      Nancy McKenzie (b. 1948)
  • Guinevere duology
  • The Child Queen
  • The High Queen
    Yeah, it's Guinevere and Arthur AGAIN, but it looks like it may be worth reading anyway. Recently reprinted in a single volume under the title Queen of Camelot.
    •
  • Grail Prince
    King Arthur sends Galahad on a quest to find the lost treasures of an ancient king — a Grail, a Spear, a Sword — which will safeguard Britain’s future.
  • Prince of Dreams
    At sixteen, Tristan wins the Kingdom of Britain for his uncle, Markion of Cornwall. At eighteen, he falls in love with his uncle's new wife, Essylte. Desire, deception, magic, masquerade, abduction, exile, murder, heroic rescue and wild adventure follow this tale of love and honor in post-Arthurian Britain.
  • Dreamer of Lyonesse
    Sequel to Prince of Dreams which follows the adventures of Trintan the younger, presumably the son of the Tristan of the previous book.
    •
  • Chrysalis Queen Quartet
  • Guinevere's Gift
  • Guinevere's Gamble (forthcoming June 2009)
  • Third book (forthcoming)
  • Fourth book (forthcoming)
    A new series, taking another look at Guinevere's life.
    •
    • Dennis McKiernan (b. 1932)
  • The Iron Tower Trilogy
  • The Dark Tide
  • Shadows of Doom
  • The Darkest Day
    Well, McKiernan wanted to write a sequel to 'Lord of the Rings', but the Tolkien estate refused permission. So he recreated Middle Earth in "The Iron Tower Trilogy" with just enough differences to keep from violating copyright and has continued from there. A decent writer, and his later books about the world of Mithgar are much more original and quite enjoyable
    •
  • Silver Call duology
  • Trek to Kraggen-Cor
  • The Brega Path
    This was intended to be one book, so you definitely don't want to read it unless you have both parts in hand.
    •
  • Tales of Mithgar
    11 short stories set in Mithgar.
  • Dragondoom
  • The Eye of the Hunter
  • Voyage of the Fox Rider
  • The Dragonstone
  • Hel's Crucible duology
  • Into the Forge
  • Into the Fire
    These books stand alone, but take place in Mithgar, the world of the "Iron Tower" trilogy.
  • Silver Wolf, Black Falcon
    When this came out in 2000, McKiernan described as "perhaps the last of the 'Mithgar' series." Which it was, until City of Jade came out in 2008...
  • City of Jade
    Return to the world of Mithgar! The latest book in the series.
  • The "Restored" Fairy Tales
  • Once Upon a Winter's Night
    A retelling of Beauty and Beast.
  • Once Upon a Summer Day
    This one is a retelling of Sleeping Beauty
  • Once Upon an Autumn Eve
    This one combines the glass mountain and Tam Lin.
  • Once Upon a Spring Morn
    Childe Roland is one of the tales re-done in this one.
  • Once Upon a Dreadful Time
    The final book is an original story that ties the previous four together.
    •      Patricia McKillip (b. 1948)
  • The Forgotten Beasts of Eld
    Received the World Fantasy Award when it was published in 1975. A marvelous novel and highly recommended. It recently (July '96) was returned to print in the U.S. by Harcourt Brace under their "Magic Carpet" imprint. Hooray!
  • The Throme of the Erril of Sherill
    Her first published fantasy, and it's hard to find, but well worth looking for. A revised edition came out in the mid-80's.
  • The Riddlemaster of Hed
  • The Riddlemaster of Hed
  • Heir of Sea and Fire
  • Harpist in the Wind
    Excellent trilogy. Your FAQmaker sez: Get these and read them. Beautifully written.
    •
  • The Changeling Sea
    A young-adult standalone, with a young peasant girl saving a prince. Lyrical and moving.
  • Something Rich and Strange
    A standalone, part of Brian Froud's Faerielands series of novels based on his illustrations. Very atmospheric, quite short, involving a contemporary couple living on the western seacoast and their encounter with magic.
  • The Book of Atrix Wolfe
    Standalone about a powerful wizard whose attempt to stop a war has unexpected (and disastrous) results.
  • Cygnet
  • Sorceress and Cygnet
  • Cygnet and Firebird
    The first book in this series is well equipped with McKillip's usual lyric prose, but the actual plot is a bit obscure. Enjoyable, but not her best work.
    •
  • Winter Rose
    Another small gem from McKillip. Faerie and reality meet, with results that may be fatal for Rois Melior's sister Laurel.
  • Song for the Basilisk
    Rook knew nothing of his past except for faint memories of fire and death that he'd rather forget. But his family's destiny is returning to haunt him, and he will have to face the Basilisk.
  • The Tower at Stony Wood
    A knight must follow the threads of reality and illusion to the truth.
  • Ombria in Shadow
    Another new stand alone fantasy from McKillip. The one took the World Fantasy Award for Best Novel.
  • In the Forests of Serre
    The grief-stricken Prince Ronan of Serre is cursed by Brume, Mother of All Witches. Already shattered by the death of his wife and child, he doesn't think there is anything more a curse can do to him. Another marvelous tale from McKillip.
  • The Alphabet of Thorn
    Deep inside a palace on the edge of the world, the orphan Nepenthe pores over books in the royal library, translating their languages and learning their secrets.
  • Od Magic
    Unbound magic was dangerous, so it was not permitted anywhere in Numis. But the new gardener at the school in the great city of Kelior possesses a power that he isn't aware of, one capable of overturning the rules.
  • Solstice Wood
    A stand-alone that features the descendants of the characters in Winter Rose. Unusual for McKillip, it has a contemporary setting.
  • Harrowing the Dragon
    Short story collection.
  • The Bell at Sealey Head
    Another stand-alone in a contemporary setting. An unseen bell haunts a seaside town and a magical mansion.
    •      Robin McKinley (b. 1952)
  • Beauty
    Charming retelling of Beauty & the Beast. Her first novel-it's out of print now, but worth looking for. Do NOT confuse it with Sherri Tepper's Beauty - they are VERY different books.
  • Damar series
  • The Blue Sword
  • The Hero and the Crown
    She only wrote two books set in Damar (and they are standalones), and has since gone on to other subjects.
    •
  • The Outlaws of Sherwood
    Guess who this one's about.
  • Deerskin
    I like McKinley, but most of her work is fairly lightweight. This isn't. Based on the uncensored version of Perrault's classic fairytale 'Donkeyskin', it tackles the subject of incest.
  • A Knot in the Grain and Other Stories
    Short story collection. Two of the five stories in the book mention Damar.
  • Rose Daughter
    McKinley returns once again to the story of Beauty and the Beast. Publishers Weekly calls this one a 'heady mix of fairy tale, magic and romance.' This is being peddled to the Young Adult market, so you'll need to leave the sf section of your bookstore to find it.
  • Spindle's End
    This one was published as a young adult novel, so look for it there. Sleeping Beauty retold, and a minor part of the story is a very interesting take on the downside of all those fairy gifts given at Beauty's birth.
  • Sunshine
    A contemporary vampire novel. Reissued in 2008, it should be readily available.
  • Dragonhaven
    Dragons are extinct in the wild, but the Makepeace Institute of Integrated Dragon Studies in Smokehill National Park is home to about two hundred of the world’s remaining Draco australiensis. Humans have never seen a baby dragon . . . until Jake discovers a dying dragon that has just given birth, and one of the dragonlets is still alive.
  • Chalice
    A new fantasy. "A captivating tale that reveals the healing power of duty and honor, love, and honey."
    • A. Merritt (1884-1943)
  • The Moon Pool
    A complicated lost-race fantasy that begins with a monster in a pool in Micronesia.
  • The Ship of Ishtar
    Generally considered his best book, this is about a man who travels into a magical world and falls in love with the captain of ship of Ishtar.
  • The Dwellers in the Mirage
    Another lost-race tale, this one has two versions, one with a happy ending, one without. Merritt was one of the pioneers of the sf and fantasy field. His books are now out of print, but they were popular enough that you should be able to find them at a good library.
    •      Melisa Michaels (b. 1946)
  • Rosie Lavine, P.I.
  • Cold Iron
  • Sister to the Rain
    It's a world much like ours, only it has elves. And problems that take tough, clever detective to solve. Both books stand alone, and both are enjoyable.
    •      L.E. Modesitt Jr. (b. 1943)
  • Recluce
  • The Magic of Recluce
  • The Towers of the Sunset
  • The Magic Engineer
  • The Order War
  • The Death of Chaos
  • Fall of Angels
  • The Chaos Balance
  • The White Order
  • The Colors of Chaos
  • Magi'i of Cyador
  • Scion of Cyador
  • Wellspring of Chaos
  • Ordermaster
  • Natural Ordermage
  • Mage-Guard of Hamor
    This is open-ended - books are listed above in the order they were published, and does NOT follow the internal chronology of the series. You should try to read The Magic of Recluce first (some of the plot twists are more effective if you aren't aware of how magic works in Recluce), and The Death of Chaos is a direct sequel to tMoR. In addition, the latest book, Ordermaster, is a direct sequel to Wellspring of Chaos. However the other books all stand alone and can be read in any order.
    •
  • Dutch Republic series
  • Of Tangible Ghosts
  • The Ghost of the Revelator
  • Ghost of the White Nights
    Fantasy taking place in alternate universe that features ghosts and an East India Company that stayed the dominant economic power in the world. The recently released Ghosts of Columbia is a omnibus containing the first two books of the series.
    •
  • Song and Magic
  • The Soprano Sorceress
  • The Spellsong War
  • Darksong Rising
  • The Shadow Sorceress
  • Shadowsinger
    It started as a trilogy that introduced a world where magic is accessed through music. The final two books follow the adventures of a new character, and appear to end the series.
    •
  • The Corean Chronicles
  • Legacies
  • Darknesses
  • Scepters
  • Alector's Choice
  • Cadmian's Choice
  • Soarer’s Choice
  • The Lord-Protector's Daughter
    Modessitt creates a new world and set a new fantasy series on it. The first three books introduce a hero who gradually comes to realize that he will have a central role in the destiny of his world. The next three books are set in the distant past of the original trilogy. The latest book is a stand-alone that I believe takes place after the first trilogy.
    •
  • L'Excelsis series
  • Imager (forthcoming)
  • Imager's Challenge (forthcoming)
    The Corean series is over (at least for the moment) so Modessitt is starting another new series. In this world, a very, very few individuals have the power to create objects through visualizing them or maintain them. Rhennthyl is a journeyman portraiturist who is about to learn all about it.
    •      Elizabeth Moon (b. 1945)
  • The Deed of Paksenarrion
  • Sheepfarmer's Daughter
  • Divided Allegiance
  • Oath of Gold
    Rousing adventure about the soldier and hero Paksenarrion. Moon has said that among the themes she worked on in the books was "the cost of courage, the cost of being a hero." She has written two prequels to the trilogy, Surrender None and Liar's Oath, which are quite a bit darker in tone, and several of the recommenders who prefer happy endings have advised against reading them. Moon has switched just about exclusively to SF, however she is currently working on a new book that takes place in Paksenarrion's world.
    •      *Michael Moorcock (b. 1939)
  • Elric
  • Elric of Melnibone
  • The Fortress of the Pearl
  • A Sailor on the Seas of Fate
  • The Weird of the White Wolf
  • The Vanishing Tower
  • The Revenge of the Rose
  • The Bane of the Black Sword
  • Stormbringer
    There are also at least three anthologies about Elric (I'm taking the word of one correspondent about where the two later books - tFotP and tRotR - fit in the cycle. I've only read the original sextet published by DAW in late 1970s). In the late 1990s, two omnibus volumes were published that collected the above 8 novels, and added more. In the U.S., they came out under the titles Elric: Song of the Black Sword and Elric: The Stealer of Souls. In the 21st century, Moorcock added a new trilogy to the Elric saga: The Dreamthief's Daughter, The Skrayling Tree, and The White Wolf's Son. Plus you've got various collections containing the early novelettes and novellas that Moorcock originally wrote back in the 1960s. If you are determined to follow every turn of Elric's story, you've got a lot of bibliographic research in front of you.
    •
  • Runestaff (Hawkmoon)
  • The Jewel in the Skull
  • The Mad God's Amulet
  • The Sword of the Dawn
  • The Runestaff
    If you don't like the way this tetralogy ends, be sure and track down the 'Count Brass' trilogy, which brings all the characters back for another go 'round.
    •
  • Count Brass
  • Count Brass
  • Champion of Garathorn
  • The Quest for Tanelorn
    The Runestaff/Count Brass books are my favorites in the Eternal Champion cycle. Dorian Hawkmoon suffers less from angst than the Moorcock's usual Tortured Hero.
    •
  • Corum
  • The Knight of Swords
  • The Queen of Swords
  • The King of Swords
  • The Bull and the Spear
  • The Oak and the Ram
  • The Sword and the Stallion
    Moorcock's entire (well, just about entire - there are a few bits & pieces that the rights weren't available) Eternal Champion cycle is being reprinted in 14 omnibus volumes by White Wolf Publishing
    •
  • John Daker (Erekose)
  • The Eternal Champion
  • Phoenix in Obsidian ('The Silver Warriors' in earlier U.S. editions)
  • The Dragon in the Sword
    All of these books -plus others- comprise the 'Eternal Champion' cycle. Quality varies, and hard core fantasy fans won't like some of the liberties Moorcock takes with the genre, but if you like 'em, there sure are a LOT of 'em to keep you busy.
    •
  • The War Hound & The World's Pain
    Takes place in the 30-Years War time frame. Jim considers it to Moorcock's best non-Eternal Champion book (although, if you ask Moorcock, he'll tell you that ALL of his books are part of the Eternal Champion cycle).
    •      C.L. Moore (1911-1987)
  • Jirel of Joiry
    Series of short stories from the 30's and 40's. Jirel was the first of the Barbarian Swordswomen. Moore's Northwest Smith stories are fun, too.
    •      John Morressy (1930-2006)
  • Iron Angel series
  • Greymantle
  • Ironbrand
  • Kingsbane
  • The Annihilator
    Early work of his, and hard to find. Eric says the Kedrigern books pale in comparison to these - they are much more in the epic fantasy vein. The Annihilator is a prequel to the first three.
    •
  • Kedrigern
  • A Voice for Princess
  • The Questing of Kedrigern
  • Kedrigern in Wanderland
  • Kedrigern and the Charming Couple
  • A Remembrance for Kedrigern
    Humorous series about the wizard Kedrigern and his wife Princess. The books do stand alone, but the story follows a definite progression, with the final book bringing the series to a close. Morressy continued to write short stories about Kedrigern; a collection was scheduled by Meisha Merlin Publishing, but (like so many other works) it has gone into what will probably be permanent limbo after the company's bankrupcy.
    •      William Morris (1834-1896)
  • Well at the World's End
  • The Wood Beyond the World
  • The Water of the Wondrous Isles
    For the historically minded among you. Early fantasy (late 1800s). None are currently in print, but the first two were reprinted as part of Ballantine's Adult Fantasy series in the 70's, and so they do turn up at used book stores. You can also try the library, and if you like ebooks, all of his fantasy is available on Gutenberg.
    •      Patricia Kennealy Morrison (b. 1946)
  • Keltiad series (a.k.a. The Tale of Aeron)
  • The Silver Branch
  • The Copper Crown
  • The Throne of Scone
    What would have happened if the Celts had escaped from Atlantis to Ireland, and then on to outer space?
    •
  • The Tale of Arthur
  • The Hawk's Gray Feather
  • The Oak Above the Kings
  • The Hedge of Mist
    Her earlier books were published under the name "Patricia Kennealy", although her legal last name is now Morrison and all new editions have been published under that name. She is deeply interested in Celtic myth, and, yes, 'The Tale of Arthur' is about THAT Arthur. Trivia buffs will be fascinated to know that Patricia Kennealy was married to late Jim Morrison of The Doors in a religious (though not legally binding) ceremony.
    •
  • Blackmantle
    Standalone that is part of the Keltiad series. The story of Ard-Rian Athyn Blackmantle and her consort Morric Douglas.
  • The Deer's Cry
    Covers the Keltic exodus from Earth.
    •      Peter Morwood (b. 1956)
  • The Book of Years
  • The Horse Lord
  • The Demon Lord
  • The Dragon Lord
  • The War Lord (also published as The Warlord's Domain)
    •
  • Tales From Old Russia
  • Prince Ivan
  • Firebird
  • The Golden Horde
  • The Blue Kremlin (forthcoming)
    Takes place in a Russia that features magic.
    •
  • The Clan Wars
  • Greylady
  • Widowmaker
  • Firedrake (forthcoming maybe someday)
    Takes place about 500 years before the events in 'The Book of Years' series. Peter Morwood is married to author Diane Duane (another denizen of this list), and they've collaborated on several SF novels.
    •      Talbot Mundy (1879-1940)
  • Tros of Samothrace
  • Tros of Samothrace
  • Queen Cleopatra
  • The Purple Pirate
    Takes place in the Roman Republic. Mundy died in 1940, and unfortunately this series hadn't been completed at the time. Out of print for a good many years, you may be able to find these at the library or used book stores. Note that paperback reprints divided the first book into several parts and renamed them. Follow the link to find an overview of the various series. I've read some of Mundy's other fantasy/adventure series (the "Jimgrim" books - there's 11 of those), and they're quite a lot of fun, too.
    •      H. Warner Munn (1903-1981)
  • The Merlin Family Saga
  • Merlin's Ring (combined volume containing 'King of the World's Edge' and 'The Ship from Atlantis')
  • Merlin's Godson
    Globe-and-time spanning adventures of Merlin and his godson Gwalchmai. Now out of print, they were part of Ballantine's Adult Fantasy series, so they shouldn't be too difficult to track down.
    •      John Myers Myers (1906-1988)
  • Silverlock
    Cult favorite. Chock full of allusions to history, literature, and popular culture, plus lots of songs. There is a thematic sequel, The Moon's Fire-Eating Daughter, of which the general consensus of opinion is that it is deservedly obscure.
    •      Andre Norton (1912-2005)
  • Simon Tregarth
  • Witch World
  • Web of the Witch World
    The duology that started the Witch World. Readers who were introduced to Witch World through the later books are often surprised by the SF trappings of these books. The villains use high- tech weapons, the witches' powers are treated as psi rather than magic, and Simon arrives via a machine that opens doors to parallel worlds.
    •
  • The Children of Simon Tregarth
  • Three Against the Witch World
  • Warlock of the Witch World
  • Sorceress of the Witch World
    Simon Tregarth's kids get a trilogy of their own, and the Witch World is thoroughly launched. It was also with these books that Norton made the choice to move the Witch World strictly into the fantasy genre.
    •
  • Witch World series
  • Year of the Unicorn
  • The Crystal Gryphon
  • Gryphon in Glory
  • The Jargoon Pard
  • Zarsthor's Bane
  • The Warding of Witch World
  • many more
    It went from an Open-Ended Series to a Shared World, but the first 20 or so books are all Andre Norton's. And they're good, too. Most are stand-alones. Particular favorites that were specifically mentioned are Year of the Unicorn and The Crystal Gryphon, and Stephen casts his vote for The Jargoon Pard.
    •
  • The Halfblood Chronicles (with Mercedes Lackey)
  • Elvenbane
  • Elvenblood
  • Elvenborn
  • Elvenbred (forthcoming maybe)
    Unrelated to the Witch World books, these involve a world where humans are enslaved by elves, and a prophecy about a half-breed who will lead the humans to freedom.
    •
  • Mirror of Destiny
    A non-Witch World standalone about a wise woman's apprentice seeking to avert a war between humans and the inhabitants of a mystical forest.
    •      Naomi Novik (b. 1973)
  • Temeraire series
  • His Majesty's Dragon (published in U.K. as Temeraire)
  • Throne of Jade
  • Black Powder War
  • Empire of Ivory
  • Victory of Eagles
    Dragons in the Napoleonic era. What's not to like? Novik won the Campbell award for Best New Writer of 2006 - these books are a great fun. One warning: The fourth book ends with a major cliffhanger. Be sure you have the final book at hand.
    •      Nick O'Donohoe (b. 1952)
  • Crossroads series
  • The Magic and the Healing
  • Under the Healing Sign
  • The Healing of Crossroads
    The adventures of a veterinarian in a magical land.
    •
  • The Gnomewrench in the Dwarfworks
  • The Gnomewrench in the Peopleworks
    A new series, and from the title, I'd guess it to be humorous.
    •      Pat O'Shea (1931-2007)
  • The Hounds of the Morrigan
    According to a blurb I found over in r.a.sf.w., 'Pidge and his little sister Brigit get chosen by the Dagda to thwart the Morrigan's plan to release the Olc-Glas and destroy the world. Every major hero and deity makes an appearance'.
    • Diana Paxson (b. 1943)
  • The Chronicles of Westria
  • Lady of Light
  • Lady of Darkness
  • Silverhair the Wanderer
  • The Earthstone
  • The Sea Star
  • The Wind Crystal
  • The Jewel of Fire
  • The Golden Hills of Westria
    An open-ended series. Patrick only recommends the first two books (which are also available as a single volume Lady of Light, Lady of Darkness), adding that the follow-ups were 'lacking that special something.'There was a gap of fifteen years between the recent publication of Golden Hills and the prior book. Her most recent works have been continuations of Marion Zimmer Bradley's Avalon series.
    •
  • Wodan's Children
  • The Wolf and the Raven
  • The Dragons of the Rhine
  • The Lord of Horses
    A little Germanic mythology here as Paxson takes a look at Siegfried's story.
    •
  • The Hallowed Isle
  • The Book of the Sword
  • The Book of the Spear
  • The Book of the Cauldron
  • The Book of the Stone
    A new series from Paxson that is yet another take on the Arthur legend.
    •      Mervyn Peake (1911-1968)
  • The Gormenghast Trilogy
  • Titus Groan
  • Gormenghast
  • Titus Alone
    A classic. Bizarre and hypnotic, Peake creates an astonishing world in the first two books. The third book should be avoided. It was written after Peake became ill, and it is very different in tone (and ability) than the first two.
    •      Meredith Ann Pierce (b. 1958)
  • The Darkangel Trilogy
  • The Darkangel
  • A Gathering of Gargoyles
  • The Pearl of the Soul of the World
    Excellent fantasy that is unfortunately hard to find. U.S. readers can purchase it as a single volume from the Science Fiction Book Club. Fans of Patricia McKillip may want to make a special effort to track this down.
    •
  • The Firebringer Trilogy
  • The Birth of the Firebringer
  • Dark Moon
  • The Son of Summer Stars
    Very good young adult series about unicorns. In Firebringer "...the unicorn society is well- developed for the length and reader-age of the books: they have their own mythology/historical songs, religion, enemies..." says Heather
    •      Richard Pini (b. 1950) & Wendy Pini (b. 1951)
  • Elfquest series
  • Elfquest: The Quest Begins
  • Elfquest: Journey to Sorrow's End
  • many others
    Graphic novels (you know - comic books for adults who don't want to admit they still read comic books). This has turned into a shared world series.
    •      Tim Powers (b. 1952)
  • The Drawing of the Dark
    Powers' earliest fantasy, and I'm told that it is back in print. A different look at the Arthur legend (in 16th century Vienna, of all places).
  • The Anubis Gate
    All of Powers' books are great, but this is my favorite. The book that made his reputation. A wild romp through time with gypsies, Dog Faced Joe, a hideously evil clown, Egyptian gods, dopplegangers, a disguised heroine, Samuel Coleridge and oh so much more. Try it.
  • On Stranger Tides
    Blackbeard and voodoo - oh my!
  • The Stress of Her Regard
    Those muses certainly are jealous mistresses...
  • Last Call
    The Fisher King in Las Vegas.
  • Expiration Date
    Yet Another Neat Book. This takes place in a modern Los Angeles much like our own, except that ghosts exist there.
  • Earthquake Weather
    Characters from both Last Call and Expiration Date appear in this novel. According to his editor, Powers "begs to inform the world [that this] is the only time anyone will ever see anything remotely resembling a series from him."
  • Declare
    Concerning British spy Kim Philby, and the supernatural story behind his service to the Soviet Union.
  • Three Days to Never
    I can't resist quoting the book description: "When 12-year-old Daphne Marrity steals a videotape of Pee-Wee's Big Adventure from her grandmother's house, neither she nor her college-professor father, Frank Marrity, have any idea that the theft has drawn the attention of both the Israeli Secret Service and an ancient European organization of occultists -- or that within hours they'll be visited by her long-lost grandfather, who also wants that videotape. And when Daphne's teddy bear is stolen, and a blind assassin nearly kills her father, and a phantom begins to speak to her from a switched-off television set, Daphne and her father find themselves running for their lives through a southern California in which magic and the undead past are dangers as great as the guns of living assassins."
  • The Lights Around the Shore (working title - forthcoming)
    All that's known about this one is that it may be set in Victorial London. Also available from Powers is a short story collection titled Strange Itineraries and a chapbook of the novelette The Bible Repairman.
    • **Terry Pratchett (b. 1948)
  • Discworld
  • titles follow
    Your FAQmaker loves these books, and so do enough other a.f.e. readers to make him an official Highly Recommended Author. Humorous series, over 15 books now, and recent books are as good as the first. The books divide up based on their main characters, but can all standalone (except the original Rincewind duology).
    •
  • Rincewind
  • The Color of Magic
  • The Light Fantastic
  • Sourcery
  • Eric
  • Interesting Times
  • The Last Continent
  • The Last Hero
    The first two are the duology that introduced Discworld. Rincewind is an incredibly incompetent wizard who gets mixed up with Discworld's first tourist.
    •
  • Granny Weatherwax
  • Equal Rites
  • Wyrd Sisters
  • Witches Abroad
  • Lords and Ladies
  • Maskerade
  • Carpe Jugulum
    Granny Weatherwax and her fellow witches are the favorites of many Pratchett fans. Unlike Rincewind, Granny is FRIGHTENINGLY competent.
    •
  • Tiffany Aching
  • The Wee Free Men
  • A Hat Full of Sky
  • Wintersmith
  • When I Am Old I Shall Wear Midnight (forthcoming)
    Granny Weatherwax appears in these, but the story belongs to young Tiffany Aching. Very enjoyable - there are supposed to be either at total of either four or five books about Tiffany.
  • Death
  • Mort
  • Reaper Man
  • Soul Music
  • Hogfather
    Yes, Death is a regularly appearing character, with a horse named Binky and taste for curry.
    •
  • The Ankh-Morpork Watch
  • Guards, Guards
  • Men At Arms
  • Feet of Clay
  • Jingo
  • The Fifth Elephant
  • Nightwatch
  • Thud
    And then there's Carrot, the six-foot-tall dwarf (he's adopted), who has come to Ankh-Morpork to make his fortune. He ends up working for for the Watch in Ankh-Morpork. These follow him and the fellow members of the watch. The focus of the series has changed over time to Sam Vimes, the head of Watch.
    •
  • Moist von Lipwig stories
  • Going Postal
  • Making Money
    Now that there are two novels following his adventures, Moist gets his own listing.
    •
  • Moving Pictures
  • Pyramids
  • Small Gods
  • The Truth
  • Thief of Time
  • The Monstrous Regiment
  • Unseen Academicals (forthcoming Oct. 2009)
    These are all standalones about Discworld, and all good.
  • Good Omens (with Neil Gaiman)
    NOT a Discworld book, this one is about the End Of The World.
    •      Byron Preiss (1953-2005) and J. Michael Reaves (b. 1950)
  • Dragonworld
    Preiss is best known as an editor and publisher, but he produced a fantasy in the late 70's that Keith really likes. Apparently there is also a game based on this book, so it may be more readily available than its 1979 publication would indicate.
    •      E. Hoffman Price (1898-1988)
  • The Devil Wives of Li-Fong
  • The Jade Enchantress
    Two unrelated novels set in a fantasy version of China.
    •      Philip Pullman (b. 1946)
  • His Dark Materials
  • The Golden Compass ('Northern Lights' in the U.K.)
  • The Subtle Knife
  • The Amber Spyglass
    Genevive says that 'these books are in the category of don't put down until they're done. The first book was involving and substantive...the second book took the story line down an entirely different road...but one that fits so perfectly.'
    •      Howard Pyle (1853-1911)
  • The Story of King Arthur and His Knights
    Classic retelling of Arthur by the famous illustrator. Despite being 90 years old, this book is readily available in libraries, and in the U.S. Dover Publications has a lovely trade paperback edition with Pyle's original illustrations. He wrote several other books covering further tales, and he also has a great retelling of the Robin Hood story.
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