100 Must Read Fantasy Novels

A BRIEF GLOSSARY OF FANTASY TERMS Science Fiction/SF Science Fiction is the literature that suggests the significant, scientifically explicable changes that may potentially occur in the sphere of human knowledge and experience, exploring how those changes might affect human minds, bodies and culture, but that have not occurred at the time of writing. SF authors justify these changes to our worldview in their stories using scientific (or scientific- sounding) terminology as explanations. The presence of magic/the supernatural in a story immediately indicates that it is cannot be SF, but that it must be Fantasy instead. Stories set in Secondary Worlds* – self contained or accessible from our own – which are not explained ‘scientifically’ by their author are also Fantasy, not SF. Steampunk A term coined by K.W. Jeter to describe stories set predominantly in Victorian England, that echo the works of H.G. Wells, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Oscar Wilde and Bram Stoker (amongst others). Steampunk is often regarded as a sub-genre of SF*, but often contains elements of Crime, Horror and Fantasy, making it a quintessential example of The Fantastic*. Sword and Sorcery Also known as Heroic Fantasy*, Sword and Sorcery is the type of Genre Fantasy* predominantly based around central characters who are swordsmen/women and magicians. It is the commonest form of Genre Fantasy and the term S&S could be happily used interchangeably with Genre Fantasy, given the fact that the majority of the books that are labelled Fantasy as S&S. Supernatural Horror See Dark Fantasy WFA World Fantasy Award (see Awards Listings p. 166) 171

INDEX Across the Nightingale Baron in the Trees, The Bring Me the Head of Floor 70–1 24 Prince Charming 131 Adams, Richard 1–2 Bauchelain and Korbal Birthgrave, The 141 Age of Scandal, The 154 Broach 47 Broken Sword, The 4–5 Aldiss, Brian W. 2–3, 84 Baum, L. Frank 7–8 Brooks Terry 18–19 Alice’s Adventures in Bazaar of the Bizarre 142 Brown, Charles Brockden Wonderland 27 Beagle, Peter S. 9–10, 141 85 Alice’s Adventures Beauty 147–8 Brunner, John 19–20, 125 Under Ground 28 Belgariad, The 43 Buffalo Gals and Other Alien Heat, An 69 Beowulf 56, 57 Animal Presences 92 All Hallows’ Eve 31 Black Cocktail 27 Bulgakov, Mikhail 21–2 American Ghosts and Black Gods 118–9 Burke, James Lee 88 Old World Wonders Black Unicorn 10 Burroughs, Edgar Rice 30 Blaylock, James 11–12, 129 22–3, 60, 79, 143 American Gods 56 Blood 116 Byzantium Endures 116 Anderson, Poul 4–5, 62 Blood Heritage 137 Anita 136–7 Bloody Chamber, The Cabal 6 Annals of the Western 29–30 Calvino, Italo 24–5 Shore 92 Bones of the Moon 27 Carroll, Lewis 27–8 Annotated Alice, The Book of Imaginary Carroll, Jonthan 26 27–8 Beings, The 14 Carter, Angela 14, 16, Armageddon Rag, The Book of Merlyn, The 155 29–30, 162 106 Book of Sand, The 12–13 Castle of Crossed Assassin’s Apprentice 97 Book of the Damned, Destinies, The 24 At the Earth’s Core 79 The 88–9 Celtika 75 At the Mountains of Book of Wonder, The 113 Chalk Giants, The 137 Madness 99–100 Borges, Jorge Luis 12–13 Changeling 165 Atlan 59 Bradbury, Ray 15–16, 53 Chesterton, G.K. 30–1 Bradley, Marion Zimmer Chronicle of Tornor 101 Barker, Clive 5–6 16–17, 144 Chronicles of Thomas Barnstormer in Oz, A 8 Bran Mak Morn 77 Covenant, the 172

INDEX Unbeliever, The 40 Dark is Rising Dream Days 62, 63 Circus of Dr Lao, The Sequence, The 34 Dream Quest of 52–3 Dark is the Sun 69 Unknown Kadath, City in the Autumn Dark Lord of Derkholm The 42, 100 Starts, The 115–6 82 Dreamsongs 106 City of the City 25 Dark Tower, The 87 Dreamthief Trilogy 116 Clarke, Susanna 32–3, Dark World, The 119 Drenai 61 167 Darkover 17 Dunsany, Lord 112, 113 Club of Queer Trades, De Camp, L. Sprague Dunsany, Lord 41–2, 45, The 31 37–8, 113 112, 113 Cold Heaven 118 Declare 167 Dunwich Horror and Colour of Magic, The Descent into Hell 158 Others, The 100 129–30 Devil Delivered, The 83 Dwellers in the Mirage Colour Out of Time, The Dickson, Gordon R 38–9 109 142 Different Light, A 101 Dying Earth, The 153 Comet in Moominland Diggers 130 79–80 Discworld 129, 132 Eagle’s Nest 30 Compleat Enchanter, Dispossessed, The 92 Earthsea 91 The 37–8 Doc Savage: His Eddings, David 43–4 Compleat Traveller in Apocalyptic Life 49 Eddison, E.R. 44–5 Black, The 19–20 Domes of Fire 44 Edgar Huntly 85 Complete Chronicles of Donaldson, Stephen 40–1 Eight Days of Luke 59 Conan, The 76 Dragon 100 Elephant and the Complete Northwest Dragon and The Kangaroo, The 155 Smith, The 119 George, The 38–9 Elfin Ship, The 12 Conan the Rebel 62 Dragon Hoard, The 132 Elidor 59 Conjure Wife 137 Dragon Knight, The 38 Elise 65 Cooper, Susan 34–5 Dragon Rider 54 Elric of Melnibone Coraline 56 Dragons of Babel, The 114–5 Course of the Heart, The 147 Emperor of Dreams 69 Dragon’s Treasure 102 144–5 Crowley, John 35–36, 167 Dragon’s Winter 102 Erikson, Steven 46–7, 83 Cthulhu Mythos, The Dragonbone Chair, The Esslemont, Cameron 47 100, 145 158–9 Eternal Champion, The Drawing of the Dark, 113, 115 Dandelion Wine 15–16 The 128–9 Eye of the World, The 82 173

100 MUST-READ FANTASY NOVELS Eyes of the Overworld, Game of Thrones, A Gunslinger, The 87–8 The 141 104–5 Gypsy, The 97 Falstaff 125 Fantasms and Magics Gardens of the Moon 142 46–7 Hadon of Ancient Opar Farmer Giles of Ham Gardner, John 56–7 49 151 Farmer, Philip Jose 8, 12, Garner, Alan 16, 58–9 Haggard, H. Rider 66–7 23, 28, 47–8, 49, 67, Gaskell, Jane 59–60 Hard Boiled 69 Fatal Eggs, The 22 Gate to Women’s Wonderland and the Father of Lies 125 Faust 125 Country, The 148 End of the World 121, Feast Unknown, A 47–8 Gemmell, David 33, 61–2 122 Feist, Raymond 50–1 Fergus 118 Gloriana 162, 166 Harrison, M. John 68–9, Final Programme, The 115 Golden Age, The 62 110, 157 Fine and Private Place, A 9, 10 Good Omens 131–2 Harry Potter and the Finney, Charles G. 52–3 Fionavar Tapestry, The Goodbye, Mr Chips 72 Philosopher’s Stone 85, 86 Fish Dinner in Gormenghast Trilogy, 137–8 Memison, A 45 Flat Earth 89 The 126 Haunted Woman, Flight to Opar 49 Forgotten Beasts of Eld, Goshawk, The 154 The 99 The 106–7, 166 Funke, Cornelia 53–4 Grahame, Kenneth 62 Hearn, Lian 70–1 Gaiman, Neil 42, 55–6, Grainne 75 Heart of a Dog 22 131–2, 139 Grand Adventure, The Hedge Knight 83 Galatea 134 12 Hellbound Heart, The 5 Graveyard Book, The Hilton, James 71–2 139 His Dark Materials 133 Great and Secret Show, Hoban, Russell 73–4 The 6 Hobb, Robin see Great Victorian Lindholm, Megan Collection, The 117–8 Hobbit, The 149, 150–1 Greater Trumps, The 165 Holdstock, Robert 74–5, Green Child, The 134–5 90, 167 Green Pearl, The 154 Homunculus 11–12 Grendel 56–7 Horror in the Museum Grey King, The 35 and Other Revisions Grimwood, Ken 64–5, 101 167 Hour of the Dragon, The Guardians of the West 76–7 44 House of Sleep, The 85 174

INDEX House of the Wolflings, Jonathan Strange and Lee, Tanith 10, 88–9, 132, 141 The 121 Mr Norrell 32–3, 167 Lees of Laugher’s End, Howard, Robert E. 76–7, Jones, Diana Wynne The 47 94, 154 81–2, 59 Left Hand of Darkness, The 92 Howl’s Moving Castle Jordan, Robert 82–3 Legend 61–2 81–2 Leiber, Fritz 90, 92–3, Hrolf Kraki’s Saga 5 Kaeti & Company 137 137, 142, 166 Lewis, C.S. 94–5, 98, 104, Hyne, C.J. Cutcliffe 77–8 Kaeti On Tour 137 157, 158 Kafka on the Shore 167 Lilith 103–4 Lindholm, Megan 96 Ice 84 Kavan, Anna 30, 84–5 Lindsay, David 98–9 Lion of Boaz-Jachin and In the Electric Mist With Kay, Guy Gavriel 33, Jachin-Boaz, The 74 Confederate Dead 88 85–6, 167 Lion, The Witch and The In the Place of the Lion King Kull 94 Wardrobe, The 94–5 Lions of Al-Rassan, The 158 King of Elfland’s 33 In Yana 142 Daughter, The 41–2, Little, Big 35–6, 167 Lives of Christopher Infernal Desire 112 Chant, The 82 Machines of Dr King Rat 3 Lord Foul’s Bane 40–1 Lord of the Rings, The Hoffman, The 30 King Solomon’s Mines 149, 150, 151–2 Inkheart 53–4 66 Lord of the Silver Bow Innkeeper’s Song, The King, Stephen 87–8 33 Lord of the Spiders 119 141 King’s Blood 148 Lord Tyger 49 Lord Valentine’s Castle Invisible Cities 24–5 Kissing the Beehive 27 143–4 Iron Council, The 110 Kleinzeit 73–4 Lost Continent, The 77–8 Lost Horizon 71–2 Iron Dragon’s Daughter, Knight of the Swords, Lovecraft, H.P. 42, The 146–7 The 5, 115 99–100, 108, 145 Ironcastle 67 Islandia 163–4 Ladies of Grace Adieu, Islar, The 164 The 33 Land of Laughs, The 26 Jack Faust 147 Land of Unreason 38, Jack of Shadows 154 113 Jansson, Tove 79–80 Last Call 97, 167 Jerry Cornelius 116 Last Coin, The 129 Jewel in the Skull, The Last Unicorn, The 9–10 115, 165 Le Guin, Ursula K. 16, 35, Jinian Footseer 148 75, 91–2, 167 175

100 MUST-READ FANTASY NOVELS Lud-in-the-Mist 111–2 Merlin 124–5 Murakami, Haruki 121–2, 167 Lunching with the Merman’s Children, Myers, John Myers 123–4 Antichrist 116 The 5 Mythago Wood 74–5, Lynn, Elizabeth A. 101–2, Merritt, A. 67, 108–9 167 166 Metal Monster, The 109 Napoleon of Notting Hill, The 31 Lyonesse 154, 156, 167 Metatemporal Narnia 94 Lythande 144 Detective, The 12 Neverwhere 55–6 New Crobuzon 109 Mezentian Gate, New Eden, The 79 Nifft The Lean 141–2, 167 Macdonald, George 103–4 The 45 Night of Knives 47 Night’s Master 90 Madouc 154 Middle Earth 149, 150 Nine Princes in Amber Magic Kingdom for Sale Miéville, China 3, 25, 56, 164–5 Njal’s Saga 45 – Sold! 19 109–10 Northern Lights 133–4 Nye, Robert 30, 124–5 Magic Toyshop, The 16 Mirrlees, Hope 111–2 Once and Future King, Magician 50–1 Mistress Masham’s The 155 Majipoor 143 Repose 155 Orlando 161–2 Other Wind The 167 Malacia Tapestry, The Mistress of Mistresses Otherland 159 Otherland: City of 2–3 45 Golden Shadow 159 Malazan Books of the Mists of Avalon, The Our Ancestors 24, 25 Our Lady of Darkness Fallen, The 46 16–17 90, 166 Malloreon, The 44 Moomins and the Great Out of the World and Man Who Was Thursday, Flood, The 79 Back Again 30 Over Sea, Under Stone The 30–1 Moon Pool, The 67 34–5 Mangan Inheritance, Moon’s Fire-Eating Owl Service, The 58, 59 The 118 Daughter, The 124 Martin, George R.R. 83, Moorcock, Michael 3. 5, 104–5 12, 20, 69, 72, 77, 94, Master and Margarita, 113–6, 116, 119, 154, The 21–2 162, 165, 166 McKillip, Patricia A. 92, Moore, Brian 117–8 106–7, 166 Moore, C.L. 118–9, 153 Medusa Frequency, The Mordant’s Need 41 74 Morris, William 120–1 Memory of Light, A 83 Mother London 3 Memory, Sorrow and Mother Was a Lovely Thorn 158 Beast 23 Mercury 84–5 Mr Pye 127 176

INDEX Paris: A Poem 112 Riddle Master of Hed, Smith of Wootton Major Passion of New Eve, The The 92 151 14, 162 Riddle Master Trilogy, Smith, Clark Ashton 142, Pastel City, The 68–9 The 107 144–5, 153 Pawn of Prophecy 43–4 Peace 160–1 Riddley Walker 73 Soldier of Sidon 167 Peake, Mervyn 126–7 Riftwar Saga, The 50 Soldier of the Mist 33 People of the Mist, The Roberts, Keith 75, 136–7 Solitudes, The 36 Romance of the Solomon Kane 77 67 Something Wicked This Perdido Street Station Equator, A 3 Rowling, J.K. 137–8 Way Comes 53 109–10 Ryman, Geoff 140–1 Song of Ice and Fire, A Phantastes 104 Phoenix in Obsidian 77 Sailor on the Seas of 104 Pilgrim’s Regress, The Fate, The 94 Song of Mavin Many- 104 Scar, The 110 shaped, The 148 Plague Dogs, The 2 Seaward 35 Stalking, The 90 Plague of Angels, A 132 Secret Books of Stardust 42 Polyphemus 142 Stormbringer 20 Powers, Tim 97, 128–9, Paradys, The 88 Story of the Glittering Serpent, The 59–60 167 Shadow of the Torturer, Plain, The 121 Pratchett, Terry 129–30, Strange Evil 59, 60 The 160, 167 Stress of Her Regard, 131–2 Shannara 18 Pratt, Fletcher 37–8 Shardik 2 The 129 Princess and the She 66–7 Swanwick, Michael 112, Shea, Michael 141–2, Goblin, The 104 146–7 Pullman, Philip 133–4 154, 167 Sword in the Stone, The Shiny Narrow Grin, The Quest for Simbilis, The 154 142, 154 60 Sword of Shannara, The Ship of Ishtar, The Read, Sir Herbert 134–5 18–19 Red Shift 16 108–9 Sword of Welleran and Reindeer People, The 97 Signs of Life 110 Replay 64–5, 167 Silmarillion, The 85, Other Stories 45 Return of the Crimson Swords Against Deviltry 152 Guard 47 Silverberg, Robert 143–4 92–3 Silverlock 123–4 Singer from the Sea 148 Tailchaser’s Song 2 Tales from Watership Down 2 177

100 MUST-READ FANTASY NOVELS Tales of the Otori 70 True Game, The 148 White, T.H. 154 Tanuli, The 44 Un Lun Dun 56 Wild Sheep Chase, A, Tarzan Alive: The Unconquered Country, 121, 122 Definitive Biography The 141 Williams, Charles 31, of Lord Greystock 49 Unfinished Tales 121 157–8, 165 Tarzan and the Jewels of Unholy City, The 53 Williams, Tad 2, 158–9 Opar 60 Unicorn Sonata, The 10 Wind in the Willows, Tarzan of the Apes 22–3 The 62 Tehanu 16, 91 Vance, Jack 141–2, 153–4, Wind-up Bird Chronicle, Tepper, Sheri S. 132, 137, 156, 167 The 121–2 147–8 Victory 35 Windhaven 106 There are Doors 161 Viriconium 68 Wings 130 Thief Lord, The 54 Von Bek Dynasty 116 Wizard Knight, The 161 Three Hearts and Three Voyage to Arcturus, A Wizard of Earthsea, A Lions 5 98–9 91–2 Threshold, The 75 Wizard of the Pigeons Through the Looking War in Heaven, The 96 Glass 27 157–8 Wolfe, Gene 33, 160–1, Tigana 85–6 Warlord of the Air, 167 Till We Have Faces 158 The 72 Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Time and the Hunger 14 Warrior Who Carried The 7–8 Time’s Last Gift 49 Life, The 140–1 Wood Beyond the Titus Books, The 126 Watchtower 101–2, World, The 120–1 Titus Groan 126–7 166 Woolf, Virginia 112, 161–2 To the Land of the Watership Down 1–2 Worm Ouroboros, The Living 144 Weaveworld 5–6 44–5 To Your Scattered Weirdstone of Wright, Austin Tappan Bodies Go 28 Brisingamen, The 163–4 Tolkien, J.R.R. 4, 56, 121, 58–9 Ysabel 167 149–52, 154, 157, 158 Well at the World’s End, Touch of Undying, The The 120, 121 Zelazny, Roger 131, 154, 142 Well of the Unicorn, 164–5 Tree and Leaf 158 The 38 Zimiamvian Trilogy, The Truckers 130 Wheel of Time, The 82 45 178