Barbelith Underground > Books, Criticism & Writing > Is there any good fantasy anywhere?

Before I list my recommendations, I'll explain what I like and dislike about the genre. This way, those of you with differing tastes won't have to waste your time or money, and people with similar opinions will be more likely to take a look at my choices.

I love the goal oriented nature of fantasy literature. The basic story of almost all fantasy novels consists of an individual striving to achieve his or her aims while being confronted with obstacles that appear impossible to surmount. However, the protagonist almost always finds a way to solve these problems. Reading fantasy novels gives me a sense of hope that I too might be able to achieve my goals. In addition, I think they provide a small piece of the courage I need not to give up on my own values or the search for happiness.

In order to receive these positive emotions from fantasy novels I require a certain level of artistic ability from the author. Unfortunately, this is exactly what most fantasy authors are lacking. Creativity is almost nonexistant. The vast majority of writers in this genre are content with merely renovating the same stale world of elves and orcs. The authors who have somehow managed to think of a couple semi-innovative ideas seem terrified that they won't be able to do it a second time, and survive by extending their series to comical lengths. The most egregious example of this is Robert Jordan, who has somehow managed to apply Xeno's Paradox to the concept of plot. Or, to put it more simply, half as much gets accomplished in every book.

I'm also not too fond the the 'choosen one' concept that you find in most fantasy. Most of the heroes and heroines in these stories have achieved their position not through overcoming adversity, but by divine right of birth. To use an example from classical mythology, killing medusa isn't that big of a deal if Aunt Athena comes down from the clouds and hands you the fucking arsenal of the gods. But, this is equivalent to what happens in almost every fantasy novel.

Now, if I haven't alienated my entire potential audience, I'll list my recommendations:

Master of the Five Magics by Lyndon Hardy
Alodar, the protagonist of this novel, is the son of an aristocrat who lost everything and died shortly thereafter. The plot centers around the hero's pursuit of his lost status. I only have two complaints about this book. First, there's an, 'Oh, by the way, we need you to save the world', dilema that pops up at the very end of the book. Second, there are two sequels where the author takes everything he did right in the first book and reverses it. For example, he replaces the stoic unyielding hero of the first book with a whiney new character who quits as soon as he hears the word adversity.

In Legend Born by Laura Resnick
This book's plot centers on a group of rebels attempting to remove an occupying empire from their homeland. I actually went through this story in one day, stopping only to go to the bathroom.

I'd also recommend Robin Hobb's work, though with some reservations. She's one of the best writers in the genre, but her work tends to be a bit on the bleak side.