http://www.ironworksforum.com/ubb/no...miles/wink.gif

Anybody disagree?

I don't. He's the basis of almost all fantasy work today.

------------------
If I am because I think, then, if I talk without thinking, I'm not really talking! Am I?

[This message has been edited by Ryanamur (edited 09-28-2001).]

Nooooooo..... but Robin Hobb very good also. Good night Dio!



------------------
http://www.asnsoup.com/silvercheetahfinal.jpg

Ascended Mistress of Illumination OR Paws R Us

<font color=orange>Hobbs is good, but nowhere near Tolkien IMHO!!! He's my favorite writer of all time!!!</font>

------------------
Sir Taliesin

http://www.dabros.com/images/sigs/giant.gif

If they take my gun can I still use my Axe?

Mervyn Peake.

------------------
Regards

<marquee direction=left scrollamount=7> http://www.ironworksforum.com/ubb/noncgi/smiles/anr.gif </marquee>

Mouse

[This message has been edited by Mouse (edited 09-28-2001).]

To put it succinctly and so that our 'younger' readers will understand it:

Tolkien ROCKS!

Just had to get that out! http://www.ironworksforum.com/ubb/no...iles/smile.gif

He is the quintecential (sp?) fantasy writer. But there are some other good ones! I ought to know, I have just about every blasted fantasy book you can buy. http://www.ironworksforum.com/ubb/no...miles/wink.gif *haha* http://www.ironworksforum.com/ubb/no...es/biggrin.gif

------------------
http://sc.communities.msn.com/tn/02/...sSite/2/4a.jpg http://www.ironworksforum.com/ubb/no...iles/hero2.gif
The day we stop learning is the day we start dying!(c)

Owner/operator of the Evil Petting Zoo and devout member of the HADB clan.
Commander of the Dragon Fleet, IW Peacekeeping Force
Sublime Sister of the Illuminati - may the Light shine forever!
Mage extraordinair.
Occasional minion to Gwhanos the Fluffy

Hopeless Romantic *sigh*

"Allright! We'll call it a draw."

Tolkien, Tad Williams, Robin Hobb. In that order. http://www.ironworksforum.com/ubb/no...iles/smile.gif



------------------
http://www.ranchoweb.com/images/bg2guy/bitchingcopy.gif

http://www.ranchoweb.com/images/bg2guy/fljotsdale.gif
Dubbed Queen of the Illuminati by Diogenes.

Robert Jordan and his Wheel of Time Series

------------------
No-Name Face

Tolkien by far. Second best goes to either David L. McKiernan, David Eddings, or Terry Goodkind.

------------------
Lord of the RaBid Fruit Trees. ChAos rules all! Bwahahahaha...
:1drgat1:

Lloyd Alexander - 'Black Cauldron' series

Certainly! He wrote the two best fantasy books. The Hobbit and LOTR. Epic poems, timeles tales, treatises on human character, bold and imaginative.

Ehm..

What about Tracy Hickman and Margret Wies?

Ok maybe thats just me...

------------------
http://www.asnsoup.com/RangerPatroit.gif

So if in the forest look behind you, because that where the ranger is going to be

Grand-Jester of Laghing Hyenas
Messenger of the Emerald Dragon

May a pregnant yak chew on your ear for all eternity.
A guitar solo is to a guitarsist is what a palette is too a painter.
"...But I look at my self as a fragile, inteligent,human being. But there is a clown inside that comes and messes it up everytime" -Jim Morrison

The best 2 fantasy writers of all time IMO is Tolkien and then lagging way behind but still at number 2 is David Eddings.

-Jafin

------------------
http://members.aol.com/wolviejon/myh...gnature156.jpg http://www.ironworksforum.com/ubb/no...iles/hero2.gif
Proud Citizen of the United States of America
The Original Arch-Mage of the HADB
Destroyer of the evil Bunnies
Proprietor of the Boogre Bar
The not-so-secret admirer of Lioness

Robert E Howard, and Edgar Rice

------------------
http://www.123imagehost.com/images/b...arrissig02.gif
Airline ticket to Afghanistan $800
High powered rifle with scope $1000
Hotel room with roof access $100
A clean Head shot on that sack of Horse Manure Usuma Bin Laden PRICELESS!

Soryy dude
it's
Tolkien Rulez http://www.ironworksforum.com/ubb/no...les/tongue.gif

It's not just you http://www.ironworksforum.com/ubb/no...es/biggrin.gif



------------------
Behold he who stands before you

http://www.phpshop.net/images/rikard/rikard2.gif

Almighty (shared) Leader of the OHF
Proud member of the Ancients Club
The one True Necromancer/Blade of the Laughing Hyena's
Last of the Ancient race known as the Red Fluffies
Summoner of Bunnies

Official Register of the Top Posters;
"You can Run, You can Hide,
But you can never do both"
http://potgrond.netfirms.com/Eyes.jpg
I'm Watching you...

http://www.ironworksforum.com/ubb/no...miles/hero.gif

Yeah, Fljotsdale! Tad Williams is the man. Of course there´s no doubt about Tolkien being the best and the root of all fantasy tales. But I love Williams´ writing style. BTW, there´s a book named "Der Drachenbeinthron". How´s it called in english? Dragon bone throne?

------------------
The malt beer lord has come!
http://home.nikocity.de/calvinundhob.../anigif030.gif http://www.ironworksforum.com/ubb/no...iles/hero2.gif Ruby Skald of the ALSB

I think Tolkein is the best, but there are a few that come a close second. But sadly due to my seive like brain, Their names elude me. Quelle suprise.

------------------
http://www.ironworksforum.com/ubb/no.../barbarian.gif http://www.ironworksforum.com/ubb/no...s/ewjchomp.gif
The REAL Minsc/Boo double act .....


Platinum Fighter of ALSB

Tolkien is the best, but Robert Jordan is coming real close at the number one ranking

------------------
http://www.angelfire.com/rpg2/mirac/.../BlackLich.gif http://www.angelfire.com/rpg2/mirac
I'd be Mirac, mighty mage of er... uhm.. er.. - Mirac Honorguard
Fellow Table Dancer of the Jerome's Table dancer group
Spell formulater of the IW peace-keeping force

The Dragonbone Chair. http://www.ironworksforum.com/ubb/no...iles/smile.gif

------------------
http://www.ranchoweb.com/images/bg2guy/bitchingcopy.gif

http://www.ranchoweb.com/images/bg2guy/fljotsdale.gif
Dubbed Queen of the Illuminati by Diogenes.

Tolkien first, I guess. Then Robert Jordan and - I'd say Terry Pratchett, but that's a different style of book.

------------------
http://faceweb-004.facelink.com/edit...72/4711972.jpg http://www.ironworksforum.com/ubb/no...iles/hero2.gif

Kazara

Sapphire Dragoness of ALSB
Waitress at Cloudy's Cafe
Guardian of the Temple of Aerie (specialized in GenCon and BG)
Most Illustrious Arch-Magess of the Illuminati
Lux omnis est

You can't really compare Tolkien to anyone else, because his books straddle all nearly all aspects of fantasy other authors have to either borrow his ideas or go in a radically different direction which can be a bit hit and miss.

The world is after all split into those who have read LOTR and those that are going to, his books appeal to everyone not just diehard fantasy fans and LOTR will be one of the biggest films of the year whe it comes out in December.

I personally like Weiss and Hickman but their characters are a little weak and the plots formulaic, Terry Pratchet's the best comedy fantasy character and Feist is excellent as well.

Hi guys, mind if I move this to the Books forum? It's pretty quiet over there and I'd love for you guys to drop in and check it out, as well as continue this convo over there. http://www.ironworksforum.com/ubb/no...iles/smile.gif

Moved here! http://www.ironworksforum.com/ubb/no...iles/smile.gif

------------------
http://www.angelfire.com/anime2/memnoch/memnochsig.gif http://www.ironworksforum.com/ubb/no...iles/hero2.gif

I agree that these guys (John -- I assume you meant Edgar Rice Burroughs?) deserve special mention in Fantasy. They cannot be said to be descendants of Tolkien. They were his contemporaries or even pre dated him (not sure of the exact dates and don't care to look it up at the moment). They represented a different strain of fantasy, with Tarzan, Conan, John Carter of Mars, etc., of a rougher and more barbaric sort than the High Fantasy style of Tolkien.

Never heard of Tad Williams. Recommend any particular books?

G'kar -- I hold the Silmarillion as being at least as good as either the Hobbit or the LotR, though its style puts off some fans of traditional fantasy since it reads more like a history book than a traditional novel.

Tad Williams has written The Dragonbone Chair (fantasy series), Otherworld (scifi series) among others. I recommend the Dragonbone Chair highly, but I didn't really like Otherworld. Tailchaser's Song is supposed to be good, but I've never read it.

------------------
http://faceweb-004.facelink.com/edit...72/4711972.jpg http://www.ironworksforum.com/ubb/no...iles/hero2.gif

Kazara

Sapphire Dragoness of ALSB
Waitress at Cloudy's Cafe
Guardian of the Temple of Aerie (specialized in GenCon and BG)
Most Illustrious Arch-Magess of the Illuminati
Lux omnis est

I think you might like Tailchaser, Kaz. I wonder if Lioness has read it? I'm sure she would like it. http://www.ironworksforum.com/ubb/no...iles/smile.gif

You around, Lioness?

------------------
http://www.ranchoweb.com/images/bg2guy/bitchingcopy.gif

http://www.ranchoweb.com/images/bg2guy/fljotsdale.gif
Dubbed Queen of the Illuminati by Diogenes.

[QU OTE]Originally posted by Diogenes Of Pumpkintown:

Never heard of Tad Williams. Recommend any particular books?
[/QUOTE]

Memory, Sorrow and Thorn trilogy*: The Dragonbone Chair, Stone of Farewell, To Green Angel Tower. (In paperback, the last one has been made into two volumes: Seige, and Storm)

He has also written:

Tailchasers Song *(about cats. A fantasy. I loved it.)
Caliban's Hour *
Child of an Ancient City (with Nina Kirirki Hoffman)
and The Otherland trilogy: City of Golden Shadow, River of Blue Fire. Don't know if bk3 is out yet.

Those marked with a star* are ones I loved.

------------------
http://www.ranchoweb.com/images/bg2guy/bitchingcopy.gif

http://www.ranchoweb.com/images/bg2guy/fljotsdale.gif
Dubbed Queen of the Illuminati by Diogenes.

[This message has been edited by Fljotsdale (edited 09-29-2001).]

Robert E. Howard...Hear Hear!!!

Ah, Fljotsdale, I still remember fondly reading memory sorrow and thorne, it was the second fantasy series i read, after lotr. Really good.
As to the topic, well, I, like most, started with tolkien's works and I loved them and still do. But as i delve deeper into fantasy I have to say that Moorcock's books are appealing to me more. His scope of writing, his depth, his absolute weird stories (sigh).

------------------
reality is for those not smart enough to see the truth!!!!!

bks 3 (Mountain of Black Glass) AND 4 (Sea of Silver Light) are out. I don't have bk 4, though.
And I'd like to read Tailchaser's Song, it sounds nice!

------------------
http://faceweb-004.facelink.com/edit...72/4711972.jpg http://www.ironworksforum.com/ubb/no...iles/hero2.gif

Kazara

Sapphire Dragoness of ALSB
Waitress at Cloudy's Cafe
Guardian of the Temple of Aerie (specialized in GenCon and BG)
Most Illustrious Arch-Magess of the Illuminati
Lux omnis est

Thanks, Kaz!

I hope you like Tailchaser when you find a copy! http://www.ironworksforum.com/ubb/no...iles/smile.gif

------------------
http://www.ranchoweb.com/images/bg2guy/bitchingcopy.gif

http://www.ranchoweb.com/images/bg2guy/fljotsdale.gif
Dubbed Queen of the Illuminati by Diogenes.

I couldn't get past the first chapter. *hangs head in shame*
I plan on trying again though, It may have been my mood at the time. Harry Potter has my imagination for the time being, so it will be a while.

Tolkien is the best. The Hobbit/LotR are major literary achievements. Most of the time when you read fantasy you don't ever quite lose the sense of it being just that--fantasy. Tolkien on the other hand made his story seem real, like such things could actually be.

Not that I've read all that much fantasy. But those books are truly in the great story category.

I also liked Fritz Leiber's Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser series very much. I liked the cynical, dark sense of humor in those tales. But it was a very long time ago now that I read them. Not sure how I would like them now.

I can't say that I've been all that impressed by R.A. Salvatore. But I've only read The Crystal Shard. I thought it was a decent tale, and Drizzt is a great character. But it felt just a notch above the amateur level of writing, like a young writer still learning his craft. I was unable to get very far with Homeland, although yopu can see his craft has improved by then. I just could not maintain interest for some reason.