What appeals to you in a fantasy novel?

[Captain Tagon]

Oh, and I'll second the Stackpole recommendation, I don't think I've ever ready anything by him I didn't like from Battletech to Star Wars to several different fantasy series.

 

[RangerWickett]

Now the next question. Who here wants to read a free fantasy novel, in exchange for providing feedback? You post here, and I send you a copy by email.

Consider it swag.

 

[takyris]

If it's done, I'll read it:

gpweekes atsign yahoo period com

 

[MaxKaladin]

Atmosphere. I find I really like books (fantasy or not) with atmosphere. It doesn't have to be a travelogue to do this. Just including the right comments and descriptions in the right places can do this just as well. I just like atmosphere like a lot of people like action.

It is for this reason that I've really gotten into mystery novels set in the Roman era the last few years. They tend to have lots of Roman atmosphere and tend to make the particular foibles of the period part of the plot. A lot of people couldn't care less about this stuff, but I'm rather fond of it.

 

[myrdden]

For me it's all about imagination and style. I'm willing to suspend my disbelief if the read is entertaining.

If the book is done, I'd be willing to read it over and provide some feedback. I've got some holiday time coming up and could use some more reading material.

PM me for my e-mail address.

 

[Ibram]

Im a huge fan of the Swords & Sorcery style. It just appeals to me more then High Fantasy, probably because the characters seem to have more fun.

 

[David Howery]

I rather like the Conan types of heroic fantasy... low levels of magic and monsters, where sorcery and dragons and the like are rather rare and mysterious.. as much as I like D&D, I haven't read a lot of novels that I really like based on it...

 

[takyris]

That's cool for you, not for me. These days I tend to look at fiction of all types more and more as not so much telling a story, but making a real, tangible point. And my life is serious enough that if that point is "life sucks, sometimes the good guys have to do the job of the bad guys to get anything done and there is no hope for an actual good solution", then I've got better things to do with my time.

Ditto Captain Tagon. I went through my "I want the stuff I read to be a total negation of normal fantasy fiction" phase. Now I want my fiction to be good, and I don't really specify one type of plot as good. I recently read some good (but not wonderful) fantasy that is arguably girl-with-harp fantasy, as St. William of Teflon would say -- girl chosen by a nature goddess to be magically bonded with a sentient eagle and go on adventures and prove to everyone who mocked her as a child that she's a good person. After that, I read some good comic fantasy (Kage Baker's "Anvil of the World", which I strongly recommend if you like humorous fantasy). I'm not really in a brooding antihero mood, so the brooding antihero stuff I've read lately hasn't done it for me. I did read some military fantasy that was pretty good, though, albeit with a bit too much coming-of-age thrown into the mix in such a way that it sort of made the story unwieldy at times.

The comic fantasy is arguably a negation of normal fantasy, but not in a life-sucks way. Again, to agree with Tagon: I work for a living. It's good work, but it's work. I've got an 8-month old kid and a new house. I don't have a surplus of time to read, so if I do read, it's gonna be something that cheers me up and makes me happy. I've got better things to do than read about heroes forced to rape people by the author's plot device.

 

[myrdden]

That's cool for you, not for me. These days I tend to look at fiction of all types more and more as not so much telling a story, but making a real, tangible point. And my life is serious enough that if that point is "life sucks, sometimes the good guys have to do the job of the bad guys to get anything done and there is no hope for an actual good solution", then I've got better things to do with my time.

I'm sort of in the same space now too. Although I don't mind the Martin series, I definitely fall into the "good guys = good, bad guys = bad" camp.

 

[Desdichado]

Well, I'm not sure what my preferences have to do with what you're really looking for, but since you asked...

I prefer fantasy that has depth and meaning without being preachy. I prefer fantasy that's either all-out comedy, or very serious--none of this vaguely tongue-in-cheek stuff (although Harry Potter's a notable exception.) Snappy dialogue is fine between interesting characters--at least in a genre where it's appropriate, like a vaguely swashbuckling type of story, but lame if it's a substitute for good characterization. I really like atmosphere--a combination of horror and dark fantasy is probably my ideal stuff these days. I like logic and a minimization of handwaving "this is fantasy, so stuff doesn't need to make much sense" kinda nonsense. I like action, but it gets tedious and boring if it doesn't have any purpose, so I'd say my first requirement is that it have strong, interesting characters with credible threats and plots. Intrigue and skullduggery is always a plus too. I dislike simplistic "white hat" and "black hat" characterizations and plots

I don't much like most D&D or D&D-like fiction. I don't know that I have a preference between high fantasy and sword & sorcery, although some hybrid of sword & sorcery atmosphere and ambiance with a high fantasy's greater length (and so greater emphasis on character development, convoluted plots and descriptions) would probably be my ideal. I despise "girl with a harp" stories for the most part, although a really, really well done one might work for me.