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A Foundational Fantasy Reading List

Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan

I was recently asked for recommendations for “entry books to fantasy.”

 

Well, different people like different things of course, and there are many subgenres of fantasy so for this list to be of manageable size I will limit myself to the more classic second-world sword and magic type fantasy (and we will just assume Lord of the Rings is somewhere in there).

The list is also, naturally, limited by the books I’ve actually read (which may not be the books others have read).

I will start with a few modern fantasy series, then dig into the more classic series that I think are broadly popular and would form a pretty solid foundation in fantasy for a reader.

 

My recommendation would be to alternate between reading one of the modern fantasy series recommendations, then a classic series, then another modern series, etc.

 

RECENT FANTASY:

I will get into the most trouble here for omissions probably, but that is just because nobody can have read all the books that everyone else has read, and I can’t even remember all the books *I* have read and LIKED, there are just too many.  And again, tastes vary, and I am not covering things like Urban Fantasy here.  But off the top of my head:

 

  1. The Fifth Season by NK Jemisin. An example of the best of what modern second-world fantasy can be.

The Fifth Season by NK Jemisin

  1. Farseer: Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb. A great series for well-developed characters and emotional rollercoaster plots.

Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb

  1. Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi. An Avatar Last Airbender/ Korra homage done right, that swaps in West African culture for the Asian culture and is deeply impactful in the world it depicts and the story it tells.  I think this is a good example of how to make readers feel impacted by an issue you care about without it being preachy or an essay.

Children of Blood and Bone

  1. City of Stairs by Robert Jackson Bennett. A nice break from McEuropean worldbuilding. Starts slow then you can’t stop turning the pages.

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Favorite Bits and Big Ideas: Smells Like Finn Spirit

Finn Fancy Trilogy US-TOR

Over the past couple of weeks, Finn and I have held a couple of conversations together online in celebration of the release of Smells Like Finn Spirit:

 

In the My Favorite Bit series hosted by Mary Robinette Kowal, Finn and I discuss, well, our favorite bit about book 3.

 

In the Big Idea series hosted by John Scalzi, Finn and I discuss our journey together over the course of the trilogy.

 

Enjoy!  I know I did.

Finn, not so much.

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FINN 3 BOOK BIRTHDAY!

TODAY IS THE BOOK BIRTHDAY FOR BOOK 3: SMELLS LIKE FINN SPIRIT!!!

Logan says RUN to your bookstore and buy the Finn Fancy series! First day sales are a big deal.

Logan gets Finn Fancy!

Tor (US) Version Available for Purchase: 

Amazon

University Bookstore (Seattle)

Powell’s (Portland)

Mysterious Galaxy (CA)

Tattered Cover (CO)

Barnes & Noble

Indiebound

And for UK readers, it is available at (among other booksellers):

Smells Like Finn Spirit at Amazon UK

Smells Like Finn Spirit at Waterstones (UK)

 

Smells Like Finn Spirit

Smells Like Finn Spirit – Tor Cover

 

Book Description:

Finn Gramaraye is back in the third installment of Randy Henderson’s Familia Arcana series, which began in Finn Fancy Necromancy, and Bigfootloose and Finn Fancy Free.

Finn’s re-adaptation to the human world is not going so well. He’s got a great girlfriend, and is figuring out how things like the internet work, but he is still carrying the disembodied personality of Alynon, Prince of the Silver Demesne, the fae who had occupied his body during his imprisonment. And he’s not getting along at all with his older brother. And oh, by the way, an enemy from his past is still trying to possess him in order to bring about Armageddon.

Read the First Three Chapters

Or add it to your library on Goodreads.

 

Book Details:

  • Hardcover: 448 pages
  • Publisher: Tor Books (March 7, 2017)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0765378124
  • ISBN-13: 978-0765378125

Smells Like Finn Spirit UK Cover

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And Book Makes Three!

Squee!  (Er, manly squee!).

I grew up reading trilogies.  I grew up watching trilogies.  I lived in trilogies, walked the lands of trilogies until I knew them better than my own neighborhood, lived many lives through trilogies, fought evil and triumphed in trilogies.  I dreamed of writing a trilogy.  It is surreal to have actually done so.  And wonderful.  But really, it doesn’t feel real.  Yet there it is.  Three books.  That I can hold in my hands. With my name on them.  It’s like I’m living in some bizarro alternate universe.  And it is pretty dang cool.

Finn Fancy Trilogy US-TOR

 

And I love the UK versions from Titan as well!

 

Finn Fancy Trilogy UK-Titan

 

Book 3 comes out in the US on March 7th, and I can’t wait for people to read it!

 

 

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Bigfootloose Paperback Release Day, and Finn Fancy Giveaway!

Bigfootloose and Finn Fancy Free is now out in Trade Paperback! (links below)

Now is the perfect time to jump into the series if you have not already, with book 3 coming out in March to complete the trilogy arc.

In fact, Tor has re-posted the first three chapters to book 1 on the Fantastic Firsts online series if you want to check it out, and is also sponsoring a Goodreads Giveaway for book 1.

Bigfootloose and Finn Fancy Free

About Bigfootloose: In this sequel to Randy Henderson’s acclaimed debut novel, Finn Fancy Necromancy, Finn Gramaraye is settling back into the real world after his twenty-five-year-long imprisonment in the otherworld of the Fey. He’s fallen in love with a woman from his past, though he worries she may love a version of him that no longer exists. He’s proved his innocence of the original crime of Dark Necromancy, and he’s finding a place in the family business–operating a mortuary for the Arcane, managing the magical energies left behind when an Arcane being dies to prevent it from harming the mundane world.

But Finn wants more. Or different. Or something. He’s figured out how to use the Kinfinder device created by his half-mad father to find people’s True Love, and he’d like to convert that into an Arcane Dating Service. It’s a great idea. Everyone wants True Love! Unfortunately, trouble always seems to find Finn, and when he agrees to help his friend, the Bigfoot named Sal, they walk right into a Feyblood rebellion against the Arcane Ruling Council, a rebellion being fomented by unknown forces and fueled by the drug created by Finn’s own grandfather.

 

 

Links for Book 2: Bigfootloose and Finn Fancy Free:

Bigfootloose Trade PB on Amazon

Bigfootloose Trade PB at University Bookstore (Seattle)

Bigfootloose Trade PB at Powell’s (Portland)

Bigfootloose Trade PB at Mysterious Galaxy (CA)

Bigfootloose Trade PB at Tattered Cover (CO)

Bigfootloose Trade PB at Barnes & Noble

 

For UK readers, it remains available in paperback from Titan UK at:

Bigfootloose at Amazon UK

Bigfootloose at Waterstones (UK)

 

 

Links for Book 3: Smells Like Finn Spirit:

Smells Like Finn Spirit (Tor US) on Amazon

Smells Like Finn Spirit (Tor US) at University Bookstore (Seattle)

Smells Like Finn Spirit (Tor US) at Powell’s (Portland)

Smells Like Finn Spirit (Tor US) at Mysterious Galaxy (CA)

Smells Like Finn Spirit (Tor US) at Tattered Cover (CO)

Smells Like Finn Spirit (Tor US) at Barnes & Noble

 

And for UK readers, it is available at (among other booksellers):

Smells Like Finn Spirit at Amazon UK

Smells Like Finn Spirit at Waterstones (UK)

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Where Are the Interactive Books We Were Promised?

CYOA and Adventure Gamebooks

One of my big nerdjoy moments recently was when I found a virtual Choose your Own Adventure book while adventuring in Skyrim, titled Kolb and the Dragon.

And that got me remembering all the big predictions and promises at the dawn of ebooks and tablet computing about living, interactive books.

And that made me think of all the awesome IF games I used to enjoy, such as Zork and Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.

And then I ran downstairs to our library and grabbed a handful of my “interactive” books, pictured above.

There are, of course, the classic CYOA books, like Space Vampire, and the awesome new breed of CYOA books, like the Choose-o-matic series from Matt Youngmark.  

In fact, he did create one specifically intended to be easily played on your tablet or phone: U, Robot.

U, Robot by Matt Youngmark

Some CYOA books, such as Wizards, Warriors and You, present an option in the story itself to choose between a set of characters, and then continue the adventure as the chosen character, increasing the variety of readings.

But there were also books that tried to take it even further, incorporating character stats and other RPG elements. 

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Bigfootloose Paperback plus UK Cover for SLFS!

I am pretty terrible about updating folks on Finn Fancy world, so here’s two quick exciting updates:

First, UK Cover for Smells Like Finn Spirit (from Titan UK), where they continue the fun 8-bit art theme!

Smells Like Finn Spirit UK Cover

And here’s the US cover from TOR again just for fun:

Smells Like Finn Spirit

 

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Finn Fancy 3 Cover: Smells Like Finn Spirit!

Two big bits of news for book 3, Smells Like Finn Spirit:

First off, revised Finn 3 has been officially delivered to my editor!  And I am so proud of it.  Of course, I’m biased, but honestly there are just so many parts I can’t wait for people to read — funny moments, emotional moments, fantastical moments, moments that made me tear up or laugh on my own re-read — and I think that’s a pretty good sign.  It has more of the humor of Finn Fancy Necromancy, and expands on the world building of Bigfootloose and Finn Fancy Free, with some deep character moments I think reflect all I’ve learned as a writer while working on these books, and it completes a nice three book arc (with seeds for future books of course should Tor buy more).  Not trying to sound braggy, or like I think so much of my skill or anything, I just am proud of what I created, and feeling pretty happy about being a writer right now.

And second, COVER REVEAL!  Thanks to the awesome Peter Lutjen!

Smells Like Finn Spirit

 

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Big Funny, Big Prizes, I Like It!!!

Hey awesome peoples, I have a teensy favor to ask, and PRIZES to offer: if you have read Bigfootloose (or enough to have formed an opinion), pretty please leave a review.

Bigfootloose and Finn Fancy Free

Just one click on a link below and another click on some stars, then write a sentence or two about how it transformed your life and healed your chronic inability to speak Sasquatchese — or, you know, whatever you want.  Bing bang BOOM!  Taking a minute to leave a review is the best way you can help get Bigfootloose into the hands of folks who might enjoy it (or any book you read, for that matter).

Links to Review Sites:

Goodreads

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Powell’s (who also offers their own contest for people who leave comments!  Bonus!)

iTunes  (select “Launch in Application” at top of page)

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Finn Fancy Love Time: Ticking Clock Edition

Bigfootloose and Finn Fancy Free comes out February 16th.  This is a really critical and exciting time for the series! I hope you’ll join in the fun.

“So, this is your apartment?  Nice.  Where can I slip into something more comfortable?”

“Right over there, in the door past that copy of Finn Fancy Necromancy.  Oh my gosh, have you read it?  It’s REALLY exciting and funny an — uh, like you.  I’ll get the wine.”

Why do I give this fine example of Finn Fancy love?  Well, if you think it might be cool for the series to continue past book 3, continue reading.

Finn Fancy Force-omancy

This IS the book you’re looking for!

 

The Finn Fancy series is not in trouble, but it has reached its first critical test.  Whether or not Tor wants to publish more Finn Fancy books will likely be based on sales of book 1 and pre-sales/ sales of book 2 (Bigfootloose) over the next couple of weeks. Just because that’s how the industry works.

What this is:  Me asking you to take a few minutes to support Finn Fancy if you’ve read and enjoyed it, OR if dark and quirky contemporary fantasy is something that interests you and you MIGHT read it someday.  Or if you are just feeling generous toward me and want to support my dream, I suppose.

So if you DO want to help guarantee more Finn Fancy books, here’s what you can do, in rough order from most impact to least.  I’ve tried to make it easy:

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