# Fantasy Wish List!



## jwest (Nov 14, 2011)

Fantasy Wish List

Like many people out there, I’m a huge fan of fantasy! Besides writing fantasy, I’m an avid reader. I read lots of different books by many different authors. Lately I’ve had questions popping into my mind. What do fantasy fans like best? What do you want more of, less of? Why do you read fantasy? What is it you love about the genre?

Do you want more dragons, or less dragons, more trilogies, or stand-alone books? Do you want traditional fantasy settings, like a medieval kingdom, or something new?

Let’s call it a fantasy wish list! What’s on yours?

Thanks for sharing 

Best wishes,
James


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## Laura Lond (Nov 6, 2010)

I want most of fantasy books I see here in people's signatures! 

I prefer traditional, medieval settings. Contemporary-set stories can be good, but to me they don't feel like "true fantasy," so to speak. I would rather classify them as paranormal. I also prefer to see a story that takes place completely in the other, fantasy, world, without someone from our world traveling there. Narnia is an exception; I love it nevertheless.


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## jwest (Nov 14, 2011)

Laura Lond said:


> I want most of fantasy books I see here in people's signatures!
> 
> I prefer traditional, medieval settings. Contemporary-set stories can be good, but to me they don't feel like "true fantasy," so to speak. I would rather classify them as paranormal. I also prefer to see a story that takes place completely in the other, fantasy, world, without someone from our world traveling there. Narnia is an exception; I love it nevertheless.


I agree! I've found some fantastic reads here on Kindle Boards, and I found the books in people's signatures!

And I am a fan of Narnia myself, but I also love to go to a completely different world


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## Seleya (Feb 25, 2011)

Please, give me more (generic 'you' used throughout of course):

Interesting settings that aren't 'Theme Park Pseudo-medieval Generic ', please, explore and research if you want your book to have a 'real-world history flavor'.

A few more heroes (of either gender)who:

have principles and try their best to follow them,

don't rebel against tradition just because,

understand and actually believe the power = responsibility thing.

sometimes are faced with the inevitability of meaningful sacrifice and accept it, as hard as it may be.

And if I don't happen across another 'evil and corrupted church vs. good and honorable magic users /druids / pagans / agnostics' trope for the next decade I'd be happy indeed.

_edited for clarity_


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## Laura Lond (Nov 6, 2010)

Seleya said:


> And if I don't happen across another 'evil and corrupted church vs. good and honorable magic users /druids / pagans / agnostics' trope for the next decade I'd be happy indeed.


You know, this got me thinking - and yes, I can recall many examples of "evil church" in fantasy books I've read. LOL!


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## jwest (Nov 14, 2011)

Seleya said:


> Please, give me more (generic 'you' used throughout of course):
> 
> Interesting settings that aren't 'Theme Park Pseudo-medieval Generic ', please, explore and research if you want your book to have a 'real-world history flavor'.
> 
> ...


I'm intrigued by the heroes you want, because I find myself wanting the same thing. I love books where, like you said, the hero is faced with the inevitability of a meaningful sacrifice. What if they don't save the day at the last possible moment? What happens when their world collapses? How would they survive, what hard choices would they have to make?

Great wishlist Seleya!


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

Fantasy stories that center around adult protagonists instead of yet another coming-of-age story with a teenaged "chosen one." Maybe the hero could be the aging king/baroness/knight/princess/whatever who is not totally inept and is not being manipulated by an evil wizard? 

Stories that finish in one book: if you want to write a "series" so that you can re-use a world and its characters, write books which stand on their own, even if there is, perhaps, some sort of overall story arc (see Terry Pratchett, e.g.).


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## Gayle Miller (Sep 22, 2012)

I want more fantasy worlds that I can explore, adult protagonists, themes and a good story that makes you think.


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## Christopher Bunn (Oct 26, 2010)

I like fantasies with fairly clear good and evil. I'm not a big fan of the moral ambiguity that's so popular via the George Martins of our day. Shrug. I like heroes to be heroes and I like them to win, though they definitely should have a really hard time of it along the way.

I'm getting kind of tired of the whole "farm boy" thing who is the only person who can save the world, suddenly discovers he has mad fighting/wizarding skills, etc etc. If it's done really well, then I'll enjoy it, but it's mostly not done well.

Talking animals are fine, portals into other worlds, strange curses, really wicked, powerful villains who are wicked and evil not because they had a hard childhood, but because they chose to be evil. I like the portrayal of evil as a seductive, consuming entity that can turn good people to the darkness.

I like good writing.


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## jwest (Nov 14, 2011)

NogDog said:


> Fantasy stories that center around adult protagonists instead of yet another coming-of-age story with a teenaged "chosen one." Maybe the hero could be the aging king/baroness/knight/princess/whatever who is not totally inept and is not being manipulated by an evil wizard?
> 
> Stories that finish in one book: if you want to write a "series" so that you can re-use a world and its characters, write books which stand on their own, even if there is, perhaps, some sort of overall story arc (see Terry Pratchett, e.g.).


Great points NogDog. I really enjoy series where the books stand on their own, but feature a recurring character/world. For example, I'm a fan of Robert E. Howard's Conan adventures.


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## Kathelm (Sep 27, 2010)

I'm in it for the worldbuilding.  I prefer pre-industrial societies.  I also appreciate when an author takes the time to think about the ramifications of the magic system on cultures, governments, religion, etc.  I'm not so interested in chosen one/coming of age stories, although it seems as those have fallen out of favor anyway, at least apart from young adult fiction.  Byronic heroes always appeal to me.


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## vikiana (Oct 5, 2012)

Laura Lond said:


> I want most of fantasy books I see here in people's signatures!
> 
> I prefer traditional, medieval settings. Contemporary-set stories can be good, but to me they don't feel like "true fantasy," so to speak. I would rather classify them as paranormal. I also prefer to see a story that takes place completely in the other, fantasy, world, without someone from our world traveling there. Narnia is an exception; I love it nevertheless.


 In my fantasy wish list I would like to see traditional medieval settings. Contemporary fantasy stories it's not so easy to make nowadays because they look more like scary movies or with something paranormal rather than some historical ancient fantasy story. I would be very very glad to see some other world as well where things are totaly different than in our world. The hard part is people very hard can imagine something out of Earth and usualy everything looks so familiar...


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## jwest (Nov 14, 2011)

Kathelm said:


> I'm in it for the worldbuilding. I prefer pre-industrial societies. I also appreciate when an author takes the time to think about the ramifications of the magic system on cultures, governments, religion, etc. I'm not so interested in chosen one/coming of age stories, although it seems as those have fallen out of favor anyway, at least apart from young adult fiction. Byronic heroes always appeal to me.


Maybe I shouldn't admit this, but I had to look up what a byronic hero was (and I mean that in a good way). I thought this was an intriguing wish list, and thanks for replying, it gave me a chance to learn something new!


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## Kwalker (Aug 23, 2012)

Hmm...
I'd like to try more witchcraft centered books (not that they aren't out there, I just haven't made the time to read them yet. *blush*)

I personally am a fan of understated magic. I don't like it where everything can be solved by magic, or where people become too powerful that it looses it's effect.

I'd like to see more stories like G R R Martin's.


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

Kwalker said:


> ...
> I personally am a fan of understated magic. I don't like it where everything can be solved by magic, or where people become too powerful that it looses it's effect.
> ...


Or at the very least: big, powerful magic should require big, powerful sacrifices and or big, powerful risks.


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## lvhiggins (Aug 1, 2012)

Christopher Bunn said:


> I like fantasies with fairly clear good and evil. I'm not a big fan of the moral ambiguity that's so popular via the George Martins of our day. Shrug. I like heroes to be heroes and I like them to win, though they definitely should have a really hard time of it along the way.


I agree with Christopher. I'm through book 4 in the George R.R. Martin series and I'm becoming frustrated at the moral ambiguity. I love dark fantasies but come on, let's have SOME poetic justice.


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## Christopher Bunn (Oct 26, 2010)

lvhiggins said:


> I agree with Christopher. I'm through book 4 in the George R.R. Martin series and I'm becoming frustrated at the moral ambiguity. I love dark fantasies but come on, let's have SOME poetic justice.


Yeah, I love poetic justice. Maybe that's why all those really old fairytales ring so true. Those are some brutal stories (evil stepmother stuffed in a barrel of nails and rolled down into the sea, witch shoved into the burning oven...), but they sure are poetically just.


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## Kristine McKinley (Aug 26, 2012)

Christopher Bunn said:


> I like fantasies with fairly clear good and evil. I'm not a big fan of the moral ambiguity that's so popular via the George Martins of our day. Shrug. I like heroes to be heroes and I like them to win, though they definitely should have a really hard time of it along the way.
> 
> I'm getting kind of tired of the whole "farm boy" thing who is the only person who can save the world, suddenly discovers he has mad fighting/wizarding skills, etc etc. If it's done really well, then I'll enjoy it, but it's mostly not done well.
> 
> ...


This. Completely this. Tired of some backwater boy being the savior of humanity and while I sometimes enjoy moral ambiguity I like a clear defined good and evil.


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## Chad Winters (Oct 28, 2008)

Seleya said:


> Please, give me more (generic 'you' used throughout of course):
> 
> Interesting settings that aren't 'Theme Park Pseudo-medieval Generic ', please, explore and research if you want your book to have a 'real-world history flavor'.
> 
> ...


Made me think of The Deed of Paksenarrion by Elizabeth Moon
http://www.baenebooks.com/c-1-free-library.aspx?SectionFilterID=78

Have you tried that one? 
The first book is available free on the Baen Free Library and the trilogy omnibus is available for $6. Its a classic
http://www.baenebooks.com/p-100-the-deed-of-paksenarrion.aspx


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## Seleya (Feb 25, 2011)

*jwest*, thank you!

*Chad* Yes! I love The Deed of Paksenarrion, its just about the only series I can think of that, in my opinion, gets the paladin archetype right. 

I'd love to suggest the fantasy of Kary Sperring

 

and Aliette de Bodard



To people looking for fantasy different from the usual fare (disclaimer: both authors are internet friends but I have no financial interest in their books).


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## jwest (Nov 14, 2011)

Kwalker said:


> Hmm...
> I'd like to try more witchcraft centered books (not that they aren't out there, I just haven't made the time to read them yet. *blush*)
> 
> I personally am a fan of understated magic. I don't like it where everything can be solved by magic, or where people become too powerful that it looses it's effect.
> ...


I really enjoy understated magic as well. That is what first caught my attention with G R R Martin


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## Colin Taber (Apr 4, 2011)

jwest said:


> I really enjoy understated magic as well. That is what first caught my attention with G R R Martin


Yes, subtle magic is a pleasant surprise, to a point where the reader's not even sure if what's happening is magic or perhaps it just seems to be. This sort of thing is done well, if my memory serves me correctly, in the first few of GRRM's Ice & Fire books.


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## Brian Dockins (May 22, 2012)

My preference is long, complex series with the same character. I prefer this in both my writing and my reading. I mainly like fantasy settings, but lately I've been drawn to stories about magic in our world. I also like fantasy cliches turned on their head, which now seems to be a cliche itself. But as long as there is some new, interesting twist to a character, I'm okay with that. I do get a little tired of the always-right, blameless heroes.


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## RichardMercer (Oct 13, 2012)

I'm not necessarily an avid reader of the Fantasy genre. But about six months ago a friend introduced me to a fantasy series, called the Wheel of Time series. This series has books that take forever to get through but is packed with action, political intrigue, relationships and emotion. There are so many unique and interesting characters that come back from time to time. Such as there is one person who was known at the start of the book, but you didn't pay much attention to him. Then at the end of the book this character comes back and makes you go "Wow!" because it makes so much sense, yet is not seen coming whatsoever. The fantasy book is filled with so many of these moments. The magic system is what really hooked me though. I've read many of the traditional magic systems but in this series the magic system is pretty traditional, except using it will eventually make you go mad. The taint of using the magic system will slowly accumulate in you until you go mad and do who knows what. It's really drawn me in, and shown me how good the fantasy genre can be. However I heard that others, such as the Mistborn trilogy are also really good.


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## Chad Winters (Oct 28, 2008)

RichardMercer said:


> I'm not necessarily an avid reader of the Fantasy genre. But about six months ago a friend introduced me to a fantasy series, called the Wheel of Time series. This series has books that take forever to get through but is packed with action, political intrigue, relationships and emotion. There are so many unique and interesting characters that come back from time to time. Such as there is one person who was known at the start of the book, but you didn't pay much attention to him. Then at the end of the book this character comes back and makes you go "Wow!" because it makes so much sense, yet is not seen coming whatsoever. The fantasy book is filled with so many of these moments. The magic system is what really hooked me though. I've read many of the traditional magic systems but in this series the magic system is pretty traditional, except using it will eventually make you go mad. The taint of using the magic system will slowly accumulate in you until you go mad and do who knows what. It's really drawn me in, and shown me how good the fantasy genre can be. However I heard that others, such as the Mistborn trilogy are also really good.


I liked the first 2 or 3 Wheel of Time books but then it seemed to become an exercise in "how many giant books can I write where nothing happens"


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

Chad Winters said:


> I liked the first 2 or 3 Wheel of Time books but then it seemed to become an exercise in "how many giant books can I write where nothing happens"


Yeah, I gave up somewhere around #6.


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## Lensman (Aug 28, 2012)

I like fantasies that aren't simplistic - I agree with the "no more farm boy" assessment - but I want some kind of moral compass - books where all the characters are unrelentingly nasty just turn me off.  There needs to be internal consistency and logic to the world (I will resist the temptation to mention fantasy series where the heroine's powers fluctuate dependant on what the plot demands or where monsters change personality to let the romantic plot move forward).

I like unusual settings, rather than just the most common pseudo-medieval worlds, and I like a plot that has twists and action, instead of straightforward quests to travel from A to B to defeat the (usually bland and boring) dark lords.

I also want characters who are not stupid (I recall one novel where the hero goes to confront the monster, only to realise that he forgot to bring his sword with him. Doh!).

And finally, I don't want too much cuteness!


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## RichardMercer (Oct 13, 2012)

Chad Winters said:


> I liked the first 2 or 3 Wheel of Time books but then it seemed to become an exercise in "how many giant books can I write where nothing happens"





NogDog said:


> Yeah, I gave up somewhere around #6.


Yeah I can understand that. It's probably it just being the first fantasy book I've really sunk my teeth into. But I know what you mean about it taking forever. People say it picks back up though *crosses fingers*


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## dkrauss (Oct 13, 2012)

More military fantasy, like Glen Cook's _Black Company_ series.

It should be a medieval-type world because, if it's a modern one, then it's scifi. And the magic doesn't have to be big and wizardy, just an alternate science. So I guess what I'm really looking for is a mix of scifi and fantasy, something along the lines of Gene Wolfe's "New Sun" stories, or Jack Vance's "Dragon Masters."


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## thedavebright (Sep 8, 2012)

I second the more military fantasy motion


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## jwest (Nov 14, 2011)

dkrauss said:


> More military fantasy, like Glen Cook's _Black Company_ series.
> 
> It should be a medieval-type world because, if it's a modern one, then it's scifi. And the magic doesn't have to be big and wizardy, just an alternate science. So I guess what I'm really looking for is a mix of scifi and fantasy, something along the lines of Gene Wolfe's "New Sun" stories, or Jack Vance's "Dragon Masters."


I haven't really read any military fantasy, but after reading your reply I'm pretty interested in checking it out.


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## dkrauss (Oct 13, 2012)

jwest said:


> I haven't really read any military fantasy, but after reading your reply I'm pretty interested in checking it out.


Have you read Scalzi's _Old Man's War_? That's a good place to start, although it's more scifi than fantasy. Kate Elliot's _Crossroads Trilogy_ has some epic military scenes, but it took me about 1/3 of the way through the first one, _Spirit Gate_, to get hooked.


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## jwest (Nov 14, 2011)

dkrauss said:


> Have you read Scalzi's _Old Man's War_? That's a good place to start, although it's more scifi than fantasy. Kate Elliot's _Crossroads Trilogy_ has some epic military scenes, but it took me about 1/3 of the way through the first one, _Spirit Gate_, to get hooked.


I haven't read either of those. I appreciate the suggestions, I'm going to check them out! I've read a few series that took me a while to get hooked, but it was worth it in the end


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## Chad Winters (Oct 28, 2008)

Check out the humble ebook bundle
Old mans war and some other good ones are in it.....
http://www.humblebundle.com/


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## jonathanmoeller (Apr 19, 2011)

Wizards that blow things up _with their minds. _

Also, swordfighting.


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## jwest (Nov 14, 2011)

Chad Winters said:


> Check out the humble ebook bundle
> Old mans war and some other good ones are in it.....
> http://www.humblebundle.com/


Thanks Chad!


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## Groggy1 (Jun 21, 2010)

NogDog said:


> Yeah, I gave up somewhere around #6.


I hit number 5 and didn't finish the last three pages...


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## Groggy1 (Jun 21, 2010)

I want the cost of the decisions to be equal to the value of the result!!!

The The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant (first three) had this cost...

Also Modesitt Jr., The Saga of Recluce Series the cost is there...


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## Wansit (Sep 27, 2012)

Lensman said:


> I like fantasies that aren't simplistic - I agree with the "no more farm boy" assessment - but I want some kind of moral compass - books where all the characters are unrelentingly nasty just turn me off. ).
> 
> And finally, I don't want too much cuteness!


I'm the opposite - love the 'farm boys' and cute fantasy series. Jim Butcher's Codex Alera series is one of my favorite recent discoveries and I'll be a fan of Mercedes Lackey (The Queen of Cute/Moral Compass Characters) until I die.


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## Wansit (Sep 27, 2012)

Seleya said:


> *jwest*, thank you!
> 
> *Chad* Yes! I love The Deed of Paksenarrion, its just about the only series I can think of that, in my opinion, gets the paladin archetype right.
> 
> ...


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## Jackal Lantern Books (Aug 30, 2011)

What an interesting post! And some great insight. 

Personally, I am a contemporary fantasy gal. Not that I don't appreciate all fantasy, but I like a modern day setting. I also enjoy a good series too, and I don't mind whether it's a stand alone story or a cliffhanger. Reading a book series is a fairly recent thing for me, I think in part that it seems to be the way things are going these days. It seems like there are fewer and fewer stand alone books when it comes to the fantasy genre. Perhaps I just don't seek them out any longer now that I've become a fan of the series. 

And obviously, from my signature, I write series books. I often think of writing stand alone stories and then somehow, I inevitably start to think of them as a series. 

When it comes to magic in fantasy I am a fan! However, I don't think magic should ever be the forefront of a story. The story must always be about a character's journey. Magic might affect or assist that journey, but in the end a character has to solve and be responsible for their own problems, destiny, etc.


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## Laura Lond (Nov 6, 2010)

livinginfantasyland said:


> When it comes to magic in fantasy I am a fan! However, I don't think magic should ever be the forefront of a story. The story must always be about a character's journey. Magic might affect or assist that journey, but in the end a character has to solve and be responsible for their own problems, destiny, etc.


Yes, this is something I appreciate, too. If magic is a part of the world, it needs to be introduced with ease, matter-of-factly, so to speak, as a background for other, more interesting things / characters / plot developments. I like seeing how the characters take it in stride. It is nothing extraordinary to them, they are used to it - unless the story focuses on a non-magical race that is somewhat similar to us.


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## projectbk (Apr 12, 2012)

I'd like to see more fantasy novels with a more Eastern rather than European setting, like the Last Airbender.  Unfortunately, it's hard to do this without devolving into orientalism.


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## jwest (Nov 14, 2011)

projectbk said:


> I'd like to see more fantasy novels with a more Eastern rather than European setting, like the Last Airbender. Unfortunately, it's hard to do this without devolving into orientalism.


I agree! I love an Eastern setting. I enjoy writing stories with settings based on ancient Mediterranean civilizations.

Also, I love the Conan books by Robert E. Howard, and Robert Jordan, because some of the stories took place (at least in part) in a desert.

I do love stories with European settings, but it can be fun to read something different


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## Klip (Mar 7, 2011)

I like it when an author is able to approach the familiar tropes - the wise master, talking animals and so on - in a a way that makes them seem fresh and real again.  Make them unexpected and familiar all at once, and I'm hooked.


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## julidrevezzo (Sep 15, 2012)

I have to admit, I want more worldbuilding. While I do read (and write) modern-set fantasy, my first love is to just make everything up. I like to see writers do the same. Of course, if they wanted to base that world on, say Medieval China, or Renaissance Italy or Spain (like Melanie Rawn's _Golden Key_) I wouldn't be unhappy. Like some of you, yes, I'm very tired of the "child savior" story line. I'd love to know what happens to some of those people once they hit 30.  Or 18 at least. I'm enjoying the _Deeds of Paksenarion _right now for that reason if nothing else (okay, it's just a darned good book so far).


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## Seleya (Feb 25, 2011)

projectbk said:


> I'd like to see more fantasy novels with a more Eastern rather than European setting, like the Last Airbender. Unfortunately, it's hard to do this without devolving into orientalism.


I recently read, and loved, Tiger Lily it is set in an alternate Japan and definitely not guilty of orientalism, I also loved the Moshui trilogy by Daniel Fox starting with Jade Man's Skin (Moshui)

Also Kate Elliott's _Crossroads_ trilogy starting with Spirit Gate: Book One of Crossroads draws a lot of its inspiration from several cultures of Asia.


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## MartinGibbs (Jun 20, 2011)

jonathanmoeller said:


> Wizards that blow things up _with their minds. _


Oh, heck yes! That would be awesome. That way you never really know who did what. Nobody is waving their arms or muttering strange words. But then..



jonathanmoeller said:


> Also, swordfighting.


Would you really need it, if the wizards could do that?


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## Chad Winters (Oct 28, 2008)

MartinGibbs said:


> Oh, heck yes! That would be awesome. That way you never really know who did what. Nobody is waving their arms or muttering strange words. But then..
> 
> Would you really need it, if the wizards could do that?


Sounds like that Scanners movie


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## Robert Fluegel (Nov 8, 2012)

I like a good quest.  Life on the road with a group of mismatched races has been so overdone though so I want more originality than that.  I think a good quest can be as much or more a search for answers as a physical journey.  I know that might sound obvious but I have read so many fantasies where the characters are shuffled around the board and without much happening just so the author can sell another book in the series.  The Wheel of Time comes to mind.  Another mistake Robert Jordan made in that series was having way too many main characters.  He would give chapters to some character so obscure I couldn't remember who they were without re-reading the entire series again.  I enjoy complexity but not to the point of ridiculousness.  

Someone above mentioned real evil vs true good.  I am probably the opposite.  I like a villain who descends into evil or perhaps one who ascends from it.  Perhaps an evil character who's environment was such that he/she was destined to be evil but they find a way to fight it.


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## MartinGibbs (Jun 20, 2011)

Robert Fluegel said:


> I like a good quest. Life on the road with a group of mismatched races has been so overdone though so I want more originality than that. I think a good quest can be as much or more a search for answers as a physical journey. I know that might sound obvious but I have read so many fantasies where the characters are shuffled around the board and without much happening just so the author can sell another book in the series. The Wheel of Time comes to mind. Another mistake Robert Jordan made in that series was having way too many main characters. He would give chapters to some character so obscure I couldn't remember who they were without re-reading the entire series again. I enjoy complexity but not to the point of ridiculousness.
> 
> Someone above mentioned real evil vs true good. I am probably the opposite. I like a villain who descends into evil or perhaps one who ascends from it. Perhaps an evil character who's environment was such that he/she was destined to be evil but they find a way to fight it.


I hear you on Robert Jordan. But he was still a great writer, and I'll be buying Memory of Light because I want an ending to this never-ending story.

About the evil character: I like the descent into madness too. Perhaps a bitter young person whose outlook becomes blacker and blacker, and the misanthropy goes haywire. But what if we all love that guy/gal? We WANT the evil to win, because the good guys are so stupid? Now, that would be cool.


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## gljones (Nov 6, 2012)

jwest said:


> Great points NogDog. I really enjoy series where the books stand on their own, but feature a recurring character/world. For example, I'm a fan of Robert E. Howard's Conan adventures.


So am I. In fact his writing influenced mine on some level.


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## Debbie Bennett (Mar 25, 2011)

I grew up on sf and fantasy. But it all seemed so much more original back then. Now I'm bored of doorsteps trilogies where the boy-wizard saves the orphan-girl-who-is-really-a-princess and they journey to the holy city to find plot device A which leads them to the evil-magus who tells them that boy-wizard has to solve the eternal riddle to find plot device B which will mean that orphan-girl-who-is-really-a-princess can claim her rightful heritage. Yawn....

Give me originality! I'll read contemporary or high fantasy, so long as the writing is good and the plot is different.


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## Anisa Claire West (Sep 19, 2012)

Sizzling Fantasy Elements:

1. An intelligent mortal heroine
2. A mythical goddess or sorceress to clash with the heroine
3. Romance, romance, romance


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## Kathelm (Sep 27, 2010)

> About the evil character: I like the descent into madness too. Perhaps a bitter young person whose outlook becomes blacker and blacker, and the misanthropy goes haywire.


I'm with you on that one. A slow decline, preferably with good cause, is a good way to do an evil character. Bonus points if the villain is sure he's right up to the end.


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## jliyon (Nov 14, 2012)

I too like Fantasy Stories....Mysteries

J Liyon


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## gljones (Nov 6, 2012)

The problem I have with the word "Fantasy" as it is sooooooo! broad.


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## Guest (Nov 28, 2012)

More low fantasy with hardcore warrior heroes like David Gemmell's books, Conan, or Beowulf. But with more of the great warriors being female.


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## BJ Whittington (Aug 30, 2011)

Dragons. LOL I grew up reading Anne McCaffrey, wishing I lived on Pern.


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## wolfrom (May 26, 2012)

I like contemporary or historical fantasy that's almost magic realism, where you read it and you almost aren't sure if what's happening is fantastical in any way.

That might be because of my science fiction background, or my strange love of cannibalism stories, which aren't really fantasy at all.


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## MartinGibbs (Jun 20, 2011)

BJ Whittington said:


> Dragons. LOL I grew up reading Anne McCaffrey, wishing I lived on Pern.


I don't like dragons, but Pern is such a sweet fantasy name. I just love it.


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## Guest (Dec 1, 2012)

wolfrom said:


> cannibalism stories, which aren't really fantasy at all.


Depends if the cannibals get super powers from it.


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## Tony Richards (Jul 6, 2011)

gljones said:


> The problem I have with the word "Fantasy" as it is sooooooo! broad.


All novels are fantasy, when you think about it. Like, they never really happened. But I'm afraid I rarely relate to the historical stuff (although there are a few exceptions). I by far prefer fantasy in modern-day settings.


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## Lursa (aka 9MMare) (Jun 23, 2011)

Shucks. Mislead by the thread title.

All my wish lists are mostly fantasy! (Bummer, that).

No magic. I dont care for books where the author can just write in and out of situations or invent stuff willy-nilly (no matter how deeply or creatively developed). Too convenient. A bit like writing some YA. While this has nothing to do with an author's writing style, I'd just prefer to see good writing applied differently.


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## JRTomlin (Jan 18, 2011)

jwest said:


> Fantasy Wish List
> 
> Like many people out there, I'm a huge fan of fantasy! Besides writing fantasy, I'm an avid reader. I read lots of different books by many different authors. Lately I've had questions popping into my mind. What do fantasy fans like best? What do you want more of, less of? Why do you read fantasy? What is it you love about the genre?
> 
> ...


GRRM finishing the next novel and NOT taking 6 years about it.


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## Geemont (Nov 18, 2008)

When I was young, high school age, I enjoyed fantasy more, but as I've grown older the genre interests me less and less, especially in the past decade or so. But I still do read a few each year.

For me, I'd be more likely to read books with fewer traditional fantasy troupes: medieval castles, wizards, dragons, "chosen one" heroes , et al. Too many authors writing knockoffs of some others author's bestseller lead to a glut of bland interchangeable stories I tend to ignore.

I'm not found of series. I'd prefer stand alone or trilogies. Anything with more than four or five books isn't going to worth investing my reading time.

Also, probably most importantly, write for adults. The whole YA bandwagon is unappealing to me. I don't mean sex and violence, but rather stories that focus characters dealing with complex issues. For example, in _Lord Foul's Bane_ the mother of the girl Covenant raped must guide and protect him that inflicts the psychology trauma upon her. That's more of the kind of stuff I'd like to see. I can pass on boy wizards defending the world from evil wizards with mighty spells.


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