Ahira's Hangar

If u wanted 2 trace the origins of Fantasy u'd probably have 2 go way, way back in history-@least 2 the Eddas, the Vedas, the Bible, Sumerian cuneiform-and Eqyptian, Greek & Norse mythologies. 2 say nothing of Celtic lore, China or Timbutku--u name it. Alot of it has also come down 2 us in time through folk tales, fairy tales and old wive's tales. Well I'm going 2 speed things up and bring us up--through the brothers Grimm, and others--2 around 102 years ago. Between the late 1880s and the 1930s there arose in England 3 original masters of what we now consider "modern" Fantasy: William Morris, E.R. Edison and Lord Dunsany whose works had a profound influence on Wells, Tolkien, Lewis, H.Rider Haggard, Mervyn Peake, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Robert E. Howard, H.P. Lovecraft, and other recent masters--Combine Morris, Eddison & Dunsany with even earlier American authors such as: Ambrose Bierce, Poe, Irving and Crane and u've pretty well covered all the major influences of "modern" Fantasy. Dunsany and Morris began the dreamy, weird, eerie otherlands and magic--while Eddison was one of the 1st writers 2 envision a completely different world that an earthling could b transported 2 complete with maps and heroes: he probably could be considered the father of modern Sword & Sorcery.
---Thanks to Lin Carter who was chief editor of Ballentine's Adult Fantasy series the works of these 3 have been available 2 the general public since about 1975--they used 2 be obscure and very hard 2 find before that. So if you know about these guys discuss them here, if not (in sorta chronological order) here is a pretty good primer of authors available through the Ballentine series that I recommend 2 look up 4 ur summer reading list along with some titles (books I've read):

*William Morris--The Wood Beyond the World vols 1&2, The Water of Wonderous Isles, The Well at the World's End.
*E.R.Eddison--The Worm Oroborous, Mistress of Mistresses, A Fish Dinner in Memison, The Mezentian Gate.
*Lord Dunsany--The Charwoman's Shadow, The King of Elfland's Daughter, Beyond the Fields We Know.
*James Branch Cabell
*George MacDonald--Lilith
*C.K. Chesterton
*Katherine Kurtz
*Ludovico Ariosto--Orlando Furioso
*Ernest Braman--Kai Lung Unrolls His Mat, Kai Lung's Golden Hours
*Evangeline Watson--Songs of Rhiannon
*Hope Mirrless--Lud in the Mist
*Mervyn Peake--Gormonghast, Titus Groan
*William Hope Hogston--The Nightland vols 1&2, The Boats of the "Glen Carig"
*Hannes Bok--The Sorcerer's Ship, The Golden Staircase
*Fletcher Pratt
*Peter S. Beagle--The Last Unicorn
*David Lindsay--Voyage to Acturus

Fall Far and Well Pilots!<i>Edited by: danlo60 at: 5/31/02 10:22:53 am
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Danlo -

If you like Eddison, Peake, Morris et al then you must read The High House by James Stoddard. Its written as a homage to just about everybody on your list. For example the hero sits at The Well at The World End reading, he stays with the Mcdonalds.

Its a wonderful book. And the sequel False House is excellent also. "Some of the Scottish troops ran for five miles before they were killed. Others threw themselves into the sea. The number of dead is impossible to calculate, but there must have been several thousand. They included 5 Scottish Earls. The few prisoners who had been taken were put to death on Edward III's order, a final act of savagery for which there is no rational explanation. English casualties were light. Halidon Hill 19 July 1333Edward III Puts Scotland to the Sword, For a very Long Time.<i></i>

Good additions Beren--those books u mention r also available through the Ballentine Adult Fantasy series--I've seen The High House and was tempted--now I'm REALLY tempted! That quote in ur sig makes my Scottish blood boil--and my part Irish blood boil 2! "Do we get 2 kill English?.....excellent!!" Where's Wallace when u need him!!!??? Hoot mon!! Fall Far and Well Pilots!<i>Edited by: danlo60 at: 5/21/02 9:00:11 am
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DanLo - A Scot ! Excellent. I've been bumping into a few over at Rans board like Zakwele. I change my sig according to which book I'm currently devouring. I'll try an find some English bashing one soon. Honest

Hope you get the chance to read Stoddard. Judging by your taste in books I'm pretty sure you'd enjoy his works. "Some of the Scottish troops ran for five miles before they were killed. Others threw themselves into the sea. The number of dead is impossible to calculate, but there must have been several thousand. They included 5 Scottish Earls. The few prisoners who had been taken were put to death on Edward III's order, a final act of savagery for which there is no rational explanation. English casualties were light. Halidon Hill 19 July 1333Edward III Puts Scotland to the Sword, For a very Long Time.<i></i>

I just looked 4 Stoddard @ my local paperback xchange--alas they don't have him! I'll keep looking tho...3/4 of me comes from the McCalister clan--insane highland (and roamers) warrior/priests! Fall Far and Well Pilots!<i></i>

Danlo -

I agree with your list BTW, with maybe 2 additions. Robert E Howard and Fritz Leiber surely deserve a mention.

E.R.Eddison ! Now there's a name we don't see mentioned enough. Loved Worm Ouroborus. I'm a sucker for archaic language style. So Eddison, Peake and Tolkien are bound to be favourite reads.

Blimey I'd better go any change my fave Fantasy Top 10 "Some of the Scottish troops ran for five miles before they were killed. Others threw themselves into the sea. The number of dead is impossible to calculate, but there must have been several thousand. They included 5 Scottish Earls. The few prisoners who had been taken were put to death on Edward III's order, a final act of savagery for which there is no rational explanation. English casualties were light. Halidon Hill 19 July 1333Edward III Puts Scotland to the Sword, For a very Long Time.<i></i>

I love Lieber! Robt. E. Howard is mentioned above--in fact it was Lin Carter and L. Sprague deCamp who did a bunch of mop-up work on Howard's unfinished Conans--King Kull is my fav Howard character. Carter and the Ballentine Book series were also, largely, in part, responsible 4 reintroducing the general public 2 H.P. Lovecraft, August Dereleth, Oliver Onions, Clarke Aston Smith & Clifford D. Simak.(c Cthulhu's Corner 4 more on that!) Fall Far and Well Pilots!<i>Edited by: danlo60 at: 5/21/02 2:38:29 pm
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Yep King Kull's Cool. And Bran Mak Morn. Its great to see all these classics getting a reprint.

The Sprague De Camp and Carter versions of Howard novels are not too bad. Certainly better than Robert Jordan's. Dammit I've gone and mentioned him now. "Some of the Scottish troops ran for five miles before they were killed. Others threw themselves into the sea. The number of dead is impossible to calculate, but there must have been several thousand. They included 5 Scottish Earls. The few prisoners who had been taken were put to death on Edward III's order, a final act of savagery for which there is no rational explanation. English casualties were light. Halidon Hill 19 July 1333Edward III Puts Scotland to the Sword, For a very Long Time.<i></i>

Relax--on Kevin's Watch (the 1st website I was ever introduced 2) we have a taboo about never mentioning Robt. Jordan, Terry Brooks or David Eddings but it's okay here--just watch it w/the Jordan tho! Fall Far and Well Pilots!<i>Edited by: danlo60 at: 5/21/02 2:45:56 pm
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Danlo -

Good to hear we're all in agreement around here re Jordan
"Some of the Scottish troops ran for five miles before they were killed. Others threw themselves into the sea. The number of dead is impossible to calculate, but there must have been several thousand. They included 5 Scottish Earls. The few prisoners who had been taken were put to death on Edward III's order, a final act of savagery for which there is no rational explanation. English casualties were light. Halidon Hill 19 July 1333Edward III Puts Scotland to the Sword, For a very Long Time.<i></i>

Weird--since the hacker attack--this and some other threads are visible when you're NOT logged in but not when you are. Let's hope this post makes this thread reappear. Whew (edit) it worked!!! <i>Edited by: danlo60 at: 7/8/05 12:43 pm
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I've been reading The King of Elfland's Daughter the last couple of days. It's quite good. It is something like 90 years old (I think it was originally published back in the 1920's) but reads as a very modern work. If anything or anyone, it remainds me of Neil Gaiman! Since I really like the writing of Neil Gaiman, that's pretty cool in my mind. ******************************************************

Our lives are the songs that sing the universe into existence.~David Zindell
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