From: blang@VNET.IBM.COM Date: Thu, 21 Dec 95 16:20:58 EST Subject: Recommendations Doug, First of all, like so many others who've sent letters to you, I'd like to thank you for putting together such a wonderful set of reviews. I'd also like to thank you for pointing out the personality test; I, too, am an INFJ, and I found myself agreeing with you on several of your reviews. Of course, human nature being what it is, when I disagreed with you, it was a doozie. While I liked Donaldson's Mordant's Need, I couldn't even finish the first of the Covenant books. I thought Connie Willis' Doomsday Book was very good, especially because it paints a more realistic picture of the middle ages than does other books (i.e. historical fiction genre). Thirdly, and maybe this is because I took a Chaucer class in college, I found Hyperion good but overall nothing but The Canterbury Tales in Space. I'm still debating whether to read The Fall of Hyperion. On the other hand, Guy Gavriel Kay is my favorite author, and I whole-heartedly recommend Lions of Al-Rassan to you. It's more in line with Song for Arbonne than Tigana (Tigana having elements of magic in it that Song and Lions do not contain). I also agree with you on Greg Bear; The Infinity Concerto and The Serpent Mage were the first two books of his I had read and I believe they are extremely powerful. I'm currently finishing Anvil of Stars and I think this duology (The Forge of God is the first book) is also well-written and a superb story. Thanks for the review of Ken Grimwood's Replay; one of the best books I've ever read, with some imaginative ideas and a surprising ending. Just to let you know this isn't all chaff, here's some other recommendations: Charles DeLint -- Of all his works, I think The Little Country stands out. Others will argue that Moonheart and Spiritwalk are better, but something about those two rang false. The Little Country makes you believe in magic. Peter Beagle -- The Last Unicorn is delightful in the same way that Disney movies are delightful. Also, Beagle is one of the best at handling the English language; his analogies brighten the story and open the mind. CJ Cherryh -- Fortress in the Eye of Time. This probably isn't out in paperback yet, and it is the first book by Cherryh that I've read. It is a fantasy along the lines of Crowley's The Deep, in which an unknown entity is thrust into the gap between two warring nations. Very well constructed and a tense read. I'll be picking up more of Cherryh's writings because of this one. John Crowley -- Little, Big and Aegypt. Crowley can be difficult to read at times, but his manipulation of everyday life into an alternate reality full of elves and such works on your mind as you read. These books are not fast reads; they are almost like literature in their structure. I haven't read Love & Sleep yet, the sequel to Aegypt, but it's on the list. Stephen Lawhead - His Arthurian series was a breath of fresh air from all the rehashes of the Arthurian legends. Lawhead, who lives in England, has apparently paid a lot of attention to the histories written by Norma Goodrich. Many of her ideas regarding the true nature of King Arthur, the round table, of who Gwenhyfar truly was are reflected here. And he throws in some truly remarkable fantasy ideas regarding Atlantis and the Fisher King. Unfortunately, I found the latest installment, Pendragon, a far cry from the original trilogy. Also, his other Celtic series (The Paradise War, The Silver Hand, and The Endless Knot) are recommended. Lawhead has a deft way of bringing Celtic life to the fore without any of the trappings of medieval thought. Jane Yolen -- Briar Rose. My wife convinced me to read this short novel, one of the Fairy Tale books. This tells the story of Sleeping Beauty, combining the traditional tale with the tragedy of the Holocaust. I wasn't too sure I'd like it, but I found myself entranced from the beginning. Yolen takes a wonderful angle at the story and her writing makes me want to search out her other books. This one is highly recommended. Paula Volsky -- Illusion. A tense political fantasy describing a French/Russian type of revolution, the rise of a despotic ruler who uses magic to subvert the populace, and the love story between a proletarian and a former rich bitch (pardon the French). The book moves swiftly, the action is tense and meaningful, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The magic is described very well, and the characters (and their emotions) are real. You're a part of the revolution, caught up in the events along with the characters. Again, highly recommended. Hope you get a chance to check some of these out. If you respond to this, please e-mail me at Raenar @ aol.com. I'm only sending this from here 'cause I'm bored today. Thanks, Brian P.S. A couple books I recommend avoiding: Tepper's A Plague of Angels (Grass was great, but this was too odd), John Barnes' Mother of Storms (too unbelievable), and Hans Bemman's The Sword and the Flute (DULL!).