The Most Beloved Classic Fantasy Novels And The People Who Wrote Them
Every literary genre has the names of at least one or two authors indelibly linked to it. These authors not only went on to inspire those who came after them but they also knew how to tell a good story themselves. Nobody can say for instance that they truly love the horror genre if they haven't yet read Mary Shelley's groundbreaking 'Frankenstein', for instance. Among the most popular and influential classic fantasy novels of all time are the books of two authors who were actually great friends as well.
The defining characteristic of fantasy is that it's about things that don't exist in reality. Witches or wizards turn people into toads, dragons terrorize kingdoms and fairies help or hinder someone's journey through life. Ever since people started telling stories, they made up stories that included elements of the fantastical. Think about the myths of ancient Greece or the tales Scheherazade spun to entertain the king and save her own life during the 'Arabian Nights'.
The ancient stories very often acted as inspiration for authors who came later. J. R. R. Tolkien, probably the most influential of these authors, used to translate some of these stories, including 'Beowulf', from the Old English while he taught English literature. Tolkien was born in Southern Africa but was raised in England, where his parents were from. He began writing his most famous works soon after World War I, in which he had served and had been wounded.
However, it's for his writing that Tolkien is mostly remembered. His children's book 'The Hobbit', set in a mythical world of fairies, dragons and wizards and called Middle Earth, was a runaway success. To Tolkien's surprise, the story was very popular with adults too, so he wrote the sequel that would become one of the most popular epic novels of all time, 'The Lord of the Rings'.
The other author indelibly linked to the genre is C. S. Lewis, who was born in Belfast. Lewis spent much of his youth in English boarding schools and later lived and worked in England. He was wounded in World War I as well and also taught literature at various universities, including Oxford. It's probably no surprise then that he and Tolkien were good friends.
Lewis didn't originally make a name for himself as an author of fantasy books. He wrote in a wide variety of genres, including science fiction. However, his most popular body of work is a series about a land that can be accessed through the back of an old wardrobe. 'The Chronicles of Narnia' show that Lewis also loved the old legends and myths but the devoutly religious Lewis also included some decidedly Christian themes in the stories.
Both Tolkien's and Lewis' most well-known works were made into Hollywood blockbusters in recent years. These movies won the authors many new fans and the fantasy genre saw a huge revival. Today's modern classics include series by J. K. Rowling, George R. R. Martin and two writers who are also friends, Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman.
Before the revival of the genre, these books were often grouped with the sci-fi books or even the children's books. Now you'll find that most bookstores and libraries have dedicated sections just for fantasy books. If you want an even wider choice, order the books online or download them as e-books for a wonderful escape from reality.
The defining characteristic of fantasy is that it's about things that don't exist in reality. Witches or wizards turn people into toads, dragons terrorize kingdoms and fairies help or hinder someone's journey through life. Ever since people started telling stories, they made up stories that included elements of the fantastical. Think about the myths of ancient Greece or the tales Scheherazade spun to entertain the king and save her own life during the 'Arabian Nights'.
The ancient stories very often acted as inspiration for authors who came later. J. R. R. Tolkien, probably the most influential of these authors, used to translate some of these stories, including 'Beowulf', from the Old English while he taught English literature. Tolkien was born in Southern Africa but was raised in England, where his parents were from. He began writing his most famous works soon after World War I, in which he had served and had been wounded.
However, it's for his writing that Tolkien is mostly remembered. His children's book 'The Hobbit', set in a mythical world of fairies, dragons and wizards and called Middle Earth, was a runaway success. To Tolkien's surprise, the story was very popular with adults too, so he wrote the sequel that would become one of the most popular epic novels of all time, 'The Lord of the Rings'.
The other author indelibly linked to the genre is C. S. Lewis, who was born in Belfast. Lewis spent much of his youth in English boarding schools and later lived and worked in England. He was wounded in World War I as well and also taught literature at various universities, including Oxford. It's probably no surprise then that he and Tolkien were good friends.
Lewis didn't originally make a name for himself as an author of fantasy books. He wrote in a wide variety of genres, including science fiction. However, his most popular body of work is a series about a land that can be accessed through the back of an old wardrobe. 'The Chronicles of Narnia' show that Lewis also loved the old legends and myths but the devoutly religious Lewis also included some decidedly Christian themes in the stories.
Both Tolkien's and Lewis' most well-known works were made into Hollywood blockbusters in recent years. These movies won the authors many new fans and the fantasy genre saw a huge revival. Today's modern classics include series by J. K. Rowling, George R. R. Martin and two writers who are also friends, Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman.
Before the revival of the genre, these books were often grouped with the sci-fi books or even the children's books. Now you'll find that most bookstores and libraries have dedicated sections just for fantasy books. If you want an even wider choice, order the books online or download them as e-books for a wonderful escape from reality.
About the Author:
Read classic fantasy novels by getting your copy from the suggested website. Come and visit the page now at http://www.richardaericson.com and place your order right away!
Comments
Post a Comment