Although the title escaped me its contents did not and, after almost a decade, I finally revisited them. Robert Heinlein: The six stories within 6 x H were my introduction to Heinlein in ’96. Notably, DAW is also the first publisher to be devoted to those realms and it truly strives for quality not quantity. It has also published works by Ursula Le Guin, Marion Zimmer Bradley, and a long list of others. Thanks to this privately owned company, numerous authors such as Mercedes Lackey, Tad Williams, and Tanith Lee were discovered by the masses. Although MZB’s passing in ’99 was a great loss and a blow to many, her works continue thanks to those who carry the torches.ĭAW Books: Since its founding in 1971 by Donald and Elsie Wollheim, DAW has published over a thousand sci-fi and fantasy books. Marion Zimmer Bradley: Where do I begin? The Darkover series that started in the fifties? Her retelling of Arthurian lore in Mists of Avalon which was published in ’79, but grew in popularity in the nineties? The Sword and Sorceress anthologies that started in ’84 and featured unknown writers? Her other novels, series, anthologies, and contributions to the literary and SF/F communities? She co-founded the SCA, the Society for Creative Anachronism, whose members are often seen at Rennaissance Faires and conventions. Because it couldn’t possibly be real, speculative fiction was practically the only way to slip through the cracks. It was written during the Cold War when McCarthyism and censorship were around every corner. In a dystopian society critical thought from reading is illegal and books are burned for the good of humanity. A commentary about American society, Fahrenheit 451 is about knowledge gained without truly learning. The first is an episodic anthology about mankind and the future. Ray Bradbury: The Martian Chronicles and Fahrenheit 451 seem to be a regular part of high school’s curriculum and both are on my re-read list. Now if I could just find and hear some of his filk ( what’s that?) and folk music… Beagle, which is an excellent introduction to his storytelling and writing. I read both novels and two shorter pieces in the Fantasy Worlds of Peter S. It’s wit, charm, sadness, and beauty make it a fine and memorable piece, and definitely worth revisiting. Beagle’s first novel, written at the age of 19, A Fine and Private Place centers around a mausoleum where a recluse who speaks with the dead is offered a chance at happiness. The book is better and it continues past the film. The movie has been a favorite since 1982 so I was thrilled to read about the Unicorn that teams up with Schmendrick the Magician and Molly, a bandit leader’s wife, to find out what happened to the other unicorns. Peter Beagle: Perhaps his most well-known tale is that of the Last Unicorn, which was made into an animated film, also written by him. I read it in 1980 Annual World’s Best SF by DAW Books, but it may be available elsewhere. Co-written with Larry Niven, “The Locusts” is a phenomenal short story where the future of human life and humanity as we know it is questioned. It’s a book about life, beliefs, choices, love, and freedom that I’ve been meaning to re-read, but first need to get back for the fourth or fifth time. After being sold, Aidan becomes unlikely friends with Kai, the plantation owner’s youngest son. Steven Barnes: Lion’s Blood is a brilliant piece of alternate history where Islamic Africa is the main power and caucasians, mainly the Irish, are enslaved. For the sake of not being too repetitious, here are some of the authors and books that I’ve really enjoyed but haven’t written about (too much): Like with most things, SF/F spans the tastes and it can merely be a matter of finding what one likes. To the fans raving about Twilight, sorry, I’ll pass on the bloodsucking teenage baseball players. Give me good, entertaining imps and fae, magii, Arthurian lore, urban fantasy, whatever, I’m pretty content. I’m not as picky, so to speak, in regard to fantasy. Rather, I enjoy those that use the universe, time, and technology as ways to explore the infinite possibilities, society, “humanity”, and limitless other topics they bring to mind and the discussions that can follow. When it comes to science-fiction I’m not so into the high tech genres. All of their works are old companions, still ready for an adventure at the drop of a pin. A few years later, another friend introduced me to the Valdemar series, which began as short stories in Sword and Sorceress III and IV when nobody but MZB was willing to take a chance on Mercedes Lackey. In high school, a friend hooked me on Marion Zimmer Bradley’s Sword and Sorceress anthologies. Lewis and Madeleine L’Engle captured my young imagination with talking animals and tesseracts. I’m trying to round out my reading a little more this year and so far have only read eight. Of the twenty-eight books I finished last year, two were not of the sci-fi/fantasy realms.
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