This week’s WISH is a fine one — and something that might inspire some last-second holiday shopping:
What three fantasy books/series would you recommend to other gamers? Why? What particularly makes them suitable for gamers to read? Would they be particularly good for novices or better for experienced gamers?
Well, let’s start with the obvious. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings set the stage for the elements of High Fantasy that continue to echo through RPGs to this day. He wasn’t the first, by any means, but the idea of gaming without having at least gone through these books is practically unthinkable. So much of what Tolkien wrote has embedded itself in the fantasy genre, such that it’s almost stereotype. At the very least, all the backstory and alphabets and maps and so forth will give you an idea of how much prep time you can put into your game. Novices will learn about gaming’s literary roots, experienced gamers will get a fresh perspective.
Second off would be a favorite of mine, Brust’s Vlad Taltos series. Sorcery and swords and assassins and some fun world-building concepts all combine with some good storytelling. Novices will immediately try to swipe some of the characters, while experienced gamers will try to fit the city into one of their own campaigns.
Coming up with a third is tough. Howard’s Conan tales, Leiber’s Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser, Zelazny’s Amber, all have reasons to suggest them (both as stories and as historic gaming inspirations), as would Glen Cook’s Black Company books, Moorcock’s Elric series, Eddings’ Belgariad, or even L’Engle’s Time quartet, and Lewis’ Narnia. I decline to choose, and recommend them all!
I’d be torn between Conan, Fafhrd and Mouser, and Black Company. All excellent, excellent choices. Elric is also great, but blows hot and cold.
Elric is worth reading just as “background material” — a lot of memes have been pulled in from that canon into the gestalt of gaming.
I read through the Elric stories once, and have never been tempted back to them — but I’m glad I read them that once.
I would highly recommend Roger Zelazny’s Nine Prince in Amber series. Not only does it seamlessly jump from high to low fantasy a few times but it also shows a fairly painless way of dealing with characters going from fantasty to modern and back again without headaches. Be well. Hunter.
I mention the Amber books above, actually. So I agree with your recommendation.
Ooh! Saberhagen’s Swords series! You can’t read just one!
Oh yes you can. I did.
Really? I wound up eagerly devouring both series, as did a friend I lent them to! What was it that you didn’t like?
Don’t rightly recall at the moment. That was many moons ago. Which, perhaps, means I should give them another try some time.