The Hobbit

Title: The Hobbit Author: J.R.R. Tolkien Publisher: HarperCollins Format Read: Hardback, illustrated by Alan Lee “The Hobbit” is a children’s fantasy classic, first published in 1937. It’s one of those quintessential quest stories, featuring a big huge adventure, travelling songs, a dragon (because what’s an adventure without one?) and one little grumpy little Hobbit dragged…

The Annotated Sword of Shannara

Title: The Annotated Sword of Shannara Author: Terry Brooks Publisher: Del Rey Format Read: Hardback, 35th Anniversary Edition This book was first published in 1977…and it is, as far as these fantasy novels go at least, a standalone. Young Shea, adopted son of an innkeeper, finds himself suddenly torn from his home, his village, his…

Sweep (Book of Shadows)

Title: Sweep Author: Cate Tiernan Publisher: speak Format Read: Paperback The volume of “Sweep” I have is actually an omnibus edition featuring three novels in one – Book of Shadows, The Coven, and Blood Witch. For simplicity though, I’m only going to talk about ‘Book of Shadows’ here. After all, it is the first book.…

The Way of Kings

Title: The Way of Kings Author: Brandon Sanderson Publisher: Tor Format Read: Hardback This hefty tome is the first of the Stormlight Archives, and it is an ambitiously epic fantasy. The world here is rife with politics, magical swords, assassins, kings, a mysterious group of slaves, and intricate, fantastical history. Right at the beginning, you…

Forerunner Foray

Title: Forerunner Foray Author: Andre Norton Publisher: Ace SF Format Read: Paperback, Mass Market (First Edition Paperback) First published in 1973, “Forerunner Foray” by Alice Mary Norton, or Andre Norton, is a wonderfully strange blend of fantasy, science fiction, psychic powers, vanished civilizations, futuristic cities, guild rivalries, and rebirth. And caught between it all is…