by Jeremy Rutherfurd

Created on: January 26, 2008

That such a question is even asked speaks to the despair fantasy fans have been experiencing ever since the "golden age" of this genre passed, that of great writers like J.R.R. Tolkien ("Lord of the Rings"), Ursula K. LeGuin (the "Earthsea" series) and Mary Stewart ("The Arthurian Saga"). I experienced this despair myself, and had such a hard time finding well-written fantasy novels that I virtually stopped reading the genre for about a decade.

Over the past few years, however, I've discovered several new writers that have produced some excellent work, books that captivated me like "A Wizard of Earthsea" and "The Crystal Cave" did years ago. Three in particular have injected new life into the genre and made it exciting and fun to read again: George R.R. Martin, Gene Wolfe and Robin Hobb.

Martin is the best of these, in my opinion. I've been reading his fiction eagerly ever since I happened upon "Sandkings" in a short story anthology. It's a sci fi/horror piece, but so well written and compelling it'll have you on the edge of your seat. (It was made into a TV movie for "The Outer Limits," but I don't think it did the story justice.)

In 1996 Martin entered the high-fantasy field with "A Game of Thrones," the first novel in his "A Song of Ice & Fire" series. And what a novel it is. This is fantasy writing at its best: realistic characters, compelling plot lines and a fictional world that is so rich and detailed it completely draws the reader in.

The setting is Westeros, an island-land similar to Great Britain, ruled by a king. The story follows the lives of several members of a noble family, and what happens to them when the father is drawn into political intrigue at the capital. The ruler is slain and there are several contenders for the throne; open war breaks out.

The second book in the series is "A Clash of Kings," the third, "A Storm of Swords." All are well-worth reading. You may even weep with pleasure, they are so good. The fourth in the series, "A Feast for Crows," is a lesser work, unfortunately. I was greatly disappointed, actually, because compared to the first three books this one is slow and, to be honest, boring.

But to err is human, and you have to give Martin credit for hitting it out of the park three times in a row. "The Lord of the Rings" was only three books long, after all, and I found LeGuin's fourth book in her "Earthsea" series to be boring too, so Martin can be forgiven for this lapse. I eagerly await the fifth book in the series, "A Dance with Dragons."

The second fantasy author of note is Gene Wolfe. A writer of prodigious talent, he too cut his teeth on science fiction. Wolfe entered the high-fantasy field with "The Knight," book one in his "The Wizard Knight" series. (Book two is "The Wizard.") If you like tales of valorous knights on a quest, heroic combat, magical realms, fearsome creatures and fair maidens, then this is for you. It's not as tightly written as Martin's "A Game of Thrones," but Wolfe creates a multi-world reality of such detail and depth that you'll be transported.

Robin Hobb (who also writes modern fantasy under the name, Megan Lindholm) is another author worth reading. She has penned three trilogies: "The Farseer," "The Liveship Traders" and "The Tawny Man." I've read "Assassin's Apprentice," the first book in the high-fantasy "The Farseer Trilogy," and although I did not find it as riveting as "A Game of Thrones" or "The Knight," is was certainly well written and engaging. The characters ring true, the magic is believable and the plot interesting.

If you're looking for a good fantasy to read, don't despair! Martin, Wolfe and Hobb will meet your needs and then some.

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