The Big Book of Classic Fantasy


Book Description

A FINALIST FOR THE 2020 WORLD FANTASY AWARD • Unearth the enchanting origins of fantasy fiction with a collection of tales as vast as the tallest tower and as mysterious as the dark depths of the forest. Fantasy stories have always been with us. They illuminate the odd and the uncanny, the wondrous and the fantastic: all the things we know are lurking just out of sight—on the other side of the looking-glass, beyond the music of the impossibly haunting violin, through the twisted trees of the ancient woods. Other worlds, talking animals, fairies, goblins, demons, tricksters, and mystics: these are the elements that populate a rich literary tradition that spans the globe. A work composed both of careful scholarship and fantastic fun, The Big Book of Classic Fantasy is essential reading for anyone who’s never forgotten the stories that first inspired feelings of astonishment and wonder. INCLUDING: *Stories by pillars of the genre like the Brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Andersen, Mary Shelley, Christina Rossetti, L. Frank Baum, Robert E. Howard, and J. R. R. Tolkien *Fantastical offerings from literary giants including Edith Wharton, Leo Tolstoy, Willa Cather, Zora Neale Hurston, Vladimir Nabokov, Hermann Hesse, and W.E.B. Du Bois *Rare treasures from Asian, Eastern European, Scandinavian, and Native American traditions *New translations, including fourteen stories never before in English PLUS: *Beautifully Bizarre Creatures! *Strange New Worlds Just Beyond the Garden Path! *Fairy Folk and Their Dark Mischief! *Seriously Be Careful—Do Not Trust Those Fairies!




The Classic Fantasy Collection


Book Description

"Epic romances, fearsome dragons and alien worlds lie between the pages of this volume. Containing more than 35 stories from the early masters of fantasy literature, the narratives here transport the reader to alternate worlds where magic abounds, cosmic terrors lie around the corner and intrepid heroes fight for justice. Drawing inspiration from Norse, Celtic and Japanese mythologies, the authors collected here span the breadth of the genre. Including tales from William Morris, H.G. Wells, Robert E. Howard and H.P. Lovecraft amongst others, they demonstrate the plethora of imaginative literature that was written in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Many of these tales were foundational works, bringing ideas of the supernatural into the mainstream, and through their efforts creating entirely new genres. At once both escapist and astonishingly relevant to modern day concerns, these classic works of fantasy remain essential reading."--Book jacket back cover




The Classic Fantasy Collection


Book Description

Epic romances, fearsome dragons and alien worlds lie between the pages of this volume. Containing more than 35 stories from the early masters of fantasy literature, the narratives here transport the reader to alternate worlds where magic abounds, cosmic terrors lie around the corner and intrepid heroes fight for justice. Drawing inspiration from Norse, Japanese and Chinese mythology as well as from traditional fairytales and modern fears, the authors collected here span the breadth of the genre. Including tales from William Morris, H. G. Wells, Robert E. Howard and H. P. Lovecraft amongst others, they demonstrate the plethora of imaginative literature that was written in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Many of these tales were foundational works, bringing ideas of the supernatural into the mainstream, and through their efforts creating entirely new genres. Before Tolkien, there were many writers embracing the realm of fantastic fiction. The man responsible for its origin was George MacDonald (1824-1905), a Calvinist minister and Celtic scholar, who wrote the first true fantasy novel. He was followed by a number of imaginative successors at the end of the 19th century, including H. G. Wells, Arthur Machen, and Ernest Bramah. After the end of World War I, the pulp magazines opened up the genre to a new generation of writers - particularly H. P. Lovecraft and Robert E. Howard - who provided exciting, magical and horrifying tales that fascinated a multitude of readers. By the outbreak of World War II, the outlines of the fantasy genre had been sketched out by these pioneers, and an entirely new type of fiction had been created. This collection includes stories by: Robert E. Howard H. P. Lovecraft G. G. Pendarves H. G. Wells William Morris Lafcadio Hearn Abraham Merritt Arthur Machen Ernest Bramah Robert W. Chambers George MacDonald







Fantasy


Book Description

A chronological list of the best fantasy provides a brief history of the genre and a description of each work's background







The Classic Collection of Fantasy. 45 novels, stories and poems. Illustrated


Book Description

"The Classic Collection of Fantasy" is a comprehensive anthology featuring 45 novels, stories, and poems from the realm of fantasy literature. This illustrious collection includes iconic works such as "The Lord of the Rings" by J.R.R. Tolkien, "The Chronicles of Narnia" by C.S. Lewis, "Conan the Barbarian" by Robert E. Howard, "The Princess and the Goblin" by George MacDonald, and many more. Readers will be transported to fantastical realms filled with epic quests, mythical creatures, and magical adventures as they journey through the pages of this anthology. From the sweeping landscapes of Middle-earth to the enchanted land of Narnia, each story offers a unique and captivating glimpse into the boundless imagination of the fantasy genre. Illustrated with enchanting artwork that brings the fantastical worlds and characters to life, this collection is a treasure trove for fans of fantasy literature. Whether rediscovering beloved classics or diving into new and exciting tales, readers of all ages will find themselves enthralled by the timeless magic and wonder of "The Classic Collection of Fantasy." Contents: J. R. R. Tolkien • The Hobbit • The Fellowship of the Ring • The Two Towers • The Return of the King • The Adventures of Tom Bombadil C. S. Lewis The Chronicles of Narnia • The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe • Prince Caspian • The Voyage of the ‘Dawn Treader’ • The Silver Chair • The Horse and His Boy • The Magician’s Nephew • The Last Battle William Morris • The Wood Beyond the World • The Story of the Volsungs James Branch Cabell Jurgen A Comedy of Justice Robert E. Howard Conan the Barbarian • The Phoenix on the Sword • The Scarlet Citadel • The Tower of the Elephant • Black Colossus • The Slithering Shadow • The Pool of the Black One • Rogues in the House George MacDonald The Princess and the Goblin Lewis Carroll Alice's Adventures in Wonderland Charles Kingsley The Water-Babies Lord Dunsany • The King of Elfland's Daughter • The Gods of Pegāna • The Book of Wonder




Modern Classics of Fantasy


Book Description

While humanity has been telling fantastic stories for millennia, fantasy fiction has only come into its own as a genre in the latter half of the twentieth century, as the works of such writers as J.R.R. Tolkien and Robert E. Howard have found a wide audience. This wonderful collection celebrates fantasy's heyday with 33 masterpieces of short fiction, ranging from 1940s stories by L. Sprague de Camp, H.L.Gold, Fritz Leiber, and Manly Wade Wellman to more recent tales by such towering modern talents as Peter S. Beagle, Terry Bisson, James P. Blaylock Suzy McKee Charnas, John Crowley, Tanith Lee, Michael Swanwick, Judith Tarr, Howard Waldrop, Jane Yolen, and Roger Zelazny. Just as Gardner Dozois's Modern Classics of Science Fiction has helped longtime fans and new readers alike discover the genre's finest short stories, so too shall this anthology allow readers to find in one volume more than two dozen masterworks of fantasy.




The Year's Best Science Fiction: Fourteenth Annual Collection


Book Description

From Cyberspace to outer space, from the Dark Continent to the speed of light, the dozens of stories in this terrific collection represent the year's finest offerings in imaginative fiction. Among the twenty-eight tales assembled here are: The Land of Nod, Mike Resnick's powerful tale of the orbital space colony Kirinyaga and how the old ways conflict with the new. Foreign Devils, Walter Jon Williams's exotic revision of the War of the Worlds Martian Invasion. Red Sonja and Lessingham in Dreamland, Gwyneth Jones's unpredictable venture into the frightening territory of on-line romance. Death Do Us Part, Robert Silverberg's masterful tale of love in the future. In addition, there are two dozen more stories from today's and tomorrow's brightest stars, including, William Barton, Stephen Baxter, Gregory Benford, James P. Blaylock, Damien Broderick, Michael Cassutt, Jim Cowan, Tony Daniel, Gregory Feeley, John Kessel, Nancy Kress, Jonathan Lethem, Ian McDonald, Maureen F. McHugh, Paul Park, Robert Reed, Charles Sheffield, Bud Sparhawk, Bruce Sterling, Michael Swanwick, Steven Utley, Cherry Wilder, Gene Wolfe. Rounding out the volume are a long list of Honorable Mentions and Gardner Dozois's comprehensive survey of the year in science fiction. In all, the stories assembled here will take you as far as technology, imagination, and hope can go. Climb aboard. "Highly recommended."--Library Journal




The Year's Best Science Fiction: Twenty-Seventh Annual Collection


Book Description

The thirty-two stories in this collection imaginatively take us far across the universe, into the very core of our beings, to the realm of the gods, and the moment just after now. Included here are the works of masters of the form and of bright new talents, including: John Barnes, Elizabeth Bear, Damien Broderick, Karl Bunker, Paul Cornell, Albert E. Cowdrey, Ian Creasey, Steven Gould, Dominic Green, Nicola Griffith, Alexander Irvine, John Kessel, Ted Kosmatka, Nancy Kress, Jay Lake, Rand B. Lee, Paul McAuley, Ian McDonald, Maureen F. McHugh, Sarah Monette, Michael Poore, Robert Reed, Adam Roberts, Chris Roberson, Mary Rosenblum, Geoff Ryman, Vandana Singh, Bruce Sterling, Lavie Tidhar, James Van Pelt, Jo Walton, Peter Watts, Robert Charles Wilson, and John C. Wright. Supplementing the stories are the editor's insightful summation of the year's events and a lengthy list of honorable mentions, making this book both a valuable resource and the single best place in the universe to find stories that stir the imagination, and the heart.