Audiobooks discussion

Here There Be Dragons!

John wrote: "Here There Be Dragons!"

LOL, love your opening, John... and there's a fun book with that very title that fits the genre from the series The Imaginarium Geographica.

I've quite enjoyed the Wheel of Time series by the late Robert Jordan, though I've only completed the first three books.

I've really enjoyed a series I stumbled across, the Alex Verus series by Benedict Jacka which begins with "Fated". It's a British Dresden Files--another great series--and the humor and magical system are great. I like the narration as well. The fifth book in the series comes out in September and I'm eagerly awaiting it.

I seem to be on a bit of a fantasy kick lately. Within the last couple of months, I've read and enjoyed The Lies of Locke Lamora,The Blade Itself, and Theft of Swords.

I liked Theft of Swords so much, I immediately picked up the next book, Rise of Empire and am currently listening to it.

I like the Wool trilogy by Hugh Howey, do dystopia novels count as fantasy? It's not high fantasy but it's a great series.

I read the first 5 Kate Daniels books but listened to the most recent one Magic Rises and enjoyed the narration. I also love the Fever series on audio Darkfever.

love the Mistborn: The Final Empire series

Janice wrote: "I seem to be on a bit of a fantasy kick lately. Within the last couple of months, I've read and enjoyed The Lies of Locke Lamora,The Blade Itself, and [book:Theft of Sw..."

Yes to both series especially on audio!

Just to make this discussion of fantasy legit, the Lordof the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien and read by Rob Ingliss is hands down the best fantasy work ever--the best literary work ever, imo, just to make it clear.
I also liked the Hobbit and it is a necessary or at least beneficial introduction to the world of Middle Earth, but written for children and not in the same league as LotR. Still, this is where I fell in love with hobbits, so it's worth the time.
I've read the Silmarilion and appreciated its place in the canon, but it's a hard slog and only true devotees would really want to read it, let alone re-read it. It reads like the Old Testament and, in fact, is that very thing in relation to LotR--it even begins with the story of creation, which is beautiful to read.

Not just dragons live here.

There is fantasy, urban fantasy, and even paranormal fantasy. Dragons (and wizards and goblins and orcs) live in fantasy. But they also live in urban fantasy with Santa, fairies, Billy Goat Gruff, vampires, ghouls, Greek gods, ghost, angels and just about any other supernatural spirit you can think of.

My recommendation for Urban Fantasy is obviously the Dresden Files. I am in the middle of Book 15. It is my favorite for this genre so far.

I will let some other constant reader supply us with ideas for paranormal fantasy.

Oh... Harry Potter? ... we need a bit more sex and perhaps more colorful language to get it out of YA and into Urban Fantasy. I suppose YA has lots of cross over to other genres.

As far as crossover goes, there's lots of it out there. Explain why the genre you picked applies, along with why others might fit, too.

Forney_bill wrote: "Not just dragons live here.

There is fantasy, urban fantasy, and even paranormal fantasy. Dragons (and wizards and goblins and orcs) live in fantasy. But they also live in urban fantasy with San..."

Harry Potter is classified by its publisher/s as Children's Fantasy. Discussions while it was being released asked why it wasn't YA, but the only answer given was that it stays in the genre in which it started. No matter, it is Fantasy and children from 5 to 105 can enjoy it. I was a kid of 45 when I first found it and had no problem relating to it.

I'm not really a Fantasy fan, but there have been classics that I just had to suck-it-up and read. I cherished The Hobbit and can't wait to make time for the Lord of the Rings books. Jeanie probably just sold me on The Silmarillion.

I recently listened to Geek of Legend: The Elvish Screwdriver, it was pretty funny. The narration was mediocre at best, but it's a short story, which makes it bearable.

Jeanie wrote: "Harry Potter is classified by its publisher/s as Children's Fantasy. Discussions while it was being released asked why it wasn't YA, but the only answer given was that it stays in the genre in which it started. No matter, it is Fantasy and children from 5 to 105 can enjoy it. "

I liked HP too and having Jim Dale read them probably had a great deal to do with my affection for the series.

I guess the HP books were really children books and especially in the beginning. So probably not really YA at all although some credit Harry Potter for kicking off the YA Book resurgence. I can see why the publisher selected fantasy.

Apparently, there is YA and MG (Middle Grade) which I didn't know before.

Books do fit multiple categories. Hunger Games is YA. It is also Dystopian and classified as science fiction. Personally, it would never have occurred to me to place it in science fiction.

Harry Potter is one of the reasons I fell back in love with audiobooks :)

p.s. I would like to add Hounded the Iron Druid series to the list as well.

Heidi *Listen. I'll just keep talking anyway. * wrote: "Harry Potter is one of the reasons I fell back in love with audiobooks :)

p.s. I would like to add Hounded the Iron Druid series to the list as well."

I love the Iron Druid Chronicles! Luke Daniels does such a great job with the narration. For me, this is one of those cases where the narration enhances the story to such a degree that it transcends the reading experience provided by print alone.

Leona wrote: "I like the Wool trilogy by Hugh Howey, do dystopia novels count as fantasy? It's not high fantasy but it's a great series."

Wikipedia says....

"Genre: Science fiction, Dystopian fiction, Apocalyptic fiction"

Does look like an interesting series and was not previously on my radar. Thanks.

I listened to lots of fantasy books and am so glad audiobooks are becoming so popular! My favorite way to 'read' by far.

The most outstanding one I've listened to lately is The Master of White Storm narrated by Simon Prebble. It's awesome and very moving.

What about Steampunk-Fantasy?

My favorite is the Parasol Protectorate Series by, Gail Carriger wonderfully narrated by, Emily Gray The first book is Soulless.

Also finally in audio is Juliet Marillier's Seven Water's series the first book is Daughter of the Forest.

And of course you can't go wrong with any of Janny Wurts's books all are good with great narrations.

Love Soulless!

I learn so much here. Steampunk? I never heard of Steampunk till now. Wikipedia says...

"Steampunk is a sub-genre of science fiction that typically features steam-powered machinery,[1] especially in a setting inspired by industrialized Western civilization during the 19th century. Steampunk works are often set in an alternative history of the 19th century's British Victorian era or American "Wild West", in a post-apocalyptic future during which steam power has regained mainstream use, or in a fantasy world that similarly employs steam power. "

So I guess that is also considered Sci Fi. To me, the description feels more like fantasy. I guess you gotta have a dragon or something to be fantasy.

I'd say it fits as SCIENCE fiction as it has to do with machinery.

No way, steampunk is Fantasy.

John wrote: "I'd say it fits as SCIENCE fiction as it has to do with machinery."

But it has vampires and werewolves too.

I would say Soulless is definitely Fantasy.

J. wrote: "No way, steampunk is Fantasy."

Alternative history.

I think Steampunk exists in both the sci-fi and fantasy worlds. When the paranormal aspects--such as werewolves, vampires, ghosts, wizards, etc.--are added it can be called fantasy. Jules Verne is the model for what sci-fi steampunk aspires to.

Cassandra Clare's The Infernal Devices series was Steampunk and definitely part of her fantasy world.
Jim Butcher has a Steampunk Fantasy series he plans to release sooner or later, The Cinder Spires.

This sort of argument has always been a part of the Sci-Fi/Fantasy debates. Orson Scott Card once clearly defined the diference between the two genres as: Sci-Fi book covers have rivets and steel, fantasy has trees. In other words, it isn't always easy to make the distinction.

Jeanie,

I think it would be interesting to list a number of well known works and see how people think they are classified. I sort of enjoy the debates.

I tried to think of some definitive answer to make it easier. I couldn't.

If you'd like to do that, please start a "Where would these go?" thread - thanks.

Here's an example of a series that literally encompasses both Fantasy and Science Fiction: the Apprentice Adept series by Piers Anthony, beginning with "Split Infinity". The main character occupies a world that is pure science fiction, and then crosses a barrier into a world that is ruled by magic. He goes back and forth during the book and series, blending what is best about both genres. I think of the series as Fantasy because, in my experience, Sci-Fi doesn't have talking unicorns.

lol, poor John. I feel like he's the bus driver and we're the unruly children in the back of the bus.

Another one, Jeanie, that by intention lands squarely in the middle of two genres is The Galactic Mage.

I have no problem with a bit of thread drift, but not whole other discussions.

Besides, John said we could justify why we recommend a book/series here. I'm calling the Apprentice Adept series Fantasy, even though others might call it Sci-Fi. Regardless, it's a really good series with a lot of creative world-building in both the sci-fi and fantasy realms. It has one of my favorite moments where there is a football game and the android referee blows the call... because that's just a part of the game.

Since I first read it about 2001 The Curse of Chalion by Lois Bujold is my current favorite book and audiobook. It is, I guess, a fantasy, or alternative history, of the Spain of Queen Isabel and Ferdinand. I also really liked the sequel, Paladin of Souls, though not quite up to the first. The prequel, The Hallowed Hunt missed me completely.

Margaret wrote: "Since I first read it about 2001 The Curse of Chalion by Lois Bujold is my current favorite book and audiobook. It is, I guess, a fantasy, or alternative history, of the Spain of Queen Isabel and ..."

I really liked those, too. I think it qualifies as fantasy because it has magical elements which are gifts of their gods.

While it's less popular, I love the series The Sharing Knife by the same author. This one also has magic users and a unique god system, but is set in a world like the mid-west of the US during the 1800s. I really liked the narrator and found it had a quality that was endearing. It also had some high-stakes action with very dangerous magical creatures, so it was a little like Little House on the Prairie meets Cthulhu.

Jeanie wrote: "I think Steampunk exists in both the sci-fi and fantasy worlds. When the paranormal aspects--such as werewolves, vampires, ghosts, wizards, etc.--are added it can be called fantasy. Jules Verne i..."
One of my favs is Long Live the Queen which is sort of a steampunk fantasy paranormal. Whatever it is, the trilogy was great on audio and ebook.

I'm way into Fantasy. Too many to list, but The Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher is by far my favorite. James Marsters is the perfect narrator.

Tales of the Otori, beginning with Across the Nightingale Floor is one of my favorite fantasy trilogies--there are actually a few others in the series but the first three form a self-contained story and the following one doesn't get as high ratings. I didn't think a tale set in medieval Japan would capture my imagination so totally, but the story and the dual narration really built a magic as subtle as that within the tale.

I really don't know where this series fits best. I may lean more sci fi but slightly more people have shelved it fantasy so majority rules my decision any way vampire earth series starting with Way of the Wolf is very enjoyable and probably a lesser known title.

Another excellent series is demon cycle series The Warded Man

Since we began the discussion with dragons, The Dragonriders of Pern by Anne McCaffrey is a fabulous series. Technically, it turns out to be sci-fi rather than fantasy, but most everyone considers it fantasy anyway. The Harper Hall trilogy within the series is a particular favorite, although The White Dragon read by Dick Hill is my favorite individual book within the series. I've only read up to All the Weyres of Pern, which finishes Master Robinton's story. For some reason I'm not interested in stories that don't include him, although I'll get to them someday.

The "Chronicles of Narnia" got me hooked on audiobooks. "His Dark Materials" trilogy by Philip Pullman was excellent too. Also, I usually enjoy anything by Brandon Sanderson. "Elantris" is probably my favorite thus far.

The whole "Dark Tower" series is great too but it crosses over into Sci Fi, Suspense, etc

I really enjoyed "The Rithmatist" by Sanderson. It didn't get as much press as "Steelheart", but I thought it by far the better story.

I read the Acacia: The War with the Mein trilogy, then did it all over again via audiobook and the narrator increased my enjoyment of the book by about 1000%. The books were an excellent read, but my god! the narrator.

Brandon wrote: "The whole "Dark Tower" series is great too but it crosses over into Sci Fi, Suspense, etc "

Ditto the recommendation for "The Dark Tower". Also agree that it is tuff to categorize. Under genre, Wikipedia list "Fantasy, science fiction, horror, western".

While we are on King, I like his "Talisman". It is my favorite from King and qualifies as fantasy. This may be my favorite fantasy book, still.

While we are on King, I like his "Talisman". It is my favorite from King and qualifies as fantasy. This may be my favorite fantasy book, still. ."

Oh man, Talisman was great. Thanks for reminding me. It's time for a reread....

John wrote: "As far as crossover goes, there's lots of it out there. Explain why the genre you picked applies, along with why others might fit, too."

what is "paranormal" fantasy? Isn't all fantasy paranormal? That begs the question what is the genre of fantasy defined (or maybe when is supernatural fiction not fantasy?) and "paranormal" defined. We know a flying dragon is fantasy, but that is not a definition. With all the other terms out there, it can be confusing for listeners: science fiction, no classic literature, occult, horror, extrasensory, etc. Others feel free to jump in here.

I think between you and Bill, an exact science may come out of this yet.

It is interesting that when browsing in a major chain bookstore, I asked if there were any definitions of their major book categories, and the manager couldn't come up with one, or define most of the genres. Steven King is in the "literature" section--that helps a lot. Anyway, it it easy to see why some customers get confused--and a confused mind always says no. By the way, it would be nice to have you in the "Paranormal Suspense Audiobook" group--where we hope to eventually get a lot of free Audible download codes offered from authors!

J. wrote: "I think between you and Bill, an exact science may come out of this yet."

No help from me. Like I said, I tend to lump everything together - Sci Fi/fantasy/horror. Or if I do single out Sci Fi, it has to be rocket ship/aliens Sci Fi.

It is obvious when one looks at classifications and several genres are listed for one work, genres are not well defined compared to something like species classifications are defined in biology. Dark Tower is a great example of that.