FAVORITE FANTASY BOOK
Greetings, Dear Reader! I know my posts have been a bit "famine or flood" lately, and I do promise to get back to a regular posting schedule soon (and not an every day one). I'm just participating in a few exciting things going on right here at the end of May/beginning of June, so you get a couple of extra posts! Yay!
Today and Saturday, I am participating in a book release party for my dear friend and Kindred Spirit: Jack Lewis Baillot. I've read one of her books so far, and greatly look forward to reading more of them soon!!! Anyway, she has a book releasing this Saturday, and I'm going to tell you all about it... on Saturday!
On June 1st, I also have some exciting news to share from Anne Elisabeth Stengl and Rooglewood Press about their next Fairy Tale Writing Contest... but that's all I can say for now.
I also have an author interview coming up in a little over a week with Ashlee Willis, and will be sharing about her newest release a bit after that. Also, I am frantically editing Yorien's Hand (yeah! back in the groove!!!) and hope to have updates for you on that throughout the summer... including, perhaps, a few excerpt-teasers.
But today, as part of Jack's release party, I am supposed to talk about my favorite fantasy book.
Which is kind of a nightmare. I'm not good with favorites. The other day I said to someone that my favorite superhero is Batman... and today, I'm not so sure. I mean, I think he is... but I like Thor and Iron Man, too! You see the problem? And that's just with something I have a passing interest in. Fantasy, on the other hand, comprises the majority of what I read. I have a LOT of fantasy books that I ADORE. Picking a favorite? Well, "I could no sooner choose a favorite star in the heavens."
So this is extremely difficult for me and I am going to cheat just a skosh, because otherwise this post would just become incredibly long as I talk about every fantasy book I've ever loved. So, restraining myself a bit, when it comes to fantasy, there are two authors who stand head and shoulders above the rest. And they are, unsurprisingly... or at least, unsurprisingly if you've read any of my blog before today at all... J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis.
They were my first contact when it comes to the world of fantasy. The Chronicles of Narnia and The Hobbit (and a bit later, The Lord of the Rings). I grew up with Peter, Susan, Edmund, Lucy, and Bilbo. I shared in their frustrations, I cried with them in their sorrows, I rejoiced in their triumphs, and rooted for them through their failures.
Of all the fantasy books I have read, these are the ones that have stayed with me. These are the ones I still fall in love with every time I read them. The characters, Middle Earth, Narnia, and the stories within them are ingrained in the depths of my soul. They are the stories that caused me to fall in love with this genre, and they are the stories that inspired my imagination. I know I am not unique in my "choice" of favorites, but that makes it no less true. There is a beauty in the Fantasy genre that is highlighted and brought forth in these books and illustrated so eloquently and simply. The reasons I love fantasy have nothing to do with the massive and intricate world-building, or the crazy, unpronounceable character names, or even the fact that these stories often contain dragons (because, really, who doesn't love dragons... or at least the idea of them?)
No, the reason I love fantasy is because of the characters. I love fantasy because it shows evil as it truly is: something to be fought against with every last breath. I love fantasy because it gives me hope. I love fantasy because it usually has a happy ending... and while realistically, there are many sad and tragic endings here on Earth, I look forward to and long for the Day when The Happy Ending occurs and evil is vanquished forevermore, and there will be no more crying or pain. I believe that Day is coming, and I love stories that remind me that that Day is coming. I love fantasy because it often contains a redemption story, which I love. I love fantasy because it inspires me to want to do great things and climb mountains. I love fantasy because it urges me to expand my imagination. I love fantasy because I think, through it, I sometimes get a glimpse of heaven... not the place itself, but just the sort of grandness and beauty of it that is beyond this Earth and the things we can see with our eyes.
All these are reasons why I love fantasy in general... and all of these things are contained in the stories by the authors that I mentioned above. The Hobbit/Lord of the Rings and Chronicles of Narnia were my introductions to this most excellent genre, and they contain all the aspects of this genre that I love. For that gift, I can place no other fantasy story higher. None will ever compare. So, dear Reader, what's YOUR favorite fantasy book?Don't forget to swing by this weekend for info about Jack's newest book, and an exciting announcement from Rooglewood Press!