Esquire's "50 Best Fantasy Books of All Time" list

[williamjm]

I saw a link to this posted on another forum. These sorts of lists show up relatively frequently, I think this one feels like one of the less obvious lists with quite a few books I'd never heard of along with some more familiar titles. I've read 15 of the books on it and don't particularly object to any of them being on such a list although I'd probably have picked different books by an author in some cases and the ranking feels arbitrary. I think it is missing a lot of books I would have included. Some of the books I haven't heard of do sound interesting, which is probably the most useful thing for such a list.

The 50 Best Fantasy Books of All Time

Fantasy is the oldest genre of literature, but its best release ever landed just six years ago.

www.esquire.com

 

[BAYLOR]

I saw a link to this posted on another forum. These sorts of lists show up relatively frequently, I think this one feels like one of the less obvious lists with quite a few books I'd never heard of along with some more familiar titles. I've read 15 of the books on it and don't particularly object to any of them being on such a list although I'd probably have picked different books by an author in some cases and the ranking feels arbitrary. I think it is missing a lot of books I would have included. Some of the books I haven't heard of do sound interesting, which is probably the most useful thing for such a list.

The 50 Best Fantasy Books of All Time

Fantasy is the oldest genre of literature, but its best release ever landed just six years ago.

www.esquire.com

the majority of those I haven't even read or heard of before .

 

[Extollager]

Hilariously mistitled. "Of All Time." You have to have gone to college to be that myopic.

 

[BAYLOR]

Hilariously mistitled. "Of All Time." You have to have gone to college to be that myopic.

Mostly new books by newer writers.

 

[Valtharius]

the majority of those I haven't even read or heard of before .

If you haven't heard of them, then we know they're crap!

 

[pogopossum]

As stated, mistitled list and mostly very new titles. Heard of a dozen, read eight of them. Probably anyone here could do a substantial list that would be better than the Esquire.

 

[hitmouse]

It is an interesting list, but the title is nonsense. Hopefully that is the work of a subeditor rather than the writer.

 

[nixie]

Definitely mistitled, read 10, a few others I'm aware off, some are on my radar.

 

[M. Robert Gibson]

It's nothing more than an advert for the books
I was put off reading further by the very first description when I came across "thief-slash-exorcist" *

We have a better list in the making here

The Greatest Fantasy Novel of All time

We have a Thread for Science Fiction on the topic of greatest , we might as well have a thread for fantasy too.:) And mentioning a runner up or honorable mention or two in this category is okay.;)

www.sffchronicles.com

Oh yes... And there's no Robert E Howard or Michael Moorcock on there

* Let me clarify. When speaking you would say "thief-slash-exorcist". When writing you would use "thief/exorcist"

 

[Brian G Turner]

50 Best Paying Product Placements.

 

[Bick]

While it’s clear the list is rubbish, it nonetheless reminding me of Jeffrey Ford, who I’ve been meaning to read more of.

 

[elvet]

I've read about 9. Going though the list, I chuckled to see Myst (The Book of Atrus) there. It is a book based on a PC game from the early 90's. A very niche fan base, even for this popular game. In the top ten...

 

[BAYLOR]

It's nothing more than an advert for the books
I was put off reading further by the very first description when I came across "thief-slash-exorcist" *

We have a better list in the making here

The Greatest Fantasy Novel of All time

We have a Thread for Science Fiction on the topic of greatest , we might as well have a thread for fantasy too.:) And mentioning a runner up or honorable mention or two in this category is okay.;)

www.sffchronicles.com

Oh yes... And there's no Robert E Howard or Michael Moorcock on there

* Let me clarify. When speaking you would say "thief-slash-exorcist". When writing you would use "thief/exorcist"

Conan the Hour of the Dragon by Robert E. Howard.
The Eternal Champion Saga by Michal Moorcock
The Broken Sword by Pul Anderson
Bloodstone by Karl Edward Wagner
The Dragon Waiting by John M Ford
'The Ship of Ishtar by Abraham Merritt
The Lost Content by C J Cutcliffe Hynd
The Dark World by Henry Kuttner
Little Big by John Crowley
Silverlock by John Myers Myers
Jurgen A Comedy of Justice by James Branch Cabell


All of the and others I can list are worthy of being on that great list.

 

[williamjm]

Mostly new books by newer writers.

It does feel like they might have been better concentrating on that and going for the Best Fantasy Books of the 21st Century or something along those lines, although even for that there would be some glaring omissions.

I've read about 9. Going though the list, I chuckled to see Myst (The Book of Atrus) there. It is a book based on a PC game from the early 90's. A very niche fan base, even for this popular game. In the top ten...

I did notice that one as well, it did seem an odd choice be so high for an obscure tie-in book. Anyone read it? I know some people who like David Wingrove's non-tie in Chung Kuo series but I've not read anything by him.

 

[BAYLOR]

It does feel like they might have been better concentrating on that and going for the Best Fantasy Books of the 21st Century or something along those lines, although even for that there would be some glaring omissions.


I did notice that one as well, it did seem an odd choice be so high for an obscure tie-in book. Anyone read it? I know some people who like David Wingrove's non-tie in Chung Kuo series but I've not read anything by him.

I read some new stuff but, tend too gravitate to the older books and stories .

 

[elvet]

I did notice that one as well, it did seem an odd choice be so high for an obscure tie-in book. Anyone read it? I know some people who like David Wingrove's non-tie in Chung Kuo series but I've not read anything by him.

Puts her hand up. The Myst/Riven games are what got me hooked on first person PC adventures, the likes of which I still play to this day. I am one of those niche fans; have all the books (trilogy) and enjoyed how they fleshed out the games and brought the characters to life. Can they stand on their own as all time best works of Fantasy fiction--probably not.