Resources, Books

Revised – August 2005

The following list is by no means exhaustive. There are many good books and authors not listed, and you are certainly encouraged to read widely both from this list and other recommendations or personal inclinations.

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Highly Recommended Fiction

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Tolkien, J.R.R.

The Hobbit.

The Lord of the Rings, comprised of: The Fellowship of the Ring; The Two Towers; and The Return of the King.

Goodkind, Terry.

The Sword of Truth, comprised of: Wizard’s First Rule; Stone of Tears; Blood of the Fold; Temple of the Winds; Soul of the Fire; Faith of the Fallen; Pillars of Creation; Naked Empire; and Chainfire.

Haydon, Elizabeth.

Symphony of Ages, comprised of: Rhapsody: Child of Blood; Prophecy: Child of Earth; and Destiny: Child of Sky.

Martin, George R.R.

Song of Fire and Ice, comprised of: A Game of Thrones; A Clash of Kings; A Storm of Swords; A Feast for Crows; A Dance With Dragons; and The Winds of Winter.

Moon, Elizabeth.

The Deeds of Paksennarion, comprised of: Sheepfarmer’s Daughter; Divided Allegiance; Oath of Gold.

Pini, Richard and Wendy.

Elfquest ( a series of graphic novels)

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Other Recommended Fiction

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Abbey, Lynn.

Wooden Sword , comprised of: The Wooden Sword and Beneath the Web.

Asprin, Robert Lynn, ed.

Thieves’ World series, including: Thieves’ World; Tales from the Vulgar Unicorn; Shadows of Sanctuary; Tempus; and Shadowspawn.

Beyond Sanctuary , comprised of: Beyond Sanctuary; Beyond the Veil; and Beyond Wizardwall.

Baudino, Gael.

Natil, comprised of: Strands of Starlight; Maze of Moonlight; Shroud of Shadow; Strands of Sunlight; and Spires of Spirit.

Bradley, Marion Zimmer.

Darkover, including: Darkover Landfall; Stormqueen!; and Two to Conquer. Lythande (a Thieves’ World novel)

The Mists of Avalon

Britain, Kristen.

Green Rider, comprised of: The Green Rider and First Rider’s Call.

Brooks, Terry.

Shannara , comprised of: The Sword of Shannara; Elfstones of Shannara; and The Wishsong of Shannara.

De Lint, Charles.

Moonheart

Spiritwalk

Donaldson, Stephen R.

The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever, comprised of: Lord Foul’s Bane; The Illearth War; and The Power that Preserves.

The Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, comprised of: The Wounded Land; The One Tree; and White Gold Wielder.

Eddings, David.

The Belgariad, comprised of: Pawn of Prophecy; Queen of Sorcery; Magician’s Gambit; Castle of Wizardry; and Enchanter’s End Game.

The Mallorean, comprised of: Guardians of the West; King of the Murgos; Demon Lord of Karanda; Sorceress of Darshiva; and The Seeress of Kell.

The Elenium, comprised of: The Diamond Throne; The Ruby Knight; and The Sapphire Rose.

Belgarath the Sorcerer.

Polgara

Flint, Kenneth C.

Sidhe, comprised of: The Riders of the Sidhe, Champions of the Sidhe, and Master of the Sidhe.

Foster, Alan Dean.

Spellsinger , including : Spellsinger; Hour of the Gate; and Son of Spellsinger. Clash of the Titans

Godwin, Parke.

Sherwood.

Robin & the King.

Goldman, William.

The Princess Bride

Holdenstock, Robert.

Mythago Wood.

Huff, Tanya.

The Four Quarters, comprised of: Sing the Four Quarters; The Fifth Quarter; No Quarter; and The Quartered Sea.

Jordan, Robert.

The Wheel of Time, comprised of: The Eye of the World; The Hunt Begins; The Dragon Reborn; Shadow Rising; The Fires of Heaven; Lord of Chaos; A Crown of Swords; The Path of Daggers; Winter’s Heart; Crossroads of Twilight; and Knife of Dreams.

Kurtz, Katherine.

The Chronicles of Deryni, comprised of: Deryni Rising; Deryni Checkmate; and High Deryni.

Lackey, Mercedes.

The Heralds of Valdemar , comprised of: Arrows of the Queen; Arrow’s Flight; and Arrow’s Fall.

Vows and Honor , comprised of: The Oathbound; Oathbreakers and Oathblood.

The Mage Winds, comprised of: Winds of Fate; Winds of Change; and Winds of Fury.

Lawhead, Stephen.

Pendragon Cycle, comprised of: Taliesin, Merlin, Arthur, Pendragon, and Grail.

Song of Albion, comprised of: The Paradise War; The Silver Hand; and The Endless Knot.

Le Guin, Ursula K.

Earthsea, comprised of: A Wizard of Earthsea, The Tombs of Atuan, The Farthest Shore, and Tehanu.

Lewis, C.S.

The Chronicles of Narnia, comprised of: 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; and The Last Battle.

McCaffrey, Anne.

The Dragonriders of Pern, comprised of: Dragonflight; Dragonquest; White Dragon; and Dragonsblood.

The Harper Hall of Pern, comprised of: Dragonsong; Dragonsinger; and Dragondrums.

McKiernan, Dennis L.

The Iron Tower, comprised of: The Dark Tide; Shadows of Doom; and The Darkest Day.

The Silver Call, comprised of: Trek to Kraggen-Cor and The Brega Path. Dragondoom.

Modesitt Jr., L.E.

The Spellsong Cycle, comprised of: The Soprano Sorceress; The Spellsong War; Darksong Rising; The Shadow Sorceress; and Shadowsinger.

The Saga of Recluce, comprised of: The Magic of Recluce; The Magic Engineer; The Death of Chaos; The Chaos Balance; Colors of Chaos; The Towers of the Sunset; The Order War; Fall of Angels; The White Order; Magi’i of Cyador; and Scion of Cyador.

Rawn, Melanie.

Dragon Prince, comprised of: Dragon Prince; The Star Scroll; and SunRunner’s Fire.

Roberson, Jennifer

Tiger and Del , comprised of: Sword-Dancer; Sword-Singer; Sword-Maker; Sword-Breaker; Sword-Born and Sword-Sworn.

Salvatore, R.A.

The Icewind Dale trilogy, comprised of: The Crystal Shard; Streams of Silver; and The Halfling’s Gem.

The Dark Elf trilogy, comprised of: Homeland; Exile; and Sojourn.

Weis, Margaret & Tracy Hickman.

The Dragonlance Chronicles, comprised of: Dragons of Autumn Twilight; Dragons of Winter Night; and Dragons of Spring Dawning.

White, T.H.

The Once and Future King.

The Book of Merlyn.

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Mythological

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Beowulf - any translation.

Arthurian legends - various collections.

Robin Hood - various collections.

Any collection of fairy tales, mythology or folklore.

Arabian Nights, The - various collections (note that most collections are abridged)

Mabinogion, The - any translation.

Bullfinch, Thomas. Bulfinch’s Complete Mythology.

Froud, Brian, with Alan Lee. Faeries.

Froud, Brian, with Terry Jones. The Goblin Companion.

Grimm, Jacob & Wilhelm. Fairy Tales. Various collections.

Hamilton, Edith. Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods & Heroes.

Homer. The Iliad.

Homer. The Odyssey.

Keightley, Thomas. The World Guide to Gnomes, Fairies, Elves, and Other Little People:

     A Compendium of International Fairy Folklore.

Malory, Sir Thomas. Le Morte d’Arthur.

Windling, Terri. Faery.

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Reference

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Osprey Military or History books. Various titles.

Briggs, Katherine.

An Encyclopedia of Fairies (Hobgoblins, Brownies, Bogies and other supernatural creatures).

Pantheon Books, 1976.

Campbell, Joseph.

The Hero With a Thousand Faces.

The Masks of God, comprised of: Primitive Mythology, Oriental Mythology, Occidental Mythology, and Creative Mythology.

Gies, Joseph & Frances.

Life in a Medieval Castle.

Life in a Medieval Village.

Life in a Medieval City.

Graves, Robert.

The White Goddess. Faber & Faber, 1952.

Markale, Jean.

Women of the Celts. Gordon & Cremonesi, 1975.

Celtic Civilization. Gordon & Cremonesi, 1978.

Matthews, John.

The Bardic Sourcebook.

The Druidic Sourcebook.

Rose, Carol.

Giants, Monsters & Dragons: An Encyclopedia of Folklore, Legend, and Myth.

Spirits, Fairies, Leprechauns and Goblins: An Encyclopedia