Modern Fantasy: The 100 Best Novels

A 1988 list of the 100 best Fantasy books put together by a founding editor of Interzone magazine. (Note the date: you won't find Mr. Norrell or Harry Potter in this book.) While every serious Fantasy reader could put together a list of their 100 favorite books, David Pringle brings in a knowledge of the history of the genre, he compares his results with other best-of lists, and gives some (non-spoiler) information about each book and its author; where it fits into the history of Fantasy writing, what it influenced, and what kind of book it is. (Fans of Patricia McKillip may not like Doris Lessing or Stephen King but all 3 appear on this list.)

Most people will probably recognize some of the titles in this list (Lord of the Rings, The show more Once and Future King, Gormenghast) but there are many more books that may be unknown, forgotten, or read-too-long-ago-to-remember-the-name. A book like this will point you to other books you might like, maps out the family tree of the genre (or at least its important branches), and shows the variety of the genre for readers who think all Fantasy is cute, silly, or trite (try #30 The Crying of Lot 49 by Thomas Pynchon, or #51 Watership Down by Richard Adams, or that haunting book about the limits artistic power and death #24 The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle.)

Fun to read through and certain to provoke discoveries.

-Lisa Shapter show less

This book is an invaluable resource for the Fantasy fan. I discovered one of my favorite books, John Crowley's Little Big, by reading a review of it in this book.

Book Description: New York: Peter Bedrick Books, 1989. Octavo, hardcover. First U.S. edition. A fine copy in fine dust jacket.