I'm writing my dissertation about Fantasy literature in Britain and America and I have so many books for the British side but not so many for the American side.
I need examples of works in which people (especially children) start in the real world and go to another world. Like Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, Narnia, The Wizard of OZ, Harry Potter etc.
Any ideas?
2007-03-29 10:16:43 · 7 answers · asked by becky 2 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Books & Authors
Thanks to everyone who's answered. I really need American authors though, I have lots of British ones (I guess we just love our fantasy worlds or something
2007-03-29 10:33:27 · update #1
Well, you need to go to:
http://ww.faqs.org/faqs/fantasy/recommended-authors/part1/
But let's try:
Stephen Donaldson, not only the Thomas Covenant books but also Mordant's Need. And the short stories, Daughter of Regals.
L. Sprague de Camp particularly The Compleat Enchanter
David Eddings ... Belgariad series (oh I so hate them)
William Goldman, The Princess Bride (brilliant film, brilliant book)
Stephen King's Dark Tower series
Piers Anthony's infinitely long Xanth Trilogy ... completely insane fantasy ... Split Infinity books which are half science fiction half fantasy.
Ursula LeGuin's phenomenal Earthsea books.
(Of course Anne McCaffery's Pern Books and Julian May's Many Coloured Land books are fantastical, but technically SF)
Libba Bray's "Great & Terrible Beauty" and "Rebel Angels" are pretty good, and very unusually written in First Person / Present Tense.
Andre Norton's Witch World books, based on fantasy RPGs.
Marion Zimmer Bradley's Firebrand (arguably not fantasy but historical, but there's real magic), Mists of Avalon.
Roger Zelazny's Amber books ... are they fantasy or SF? Difficult to say ... I'd say fantasy.
to name but a few.
2007-03-29 11:03:17 · answer #1 · answered by replybysteve 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
For some older American fantasy try Edgar Rice Burroughs John Carter of Mars series definitely fantasy not SF. Or The Land that Time Forgot.
Piers Anthony's Xanth series has been mentioned but the Blue Adept series is worth a look. The hero is shuttling between alternate worlds.
Lots of 'gates' into other worlds. Holly Lisle's World Gates trilogy and her Minerva Wakes, quit a few in Andre Norton's Witch World novels, Gate of Ivrel by C. J. Cherryh
The Riftwar series by Raymond E Feist & Janny Wurtz featuring the worlds of Midkemia and Kelewan connected by a rift. Superb fantasy.
2007-03-30 13:33:38 · answer #2 · answered by felineroche 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Try S.M. Striling's The Island in the Sea of Time series or his new series that starts out with the book Dies the Fire. Both are pretty good alternate Earth reads. And his single book Conquistador, according to him may soon have a sequel.
2007-03-29 17:51:17 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Off hand, Philip Pullman is the only author that comes to mind....
Ooo.. try Five Children and It by Edith Nesbit...
Oh! Diane Duane's novels about wizards! The first one is called So You Want to Be a Wizard!
I'll come back and post again if I think of more...
2007-03-29 17:21:33 · answer #4 · answered by Jinx U 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Well, this book isn't really popular but a young girl named Coraline goes from the real world into another world. The book's called Coraline by Neil Gaiman. Good luck. =)
2007-03-29 17:22:44 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
The first one that comes to mind is the "Neverending Story" There was a movie that was made with the same title that sort of went the same direction and it wasn't bad.
2007-03-29 17:50:12 · answer #6 · answered by John B 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Madeliene L'Engle, "A Wrinkle in Time"
2007-03-29 18:21:50 · answer #7 · answered by Karebear 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋