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"I walk across the dreaming sands under the pale moon: through the dreams of countries and cities, past dreams of places long gone and times beyond recall" - Neil Gaiman (from The Sandman)

In my previous list I found it relatively straightforward to define what I thought good Science Fiction consisted of. But how do you define good fantasy? In fact, how do you define fantasy at all – isn't all fiction fantasy to some extent? Still, I'm here now so I'm going to have a stab at it.

Good fantasy literature I think requires two vital elements to be present:

1. Imagination – the ability to dream, to create new wonders, to explore new realms and bring them to life. In fantasy the ideas can be original or not, that is not important. Often the re-use of the old, of archetypes and legends, is of crucial importance in fantasy, which is a form of literature that connects us with our deep past. On the other hand, I personally value originality in approach, and I notice that this list seems to consist largely of works by unique, one of a kind writers. It's the power of their imagination which is so vital, which makes their works so unforgettable.

2. Storytelling – the story must captivate the readers or listeners. This ancient art goes back many aeons to the first cro-magnons huddled around the cave fires, listening to the shaman's tales of the mysterious worlds beyond… And it is just as important today. Fantasy is about stories, things have to happen, events have to unfold, quests have to be fulfilled, monsters killed or perhaps heroes (as the case may be), uppances have to be comed, and consequences have to be faced. Homer knew this when writing the Odyssey, as did all fantasy writers (and tellers) since.

So, once more into the breach. Here's my list. As ever, I make no claims for literary scholarship or objectivity. This is purely subjective and consists of whatever I happen to remember as outstanding tales. They are all different in style and feel, yet each captures, for me, that elusive spirit of Great Fantasy. I'm aware that I have missed out many other excellent writers and books by limiting it to 10 - maybe I'll do a second list some time.

In no particular order:

1. The Dying Earth, by Jack Vance

   

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   This was author Jack Vance's first work, written while serving in the merchant navy in the Pacific during the Second World War.

   It's more a series of interlocked short stories than a novel, all set in the far distant future when the sun is about to sputter and expire, and science has long given way to magic. It's full of wizards, magicians, thieves, rogues, half men, demons and sages.

   Vance sprang on the to fantasy field with many of his trademark features fully present in this book.

   The language is rich and baroque. The humour dry and subtle. From the humblest bumpkins to the cruellest monster, all the characters talk in formal mannered English, as if they have stepped from the pages of a Jane Austin novel. Vance also delights in creating wonderfully imagined names for characters and creatures – Mazirian the Magician, Turjan of Miir, the sisters Tsais and Tsain, Chun The Unavoidable (my favourite!), deodands, grues, erbs and twk-men (who ride dragonflies and trade in salt).

   Spells are long multi-syllabic formulae which have to be crammed into the minds of the adept, before they can be uttered, after which they are spent. Some examples include Lugwiler's Dismal Itch, The Spell of Forlorn Encystment (which "constricts the subject in a pore some forty-five miles below the surface of the earth"), Phandaal's Gyrator ("levitates the victim and spins him so fast he disintegrates in a spray of gore"). Other magical adjuncts include Live Boots (a variant on seven league boots, but which tire after use).

   Perhaps better known for his (excellent) science fiction, Vance has written several other works of fantasy over his long and distinguished career. He returned to the world of the Dying Earth for his Cugel books – The Eyes Of The Overworld and Cugel's Saga – wonderful tales of a rogue's adventures and misadventures as he struggles to recompense a wronged magician. He also wrote a number of short stories later collected as Rhialto The Marvellous, concerning the affairs of a rather fractious 'club' of rival magicians.

   Vance's fantasy is unique and original. There is absolutely nothing else like it. You can see traces of inspiration from previous generations of writers such as Lord Dunsany and Clark Ashton Smith, but precious few have ever followed in his footsteps (perhaps with the exception of Gene Wolfe, but his work has a totally different feel).

   If you're into clichés, LOTR retreads, heroic quests against standard issue dark lords, action packed blood, guts and sex – forget it, you won't like this. But if you love imaginative writing, rich language, subtle wry humour and sheer zest for life, Jack Vance is the master.

2. The Downfall of the Lord of the Rings and the Return of the King, by JRR Tolkien

   

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   …to give it its full and correct title (as recounted by Frodo Baggins). Probably the most famous fantasy novel of all time, so it hardly needs any introduction from me. But when I first read it years ago it was still relatively obscure and arcane. People who had read it were almost like a secret cult, that could quote the odd word of elvish or orcish at each other, to the baffled stares of the other kids at school.

   Nowadays of course that's all changed, especially after the three blockbuster films of recent years (which were surprisingly well done and true to the spirit of the books, amazingly enough). This was brought home to me when my barber starting discussing the character and motivation of Gimli the dwarf, only to be contradicted by the random guy who came in to buy some cigarettes! Still, this work sets the benchmark in fully imagined and created worlds, with their own languages, history and geography (I used to love the fold out maps which were stuck in the back of the old hardback volumes I first read!).

   Professor Tolkien's imagination was second to none, and his love of the English language and his use of good, old fashioned, simple yet lyrical prose, fills this work. His background as a scholar of Anglo Saxon (or Old English) also comes over strongly.

   This tale of hobbits, men, elves, orcs, ents, wizards and dark lords, heroic quests, temptation and redemption, is the masterwork of its kind. Sadly, it has been copied countless times by inferior imitators once publishers realised there was a huge market for this kind of thing, and Tolkien wasn't going to supply any more.

   Still, this is the original and the best. Unequaled.

   Footnote: Interestingly, the posthumously published but never really finished Silmarillion was his real epic of mythology for the English people. The Lord of the Rings started out as a mere sequel to his children's book The Hobbit, as the writing style of the early chapters clearly shows. The Silmarillion is more of an acquired taste, and will never achieve the popularity of tLotR, but it has many passages of sublime epic grandeur which can equal or at times exceed the later work, in my opinion.

3. The Earthsea series, by Ursula K. Le Guin

   

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   Originally a series of three books:

   • A Wizard of Earthsea
   • The Tombs of Atuan
   • The Farthest Shore

   They tell the story of a young boy with talent potential for magic, who is 'discovered' by a mage and sent to a school for wizards. (School for wizards? Sounds familiar, eh? Yes, but this was published a good 30 years before a certain Harry Potter was ever heard of. And without wishing to disparage HP and co, these books are vastly superior, though completely different in tone and subject matter so perhaps it is unfair to make comparisons.)

   Set on the world of "Earthsea", a dusting of islands and archipelagos sprinkled across a vast sea, with no continents to speak of (helpfully a map is provided), the story continues as the boy Sparrowhawk / Ged matures and comes to understand himself and his place in the world.

   Words and names are the keys to the magic in this system. To know the true name of a person or thing is to have power over it. But to be able to use that power wisely is the true test.

   Dragons feature strongly here, not as evil mindless monsters but as wise ancient beasts, still fearsome and terrifying but with a strange mystical beauty. Another aspect I particularly liked, was the depiction of the land of the dead, with its dry dusty cities and its fixed unmoving stars overhead, and the long dry stone wall separating it from the world of the living. Tremendously evocative.

   Le Guin writes beautifully as ever, and the work is once more infused with an underlying almost Taoist philosophy. She is also well known for her excellent science fiction and is one of two authors on this list to feature on my Top Ten Science Fiction list as well.

   Much later, Le Guin followed up with several other books set on Earthsea: Tehanu, Tales From Earthsea and The Other Wind. Also well worth a look, my favourite being Tales From Earthsea which expands on some of the ancient tales and legends touched upon in the earlier books.

4. The Sandman, by Neil Gaiman

   

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   Sandman is an epic graphic work written by Neil Gaiman and illustrated by countless artists (including Dave McKean, Charles Vess, Jill Thompson, Michael Zulli and many others). It was originally published in a series of 75 comics, later compiled into 10 volumes in graphic novel format.

   It is a vast and sprawling work, ranging across time and space, dipping into mythologies and legends from all eras and all cultures. Norman Mailer apparently described the series as "a comic book for intellectuals."

   The main character is Morpheus, Lord Of Dreams, aka The Sandman. He is one of The Endless a pantheon of 7 immortals or archetypes who transcend time and universes. They comprise Dream ( i.e. the Sandman), his older brother Destiny, his elder sister Death, brother/sister Desire, younger sister Delirium (formerly Delight), another sister Despair, and a brother Destruction. I particularly like the depiction of Death as a young attractive girl, vaguely gothic, with a friendly attitude and a nice sense of humour. Adds a new twist to the classic stereotypes.

   It's a difficult work to describe, it's so wide ranging and inventive. The story jumps around all over the place, from present times to Shakespeare's day, to the fall of Lucifer, to the Inn at Worlds' End, to ancient Greece, to..

   I've never read anything like it. Gaiman has pulled together so many strands and inserts so many digressions and tangential tales, and yet it still works in telling a compelling story of the fall and rise of the personified 'Dream'.

   He has also written a number of other excellent books, including Stardust (see film review here), American Gods, Neverwhere (set in a mystical underground London), and Mirrormask (also made into an interesting animated film). In addition, he recently co-wrote the screenplay for the new Beowulf film (see review here). And he's a personal friend of another of my heroes: Gene Wolfe (see Top Ten Science Fiction). What a star!

   Anyway, Sandman is, in my opinion, his masterwork to date. Well worth exploring. And reading it is a voyage of exploration, I promise you.

5. The Book Of Wonder, by Lord Dunsany

   

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   Lord Dunsany was an Anglo-Irish aristocrat. His full name was Edward John Moreton Drax Plunkett, 18th Baron of Dunsany. Much of his best work was written in the Edwardian period (late 19th , early 20th Century).

   He wrote a few novels, including The King Of Elfland's Daughter, but to me his best work consisted of his short stories. These were published sometimes in magazines, and in collections such as The Gods Of Pegana, Time And The Gods, A Dreamer's Tales, The Book Of Wonder, 51 Tales, Tales Of Wonder, Tales Of Three Hemispheres. He was also an acclaimed poet and playwright in his day. He fought in the First World War and eventually died in 1957.

   I've selected The Book Of Wonder fairly arbitrarily for this list, but I could have chosen any of them to be honest.

   His stories are wild, imaginative, original, bizarre, funny, touching, poetic and dream like. With titles like "The Hoard Of The Gibbelins", "The Distressing Tale of Thangobrind the Jeweller, and of the Doom that Befell Him", "The Bride of the Man-Horse", ""The Injudicious Prayers of Pombo the Idolator" and ""How One Came, as Was Foretold, to the City of Never", you get an idea of what you're going to get. All marvellously written and imagined tales, full of archaisms, wit, suspense, horror, tears and laughter (not necessarily in that order).

   Many of these stories were illustrated by the remarkable artist Sidney Sime, who captures the grotesque and fantastic atmosphere perfectly. In fact, on several occasions the illustrations came first, and Dunsany was inspired to write a story around whatever Sime had happened to draw! There was evidently a special creative magic in the partnership of these two. (Sime's work was on display in a small dedicated gallery in his home town of Worplesdon in Surrey. I visited it once and it was excellent to see, but I'm not sure if it's still open.)

   Dunsany's work has been republished many times since his death, in numerous permutations and collections. These are well worth seeking out.

   His work inspired later generations of writers in the fantasy field, including Clark Ashton Smith, H.P. Lovecraft, Jorge Luis Borges, J.R.R. Tolkien, Jack Vance, Michael Moorcock and Neil Gaiman amongst others.

6. Gormenghast, by Mervyn Peake

   

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   Gormenghast is actually a trilogy consisting of:

   • Titus Groan
   • Gormenghast
   • Titus Alone

   The first two books tell a more or less continuous story, of the birth and upbringing of Titus, 78th Earl of Groan and ruler of Gormenghast Castle. This castle is a huge sprawling conglomeration of buildings and accretions added piecemeal over the centuries. In many ways, it has been said, the castle is the true hero of these books. It seems to exist in a world of its own, with little to no contact with the outside world.

   It is set in an indeterminate period, vaguely nineteenth century in feel. The heavy hand of ritual and a strong resistance to change dominates all proceedings.

   Characters are rich and well developed (and marvellously well named), and the overall feel is something like Dickens on acid (to put it rather crudely). We meet Swelter the cook, Flay the loyal retainer, Lord Sepulchrave, Lady Gertrude, Nannie Slagg, Steerpike the subversive social climber, Lady Fuchsia, Dr. Prunesquallor, Rottcodd, Barquentine master of ritual, Sourdust and many others.

   The first two books take place in the castle. The third leaves it behind and we meet a new range of bizarre characters. My favourite is Muzzlehatch, with his motor car surmounted by a cow's skull lashed to the grille. (Yes cars appear here, and we find ourselves in the early/mid 20th century all of a sudden!)

   Peake was a true genius . a celebrated poet and artist, before he became known as a novelist. All of his work demonstrates a love of life and a wonderful mad, wild humour. Sadly he died at an early age shortly after completing these books, and a projected 4th volume never appeared.

   The man was totally unique ('sui generis', is I believe the correct term). Nobody since has ever managed or attempted anything remotely in this league.

7. The Night Land, by William Hope Hodgson

   

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   A deeply strange and weird tale, set in the far future when the sun has actually gone out. First published in 1912.

   The remnants of humanity are concentrated in the Last Redoubt, a huge pyramidal structure extending from deep underground up high into the sky, where the air is thin and the people had adapted accordingly. The Redoubt is powered by energy sources deep below the earth's surface. Outside a range of mysterious and monstrous beings lurk, the Watchers, waiting for the time when the energy finally gives out and they can make their move. Outside lie many terrors including, "The Thing that Nods", "The Road Where the Silent Ones Walk", "The Place of the Ab-humans", "The Country Whence Comes the Great Laughter", "The Plain of Blue Fire", "The Place Where the Silent Ones Kill", and so on.

   I wouldn't want to go out there; I'd stay in the pyramid, thank you very much! But the hero receives a signal from a hitherto unsuspected second Redoubt on the other side of the world, and he sets out to travel there. But he must make his way past unspeakable terrors and threats (including the aforementioned 'presences') to get there.

   Hodgson also wrote The House on the Borderland, set in Ireland and dark realms beyond. His work could be described as Dark Fantasy, Horror or possibly Science Fiction ... it has elements of them all. But who cares? Categorisation wasn't so important in those days, just good storytelling. (And that's the way it should be now, in my opinion!)

8. A Song of Ice and Fire, by George RR Martin

   

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   This is an ongoing series of books, consisting of (so far):

   • A Game Of Thrones
   • A Clash Of Kings
   • A Storm Of Swords
   • A Feast For Crows

   It is set in a medieval world, approximately at the level of the 15th Century and the Wars of the Roses in England. So it's full of knights, armour, castles, damsels, honour, chivalry, tournaments, and spectacle. Also deep intrigue, skulduggery, cruelty, political machinations, rival factions, shifting alliances, kingmakers and usurpers. And sex. Also dragons, magic and conflicting religions. And an impending ice age.

   The island of Westeros is placed roughly where Britain is in our world (i.e. at the edge of the Western Sea ) and there is a greater continent to the east. There is a great Wall to the north to protect the more 'civilised' realms to the south from the terrors beyond (c.f. Hadrian's Wall), with its dedicated band of protectors - the Nights Watch, comprised of broken men and society's outcasts but with its own strict moral code. In the lands to the east are various rich and decadent kingdoms, and the Dothraki - fierce nomad horse warriors (Hun/Mongol analogues).

   None of these elements is particularly original in themselves, but put together they form an intelligent, compelling and exciting whole. This is a work where the sheer drive and power of the narrative just hurtles along and drags you with it. Martin has a penchant for sudden twists and turns in the plot line, and he frequently kills off his leading characters with gay abandon (in the old sense of the word!). And he just loves cliff-hangers.

   Rattling good adventure, with plenty of action and intrigue in a well imagined world. Red blooded yet highly intelligent with it - a rare and precious combination in my opinion.

   Like thousands of other readers, I am waiting impatiently for Martin to finish the next volume A Dance with Dragons. A long awaited invasion of Westeros is due soon, I think.

   Get hooked on this great series now, is my recommendation.

9. The Broken Sword, by Poul Anderson

   

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   Poul Anderson was perhaps better known for his SF, but he wrote at least a couple of excellent fantasy works, of which this is one.

   It takes place in Viking times. A human child is swapped for a faery one, and the adventures of the changeling are described. Depictions of wars amongst the elves and then the Norse pantheon follow. An excellent digression brings us into the territory of Irish myth and legend, where we meet the Daoine Sidhe (not used enough in 'fantasy' literature, I feel).

   A relatively short work, but a little gem. Anderson manages to pick up two or three entire European mythologies and plays them straight, in pretty much unadulterated form, as the basis for his tale. It flows well and it's highly entertaining. It's simplicity of style, coupled with the sophisticated applications of its source materials, convey Anderson's true mastery and his evident love and respect for his own rich cultural heritage.

   A charming work and one which inspired me to look more deeply into some of those old legends of our forebears, who once lived here on the edges of Europe in an allegedly 'dark' age…

10. Mythago Wood, by Robert Holdstock

    

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    First in a series of books by Holdstock, which are set in Ryhope Wood, somewhere in rural England. On the map, this ancient woodland is only several acres in extent, surrounded by farmland. But you enter it at your peril, as once inside you can travel for many weeks without ever reaching the 'heartwoods' at the centre. Furthermore, it is populated by 'mythagos' - real flesh and blood people and creatures, but created somehow from deep within the human subconscious, where racial memories, archetypes and distant ancient myths reside. The traveller somehow unconsciously creates and modifies these beings every time he or she enters the wood, and the effects are greater the deeper one penetrates into the forest.

    The mythagos themselves originate from stories and legends ranging from relatively recent times back to the last ice ages and the first hunter gatherer inhabitants of these islands. Thus they include highwaymen, Robin Hood (and/or Hood variants), dark knights, horned gods, wild boar deities, Celtic gods, and pre-Celtic and stone age mythic figures. They are dangerous and frequently hostile to intruders.

    Shortly after the Second World War, a man returns to his somewhat dilapidated home near the edge of the woods, where he discovers his missing father's notebooks. (Guess where the father has gone missing?) He investigates for himself and starts to make forays into the wood.

    A marvellously atmospheric work, it captures somehow the feel of the English countryside and its woodlands and fields, which can be ordinary and familiar, damp and muddy, yet at the same time feel ancient, mysterious and secretive. (Or have I just been eating too many of those wild mushrooms when walking the dog there?).

    The books play with ideas of Jungian psychology, deep fears and joys and ancient half remembered tales, and yet they are grounded in a very solid depiction of the English landscape.

    Highly original, evocative, thoughtful and at the same time great storytelling. Recommended.