BTT: The Knights of the Round Table; and Fantasy Anyone?

The Knights of the Round Table (from Booking Through Thursday)

1. Do you enjoy reading the legends of King Arthur and the knights of the Round Table?

2. How long ago did you read them?

3. Will you ever read more of them or re-read any that you've read before?

Surprisingly, I have never read them.  This is one of the instances where what I know about them is based on movies and references to the stories I've read elsewhere.  I'm not sure why the legends don't interest me.  I have read other historical fiction, other legends, and I have a Robin Hood retelling on my TBR.  I just have no interest in seeking them out.  *shrug*

Fantasy Anyone? (from Booking Through Thursday)

Roger Zelazny’s Amber series, J.R.R. Tolkein’s Lord of the Rings, David Eddings’ Belgariad, and Stephen R. Donaldson’s Thomas Covenant trilogies, are all classic examples of fantasy. None of them are books either of my parents would ever consider reading. I’ve devoured them all… And more.

1. Do you like to read fantasy?

2. What’s your favorite (or least favorite if you don’t like the genre) thing about reading fantasy?

3. Do you prefer regular people placed in alternate realities, like the Thomas Covenant stories and the Amber books, or do you prefer the whole world to come from the author’s imagination? Or something else?

4. Do you have a favorite author or theme that you go back to again and again?

I used to read a lot of fantasy when I was a teenager but not so much anymore.  I choose my reading based on plot and themes more than genre now.

I like fantasy for the non-realistic aspects, the things you can't write about in general realistic fiction, like shapeshifters and magic.  I also find that fantasy has stronger characters, perhaps because of the journey/quest they must take on.

The Harry Potter series were set in an alternate reality and I loved the series very much.  Middle Earth of the Lord of the Rings series came from Tolkien's imagination and I enjoyed the series enough to read all three books.  I have no preference as to the setting.

I have enjoyed a lot of fantasy books that feature witchcraft as an acceptable aspect of normal life.  I like fantasy books with strong female characters and a little romance thrown in.

Fantasy series I have liked/loved:

*Parasol Proctectorate - Gail Carriger

*All Souls Trilogy - Deborah Harkness

*Jane Jameson - Molly Harper

*Jane True - Nicole Peeler

*Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences - Philippa Ballantine

*Rogue Angel - Alex Archer

*Witches of Eileanan - Kate Forsyth

*Cemetary of Lost Books - Carlos Ruiz Zafon

*Harry Potter - J.K. Rowling

*Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan

Read on,

Paula