Top Ten "Gateway" Books/Authors In My
Reading Journey
The Magic Faraway
Tree
Although
this wasn’t the first book I ever read, it was my first introduction to
fantasy. I had an omnibus edition of the entire series that my parents brought
for me in a bookshop in Newcastle on a trip to see family and I devoured it. By
the time I passed it over to my book-mad niece, it was extremely threadbare and
had been read cover to cover any number of times. I can still remember the
wonder and excitement of reading these books, the lands that appeared and
disappeared at the top of the tree and the wonderful denizens of the tree
itself.
Mattimeo
A very
important book for me because it was the first book I brought for myself, at a
School Book Fair. A thrilling story of brave mice, wise-cracking squirrels,
disfigured foxes and warrior badgers, Mattimeo was my introduction to the
Redwall series, which became a staple when I was a kid. Again, one of those
books I have very clear memories of sitting and reading. One scene in
particular, where the adult animals wake up under an overcast, drizzly sky to
discover that the children have been kidnapped by the vengeful fox, returns to
me every time I’m stuck at home on a rainy day.
The Lord of
the Rings
A friend of
the family had two copies of this on his bookshelf and he read it every year
without fail. Although it took me quite a few years to actually get through it
completely, I dipped in and out of it numerous times and was constantly amazed
at the characters and world that Tolkien had created. A second step on my love
for fantasy.
X-Wing:
Rogue Squadron
The first
Star Wars book I ever read, a classic example of just how much can be done in
that universe. Great characters, exciting dogfights, a class-A villain – this propelled
me into the wonderful world of Star Wars novels. Even now, 20 years on, I still
pick up every single new Star Wars book that comes out and devour it!
Sarum
This was my
first grown-up book, stolen from my dad’s bookshelf. A vast, sprawling family
saga, it introduced me to concepts and vistas I had not expected or imagined up
until then. It started a love for historical novels in me, as well as big
doorstopper books that you have to bench-press to be able to carry around.
Terry
Brooks
Impossible
to choose just one book from Mr Brooks, but I can safely say that he propelled
me into my love for epic fantasy in all its forms. My first book from him was
actually First King of Shannara, which I now recognise is far from his best
work, but the way he played around with tropes that up until then I had only
seen in The Lord of the Rings grabbed at me and dragged me into the further
worlds of Jordan, Eriksen, Sanderson and Martin.
The Count
of Monte Cristo
Around the
time I turned fifteen, I was reading a lot, but all pretty much the same stuff.
A lot of epic fantasy, a lot of Star Wars and Star Trek, not a whole lot else.
Then, on a family holiday, I got into a big argument with my mum and brother
about expanding my reading horizons. Fine, I told them. I will find a book in
the house where we are staying, I’ll read it and I’ll hate it. And then you can
leave me alone! Little did I imagine that I would stumble upon Alexandre Dumas’
The Count of Monte Cristo...
Fast
forward a couple of days and we had to leave the house. And I had to leave the
book behind. Unfinished. I spent two months tracking down an English-language
copy (I lived in France and Amazon wasn’t what it is now) and devoured the book
in a couple of days. I suddenly realised that I could find the same wonderful
characters, exciting storylines and fabulous locations outside of fantasy.
This is,
hands down, one of my favourite books.
An Instance
of the Fingerpost
A classy,
well-written puzzlebox of a novel, set in Oxford in the 17th Century,
An Instance of the Fingerpost unveiled the world of historical mysteries. A
great read if you’re looking for an intelligent, well-researched and
mind-twisting book that will keep you guessing right up until the end.
The Dresden
Files
Around the
time that epic fantasy started to become a bit of a drag, I came across a
little book called Storm Front. A magician in modern day Chicago, vampires,
fae, prophecies, a talking skull, all combined to reveal a new world to me, one
that I hadn’t known about until then. This series was my first introduction to
urban fantasy and I recommend it to anyone wondering whether to dip their toes
in the modern day fantasy goodness!
The Way of
Kings
After
reading a lot of fantasy for a long time, I eventually got a little sick of
epic fantasy. Nothing seemed to be exciting anymore, worlds like Jordan’s Wheel
of Time were getting a bit stale. But The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson
showed me how epic epic fantasy could actually be. New worlds, vast canvasses,
huge stakes... This book reignited my love for all of that stuff!
Which Books Are on Your List?
The Faraway Tree series is a great choice, I loved pretty much everything that Enid Blyton wrote when I was little! The Count of Monte Cristo has been on my to-read list for years, definitely need to read it soon :)
RépondreSupprimerMy TTT
I devoured everything Enid Blyon wrote when I was a kid, from Faraway Tree to Famous Five to Secret Seven... So yeah, definitely get where you're coming from! :)
RépondreSupprimerMonte Cristo is definitely worth reading, it has everything: adventure, mystery, murder, intrigue, betrayal, revenge, drugs, beautiful women, handsome men, exotic locations... A must read! :)