(1)The Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien, was one of my first exposures to the Fantasy genre. Up to this point I read mostly Science Fiction squeezed in with school assigned books. The epic tale of Frodo and the Ring affected me deeply with its themes and adventure. It caused a shift in my reading to Fantasy.
(2)Mythago Wood, by Robert Holdstock, fired my imagination with it's premise of a forest, bigger on the inside than outside, where mythological figures are generated by the human mind. My interest in mythology was paid off in spades by this book and subsequent ones in the series.
(3)The Riddle Master trilogy, by Patricia McKillip, proved that women authors had something to contribute to the genre. Her imagination and writing style created a vivid world to remember for years. She improves with every new book she publishes.
(4)Dragon Prince, by Melanie Rawn, made me break a personal rule. Usually, I won't read a series until the final book is published. The cover picture and back cover blurb roused my curiosity, so I started reading the first chapter. The dragon hunt hooked me with its adventure. Later, the characters of Rohan and Sioned drew me deeper into the story of the struggle for the kingdoms. Ms. Rawn was a new author that I eagerly waited for her next book.
(5)The Summer Tree,by Guy Gavriel Kay, was the next author that hooked me. He blended High Fantasy with Arthurian elements to give his Fantasy world a memorable tale of grand battles and love. He writes with a descriptive style that keeps a reader's attention until the final page.
(6)Mists of Avalon, by Marion Zimmer Bradley, added a new twist to the King Arthur legend. Readers are told the story through the eyes of the women of the legend. It remained on the Bestseller lists for a long time. Ms. Bradley blended her imagination with historical detail to give readers a tale to remember for years.
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